By Illinois Scouting Staff

The inaugural Prep Baseball Report Preseason I.D. - Litchfield at Litchfield Sports Inc. took place on Monday, January 16th. The event was open to all 2017-2021 high school graduates. Here’s a quick look at some highlights from the day.

Each class had their fair share of prospects worth noting but the junior class clearly stood out among the rest. Below is a breakdown of notable performances by graduating class.

2018’s

• Catcher Logan Shepard (Maroa-Forsyth) had one of the top left-handed bats of the event. Shepard has a simple swing, spray approach, fluid rhythm throughout and made consistent hard contact. He also had the top catcher velocity on the day, clocked at 78 mph.

• Brandon Olion (Champaign Centennial) is an athletic 6-foot-3, 165-pound left/left outfielder. He swings a loose left-handed bat and has fluid actions in the outfield.

• INF Charlie Erler (Alton) has an aggressive swing and made a lot of loud contact in his round of BP.

• INF Andrew DeLaCruz (Litchfield) has athletic defensive actions, soft hands and an accurate arm. He is also a switch hitter who can handle the bat from both sides of the plate.

• OF Dawson Johns (Mt. Zion) ran a 4.26 home-to-first, was clocked at 85 mph from the outfield and registered an exit velocity of 87 mph. Johns is a right-handed hitter with present bat speed and quick hands.

• Blake Struble (Carrollton) is a 6-foot-4, 200-pound left-handed pitcher. Struble has a short, quick arm, fastball in the low 80’s and sharp, tight slider thrown for strikes.

• Graham Bender (Chatham-Glenwood) worked out as a two-way player at the event but may have shown best on the mound. The right-hander flashed a short, quick arm and a fastball that had some late life at 82-83 mph, touching 84.

2019’s

• Cameron Edmonson (Rochester) who showed well as a LHP on Sunday at the Underclass Invitational, impressed as a position player in Litchfield on Monday. In the outfield he attacked the baseball and showed off a loose, live arm that was clocked at 85 mph. 

• OF Jake Ambuel (Carlinville) has an athletic 6-foot, 180-pound frame and easy juice at the plate. The ball jumps off his bat and he has looseness throughout.

• INF Lucas Sharisky (Streator) has a compact left-handed swing and routinely found the barrel in BP.

• C Jalen Ping (Glenwood) is a right-handed hitter with a spray approach and had a low pop time of 2.04.

2020’s

• 6-foot-2, 180-pound outfielder Drew Stine (Lafayette, MO) is a right-handed hitter who flashed fluid rhythm in his swing, present bat speed and an 85 mph exit velocity.

• OF/RHP Drew Masset (Ramsey) showed above-average velocity on the mound for a freshman. He was up to 79 mph and also flashed an advanced curveball for his age.

UNSIGNED SENIORS

• Adam Hillis (Jacksonville) is an imposing 6-foot-4, 240-pound two-way prospect. He turned heads posting an event best 100 mph exit velocity and flashing legitimate pull-side power in BP. On the mound his fastball sat in the low 80’s.

• Middle infielder Tate Wargo (Gillespie) has range on the infield, a quick, clean transfer and reliable hands.

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