Prep Baseball Report

Unsigned Senior Showcase: Quick Hits



By Steve Nielsen and Matt Huck
Scouting Staff

The Unsigned Senior Showcase took place on Sunday October 8th at the Max in McCook, Illinois. The event featured 131 players from the 2018 class who took part in a pro style workout in front of the PBR Scouting Staff. Today we kick off event analysis with some of the top performers from the event.

Defense is Key

  • SS Jamarion Loston (Morgan Park) is one of the top uncommitted players in the class, currently ranked No. 28. Loston showed advanced defensive actions with soft hands and fluid footwork. He showed an accurate arm throwing 81 mph across the infield. At the plate Loston has a balanced setup with a line drive approach working gap to gap.

  • C Bryan Fox (Lockport) impressed in bullpens. Fox is an active and athletic receiver who showed high energy and willingness to block and work for his pitcher. Fox has a strong durable frame highlighted by his lower half at 5-foot-10, 175-pounds.

  • Infielder Sean Tillmon (Plainfield North) sparked some interest at shortstop. Tillmon is a wiry 5-foot-11, 146-pounds who moves free and easy with athletic actions. His arm played athletically at 82 mph which should allow him to stick at short.

Dream on these Athletes

  • Athletic OF Luke Seidel (Fremd) was one of the biggest revelations on the day. He ran the top 60 yard dash of the event at 6.56. Seidel offers upside at the plate and in the field. Defensively he threw 83 mph from the outfield and showed raw bat speed at the plate with present strength in his frame.

  • Marcus Gholston (Valparaiso, IN, 2018) stands at a physical 6-foot-3, 205-pound. The toolsy left-handed hitting outfielder filled out the stat sheet running a 6.82 60-yard dash and throwing 87 mph from the outfield. Gholston has raw bat speed at the plate with occasional pop. Gholston is ranked No. 60 in the PBR Indiana Class of 2018.

  • OF Tommy Nelsen (St. Charles North) ran a 6.82 60-yard dash and threw 89 mph from the outfield. Nelsen made consistent hard, line drive contact in batting practice. He has an athletic frame at 6-foot, 175-pounds with present strength and athleticism. Nelsen is ranked No. 101 in the PBR Illinois Class of 2018.

  • SS Michael Marseille (Homewood-Flossmoor) ran a 6.69 60-yard dash and has solid actions up the middle.

  • Bobby Grimes (Nazareth) is a plus athlete and ran the 60-yard dash at 6.75 and has one of the top arms behind the plate showing easy carry and accuracy out of the crouch.  

  • Kevin Lapka (Lane Tech) is a projectable outfielder that continues to show improvement. His right-handed bat projects well and is a rangy runner in the outfield (7.02)

Heavy Hitters

  • Marco Yates (Belvidere North) showed well on Sunday and projects as a third baseman with an aggressive swing and strong arm. His bat has a chance to fit in as a middle of the lineup hitter at the next level.

  • Infielder Bryce Burton (Marmion) showed off a well rounded and versatile game that looks to profile well as a hard hitting third basemen.

Arms Race

  • RHP Luke Lamm (Plainfield East) showed as one of the top arms of the day. Lamm is 6-foot-3, 200-pounds and showed control of an 86-87 mph fastball. His big frame and feel for the zone leaves plenty of intrigue to college recruiters.

  • 6-foot-5, 175-pound RHP Andrew Schimmoler (Oswego) has a loose quick arm and topped out at 85 mph with his fastball, while flashing a sharp breaking curveball. Schimmoler is currently ranked No. 156 in the PBR Illinois Class of 2018.

  • RHP Matthew Helwig (Lincoln-Way Central) flashed one of the better fastballs of the day, touching 87 mph twice. His arm is live and loose, leading to life on his fastball that struggled to harness the zone. Added repeatability will improve his stock at the next level.

  • 6-foot-9, 220-pound RHP Logan Burbach (Harlem) offers interesting upside on the mound. At 6-foot-9 Burbach repeated with his mechanics well and worked at an easy 81-83 mph with his fastball.

  • LHP Dan Balzhiser (Plainfield East) put together one of the better showings we’ve seen from the southpaw. Balzhiser filled up the zone with three pitches, including an 81-83 mph fastball that touched 84 mph.

  • LHP Ryan Surin (Joliet Catholic) who sat out his junior year with Tommy John, has been gaining a ton of interest this fall. Suring showed again that he has feel for multiple pitches, highlighted by a hard curveball that flashed bite at 75 mph. His fastball consistently sits 82-84 mph.

  • Garret Wiggs (Lowell, IN, 2018) is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound RHP who sat 84-85 mph with a sharp slider at 72-75 mph and a running changeup at 77-80 mph.

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