By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

After a long off-season in which we attended numerous camps, practices and showcases, we have finally updated the Class of 2015 player rankings. What we have found over the course of three months is Illinois’ 2015 class is one of the deepest we’ve seen in recent years. The amount of new players that were previously unknown to us was startling, once again proving that, from a scout’s perspective, you never have it figured out.

With that said, there have been significant shakeups in the updated and expanded 2015 rankings. In many instances, players did nothing to have their rankings drop; there were just a lot of new prospects that emerged.

Heading the top 200 list are the usual names. The top five are pretty much interchangeable, but left-handed hitting SS Charlie Donovan (Westmont HS) reclaims the No. 1 spot after his spectacular showing at the Super 60, when the 5-foot-10 athlete was clocked at 93 mph across the infield, ran a 6.62 60 and put on two polished rounds of BP. Donovan narrowly edged out C/OF/RHP Nick Dalesandro (Joliet Catholic Academy HS), who was equally impressive at the Super 60. Dalesandro does it all on the field: sub-2 pop times, 93 mph from the outfield, upper-80s on the mound, 6.82 runner.

RHP/1B Trent Johnson (Metamora HS), SS Cole Daily (Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin HS) and LHP Kyle Ostrowski (Lincoln-Way North HS) round out the top five. Brenden Spillane (Wheeling HS) moves to No. 6 after the physical athlete seems to have settled in as an outfielder with power, surprising speed for his size and a plus arm. RHP Shane Ritter (Plainfield South HS), OF Josh Stowers (Mount Carmel HS), 3B Willie Bourbon (Stevenson HS) and OF Chris Botsoe (Hinsdale Central) comprise the top 10. The left-handed hitting Bourbon is the only uncommitted junior in the top 10.

After the top 10, there was a lot of movement. INF Tyler Halas (St. Rita HS) holds steady at No. 11, followed by one of the class’s biggest risers, 6-foot-8, 225-pound RHP Liam Jenkins (Lincoln-Way North HS). Jenkins shot up 72 spots after his stellar showing at the PBR Preseason All-State Showcase, when he sat 88-89 mph with three-pitch feel.

A look at some other big risers in the 2015 class:

Another tall right-hander, 6-foot-7 Fitz Stadler (Glenbrook South HS), who was previously unranked, jumps to No. 15. For his size, Stadler is highly athletic and comes from a good baseball family – both his brothers pitch at Indiana. LHP Kyle Shimp (Yorkville HS) moves into the top 20 as well.

Perhaps the biggest position-player revelation this off-season has been 3B Austin Blazevic (Plainfield Central HS), an athletically built left-handed hitter who has made dramatic improvements in his game. After his impressive showing at the Preseason All-State Showcase, Blazevic jumped 26 spots in the rankings and should be one of the most coveted third base prospects in the state.

RHP Kyle Eversgerd (Breese Mater Dei HS), OF/LHP Jack Yalowitz (Loyola HS), C/RHP Scott Kapers (Mount Carmel HS), RHP Charlie Cerny (Bloomington HS), RHP/C Jon Kruppe (Benet HS), SS Marty Bechina (St. Rita HS), SS Cristian Sanchez (Minooka HS), RHP Tyler Paulsen (Minooka HS), RHP Eric Orze (Glenbard North HS), INF Jarrod Watkins (Peoria Notre Dame HS), OF Myles Zilinsky, RHP Quinn Snarskis (Fenwick HS), MIF Dane Toppel (South Elgin HS), LHP Jake Fafrenz (St. Edward HS), LHP Josh Mutter (Lincoln-Way North HS), and RHP/OF Trenton Hicks (Pinkneyville HS) are just a few of the names that made significant leaps in the rankings.

Enough reading about it. See for yourself.

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Charlie Donovan	IL	Westmont	2015	SS	Michigan
2	Nick Dalesandro	IL	Joliet Catholic Academy	2015	C	Purdue
3	Trent Johnson	IL	Metamora	2015	RHP	Arizona
4	Cole Daily	IL	Sacred Heart Griffin	2015	SS	Notre Dame
5	Kyle Ostrowski	IL	Lincoln-Way North	2015	LHP	Purdue
6	Brenden Spillane	IL	Wheeling	2015	OF	Illinois
7	Shane Ritter	IL	Plainfield South	2015	RHP	Iowa
8	Josh Stowers	IL	Mount Carmel	2015	OF	Louisville
9	Willie Bourbon	IL	Stevenson	2015	3B
10	Chris Botsoe	IL	Hinsdale Central	2015	OF	Louisville

>> Top 200 Illinois 2015 Player Rankings