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Final Power 25 Update

June 15, 2026
Prep Baseball Illinois Staff

With the conclusion of this weekend’s State Tournaments, we’ve finalized our Illinois Power 25 Final Team Rankings. Our rankings are not solely based on playoff outcomes, but rather an account of the entire season, including overall records, conference races, and in-season performances.

With this update, it comes as no surprise that Libertyville sits atop the list. The defending 4A State Champions repeated and have earned their title as the No. 1 team in the state. The Wildcats finished the year 31-10-1 en route to their repeat championship.

Mount Carmel finishes the year at No. 2 in the Power 25, after going 31-11 while also being the team to come out of perhaps the toughest sectional entering the playoffs (4A Brother Rice Sectional). They eliminated conference foes St. Laurence and Brother Rice, while also knocking out Oak Park-River Forest - all of which entered the playoffs inside our Power 25. The Caravan took 3rd Place at 4A State, falling to eventual State Champion, Libertyville, 3-1 in the semi-finals, and then taking down Naperville Central 11-2 to claim third place on Saturday night.

St. Laurence ends the year at No. 3 after an incredible regular season that saw them go 33-2, before going 2-1 in the playoffs to finish the year 35-3. Despite exiting the playoffs earlier than most expected, it was hard to ignore the regular season the Vikings put together, being the No. 1 team in our Power 25 all season long.

It is rare to see 40 wins next to a team’s final record, but that is exactly the number next to 2A State Champion, St. Joseph-Ogden, finishing 2026 with an outstanding record of 40-2 and checking in at No. 4 in our final Power 25. The Spartans claimed the first ever baseball state title in all of Champaign County, knocking off Harvest-Westminster 15-1 in the finals, and defeating Ottawa Marquette 6-1 in the semis.

The 3A State Champion, St. Rita, checks in at No. 5 in the final update of the season. The Mustangs finish the year 30-12, facing a tough schedule all year long within the Chicago Catholic League - Blue. In the State Finals, they took down East Peoria 2-1 in walk-off fashion in seven innings and then took down Triad 12-11 in eight innings to capture their first ever IHSA State Championship.

With that being said, take a look below at the state’s Top 5 teams after this season’s end.

NO. 1 LIBERTYVILLE (31-10-1)

For the second year in a row, Coach Matt Thompson’s Wildcats are State Champions. Using a similar recipe that earned them a State Title a year ago, they were led by a talented pitching staff, paired with a talented and veteran lineup.

RHP Chase Lockwood (2026; Illinois State) led the staff this season, leading the team with 70.1 innings pitched, as well as leading the team in strikeouts (69) and ERA (1.89) while tossing a complete game in the Super-Sectionals to send Libertyville to State. RHP Brady Buenik (2027; Tennessee) was nothing short of spectacular in the State Semis against No. 2 Mount Carmel, allowing just one run over six and two-thirds, scattering three hits and three walks, while striking out seven against one of the tougher lineups in the state.

RHP Kaden Butt (2027) was a big piece on the mound for the Wildcats this spring, finishing top three in innings pitched, with 38 entering the State Finals. LHP Nico Harper (2026; Olivet Nazarene) tossed 46.2 innings and went 6-0 on the year with 42 punchouts and a 3.45 ERA in the process. RHPs Aksel McKnight (2027) and Braden Tolzien (2026; Heartland CC) were both integral arms for Coach Thompson to deploy out of the bullpen throughout the year.

The offense was led by SS Trevor Wallace (2026; Wilmington), who entering the State Finals led the team in hits (41), runs scored (37) and RBIs (39), en route to a .347 batting average. His double play partner up the middle, 2B Madden Cotts (2027; Bradley) also was an integral part of the offense, taking over the leadoff spot towards the end of the spring and helping ignite the offense on numerous occasions during the State Finals. Cotts also closed out the State Championship game for Libertyville on the mound despite only having 13 innings pitched entering the weekend.

C Ryan Wilberding (2027; Marshall) was a big addition to the team toward the end of the year after being injured early in the year and missing most of the season. Entering the State Finals, he had driven in 25 with six home runs in just 44 at-bats. Bode Rohrbach (2026), Matthew Hara (2027), and Carson Holmes (2026) each were big contributors offensively throughout the spring.

No. 2 Mount Carmel (31-11)

The Caravan finished the year with over 30 wins and a third place finish at the 4A level, while graduating one of the more talented senior classes in the state. Mount Carmel battled throughout the year and played tough competition throughout the spring while competing in the CCL Blue. Entering the playoffs, they were 26-10 with a daunting sectional ahead of them. Along the way, they were able to knock off conference foes St. Laurence and Brother Rice to give Coach Hurry’s squad their first State appearance in over 10 years.

Mount Carmel’s offense was loaded with talent from top-to-bottom. 3B TJ McQuillan (2026; Wake Forest) was the table-setter at the top of the order and is one of the top left-handed hitters in the midwest and put big numbers entering the final weekend of the year; leading the team in batting average (.477), runs (59), hits (62), RBI (44), doubles (17), triples (5), and home runs (7). SS Joey Ireland (2026; Illinois) has been right behind McQuillan both in the lineup and in offensive production, hitting .460 with four home runs and 42 RBIs, while also collecting thirteen doubles on the year heading into Joliet. CF Logan Fernandez (2026; Triton JC) is another standout in the lineup who led the team in at-bats entering state with 130, while batting .385 with 39 RBI, and two homers. 1B Anthony Chavez (2026; Illinois) also swatted a pair of homers, drove in 30, and was batting .364 entering Joliet. There was even more talent throughout the lineup; including C Mario Medina (2026; Davenport), 2B Brady Holland (2026; Georgetown), OFs Cullen Winters (2027) and Haiden Lajcin (2026), and UTL Pancho Vazquez (2026; Morton JC) just to name a few.

On the mound, the Caravan graduated one of the more talented trios in recent memory; led by LHP Ian Tosi (2026; Miami), along with RHPs Connor Elenteny (2026; Notre Dame) and Jake Matise (2026; Lewis). Entering State, Elenteny had thrown the most innings (63) along with the most strikeouts (66) to the tune of a 2.78 ERA. Matise led the team in ERA with a 1.65, while punching out 55 batters over 51 innings. Staff ace, Ian Tosi had a strong year despite starting the year on a pitch count after coming off injury from 2025; fanning 51 over 47 innings while posting a 2.09 ERA.

No. 3 St. Laurence (35-3)

The Vikings finished 2026 with an outstanding overall record of 35-3, including an undefeated record in CCL Blue play (first time in program history), as well as winning the Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament.

Offensively, they were led by Cory Les (2026; Louisville), Mickey Lotus (2026; Lewis), Daniel Coyle (2026; Lewis), Tristan Steger (2027; Kentucky), and Danny Donovan (2026; Wisconsin-Parkside) just to name a few. Steger was a welcome addition to the defending 3A State Champs in 2026, swatting 14 home runs, driving in 60, walking twice as much as he struck out (26:13), while posting an OPS of 1.755. Donovan was a mainstay at the top of the lineup for the Vikings, posting a 1.313 OPS with six homers. Les was a big factor on both sides of the ball; posting an OPS over 1.600 with double-digit homers (10) and 52 driven in, while also posting a 2.82 ERA over 22.1 innings pitched.

On the mound, the Vikings were led by junior southpaw Jimmy Benson (2027; TCU) who posted a 2.19 ERA in 54.1 innings of work with 59 strikeouts. Behind him were seniors RHP John Strzechowski and LHP Sam Chin (Ball State). Strzechowski graduates with a career undefeated record (12-0) in CCL Blue play, and posted a 9-0 overall record on the mound this spring.

No. 4 St. Joseph-Ogden (40-2)

Coach Josh Haley and the St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans claimed the 2A State Title after an incredible 40-2 season. The Spartans were led by a talented senior class that had talent all over the field.

On the mound, they were led by RHP Asher Pruemer (2026; Kaskaskia), who was dominant at the front of the rotation all season long, posting a perfect 10-0 record with a 1.13 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 68 innings entering the State Finals. RHP Parker Fitch (Lake Land JC) was another workhorse for the Spartans, going 10-2 with a 1.87 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 75 innings entering the final weekend of the year. Trevor Ames (7-0, 1.24 ERA) and Dalton York (5-0, 1.24 ERA) provided valuable depth throughout the season, while Finn Miller excelled in the closer role, recording a 1.24 ERA with 27 strikeouts and just three earned runs allowed over 17 innings.

The Spartans’ offense was loaded as well. Trevor Ames (2026; Morton) batted .467 with 63 hits, 64 RBI, 15 doubles, and 11 home runs entering the State Finals. Logan Rosenthal (2026; Heartland) batted .388 with 52 hits and a team-high 47 runs scored, while Bryson Houchens (2026; Morton) collected a .385 average, 53 RBI, and 10 home runs. Will Haley (2026; Kankakee) was another key contributor, scoring 43 runs while driving in 27 and adding three triples. Junior Finn Miller (.361), senior Lake Land commit Parker Fitch (.364), and senior Kodey McKinney (.295) provided additional production throughout a deep lineup.

No. 5 St. Rita (30-12)

Coach John Nee and the Mustangs earned their first ever IHSA State Title, winning 3A in dramatic fashion. They knocked off a very talented East Peoria team in the semis, winning on a walk-off, and then won one of the crazier games you will see at the high school level, defeating Triad 12-11 in extra-innings in the State Final.

The Mustangs were led on the mound by senior RHPs Sullivan Kazee (Southeastern CC) and Will Rewers (Saint Ambrose). Kazee got the ball to start in the semis and continued the same dominance he produced throughout the spring. Rewers threw a complete game in the Super-Sectional to send St. Rita to State, before continuing to toss the ball well in the State Final.

The top of the St. Rita lineup continued to produce and get results in Joliet, led by Jayden Hawkins (2027), Colin Quinn (2026; Heartland CC), Aden Gutierrez (2028), and Vinny Stubitsch (2027) to name a few. Quinn led the team in numerous offensive categories going into Joliet including hits (53), RBI (51), doubles (13), triples (3), and home runs (4) with a .469 batting average. Hawkins was a mainstay at the top of the order, and led the team in runs scored (40), while batting .368 with a homer and 22 driven in. Stubitsch had a State Championship to remember, swatting a three-run homer and delivering the walk-off sacrifice fly to give St. Rita their State Championship.

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