Illinois Class of 2026 Rankings Update
December 4, 2024
With the off-season in full swing, it is time to update our rankings one last time before the calender turns over. There wasn't too much movement in this update, with the list not changing at all up to No. 26, and we extended the back end of the rankings from 150 to 160.
For a look at the complete rankings, click HERE.
Now lets dive into how our class of 2026 rankings shook out.
The Top-10
MIF Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North) and CIF TJ McQuillan (Mount Carmel) remain as the top two players in the state, and they will now be joining each other at Wake Forest in a couple years.
Bass has been the top player in the state for over a year now, and he had a chance to showcase himself on a national level at our All-American game this past fall. A true shortstop at the next level and premium athlete, Bass stands out on both sides of the ball with his natural and advanced actions, pairing with his twitchy and athletic right-handed swing that should only continue to trend upwards.
McQuillan has long been one of the top bats in the Midwest, and we don’t see that changing any time soon. The left-handed hitter has advanced power in his 6-foot, 215-pound frame, but he also brings and extremely mature approach to the plate with quality swing decisions and bat-to-ball skills. One of the most impressive qualities about McQuillan is that he is a 7.01 runner at that size, giving him versatility to play a corner outfield position if needed.
MIF Landon Thome (Nazareth, Tennessee commit) stays at No. 3 in this update, and it's easy to dream on the left-handed bat that runs in the Thome family. Listed at 6-foot, 182-pound with more strength to come, Thome has an advanced approach and ability to square up the baseball to the whole field, controlling his body well throughout and flicking the barrel through the zone with ease. Defensively, Thome has the actions to stay on the dirt at the next level, though he is athletic enough to be moved around the diamond with a 6.82 in the 60.
Another high-level middle infield prospect, Kamrin Jenkins (Oswego; Missouri commit) remains in the No. 4 position in this update. A thoroughbred athlete at a high-waisted 6-foot, 174-pounds, Jenkins’ best days are still very much ahead of him. He has the bounce and the actions to stick up the middle at the next level, and his right-handed swing should only continue to gain strength in the coming years, though there is already some present power and feel to hit.
Rounding out our Top-5 once again is OF Nolan Ramoley (Brother Rice; Kentucky commit). Ramoley has some of the loudest tools across the board not just in the state, but in the country. He’s a premium runner with a 6.52 in the 60, and he has all sorts of pop from the right side to pair, reaching as high as 104 mph for his EV in-event. Ramoley has been trending in the right direction for some time now, and he’s one to watch closely in the coming months.
Sitting at No. 6 we have 1B Brody Landgraf (Columbia; Creighton commit), a physical left-handed hitter that really made a name for himself at the Future Games this past summer. Standing in at 6-foot-4, 231-pounds, he has plenty of present strength throughout his frame, and it easily translates to the plate with middle of the order type power at the next level. However, Landgraf brings an extremely mature approach and ability to put the barrel on the ball, making him a dynamic threat at the plate that can hit for both power and for contact.
Arizona commit SS/RHP Jory Crocker (Willowbrook) comes in at No. 7, and he creates all sorts of intrigue on both sides of the ball. Another thoroughbred athlete with athletic bloodlines, Crocker’s 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame is nowhere near where we expect it to be in a couple years. A 6.74 runner in the 60, Crocker glides around the infield with ease and soft hands. At the plate, he has an easy right-handed swing that stays balanced throughout, and there’s already some present power, but there's certainly more to come. There’s a lot to like about Crocker on the mound too, working near the 90 mph mark with his fastball with an easy-effort delivery.
RHP Connor Elenteny (Mount Carmel) and LHP Michael Pettit (Lincoln-Way West) take up the No. 8 & No. 9 positions, and they’re both headed to Notre Dame in a couple years.
Elenteny is an extremely projectable 6-foot-3, 207-pound right-hander that has been making some impressive strides over the past year. He moves extremely well for his size, and he will run his fastball up to 93 mph with a sharp slider to collect swing/miss, but we expect him to continue climbing with his fastball velocity in the near future.
Pettit is another high-ceiling arm in the state that we think will continue to make jumps in the not-so-distant future. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound, high-waisted southpaw has an easy, low-effort delivery that creates a fastball in the low-90s (T91 mph). It also spins at a well above-average clip (T2466 rpm), further hinting at more velocity to come.
RHP Paddy Roth (St. Patrick; Michigan State commit) claims the final spot in our Top-10. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound right-hander attacks hitters with a three-pitch mix, highlighted by his fastball that will reach into the low-90s. His curveball and changeup both look to be quality off-speed offerings, showing the ability to land both pitches around the zone and collect whiffs in past looks.
Looking at the Top-100
We’ve already used the term a couple times today, but RHP Keaton Reinke (St. Charles North) is another thoroughbred athlete in this 2026 class, and also arguably one of the top wide receivers in the state on the gridiron. Currently slotted at No. 12, Reinke boasts an extremely athletic 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame with more strength to come in the near future. The right-hander will work his fastball up to the 91 mph mark with a long-levered operation and pair it with a sharp downer curveball with feel to land in the zone.
RHP/OF Frank Costabile and RHP Ryan Harris are a couple high-level arms from Stevenson that have made some waves over the past year.
Costabile, currently ranked No. 15 in the state, has an ultra-easy delivery and can reach up to the 92 mph mark with his fastball. Perhaps even more impressive, he is able to crow hop 98 mph from the outfield, and his right-handed swing is nothing to scoff at either with some present power to the whole field.
Currently ranked No. 26, Harris gave arguably the loudest look of the entire Illinois State Games, working his fastball up to 93 mph with all sorts of life through the zone.
LHP Zane Caves (Minooka; Michigan State commit) is rising eight spots to No. 27 in this update. The southpaw exploded onto our radar at the Illinois State Games with a fastball up to 87 mph and feel for a high spin curveball, and he also has the ability to land a fading changeup around the zone as well.
OF Tommy Georgelos (Lyons Township; Eastern Illinois) is jumping up seven spots to No. 48 in this update. A consistent performer in front of our staff, Georgelos is an athletic left-handed hitter with a knack for the barrel, showing a natural ability to control the zone and also use the whole field.
RHP Alec Novotney (Marquette) is rising 10 spots and we think there is a lot to like with this right-handed arm. He’s an athletic and controlled mover on the mound, possessing the ability to compete in the zone with four pitches. His fastball will play in the mid-80s, topping out at 87 mph, and he can spin his breaking balls at an above-average clip (2600-2700 rpm). He also provides some intrigue as a position player with an athletic right-handed swing and steady actions up the middle of the infield.
A pair of talented Mount Carmel teammates are 1B Anthony Chavez and OF Logan Fernandez, and they’re both seeing a bump in this update.
Now sitting at No. 53, Chavez is a long-levered 6-foot-3, 196-pound left-handed hitter that has routinely created hard contact in front of our staff. He has reached as high as 99 mph for his EV in-event, and his ability to hit for power as well as contact in-game makes him a dangerous bat in the middle of the Caravan lineup.
Fernandez is right behind Chavez at No. 56 in this update, and few in the state rival the pure athleticism he possesses. He’s highly projectable at 6-foot, 176-pounds with plenty of room to add strength, and he’s long been a premium runner with a 6.41 laser-timed 60. He found some success at the plate on the fall circuit, and there is plenty more to build on there as he heads into this off-season.
A couple southpaws seeing a bump in this update are LHP Jameson Rapinchuk (Harvest Christian) and LHP Blake Hoffer (Glenbrook South; Illinois commit).
Currently ranked No. 66, Rapinchuk will go after hitters with a three-pitch mix, working in the mid-80s (T87 mph) with his fastball and also showing a slider/changeup combination to mix up the pace.
Following closely behind is Hoffer at No. 69, and the long-levered southpaw brings plenty of upside to the table. Listed at 6-foot-5, 200-pounds, he has a simple and easy delivery that allows him to repeat and challenge hitters around the zone. His fastball plays in the mid-80s and will top out at 86 mph, and his slider is a quality secondary offering that he can land both for strikes and to put hitters away.
MIF Andrew Deegan (Jacobs; Belmont commit) is seeing a big jump in this update, rising 38 spots to No. 86. He has a smooth left-handed swing that stays through the zone with loose wrists, and he’s reached up to 96 mph for his max EV. His arm strength and actions will allow him to stay on the left side of the infield at the next level, topping out at 91 mph across the diamond.
INF Mason Netcel (St. Charles North) is sliding up nine spots to No. 91, and he gave our staff a couple of strong looks this past fall. He has an athletic, 6-foot, 173-pound frame with more strength to come, and he looks to have plenty of upside at the plate. His swing is on the longer side, but he stays through the hitting zone and creates extension through impact (T95 mph EV). He’s a natural defender on the infield with fluid footwork and confident hands, and he looks to be able to stick up the middle at the next level.
Newcomers
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Drew Stevens C / 3B / Normal Community, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 79 / POS: 9
8/22/24
C Drew Stevens (Normal Community) stands in a strong 5-foot-11, 183-pound frame. His right-handed bat showed well in-game, going 2-for-5 with a double, walk and a stolen base. He posted a loud 96.6 mph max exit velocity during the showcase, averaging 85.8 mph throughout his round of batting practice. His defensive numbers are slowly ticking up, posting a 2.02 pop time at this event, including a 77 mph catcher velocity on his best ball down to second base. |
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Isaac Harris LHP / OF / Joliet West, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 80 / POS: 11
9/20/23
Yet another former member of Team Illinois at the 2022 PBR Future Games is LHP Isaac Harris (Joliet Catholic, 2026). The 5-foot-11, 155-pound, left/left prospect threw a no-hitter, which was his second no-hitter in two weeks. He’s an athletic mover with clear arm acceleration out front. He mostly utilized his fastball which sat 80-83 mph while mixing in a changeup in the mid-70s with fade and a curveball with 1/7 shape.
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Nick Sichel C / New Trier, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 109 / POS: 12
8/22/24
C Nick Sichel (New Trier, 2026) is a strong right-handed hitting backstop to know from the day. 5-foot-11, 188-pounds with present strength throughout. Quick, strong hands at the plate with a flat path, simple and controlled intent, showed power to his pull-side with intent to elevate. Created a max EV of 92.8 mph with a max distance of 325’. Steady actions behind the plate with a clean operation from the crouch, creating a pop-time as low as 2.01 with a 78 mph velocity from the chute. |
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Ryan Flanagan LHP / OF / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 115 / POS: 17
10/13/24
LHP Ryan Flanagan (Lincoln-Way East) gave an upside look in his ‘pen on Sunday. He presents a trim, high-waisted frame at 6-foot, 157-pounds with projection still to come in the coming years. The southpaw is an easy, athletic mover down the hill with a loose and athletic arm to pair. Flanagan’s delivery promotes deception in each offering with how he hides the ball until the last second. His fastball played clean out of the hand, sitting 81-83 mph with arm-side run (avg. -11.8” HM) and sink (avg. 11.5” IVB), for consistent strikes. His curveball and slider both sat in the low 70’s, while his curveball played more vertically with a 1/7 shape, while conversely his slider showed more sweep across the zone with more of a tighter slurve action. Flanagan would round out his arsenal with a 75-77 mph changeup that showed downer action (avg. 12.1” IVB).
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Colin Quinn C / St. Rita, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 129 / POS: 19
10/13/24
C Colin Quinn (St. Rita) provided a polished round of batting practice where he was on the barrel for line drives up the middle. A 5-foot-10, 181-pound frame with some present strength, Quinn averaged 86 mph exit velocities while peaking at 93.7 mph. He showed above-average bat speed, averaging 70.8 mph. The defensive portion of his workout is noteworthy, recording the highest catcher velocity on throws down to second at 79 mph, while also tallying a 2.01 pop time.
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Dominic Stottler SS / OF / United Township , IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 134 / POS: 25
2/04/24
INF/OF Dominic Stottler (United Township) is an upside prospect to know in the 2026 class. His high-waisted, athletic, 6-foot, 173-pound frame continues to tick up with every look and his movement patterns at the plate require a follow moving forward. The right-handed hitter is a clean mover with an athletic setup with a direct strong swing, 93.1 mph max exit velocity and ran a 7.33 laser-timed 60. Young, upside looking prospect with his best years yet to come. |
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Rhett Harris 1B / C / Minooka, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 136 / POS: 5
10/13/24
1B/OF Rhett Harris (Minooka) provided an intriguing look during his round of batting practice. A big right-handed hitter, Harris was all over the barrel producing one of the loudest rounds throughout the day. He’s made significant strides metrically since we last saw him in 2023, now averaging 92.9 mph (event best) off the bat and topping out at 96.6 mph, also recording a 72.3 mph (T75.5 mph) average bat speed. He showed quality actions from the outfield, moving around with ease, and showing a quality arm that was up to 84 mph on his best bullet home. A 6-foot-2, 217-pound frame, Harris recorded the third highest jump height (32.2”) while also running a 7.25 60 time.
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Jack Stefani OF / RHP / Glenbrook South, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 146 / POS: 25
7/19/24
OF/RHP Jack Stefani (Glenbrook South, 2026) is an intriguing prospect in the state’s 2026 class. He’s a switch-hitter at the plate with twitchy actions, producing a max exit velocity of 92 mph, but staying on the barrel for an average of 85.3 mph. From the outfield he showed clean, athletic actions with a long and loose arm, producing an 88 mph bullet on his best ball to home. On the mound, he showed athletic actions, producing a mid-80s fastball that was up to 87.1 mph with quality spin (avg. 2395) and an average of 20.1 inches of horizontal movement. An upside prospect at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds. |
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Sam Webb C / 1B / Providence Catholic, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 151 / POS: 22
6/28/24
A powerful, 6-foot-2, 170-pound built frame, Webb had an outstanding Sunday morning at the plate. Standing in the right-hander batting box Webb went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and a home run. The righty sets up with his feet close together and strides out into a wide stance, able to keep his timing and drive the ball. Strong quick hands follow next that keep the barrel in the zone, with a string finish. Webb consistently found barrels and drove balls to the pull side. He had a presence and calm manner in the box, attacking early and getting on pitches he could drive. Behind the plate, Webb was athletic and had a feel for working in multiple stances.
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Jackson Heidemann RHP / 1B / Harlem, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 157 / POS: 38
8/06/24
Positional Profile: RHP/1B |
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Billy Main SS / 2B / Hinsdale Central, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 158 / POS: 29
8/06/24
Positional Profile: SS/2B |