Top-10 Stories of 2023: No. 9 Team Illinois at the 2023 Future Games
December 19, 2023
Coming in at No. 9 on the Top-10 Stories Countdown from the 2023 calendar season is the impressive performance by Team Illinois at this summers PBR Future Games. The premier amateur scouting event of the summer featured the top 2025 and 2026 uncommitted prospects from across the country and draws over 250 college and pro scouts every year. The event takes place over a course of four-days with the first day consisting of a Pro-style workout and athletic testing for position players, followed by single games the following three days.
Illinois was represented by 22 of the state's top uncommitted prospects (at the time) and went on to finish gameplay with a 2-1 record, tying Team Ohio for the best record in the pool. Team Illinois defeated Pennsylvania in the opener 13-7, fell to Ohio 4-3 in game two, and wrapped up the event with a 9-6 win over Team Midwest on Saturday morning.
The star of Game 1, when it comes to position players, was left/left outfielder Wyatt Wawro (Downers Grove South, 2025), who earned the Dicks Sporting Goods “Player of the Game” honors after swatting a three-run home run and driving in four runs total. He followed that up by ambushing the first pitch of game two down the right field line for a leadoff double and stealing third moments afterwards. Wawro constantly found himself on base, drawing three walks and getting hit by a pitch twice, too. He’s a scrappy, gamer-type that seems to always be on the barrel with sneaky gap-to-gap power.
OF Wyatt Wawro (Downers Grove South, 2025) keeps this one fair for a #PBRBombSquad.
— PBR Illinois (@PBRIllinois) July 27, 2023
Team Illinois now leads 9-4 over Pennsylvania. #PBRFG23 pic.twitter.com/0OZ4SjVlBQ
C/RHP Quinn Schambow (Libertyville, 2025) proved to be one of the top prospects and performers on Team Illinois from the Future Games, impressing on both sides of the ball, ultimately earning “Player of the Game” honors with his performance in the Game three win. Schambow finished the game 1-for-1 with three walks, a run scored and also hopped on the mound where he worked a clean inning striking out two and running his fastball up to 89 mph. Schambow emerged as a premier defender behind the dish with one of the strongest arms in the state, regardless of class. He led the entire Future Games in peak throwing velocity at Wednesday’s workout (84 mph) and popped a 1.86 on his quickest bullet, which was also among the event’s leaders. His arm translated to the gameplay portion effortlessly, as Schambow back picked a runner at first base and gunned a would-be base stealer at second in the same inning against Team Midwest in game three. At the plate, Schambow finished 5-for-6 with three hits in game one, two total doubles, and he drew four walks, too. Schambow was an all-around winner from the event that garnered plenty of interest from the event, ultimately committing to Oklahoma State.
‘25 C Quinn Schambow (IL) has done a stellar job behind the dish including 1.9s between innings & a CS in game.
— Shooter Hunt (@ShooterHunt) July 29, 2023
RHH gets a heavy barrel on this one for a double to the opposite field.
Good follow…#PBRFG23 || @PBRIllinois pic.twitter.com/UY51szs3YR
OTHER STANDOUTS FROM TEAM ILLINOIS
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Zach Bava C / 2B / Naperville North, IL / 2025
Rankings StateRank: 25 / POS: 5
A left-handed hitting backstop, C Zach Bava (Naperville North, 2025) came away from the Future Games with an arrow-up next to his name after a highly competitive showing. Bava consistently got off fast, intentful hacks from the left side and consistently generated some of the deepest batted ball contact for Team Illinois, starting during the event’s workout portion. There, Bava swatted the furthest ball amongst Team Illinois’ position players (377 feet) and his average batted distance (312 feet) was one of the higher marks, too. In game, Bava drove several balls with authority to the pull-side and, while looking mostly for fastballs, was on the barrel on spin as well. He finished the week 5-for-9 with a double, two RBIs, and four runs scored. His best showing came in the opening-act against Pennsylvania, where he went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base. Bava played with arguably the highest motor on Team Illinois, he ran a 4.35 out the box on a routine groundout to shortstop, and is a highly competitive, grinder-like prospect to know from the event.
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CJ Deckinga 3B / OF / Minooka, IL / 2025Arguably the biggest winner from the Team Illinois’ position player group was 3B/OF CJ Deckinga (Minooka, 2025), who turned plenty of heads throughout the weekend. Standing at a long, lanky, and highly projectable 6-foot-3, 180-pounds, Deckinga was all over the barrel in BP during Wednesday’s workout, showcasing an athletic swing with present bat speed and plenty to project on from the right side. His 94.8 mph max exit velocity, 89.9 mph average exit velocity, and 342 ft. peak batted distance are all presently impressive numbers that are surely to tick upward as he continues to physically mature. Deckinga wasted no time showcasing his offensive skill-set in gameplay, homering in the first game for Team Illinois and picking up a few more hits in game two, including a double he rocketed to the opposite field. He took a number of quality swings throughout the Future Games and looks every bit the part of a future middle-of-the-order bat at the next level. Further enhancing his overall value, Deckinga looks capable of sticking at third base, moving well for his size at the hot corner with steady hands and a quick, accurate arm to release. Deckinga may have one of the highest ceilings in the entire Illinois’ 2025 class and he did nothing but solidify himself as a high-end prospect heading into his junior year.
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Joey Arend OF / LHP / St. Charles East, IL / 2025OF/LHP Joey Arend (St. Charles East, 2025) offers upside and projection on a lean 6-foot, 160-pound frame. A left/left athlete, Arend ran a 6.97 60 with a 1.67 10-yard split at Wednesday’s workout, reaching a peak speed of 19.6 mph on our lasers. He sprayed line drives to all fields in BP from a fluid, athletic, left-handed stroke and singled to right field in his first at-bat of the event. Arend reached base twice in game three, stole a base, scored a run, and was 4.43 down the line on an infield grounder. He hopped on the mound late in game one, pitching at 83-85 mph with his fastball from a fast, athletic arm, spun a low-70s slider with sweep, and faded a changeup at 77 mph.
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Trey Meyers OF / 1B / New Trier, IL / 2025
Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 5
OF/1B Trey Meyers (New Trier, 2025) owns one of the more physically impressive skill-sets on Team Illinois with elite athleticism to pair. At 6-foot-6, 210-pounds, Meyers ran a 6.58 60, which was one of the fastest times of the entire Future Games, reaching a peak run speed of 21.1 mph in the process. Meyers wore out the right-center gap in BP, going the other way with comfort and consistency with a peak exit velocity of 95 mph and max distance of 346 feet, per TrackMan. He drew two walks in game one, barreled a single to left field with authority in game two, and ran a 4.38 down the line on a routine groundout to third in game three. Given his size and athleticism, Meyers is another high ceiling name-to-know on this Team Illinois’ roster.
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Andrew Winslow RHP / Triad, IL / 2025RHP Drew Winslow (Triad, 2025) caught the attention of many when he took the rubber, standing at 6-foot-6, 195-pounds. Working consistently from a lower arm slot, Winslow touched 91 mph in his first frame, and pitched in the upper-80s across a two-inning stint. He generated natural arm-side run on the pitch and grabbed several uncomfortable swings from right-handed hitters as a result. Off his fastball, Winslow flashed developing sweep on a slider at 72-74 mph and he mixed in a firm 82-84 mph changeup, too. Also a star on the basketball court for Triad, Winslow is trending upward at the right time and looks the part of a high-follow arm in the Illinois’ 2025 class.
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Austin Musso RHP / 3B / Mascoutah, IL / 2025Taking the mound twice at the Future Games, RHP Austin Musso (Mascoutah, 2025) hurled a pair of scoreless frames in total. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hander lived inside the zone, something we’re used to seeing from him, and has a highly competitive, confident demeanor on the mound. Musso pitched at 86-88 mph with his fastball, touching 89 mph, and spun it at 2500+ RPM at peak, while working in both the upper and lower quadrants of the strike zone throughout. He also showed tight spin on a slider at 76-77 mph and was capable of landing it for strikes consistently. A strike-thrower who has gotten outs at a high rate each time we’ve seen him, Musso has established himself as a premier arm in the Illinois’ 2025 group.
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Connor Blue RHP / 1B / ofallon, IL / 2025
Rankings StateRank: 28 / POS: 7
RHP Connor Blue (O’Fallon, 2025) was impressive in his lone inning of work, punching out a pair in Saturday’s outing. At 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, Blue’s fastball played in the upper-80s, touching 89 mph, from a fast ¾ slot. His aptitude to spin is his calling card and Blue ripped off several swing-and-miss mid-70s sliders with tight, late break that grabbed chase out of the zone, particularly to right-handed hitters. He also mixed in a low spin changeup (1500 RPM) at 74-75 mph to left-handed bats, showing a true three-pitch mix in his brief stint. Like his counterparts, Blue also came away from this event as a name-to-know arm in the state’s 2025 group.
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Peter Thompson RHP / Loyola Academy, IL / 2025
Rankings StateRank: 39 / POS: 11
RHP Peter Thompson (Loyola Academy, 2025) hurled two clean innings for Team Illinois on Friday afternoon against Ohio. The 6-foot-4, 170-pound right-hander showed noticeable arm speed out front, pitching at 85-88 mph with his fastball, and touching 89 mph. He spun two breaking balls; a 72-76 mph slider with more horizontal break and a bendy 69-70 mph curveball that had more depth to it. Thompson also mixed in a 76-78 mph changeup to left-handed hitters to round out a competitive four-pitch mix.
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+ Team Illinois: Statistical Analysis
+ Team Illinois: Takeaways
TEAM ILLINOIS ROSTER
| NAME | STATE | SCHOOL | CLASS | POS | COMMITMENT |
| Karlos Otero | IL | Romeoville | 2025 | SS | Northern Illinois |
| Ben Toft | IL | New Trier | 2025 | OF | Iowa |
| Wyatt Wawro | IL | Downers Grove South | 2025 | OF | - |
| Caden Earing | IL | Mundelein | 2025 | RHP | Illinois |
| Joey Arend | IL | St. Charles East | 2025 | OF/LHP | Xavier |
| Brady Green | IL | Oak Park-River Forest | 2025 | SS | Northern Illinois |
| Zach Bava | IL | Naperville North | 2025 | C | Illinois State |
| Austin Musso | IL | Mascoutah | 2025 | RHP | Kansas |
| Nathan O'Donnell | IL | Providence Catholic | 2025 | 3B | Creighton |
| Quinn Schambow | IL | Libertyville | 2025 | C | Oklahoma State |
| Connor Blue | IL | O'Fallon | 2025 | RHP | Cincinnati |
| Toby Peterson | IL | Palatine | 2025 | LHP | - |
| CJ Deckinga | IL | Minooka | 2025 | 3B | Michigan State |
| Gavin Triezenberg | IL | Brother Rice | 2025 | SS | - |
| Liam Arsich | IL | Lincoln-Way Central | 2025 | OF | Toledo |
| Peter Thompson | IL | Loyola Academy | 2025 | RHP | Penn State |
| Tucker King | IL | Lyons Township | 2025 | RHP | |
| Joshua Holst | IL | Libertyville | 2025 | LHP | Air Force |
| AJ Putty | IL | Huntley | 2025 | 3B | Illinois |
| Keegan Luxem | IL | Hersey | 2025 | RHP | - |
| Trey Meyers | IL | New Trier | 2025 | OF | Indiana |
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