Winter Watchlist: Names to Know

Lawson Alwan C / 1B / Peoria Notre Dame, IL / 2025

From 8/8/23: “...had a smooth left-handed swing with easy bat speed that produced a peak exit velocity of 95.4 mph, and a projected max distance of 357 ft. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound backstop also ran a 7.02 in the 60-yard dash. Behind the dish, Alwan’s pop times ranged from 2.09-2.13 with his hardest bullet down to second at 73 mph. During gameplay, Alwan tripled, plated a pair, and scored once himself, too.”

Omar Avalos OF / LHP / Father McGivney , IL / 2027

From 8/8/23: “...has quickly made a name for himself this summer, capping off the circuit with performances at the PBR Junior Future Games and the Illinois State Games. Playing against older competition, Avalos didn’t let the moment get too big and showed that he belonged during his time in Rantoul. A 6.92 runner, the 5-foot-7, 150-pound left/left prospect has loads of athleticism and shows noticeable strength in his frame. Avalos has a knack for bat-to-barrel contact as he’s consistently been a tough out for pitchers. He can track the ball down in the outfield, too, and uses his speed to move efficiently. As he matures and gets stronger, Avalos’ metrics will likely increase, and he has positioned himself as one of Illinois’ premier 2027 prospects.”

Ethan Bass SS / RHP / Glenbrook North, IL / 2026

From 10/6/23: “Bass measures in at a loose-levered 6-foot-2, 160-pounds with room left to fill in the frame. Bass contributed at the plate and on the mound this weekend for Top Tier, showing real two-way potential for the next level. Offensively, Bass is a right-handed hitter who has a tall setup in the box with a high leg-lift trigger that keeps him balanced throughout his swing. Bass was able to tally a couple hits during our look on Sunday. On the bump, Bass has a fluid, clean operation down the mound throwing from a repeatable ¾ arm slot. Bass’s repertoire contained a fastball that played in the low-to-mid 80’s, touching 86 mph with life through the zone (2500+ rpm). Bass would work in an upper 60’s breaker that showed downer action for whiffs when needed. Bass finished the day with nine strikeouts over 4.2 IP.”

Ian Campbell RHP / OF / Joliet Catholic Academy, IL / 2026

From 3/6/23: “... Campbell looks every bit the part at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds with a young look on an athletic frame with big hands and feet that will carry plenty more mass as he matures. He already generates premium fastball velocity at his age working 81-85 mph and flashing ride at the top of the zone. While his spin is still a work in progress, he throws his curveball with intent at 69-73 mph. He also showed a knack for hard contact at the plate, working with a simple/easy operation and natural lift through impact - averaging 89.4 mph and reaching up to 97.6 mph for his max exit velocity (349’ max distance).”

Peter Corthinos C / 2B / Maine South , IL / 2026

From 2/22/23: “...The 5-foot-7, 160-pound catcher/infielder is athletically built throughout his frame. At the plate, the right-handed hitter works with a fluid stroke that creates extension through contact, staying flat through the zone with looseness and the ability to repeat his swing. He put together one of the best defensive rounds behind the plate on the day, working with a quick/clean transfer and directional footwork out of the crouch to produce a pop-time as low as 2.07 seconds (T71 mph). He also showed well on the infield, showcasing quick/athletic footwork that plays through the ball to pair with steady hands and a quick arm (T79 mph).”

Eli Craft C / 2B / Monticello , IL / 2025

From 8/8/23: “...has continued to really impress our staff this summer after seeing brief looks this spring. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed hitter may have some of the best catch and receive traits in the state’s 2025 class. Athletic and agile, Craft moves well behind the dish and has a high motor with leadership traits. He has an aggressive swing that remains in control with uphill tendencies, and as he continues to add strength, his power tool will naturally tick up. During gameplay, Craft turned around on an 86 mph fastball and sent it down the left field line for a single.”  

Matthew Donnelly OF / RHP / Prospect, IL / 2027

From 6/27/23:
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-8, 170-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Left foot tap, high leg kick, minimal hand movement. Shows barrel control, flat path, backspins the ball.
Power: 90 max exit velocity, averaged 79.1 mph. 348' max distance.
Arm: RH. OF-79 mph. Compact, quick arm.
Defense: Active feet, glove works, step behind crow hop, throws well.
ATH: 7.00 runner in the 60. 1.75 and 3.94 in the 10 and 30 yard splits.

Nate George OF / RHP / Minooka , IL / 2024

From 2/20/23: “...put together an eye-opening performance, led by his 6.39 60-yard dash on the Swift Timing System. That 60-time was head and shoulders above the rest of the pack, with the second-best time coming in at 6.65. At the plate, he continued his strong day, showing elite bat speed for his age, taking violent controlled hacks while staying on the barrel and peppering the left-center field gap with loud contact. George led the field with a 103.7 max exit velocity, as well as a 376’ max batted ball. Defensively, George is highly athletic, as backed up by his 60; moving through the ball with intent and active footwork before transitioning into an athletic crow hop. His arm is clean and fluid throughout its’ path, playing with easy life and accuracy while reaching up to 94 mph. The 6-foot, 190-pound, on-the-rise junior also hopped on the mound and topped at 88.9 mph.”

Maxx Grieme C / 3B / Taylorville , IL / 2026

From 10/4/23: “Athletic build with strength at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds. Played up an age level this weekend, competed and looked the part. Really impressed our staff with his actions behind the dish, athletic and agile mover with quality receiving traits, also showed a strong arm on throws down to second, throwing runners out. At the plate, a right-handed hitter, has a simple, fluid load with a short bat path that stays through the zone. Created a lot of hard contact showing the ability to barrel the baseball against older competition. A name-to-know moving forward in Illinois’ 2026 class.”

Dominic Holton SS / 3B / NOTRE DAME COLLEGE PREP, IL / 2025

From 9/23/23: “...is a name that continues to trend up after impressive showings in back-to-back weeks. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound left-handed hitter, has a simple weight-shift load back before unloading an effortless swing. Holton recorded multiple hits in this look, but his defense continued to stand out. The athletic middle infielder has smooth hands with the ability to range to both sides, making multiple impressive plays last weekend and again this weekend. Holton’s status in the state’s 2025 class continues to be on the rise.”

Nick Jukovich RHP / Glenbrook North, IL / 2024

From 8/8/23: “Listed at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds with some present strength and room to add on muscle in the coming years. The tall right-hander ran his fastball up to 87 mph with some carry and run to his arm-side, sitting in the 83-86 mph range. His curveball played with sharp 11/5 action, routinely spinning over 2,300 RPM at 67-69 mph. He also went to a fading changeup with over 16" of run at times, 79-81 mph."

Chase Knebel LHP / 1B / Highland , IL / 2025

Andrew Lim OF / LHP / Niles West , IL / 2025

From 2/12/23: “Defensively, Lim showed off a strong arm from the outfield (T86 mph) to pair with athletic actions, playing through the ball with intent and steady hands. The right-handed hitter has athletic loose hands, with quickness through the zone and a middle/pull-side approach. Lim ran a 7.32 60 and registered an average exit velocity of 85.4 mph.”

Luke Martin 3B / RHP / Mt. Pulalski, IL / 2026

From 7/18/23: “...took one of the top rounds of BP when it comes to 2026s in attendance. The physical 5-foot-8, 180-pound, right-handed hitter was on the barrel throughout (77%), taking intentful swings while looking to elevate the baseball throughout. Martin sent his hardest hit balls to the pull-side, producing a max exit velocity of 90.8 mph (84.5 mph avg.) with his farthest batted ball traveling 327’. From the infield he showed easy actions with soft hands and a clean release. Name to know in the 2026 class.”

Brayden Mazzacano OF / LHP / Schaumburg , IL / 2024

From 8/8/23: “...continues to cement himself as one of the premier two-way prospects within the state. The southpaw is simple, yet athletic down the mound with little perceived effort. He worked his fastball up to 88.9 mph and cruised right at 84-88 mph with run and some finish through the zone. Slider and changeup looked to be his go-to offerings throughout our look; going to a 10/4 SL at 76-79 mph with the ability to land for some strikes and an upper-70s changeup with fade and feel for the zone. Flashed a 1/7 curveball at 73-75 mph and splitter at 74-79 mph with killed spin. Mazzacano took defensive reps both in the outfield and at first base, showcasing athletic actions at each position with the ability to track down fly balls when roaming the outfield. The left-handed hitter took an impressive round of BP, averaging 87.4 mph for his exit velocity and reaching up to 95.2 mph with a max distance of 363’. He put up some impressive numbers on BLAST across the board; averaging 22.8 mph for his hand speed (T26.1 mph), 74.5 mph for his bat speed (T80.6 mph) and 17.1 for his average rotational acceleration (T28.9). He has some rhythm in his left-handed swing, utilizing a controlled toe-tap timing trigger before firing through the zone with a flat path.”

Braydon McKendrick LHP / OF / Brother Rice, IL / 2026

From 8/8/23: “...showed future promise on the mound over his brief stint at the Illinois State Games. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound southpaw pitched in the low-80s with his fastball, spinning it at 2300 RPM on average, while peaking at 2436 RPM. For his secondaries, McKendrick spun a sweeping slider (18.4” HM) at 67-70 mph, averaging 2367 RPM, and he turned over a firm changeup at 76-79 mph, too.”

Evan Mendiola C / OF / York, IL / 2026

From 9/29/23: “...is an intriguing-looking 2026 prospect standing at a skinny 6-foot-1, 170-pounds. Mendiola stood out at the plate over the weekend for our staff, consistently barreling baseballs to all fields. A right-handed hitter, Mendiola stands tall in the box and uses a high leg-kick stride before swinging through an uphill path that creates line drive/fly ball contact. Mendiola was 3-for-3 Sunday afternoon with two doubles and four RBI. Mendiola mainly played first base in front of our staff but also showed the positional versatility to catch behind the plate when called upon.”

Kenny Nanos RHP / OF / Mundelein, IL / 2024

From 6/5/23: “...an uncommitted, 6-foot, 160-pound athletic frame impressed on the bump in this look. Nanos moved well on the mound with a whippy ¾ arm slot. His fastball had arm-side run and sat 81-83 mph, topping out at 84.4 mph. Nanos’ curveball showed big break and sharpness with 10/4 shape. His changeup was thrown with intent and showed depth. Nanos completed his repertoire with a cutter that plays true and showed out-pitch potential.”

Alec Novotney SS / RHP / Marquette Academy, IL / 2026

From 8/8/23: “...is slowly trending up after having a successful spring where he started at shortstop and led off for the Crusaders. The right-handed hitting middle infielder stands at 5-foot-10, 150-pounds and looks to have grown since our last look during the 2023 IHSA season. An athletic prospect all around, he has an easy and simple swing at the plate with an accurate barrel. His athleticism played well in the infield with his smooth hands and ability to move to both sides. During gameplay, Novotney made a tough back-hand play and threw a runner out at first while moving on the run. On the mound, Novotney displayed an impressive four-pitch arsenal. The two-way prospect paired a low-80s fastball with a high-spin curveball (T2592 RPM) to navigate through a lineup of much older competition. Novotney also showed feel for a wipeout slider (T2423 RPM) and a changeup with 14.1 inches of horizontal movement. An intriguing two way prospect to watch moving forward.”

Chase Petersen OF / RHP / Glenbrook North , IL / 2025

From 8/8/23: “...is a physical 5-foot-10, 180-pound athlete with tools across the board. He consistently got off fast, aggressive hacks throughout his round of BP, averaging 92 mph per batted ball, while peaking at 100 mph, and sending his furthest barrel 356 feet. Aside from his inherent juice, Petersen darted to a 6.83 60 time and showed natural arm strength from the outfield, peaking at 88 mph on his firmest bullet.”

Greyson Rathgeb OF / OF / Edwardsville, IL / 2025

From 9/26/23: “...stands at a loose, projectable 6-foot-1, 175-pounds with plenty of room to fill out further. He took the best, most polished BP round we’ve seen from him yet at this event, working uphill through the zone with gap-to-gap feel and balance through contact. Rathgeb’s hardest barrel (92.3 mph) and furthest batted ball (348 ft.) were both personal bests of his at our events, and both of those metrics are likely to keep trending upward as he fills out further. In game, Rathgeb jumped all over an inner-half, first pitch 88 mph fastball and drove it down the left field line for a double. Rathgeb’s proven to be an asset defensively too, starting in center field for the 4A state champions this past spring, as a clean, free-flowing mover with above-average arm strength, topping at 88 mph on his hardest throw home.”

Jonah Roper RHP / OF / Normal Community, IL / 2025

From 6/6/23: “...is another Normal Community product to keep an eye on moving forward. Roper has a developing 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame, loose, clean arm stroke and makings of a three-pitch mix. His fastball played easy out of the hand and sat in the low-80s, T82.4 mph. He also featured a low-70s curveball with 2067 average rpm and a 69-71 mph changeup that played with fade at the bottom of the zone. Roper also swings a left-handed bat that stays on-plane and works with natural loft to the pull-side.”

Cullen Schwigen RHP / OF / Rockridge, IL / 2027

From 8/8/23: “...is an incoming freshman that has shown to be one of the top pitchers in his class. Previously shining at the PBR Junior Future Games, Schwigen carried that momentum into the Illinois State Games. Broad shouldered 6-foot-2, 165-pound lean frame. Short, over the top arm action that plays loose and whippy. Advanced arsenal for his age, playing against much older competition. Fastball played in the 82-84 range, topping 85 mph. Fastball showed carry through the zone (2323 RPM), with a max IVB of 17.5 inches. Also played with occasional run (17.7 HM). Deceptive breaking-ball that was thrown at the same arm speed and slot as the fastball. Flashed 12/6 shape with gradual break, will continue to develop more break with added strength. Athletic arm with long-levers that will continue to get better throughout his prep career.”

Rocco Szambelan LHP / OF / Joliet Catholic, IL / 2026

From 9/29/23: “...was dominant in his outing on Sunday, presenting our staff with a quality look coming back from a lengthy injury. Szambelan, at a wiry 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame, is mature on the mound and featured a competitive edge. He heavily utilized a fastball, ranging from 81-84 mph in his outing. It was there where he threw it both for strikes and generated swings and misses. While the offspeed arsenal continues to develop for the young prospect, the tools and projectability are present. Szambelan looks to continue to build on this start in the offseason and eventually into the spring of 2024.” 

Connar Temple RHP / 2B / Batavia, IL / 2025

From 8/8/23: “...is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-hander who certainly turned some heads during his outing at the State Games. On the mound, Temple is a simple mover with a loose, easy arm that looks capable of adding more velocity as he continues to add more strength to his upside frame. Temple ran his fastball up to 86.1 mph, while sitting in the 83-85 mph range throughout and also played with heavy sinking action at times. As for his offspeeds, he featured a slider with tight horizontal action, while flashing sweep at times and was spun at 2,376 RPM on average, too. He rounded out his three-pitch mix with a changeup in the 79-81 mph range that he killed spin on and featured fade with occasional depth.”

Ian Tosi LHP / 1B / Mount Carmel, IL / 2026

From 8/8/23: “A clean, polished mover downhill with a short, quick arm action, Tosi pitched in the low-80s with his fastball, generating both rise (19.1 IVB) and run (15.8 HM) at peak. He landed a short wrinkle mid-to-high-60s curveball for strikes and he naturally faded a 67-71 mph changeup that mirrored his fastball’s plane, too. In three innings of work, Tosi didn’t allow an earned run on 44 pitches, punching out six.”

Brett Tucker SS / RHP / Lemont, IL / 2026

From 10/15/23: “... is a long, athletic 6-foot, 167-pound two-way standout from the event. Offensively from the right side, Tucker showed the ability to backspin and lift balls to the pull-side during his round of bp with a max exit velocity of 88.7 mph and a max distance of 308 feet. Tucker also had a max bat speed of 79.9 mph (avg. 75.4 mph) which was good for the third best mark of the event, and his hand speed metrics both at peak (27.3 mph) and average (26 mph) were both event highs. He hopped on the mound later on, touching 82.1 mph with his fastball while landing 66-69 mph curveball for strikes throughout his ‘pen.”

Kash VanHouten SS / RHP / Canton, IL / 2027

From 2/12/23: “Another 2027 with advanced arm strength was RHP/INF Kash VanHouten (Canton). The 5-foot-8, 130-pound, Central Illinois product ran his fastball up to 76 mph with life and occasional arm-side-run. The changeup is an above-average offering, thrown aggressively with late fade and feel. He also flashed a tight curveball at times. Offensively, the right-handed hitter takes an aggressive swing, flashing bat speed and pull-side tendencies.”

Niko Villacci SS / RHP / Oswego East, IL / 2026

From 6/21/23: “Villacci pitched from a loose, high ¾ arm slot that allowed his curveball in the low 60s to be deceptive. Fastball was 78-84 mph with carry through the zone and easy life out of the hand. Upside arm with clear arm-strength and some feel to pitch.”

Davis Weeks SS / RHP / Dunlap, IL / 2025

From 8/8/23: “...was an impressive two-way standout throughout the week. Athletic, 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, still has room for added strength. Fired three innings on the mound while not allowing a single earned run, striking out three against no walks. The right-hander has an athletic delivery; controlled tempo with a slight coil into balance point, works in-line down the mound, showed the ability to repeat. His fastball worked in the 82-85 mph range with slight running action and finish through the zone. Went to an 11/5 curveball at 64-68 mph and a 10/4 slider at 69-72 mph with some feel for the zone. Went to a straight change at 73-76 mph to change up pace. On the other side of the ball, Weeks gives an athletic look from the right-handed batter’s box, reaching up to 93.5 mph for his max exit velocity and also taking 90 mph up the middle for a single in gameplay.”

Isaac Wendler 1B / RHP / Father McGivney, IL / 2026

From 8/8/23: “...is a name that’s been trending up for our staff throughout this past calendar year, showing well during the IHSA season, as well as in Rantoul and at Creekside. He’s a physically mature athlete for his age, bringing a barrel-chested 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame with strength throughout. In BP, Wendler worked gap-to-gap from a long, more uphill right-handed swing, and he showed above-average raw power for his age after sending his furthest batted ball 358 feet, per TrackMan. In game, Wendler found the barrel consistently and finished with three hits, including a double and three RBIs.” 

Blaine Williams C / RHP / Tremont, IL / 2025

From 2/25/23: “...an Illinois commit, has true two-way upside with advanced arm strength that plays well behind the plate and on the mound. The right-handed hitter continues to show off gains at the plate, staying on the barrel with much more authority than we have seen in the past, averaging 88.4 mph off the bat during BP which is up from an average of 79.4 mph last winter. Williams also reached up to an eye-opening 85 mph from behind the plate. Williams has an intense approach on the mound as well and brings a “here it is, hit it” mentality with plus arm strength for his age (88-89 mph) and tight short slider that plays well into a catcher/closer type role.”