Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Illinois 2022 Rankings Released

September 26, 2019
By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

It is still extremely early, perhaps even premature, to be forecasting Class of 2022 prospects, especially since many of these rising sophomores haven’t even played a varsity game. Then again, with the recent acceleration of recruiting, high-level 2022 prospects are already making verbal commitments.

Over the course of the last year, we’ve seen an impressive amount of talented 2022 prospects, several of whom should become national prospects if they have not already.

With that said, we have released our initial 2022 rankings, a modest list of 30 prospects that have stood out among their peers. Certainly this list will change and evolve in time, as we know many players will grow, develop and mature. We also know that we likely haven’t seen many other 2022 prospects that may be deserving of this list.

However, we are confident that the players included in the list have extremely bright futures, barring injuries, of course.

Looking at the top-10, the first six names on the board have already made a college commitment, led by the No. 1 player in the class, SS Logan Wagner (Homeschool). Wagner, a switch-hitting Louisville commit, has a 6-foot, 180-pound, physical, athletic build and plays the game with pace and energy. Wagner, has moxy in the box, creates advanced bat speed from both sides of the plate and swings with intent. Defensively, he has the tools to play anywhere on the infield; quick first step, ranges with ease, sure-hands and a strong arm that plays with carry across the infield. 

Behind Wagner, at No. 2 in Illinois, is another switch-hitter, C Zander Buchan (Maine South). Buchan is one of the top bats we have seen in the class and is advanced behind the plate as well. The South Carolina commit, started on varsity as a freshman and was an impact bat all spring long. Buchan has loose, athletic hands, creates easy bat speed and has a knack for the barrel. 

Tennessee commit, OF/RHP Alex Stanwich (Lincoln-Way East) is one of the toolsiest prospects in the state and comes in at No. 3. Stanwich turned heads at this summer’s Future Games with his performance during the workout day and then carried it over into gameplay. Stanwich, who was a year younger than most of the players at the Future Games, shattered the exit velocity record, registering a 106 mph exit velocity. Stanwich also ran a 6.82 laser-timed 60 and was 93 mph from the outfield. To-boot, Stanwich got on the mound and worked a clean inning, running his fastball up to 88 mph. Stanwich may have the highest ceiling in the class and appears to just be scratching the surface of his immense potential. 

The second catcher within the top five is Nate Voss (Marist), a Michigan commit. Voss has a wide-shouldered, athletic, 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame and impacts the game in a number of ways. Defensively, he is highly advanced behind the plate with soft hands, strong wrists and is clean, easy and athletic out of the crouch. Offensively, the right-handed hitter, has loose, quick hands and the ball jumps off his barrel. 

The rest of the top-10 is filled with high-level arms who are poised to make National noise down the road. 

RHP’s Ethan Patera (Downers Grove South; No. 5) and Owen Murphy (Riverside-Brookfield; No. 6) were two 2022s at the Future Games this summer who since made their college commitment. Patera has a long, projectable, 6-foot-4, 205-pound frame, long, quick arm action and fastball up to 89 mph. Patera is committed to Louisville. 6-foot, 175-pound, athletically-built, Murphy recently committed to Notre Dame. Murphy, who still has a young look and plenty more velocity to come has a clean, quick arm action on his mid-80’s fastball (T87) and feel for a sharp slider at 73-74 mph. 

Owen Murphy (7.31.19)

A pair of hard-throwing RHP’s Hunter Pudlo (Lakes) and Alex Alberico (Providence Catholic) are both uncommitted and come in at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. Pudlo has a 6-foot-5, 240-pound, extra-large frame, clean arm and fastball up to 89 mph. Alberico has a strong, well-proportioned, 6-foot, 188-pound frame, and was up to 90 mph with feel for a slider at the Limited Series at Illinois State this summer. 

The final two arms of the top-10 feature two of the more intriguing uncommitted prospects in the class in extra-large, big-bodied, LHPs Noah Schultz (Oswego East; No. 9) and Julien Hachem (Mount Carmel; No. 10). Schultz is a 6-foot-7, 180-pound, long-limbed, projectable arm who throws from a ¾ slot and sits comfortably in the mid-80’s with feel for a slider. Hachem has an imposing, extra-large 6-foot-6, 220-pound frame and does an impressive job repeating his slot and delivery given his massive frame. At the PBR Fall Championship, Hachem sat 83-86 mph early on with heavy, downhill action to his fastball. 

TOP 10

RANK   NAME STATE SCHOOL CLASS POS COMMITMENT
1 Logan Wagner IL Home school 2022 SS Louisville
2 Zander Buchan IL Maine South 2022 C South Carolina
3 Alex Stanwich IL Lincoln-Way East 2022 OF Tennessee
4 Nate Voss IL Marist 2022 C Michigan
5 Ethan Patera IL Downers Grove South 2022 RHP Louisville
6 Owen Murphy IL Riverside-Brookfield 2022 RHP Notre Dame
7 Hunter Pudlo IL Lakes 2022 RHP  
8 Alex Alberico IL Providence Catholic 2022 RHP  
9 Noah Schultz IL Oswego East 2022 LHP  
10 Julien Hachem IL Mount Carmel 2022 LHP

 

CLICK HERE to take a look at the top-30 Illinois 2022 prospects.

RELATED CONTENT