Cameron
Appenzeller

Verbally committed to Tennessee.

The No. 1 ranked player in Illinois' 2025 class has slowly proven himself to be one of the best left-handed pitchers in the nation. Appenzeller went a perfect 6-0 for Glenwood, pitching a total of 43 innings with 85 strikeouts and a 0.64 ERA. The South Carolina commit only allowed 18 hits on the year, acting as the ace of a Glenwood baseball squad who were 3A Regional Champs. Appenzeller has a bright future ahead of him as he continues to build a resume that leaves him as one of the more intriguing arms in the 2025 MLB Draft. This spring, Appenzeller has showcased a fluid, ultra-easy operation with an 88-91 mph fastball and mid-to-upper 70’s breaking ball that is more devastating everytime we see him. It has advanced feel all extremely late and sharp horizontal action. He also possesses a low-80s fading changeup that he does not need to go to very often. A name to know for the 2025 MLB Draft.

South Carolina commit, ranked No. 3 overall in the state’s 2025 class and set to take a big jump in our upcoming national update as well. Long, lean-limbed 6-foot-5, 180-pound frame that offers plenty of physical upside and room to fill out. Multi-sport athlete; was a sectional golfer in the fall and also a second team All-Conference honoree for Glenwood’s basketball team. Dominated in his most recent start against O’Fallon, fanning 12 in a complete game three-hit shutout with just one walk. Has struck out 74 batters in 38 ⅓ innings this spring, allowing two earned runs with 10 walks and a .114 batting average against. Ultra easy, simple, and in-line mover that works quick and repeats. Stays closed to footstrike and finishes onto a stable lead leg, consistently sticks the landing. Arm plays with some length on the backside out of draw and finishes from a clean, loose ¾ slot. Produces some of the most effortless velocity you’ll find, pitching in the upper-80s with his fastball and touching 90 mph in the first inning a handful of times. Jumps out the hand and gets on hitters quickly, tough angle that grabbed several uncomfortable swings-and-misses. True command for the corners in this look, consistently worked on the inner-half to both handed hitters and went there when he wanted to. Knows how to add and subtract; would dial it back when he needed to get in the strike zone and also comfortably reached back for upper-80s at any point in time, especially as his outing went on. Slider has the makings of a future plus pitch. Works out of the same arm window as his fastball and tunnels off an arm-side heater. Natural sweep with more depth and hard bite than we’d seen in the past, 77-80 mph, true swing-and-miss pitch that’s going to only improve as he continues to add on velocity. Real feel to back foot it to right-handed hitters, went there multiple times and doubled up on it. Confident demeanor on the mound, understands that he’s one of the top arms in the state and uses it to his advantage. A budding name-to-know southpaw for the 2025 MLB Draft cycle that should only gain more buzz as he continues to toe the rubber.

South Carolina signee. In a start against Normal West, Appenzeller was dominant, throwing five innings with 13 strikeouts, no walks, one run and three hits allowed, earning the win on the mound.

South Carolina commit. Currently ranked No. 3 in the state and No. 287 overall. Was dominant in his start against Normal West. Stands in a lean 6-foot-5, 180-pound frame with plenty of room for added strength. Through five innings on the mound, struck out 13, walked none, allowed one earned run and three hits, also struck out the first 10 batters of the game. Aside from Appenzeller’s stuff, his competitiveness/confidence in his pitches is what truly stands out on the mound, threw his breaking ball for strikes and in any count, and looks confident to go out and win every game that he toes the rubber. In pre-game, Appezeller was hitting his catcher in the chest on nearly every throw, spanning out to deep center field in a minor league stadium. His delivery is easy with athletic movement down the mound, and it’s paired with a clean, quick arm out of a low ¾ slot. His fastball sat 88-91 mph early on with heavy arm-side run, producing well over 10 swings-and-miss throughout the game; he later settled in the mid-to-upper 80s as his outing went on. He mixed in a curveball that sat 76-79 mph, spotting up the pitch to the outside for RHH, also working inside for swing-and-miss. His frame and ease/control in the delivery along with his future projection makes Appenzeller a high-follow LHP in the 2025 class.

South Carolina commit. One of the top arms in the 2025 class, ranked No. 3 in Illinois and No. 287 overall. Athletic, projectable frame at 6-foot-5, 180-pounds with room to add more. Started on the mound for Glenwood in a Central State Eight conference game against Normal U-High and picked up the win, striking out nine, walking one, allowing no runs and two hits across six innings of work. Quality tempo on the mound, works an easy and controlled operation with clean, athletic actions down the mound. Long, loose arm out of a low ¾ slot with quickness out front. Confident to attack hitters with his fastball and slider both inside and out, spotted up both pitches consistently. His fastball sat 87-90 mph and touched 91 mph twice with arm-side run (-17” per Trackman), and he mixed in a slider at 76-78 mph with big, late sweep. He rounded out his three-pitch mix with an 81-82 mph changeup with noticeable fade. A high-level arm in the 2025 class.

South Carolina commit. 6-foot-5, 180-pound, long, loose-levered, left-handed pitcher currently ranked No. 10 in the Illinois’ 2025 class. Has been on the rise for awhile now and continues to improve with every look. Got the start on the mound and continued his ascent as one of the top prospects in the class. Long, loose, clean and quick arm that plays from a high ¾ slot. Extremely easy overall operation and velocity out of the hand. First pitch of the game was 90 mph, settled in at mostly 87-89 mph throughout. Fastball was around the zone, still harnessing overall command but pitch plays with life and late arm-side-run; 2300+ rpm. Flashed an advanced breaking ball that plays with sweeper characteristics and all kinds of depth and horizontal action off a 2/8 plane at 77-78 mph (2200+ rpm). Chance to be a legitimate out-pitch at the next level. Went to a changeup a handful of times; 81-83 mph. Went three hitless innings, struck out six and walked three. 30 of his 55 pitches were strikes. Overall, high-floor/high-ceiling prospect that looks to be just scratching the surface of his immense upside. Should continue to see big gains from this talented three-sport athlete moving forward.

Verbally committed to South Carolina.

Appenzeller checks so many boxes, starting with a long, lean-limbed 6-foot-5, 165-pound frame. He’s an ultra easy mover that exerts little-to-no-effort as he works downhill, producing presently impressive stuff with plenty more to come down the road. In this look, Appenzeller ran his fastball up to 88 mph, pitching at 84-87 mph, from as loose and clean of an operation you’ll find in the state. He showed feel for a 73-76 mph breaking ball that flashed sweep from the same arm angle as his fastball, and it’s a pitch that should continue to rack up swings and misses at a high rate as he starts to throw it with more velocity. A natural pronator, Appenzeller did throw a firm, naturally fading changeup at 79-80 mph with the action to be an effective pitch at the next level, though he used it sparingly. Just starting to scratch his ceiling on the mound, Appenzeller has the potential to be the next big arm out of Chatham, a high school program that has produced countless upper-tier arms over the last few decades.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 6-5, 165-pounds.
Delivery: Clean, easy, and polished movement patterns with all sorts of ease, rhythm, and upside. Simple tall/fall delivery, hips stay closed to footstrike, lead leg hovers as he lands in-line to target. Athletic finish out front, repeats.
Arm Action: RH. Loose, free-flowing arm that stays moving, finishes out of a 3/4 slot.
FB: T88, 84-87 mph. Comes out clean with plenty more to come. Strikes, feel for the corners. T2324, 2136 average rpm.
CB: 72-75 mph. 1/7 shape with late sharp break at times. Throws it with similar intent to his fastball. T2313, 2223 average rpm.
CH: 80-80 mph. Maintains fastball arm speed and intent. Prontates naturally with advanced feel, sinks it. T1588, 1588 average rpm.

LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Chatham-Glenwood, 2025) appears to just be scratching the surface of his ceiling on the hill. A multi-sport athlete at Glenwood, golf and basketball, Appenzeller’s 6-foot-5, 175-pound long, loose-levered frame is sure to draw eyes each time he toes the rubber. He’s athletic down the mound with a loose ¾ arm action, pitching in the low-80s with his fastball and consistently working east-to-west. Off that, Appenzeller showed feel to spin a sweeping slider in the low-70s and he created natural arm-side run on a mid-70s changeup, too. He’s a name-to-know southpaw as his junior year is set to start. 

Appenzeller emerged as a high follow prospect following his outing on Saturday. Projectable 6-foot-5, 180-pound frame with long levers, shows plenty of upside. Came out of the bullpen sitting 83-85 mph, T86 mph with a whippy arm action and effortless delivery. Confidently threw a change up with depth at 75-77 mph. Flashed feel for a 11/5 curveball with hard bite. Also was playing up a year. A left-handed pitcher to watch on the rest of the summer circuit.