Gabe
Smith

The 2023 Gateway Metro Conference Player of the Year, Smith played a crucial role for Father McGivney this past season on both sides of the ball. The Ole Miss commit was the ace of the talented pitching staff, firing 36 innings with a 6-1 record, 60 strikeouts, 1.94 ERA and WHIP of 1.00 - with his only loss coming to 2A State Runner-Up, Columbia. His offensive numbers were eye-popping as well, as he hit his way to a .439 clip in 98 at-bats with a .539 OBP, .837 SLG %, 1.376 OPS, eight home runs, one triple, 13 doubles, 47 RBIs, 37 runs scored, and more walks than strikeouts. Smith is the all-time school leader in average, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs and total bases.

Ole Miss signee, currently slotted at No. 15 overall in the Illinois’ 2023 class. Physical 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame with clear athleticism for his size and room to add even more strength down the road. Rhythmic worker with pace and tempo, fluid mover downhill, stays in line to target and finishes with intent out front. Long arm swing that finishes out of a loose ¾ slot, clean out the hand. Fastball touched 93 in the first, sitting at 88-92 mph throughout. Best down in the zone and on the corners, flashed hard, natural arm-side run at times. More to come, capable of adding a handful of ticks to his fastball and holding it as he physically matures. Flashed feel for a late fading changeup at 80-81 mph. Sparingly spun his slider at 74-76 mph, gradual break, landed it for strikes. Finished his senior season with a 1.94 ERA over 36 innings of work, striking out 60 while walking 13. Another high-end arm located in the state’s southern region that’s seemingly just scratching his surface on the mound. 

Ole Miss signee and one of the top arms in the current Illinois’ senior class. Large, physical 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame with starter’s size and present strength capable of adding more in the future. Took the mound on the road against the Panthers and hurled six innings of two-run ball, punching out six to earn the win. Moves down the mound well and in control for his stature with a simple, repeatable operation. Stays closed to front foot strike and maintains direction to target throughout without much effort. Long and loose arm action, comes out clean from a ¾ slot with arm speed out front. Fastball touched 92 in the first, holding 88-91 mph throughout. Lived on the corners, pounded the lower half of the zone with hard, heavy arm-side action at times, and generated a high amount of ground balls. Turned to a slurvy breaking ball for strikes at 73-76 mph, pairs well with an arm-side fastball and has projectable future traits. A high-end prospect on the mound in Illinois that could be an impact arm in the SEC down the road. 

Ole Miss signee. Hulking 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame with clear physicality and room to add even more so over as he continues to mature. Started on the mound for the Griffins in a conference win, striking out nine batters over four no-hit innings, walking only one. Controls himself down the mound exceptionally well for his stature, fluid mover that uses the slope to create momentum. Stays connected to his backside, closed throughout, balanced at footstrike with noticeable hip/shoulder separation. Long fluid arm swing, finishes from a loose ¾ slot. Fastball sat 90-92 mph early, settled into the upper-80s as his day went on, flashing hard late arm-side action at times for strikes. Clear untapped potential from a velocity standpoint given his size and ability to move down the mound. Sparingly used his secondaries, flashing a changeup at 81-82 mph and slider at 75-76 mph. A polished look at one of the state’s top senior arms. 

Ole Miss commit. One of the top arms in the state, Smith also dominated at the plate last week. Against DuQuoin he went a perfect 2-for-2 with a home run, double, three RBIs, two walks, and a run scored. In their game against Bushnell-Prairie City he started on the mound and threw three innings with five strikeouts and one hit, earning the win. He also went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. On the week Smith hit 6-for-7 (.857 avg.) with a home run, two doubles, seven RBIs, and four walks.

Mississippi signee. Recently rose up our updated 2023 rankings, now slotted at No. 15 overall in the state, and No. 414 nationally within our top-500. Built physically at 6-foot-5, 220-pounds with present strength throughout and room to tack on even more muscle as physical maturity continues. Drew the start for Father McGivney, tossing three innings and striking out five, generating nothing but weak contact on balls put in play - only one batted ball left the ground. Simple uptempo delivery, front hip starts momentum early, slight drop/drive downhill pattern, stays closed up front to footstrike. Finishes onto a firm lead leg, works in line to target, takes advantage of his physical stature and gets down the mound. Controlled and polished through release, repeats well with a clean, rhythmic all-around operation. Long arm draw out the glove, swings to a loose ¾ slot and finishes with arm speed out front. Fastball sat 90-91 mph early, touching 92 mph a few times, eventually settling at 88-91 mph. Featured hard horizontal action, barreling inside to right-handed hitters and certain to generate high amounts of ground balls now, and at the next level. Will add present velocity as the season progresses and future heat down the road as he gets older. Favored 82-83 mph changeup in this look, turned to it as his primary off-speed pitch. Matched his fastball’s plane, fading off it with late action at times to the lower quadrant of the zone on his arm-side. Showed a 74-77 mph slider, used sparingly. A prospect to follow throughout the spring that should garner professional attention and could make a real impact for Ole Miss on the mound if he makes it to campus. 

Uncommitted. Long-limbed, 6-foot-5, 220-pound frame, starters build. The tall right-hander’s arm works with a long circle out of the glove, moving into a loose ¾ slot. His delivery is fluid down the mound, working with a controlled tempo and little perceived effort, also striding slightly across his body at-times - creating deception and added sink on pitches to his arm-side. Smith’s fastball was lively, jumping out of his hand at 86-88 mph with natural sinking action, filling up the zone with strikes and challenging hitters. He went to a changeup at 78-79 mph to pair off his fastball, thrown with similar fastball arm-speed and released from a similar window. Impressive right-hander that looks to have more velo in the tank. 

Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-5, 220-pounds.
Delivery: Up-tempo, tall and fall delivery. Works in line with target. Lands with a closed front toe.
Arm Action: RH. 3/4 to low 3/4 slot, long arm action.
FB: T89.2, 87.6-89.1 mph. Sinking action, heavy fastball with arm side run. T2283, 2154 average rpm.
CB: 70.8-72.1 mph. Lateral sweeping curveball, matches arm slot. T2039, 1991 average rpm.
CH: 78.1-80.4 mph. Fading action. T1938, 1575 average rpm.

At 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, RHP Gabe Smith (Father McGivney) generated one of the more unique profiles of the day. On top of his hulking, durable frame, his atypical fastball worked from a ¾ slot and created heavy arm-side action, sitting at an easy 88-89 mph. His curveball is a direct complement, working on-plane with his arm slot as a sweeping breaking ball that created more horizontal action than any other breaking ball of the day, averaging over 19 inches of movement.