Rocco
Szambelan

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 6-1, 184.5-pounds.
Delivery: Fluid mover, athletic delivery, high leg-kick, flexible lower half, long stride with extension, stays in-line.
Arm Action: LH. 3/4 slot, fast/whippy action.
FB: T85, 81-84 mph. Slight arm-side horizontal run. T1977, 1887 average rpm.
SL: 72-75 mph. Tight breaking, 1/7 shape. T1980, 1879 average rpm.

A strong, 6-foot-2, 180-pound athletic frame, Szambelan impressed on the mound in his start Friday night against the Strikes Baseball Club. The lefty threw three innings allowing two runs, three hits, and five walks while striking out one. Szambelan has a fluid motion motion that is followed by a loose and quick arm. Working quickly the lefty had scattered command but wasn’t missing by much. He ran into some trouble but found outs, limiting the damage. Szambelan attacks hitters with a two-pitch mix including a 83-86 mph fastball and a 76-78 mph slider that shapes out as a sweeper. Both pitches pair well, able to create soft contact. As Szambelan continues to develop he will be a name to watch as an uncommitted 2026.

Strong, well-proportioned 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with broad shoulders and clear lower half strength. Started on the mound for Joliet Catholic against No. 15 Triad. Athletic delivery, clean arm stroke that stays short on the backside and finishes out of a high ¾ window. Fastball touched 85 mph early, played in the low-80s with arm-side action, clean out the hand. Slight lateral action on a slider at 74-76 mph, developing feel for the zone. Turned over a changeup that flashed fade at 77-78 mph. Upside southpaw with three pitches to follow for one of the state’s top 3A programs.

OF Rocco Szambelan (Joliet Catholic, 2026) was one of the top arms at the Preseason All-State: Underclass and followed up that performance with a strong showing as a position player the next day in Joliet. Listed at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, the right-handed hitter has added quality strength throughout his frame and took an impactful round of BP while also topping at 90 mph from the outfield. At the plate, he has strong forearms, creates bat speed and stays on-plane (average 85; best of the event) and on the barrel with above-average rotational acceleration at an average of 18.2 g. He is an overall impressive athlete, who ran a 6.96, and has fully emerged as a high-follow uncommitted sophomore to follow moving forward.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Athletic, lean frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open setup, stride works to square. Controlled intent, swing stays on-plane, on time and on the barrel to the pull side. 66.2 mph bat speed with 18 G’s of rotational acceleration.
Power: 93 max exit velocity, averaged 84.2 mph. 317’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 90 mph. Loose, clean arm, 3/4 release.
Defense: Active pre-pitch footwork, plays athletically through the ball into crowhop.
Run: 6.96 runner in the 60.

An arm to monitor heading into the spring is LHP Rocco Szambelan (Joliet Catholic, 2026). With an apparently stronger frame from when we last saw him, the No. 63 ranked prospect in the state gave an upside look in his ‘pen. His fastball played clean with life out of the hand and late arm-side run at 86-89 mph (T90). Szambelan had a strong feel for his slider that played at the bottom of the zone at 79-81 mph with occasional late bite. He rounded out his mix with a changeup at 76-77 mph that had late arm-side tumble.

LHP Rocco Szambelan (Joliet Catholic, 2026) 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.

The future of the Joliet Catholic pitching staff showed well on Sunday. A trio of Hilltopper youngsters showed some premium stuff that could impact the staff sooner rather than later. The biggest winner of the three might have come from freshman Ian Campbell (2026). 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). Freshman LHP Rocco Szambelan (2026) is another athletic arm at 6-foot, 165-pounds. He showed plenty of upside with an upper 70’s fastball from the left side and an upside slider that flashed sharp action and depth. Sophomore LHP Lucas Grant (2025) gave a similarly impressive look, sitting in the 81-82 mph range with over 2,300 RPM at times. He also showed a knack to spin the breaking ball with over 2,300 RPM once again at 71-73 mph. To fill out his three-pitch mix he went to a fading changeup at 73-75 mph with some feel for the zone. Grant also topped at 86 mph from the outfield. 

Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, long stride. Long through the zone with a flat to downhill path at times.
Power: 88 max exit velocity, averaged 72.2 mph. 285’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 84 mph. Loose, quick arm, 3/4 slot, throws show carry.
Defense: Active, light on his feet. Athletic actions, steady hands and gains ground through release.
Run: 7.09 runner in the 60. 

Delivery: Subtle rocker step, athletic delivery, tends to fall glove side at times.
Arm Action: LH. High 3/4 slot, clean arm path.
FB: T79, 78-79 mph. Flashes cut action, gets on side at times.  T1909, 1823 average rpm.
SL: 66-68 mph. Flashed sharp action, showed depth at times. T2022, 1982 average rpm.
CH: 68-70 mph. Fade action, thrown with arm speed. T1601, 1387 average rpm.

Freshman LHP Rocco Szambelan (2026) is another athletic arm at 6-foot, 165-pounds. He showed plenty of upside with an upper 70’s fastball from the left side and an upside slider that flashed sharp action and depth.

Positional Profile: LHP
Body: 6-0, 165-pounds. Well proportioned, athletic build.
Delivery: Subtle rocker step, athletic delivery, tends to fall glove side at times.
Arm Action: LH. High 3/4 slot, clean arm path.
FB: T79, 78-79 mph. Flashes cut action, gets on side at times. T1909, 1823 average rpm.
SL: 66-68 mph. Flashed sharp action, showed depth at times. T2022, 1982 average rpm.
CH: 68-70 mph. Fade action, thrown with arm speed. T1601, 1387 average rpm.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF 
Delivery: Athletic delivery; works closed and on line to target.
Arm Action: LH. Quick arm speed; short circle to a high 3/4 slot.
FB: T80, 76-79 mph. Straight, heavy type. T1784, 1731 average rpm.
SL: 67-70 mph. Sweep-type, some depth; locates well for age. Above-average action. T1925, 1719 average rpm.
CH: 68-73 mph. Straight change, firm. T1330, 1187 average rpm.

The incoming freshman southpaw worked his fastball in the 75-77 mph range, playing mostly straight with an average IVB of 14.8. He showed the ability to spin two different breaking balls; the first being a curveball with 1/7 shape at 62-65 mph, and the second being a 2/8 slider at 64-67 mph. His final offering was a straight changeup at 63-66 mph, thrown with intent and from a similar fastball release point. 

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-11, 155-pounds. Athletic frame.
Delivery: Athletic delivery, medium leg-lift into balance point, drop/drive lower-half, remains in-line to the plate, front foot lands square.
Arm Action: LH. Short to the ear out of the glove into a high 3/4 slot.
FB: T77, 75-77 mph. Mostly straight, slight arm-side-run at times.  T1881, 1760 average rpm.
CB: 62-65 mph. Gradual 1/7 shape. T2009, 1973 average rpm.
SL: 64-67 mph. Gradual 2/8.  T2129, 2009 average rpm.
CH: 63-67 mph. Plays off a similar plane to his fastball, mostly straight.  T1229, 1110 average rpm.

Hit: RHH. Balanced wide stance, hands high, leg kick. Long path, works uphill through the zone, loose hands and pull-side approach.
Power: 83 max exit velocity, averaged 78.2 mph. 283’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 73 mph. Short arm action, 3/4 slot, accurate throws.
Defense: Athletic footwork, bouncy, advanced actions.
Run: 7.31 runner in the 60. 

A 2026 that popped from the event on Tuesday was LHP Rocco Szambelan (Joliet Catholic). The incoming freshman southpaw worked his fastball in the 75-77 mph range, playing mostly straight with an average IVB of 14.8. He showed the ability to spin two different breaking balls; the first being a curveball with 1/7 shape at 62-65 mph, and the second being a 2/8 slider at 64-67 mph. His final offering was a straight changeup at 63-66 mph, thrown with intent and from a similar fastball release point.