By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

The Prep Baseball Report Preseason All-State Showcase for the 2016 graduating class will take place this Sunday February 15^th at the MAX in McCook, IL. This event has become a staple of our Preseason Showcases, with 78 college commitments from last year’s event alone.

Last year’s event featured eight players who participated in this February’s Super 60 Pro Showcase including Whitney Young’s David Craan, Stevenson’s Willie Bourbon, Homewood-Flossmoor’s Malcolm Grady, St. Rita’s Tyler Halas, Mount Carmel’s Scott Kapers, Lincoln-Way North’s Liam Jenkins, Metamora’s Ethan Skender, and Mount Carmel’s Josh Stowers.

Last year’s event was a coming out party of sorts for Lake Forest HS two-way prospect Cal Coughlin. Coughlin recently committed to Texas Christian, and at last year’s event made waves by sitting 89-91 mph with his fastball, touching 92 mph going into his sophomore season. For his efforts, Coughlin was named the Top Overall Prospect of the event. The switch-hitting Coughlin will again be one of the headliners of the event this year, which features sixteen prospects already committed to major Division-I baseball programs.

Carmel C Cooper Johnson, the No. 2 ranked player in the 2016 class, is the highest ranked player in attendance, as we recently saw Joliet Catholic’s Drake Fellows at the Super 60. Johnson may be one of the top catch-and-throw prospects in the entire country, regardless of graduating class, and the word in the scouting community is that the bat is beginning to catch up to the defensive skills.

Louisville commit Tyler Fitzgerald (Rochester HS) boasts a plus frame in the middle of the diamond, and fits the mold of a large, rangy shortstop at 6-foot-2, 175-pounds.

Arkansas commit Jordan McFarland (Gibault Catholic) is currently ranked No. 7 in Illinois’ 2016 class and will be attending his first PBR event.

Indiana commit Brad Littleton (Coal City) impressed at August’s Future Games sitting 88-90 mph, with plenty of projection remaining in his 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame.

CLICK HERE for the complete roster from this year’s Preseason All-State Showcase, our biggest and best to date, featuring 122 prospects in the 2016 class.

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