By Sean Duncan

Throughout the high school season and early summer months, no one has seen this Class of 2013 more than we have. Indeed, it’s been a wild four months of baseball for these rising seniors as they have stepped to the fore, front and center.

As is the case every year at this time, there are many prospects who have seen their stocks skyrocket during the chaotic recruiting months. Perhaps the biggest winner during the spring and summer is Prairie Ridge OF Jordan Getzelman, who earned PBR second-team All-State honors in the spring, and followed it up with a big-time June showing. Getzelman, who’s now ranked No. 3 overall in the class, possesses the rare combination of speed (6.6) and power (9 homers in the spring).

Other big risers in the Class of 2013 include: De La Salle 3B Ricardo Ramirez, Oak Park 1B Nick Kowalczuk, Grant OF Jake Ring, Lockport C Derek Bangert, Simeon 2B Ronell Coleman, Lake Zurich 1B/C Anthony Drago, Rock Island Alleman RHP Cody Sedlock, Sandburg SS Austin Cangelosi, Barrington C Ryan Lidge, Loyola Academy OF/LHP Danny Rafferty, Lincoln-Way North OF Corey Krupske, Marist INF Cody Bohanek and Neuqua Valley OF Jeff Evak, to name a few.

The fact of the matter is, the Class of 2013 rankings has seen a significant overhaul, with many new names that have emerged over the months.

Overall, the strength of the Class of 2013 starts in the outfield, with several high-level athletes, led by Getzelman, Simeon OF Corey Ray, Huntley OF Colin Lyman, St. Rita OF Anthony Ray, Ottawa OF Michael Hermosillo and Ring.

The class also features a deep crop of catchers, spearheaded by Alton’s Brent Gibbs, Danville’s Chuckie Robinson, Bangert, Glenbrook North’s Brad Margolin and Lidge.

Often times, the quality and depth of pitching define a class. If that’s the case, the Class of 2013 isn’t one of Illinois’ finest. Without question, there are some top-level arms, and many who will undoubtedly improve in the coming years. But overall, the high-level arms don’t stack up to some past years in Illinois. Most glaringly, there is a shortage of left-handed pitching. In fact, there isn’t even a left-hander in the top 30 ranked players in the state (that’s uncanny, by the way).

There are plenty of right-handers to choose from, led by Geneva’s Andy Honiotes, Lyons Township’s Keith Lehmann, Downers Grove South’s Zach Burdi, Sandwich’s Jake Roehn, Lincoln-Way North’s Kevin Smith, and the state’s No. 1-ranked player, Harrisburg’s Ryne Roper, who is equally as dominant as a position player as he is on the mound.

The Class of 2013, however, is remarkably deep in talent. As we were putting together the updated and expanded player rankings, the list of deserving players kept getting deeper and deeper. Which is why we could comfortably go 200 deep in the player rankings – something we couldn’t always do …

Class of 2013 Top 200 Player Rankings

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