By Nathan Rode
National Supervisor

The summer season is winding down as school starts around the country and Labor Day approaches. This past weekend marked the second annual Metropolitan Baseball Classic and Prep Baseball Report’s Jake Gill was in attendance. Be sure to catch up with his reports from the Saturday and Sunday action.

Coming up this weekend is the PBR Labor Day Challenge, which is a must-see event for underclass prospects in the Midwest.

Let’s get to a few questions. Remember, you can send in any questions about the national landscape of high school baseball or the draft to Prep Baseball Report.

Who is the top 2017 catcher out of Illinois to keep an eye on?
Several states have put out initial rankings for the 2017 class and Illinois has a catcher near the top in Joe Donovan (Westmont HS, IL). The younger brother of SS Charlie Donovan—the top prospect in Illinois' 2015 class—the younger Donovan stood out for our staff this spring with a physical frame for his age, good arm strength and carry to his throws. He also showed a patient approach at the plate with good balance and bat speed.