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2024 Preseason All-State, Underclass: Takeaways

February 28, 2024
Illinois Scouting Staff

On Feb. 24, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Preseason All-State: Underclass showcase at The MAX in McCook, Ill., featuring many of the state’s top players inside both the 2026 and 2027 classes. This event helped our staff gain a clearer picture of the on-the-rise underclassmen in Illinois, and we’ll begin to break down the standouts thoroughly today and throughout the coming weeks. Inside today’s Takeaways post, we’re highlighting the best of the best – the talent that exited the event with arrows pointed way up headed into the spring.

Given the depth and amount of impressive performances on the day, there are plenty of worthy prospects not mentioned below that we will touch on in the coming days and months.

To view the event’s landing page, roster, and stats collected, click here. 

POSITION PLAYERS 

COMMITTED

+ MIF Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North, 2026; Illinois commit) continues to look the part as a premier middle infield prospect in the state. Currently ranked No. 1 in Illinois and No. 14 in the country, Bass was all over the barrel throughout his round, averaging 89 mph for his EV with a max of 95.6 mph, reaching up to 347’ for his max distance. He showed his usual athletic actions and soft hands on the infield, topping out at 89 mph across the diamond. His pure athleticism is hard to ignore as well, cruising to a 6.87 in the 60 with a max vertical of 32.9”. 

+ CIF TJ McQuillan (Mount Carmel, 2026; Louisville commit) continues to trend in the right direction, putting up impressive metrics across the board. One of the first things that stands out is his 60-time, recording a 7.01 with a peak run speed of 19.9 mph, which is extremely impressive for his strong/durable stature. The left-handed hitter took arguably the most impressive round of BP on the day, averaging 98.4 mph for his EV while reaching up to 102.4 mph, delivering his furthest ball at 382’ which led the event. His BLAST metrics are off the charts, averaging 24.6 mph for his hand-speed (T25.6 mph), 77.1 mph for his bat-speed (T78.6 mph) and 32.1 G’s for his rotational acceleration (T37.2 G’s). He showed athletic footwork and soft hands both in the outfield and the infield, pairing with a strong arm from each position (T86 INF; T89 OF). 

+ OF Sebastian Wilson (Lane Tech, 2027; Tennessee commit) wields one of the loudest left-handed bats in the 2027 class and it was on full display this past weekend. Currently the No. 1 ranked player in Illinois, No. 18 nationally, Wilson averaged 89.3 for his EV throughout his round with a max of 97.7 mph, delivering his furthest ball at 332’. He creates impressive hand-speed, averaging 22.8 mph (T23.4 mph) according to BLAST. He displayed his usual strong arm from the outfield as well, reaching up to 88 mph from a crow hop. He continues to trim down his 60-time, running a 6.76 this time around. 

+ MIF Colin Campbell (Brother Rice, 2027; Louisville commit) impressed in his Prep Baseball showcase debut over the weekend. Currently ranked No. 3 in the state and No. 72 nationally, Campbell has a polished left-handed stroke, looking to use the whole field throughout his round with a line-drive approach. He’s an advanced defender on the infield, boasting soft hands and fluid actions, playing with rhythm/timing and clear feel for the position. Quality arm across the diamond, playing with accuracy at 83 mph. 6.80 runner in the 60. 

+ MIF Joey Ireland (Mount Carmel, 2026; Illinois commit) continues to stand out as a high-level prospect in the Illinois 2026 class. Currently ranked No. 5 in the state, No. 158 nationally, the right-handed hitter has a loose, easy stroke and he’s starting to add on some power; averaging 92.9 mph for his EV throughout his round with a max of 96.1 mph. Advanced defender on the infield, soft hands with bounce in his step and fluid footwork, ranges well to both sides of his glove with a clean transfer and smooth glove-to-hand. Quality arm across the diamond that plays on the move, topping out at 84 mph. Premium athlete, cruising to a 6.66 in the 60 with a 33.4” max vertical jump.

+ INF Blake Ragsdale (Lyons Township, 2027; Texas Christian commit) is an impressive athlete that stood out over the weekend. Currently ranked No. 5 in the state, No. 96 nationally, Ragsdale cruised to a 7.05 in the 60 to pair with a 30.7” vertical. The right-handed hitter showed some feel to hit to the whole field, reaching up to 90.2 mph for his max EV, working on the sweet spot 72.7% of the time according to TrackMan. He showed above-average actions on the infield, playing low and athletically through the ball with a quick release, soft hands, topping out at 86 mph across the diamond with life out of the hand. 

UNCOMMITTED

+ OF Andrew Talbert (Byron, 2027) continues to look the part as one of the top prospects in the state, currently slotted at No. 13 in Illinois. The right-handed hitter has a repeatable and strong swing, staying on-plane through the zone while consistently putting the ball on a line back up the middle throughout his round of BP, reaching up to 90.4 mph for his max EV. Impressive athlete, cruising to a 6.94 in the 60. Easy, athletic defender in the outfield, arm is well above-average, topping out at 95 mph from a crow hop. High-follow prospect in the state. 

+ OF Nolan Ramoley (Brother Rice, 2026) had one of the more impressive all-around showings this past weekend. Currently ranked No. 7 in the state, No. 257 nationally, the 6-foot, 196-pound right-handed hitter has a simple yet powerful stroke, staying through the zone with extension to create a max EV of 104.3 mph. Highly impressive BLAST metrics, averaging 23.8 mph for his hand-speed (T25.8 mph), 81.6 mph for his bat-speed (T84.5 mph) and 21.1 G’s of rotational acceleration (T24.9 G’s). Premium athlete, running to a 6.52 in the 60; also recorded a 33.9” vertical jump. Athletic actions from the outfield, steady hands, topped out at 89 mph from a crow hop. 

+ INF Jailen Veliz (Yorkville, 2026) had a strong all-around showing this past weekend. Currently ranked No. 53 in the state, the right-handed hitter has an upside swing, working with a flat path through the zone to create a max EV of 90 mph, also reaching up to 320’ for his max distance. Creates easy bat-speed, averaging 71.7 mph (T73.2 mph) while also averaging 20.6 G’s for his rotational acceleration (T23.7 G’s). Highly athletic defender with soft hands and fluid footwork, easy range to both sides of his glove. 

+ Currently ranked No. 54 in Illinois, INF Zach Rubin (Antioch, 2026) had yet another strong showing in front of our staff. Projectable build at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds, the right-handed hitter has loose hands with a flat path, looking to stay on top of the baseball, consistently working on the barrel up the middle of the field and the other way - working on the sweet spot 70% of the time per TrackMan. Athletic defender on the infield with soft hands, moves well laterally. Athletic runner, recording a 6.86 in the 60 with a max run speed of 20.2 mph. 

+ INF Gavin Michaels (Normal University, 2026) is a name to know from the event. Listed at 5-foot-10, 153-pounds with lean limbs and all sorts of room to add on strength, the right-handed hitter has an easy, simple swing that looks to stay on top of the ball with a flat path, line-drive approach back up the middle of the field; reaching up to 95.8 mph for his max EV with an average of 86.8 mph. Premium athlete, recording a 6.71 in the 60 with a max vertical jump of 31.5”. Fluid mover on the infield with athletic actions, light on his feet with range to both sides of his glove. 

+ INF Lucas Simulick (Joliet Catholic, 2026) continues to look the part as a high-end infield prospect. Currently ranked No. 15 in the state, Simulick has athletic actions to pair with soft hands and a clean glove-to-hand, demonstrating clear feel and rhythm throughout his defensive round. His arm has continued to trend up, now reaching up to 90 mph across the diamond. The right-handed hitter continues to make strides with the bat, showcasing an easy/simple swing that looks to stay on top of the ball, flashing backspin up the middle of the field with a max EV of 92.8 mph, averaging 87.5 mph. Athletic runner with a 6.91 in the 60. 

+ OF Josh Colaizzi (Bartlett, 2026) showcased some of the louder tools on the day. Currently ranked No. 58 in the state, the right-handed hitter impressed with a max EV of 96.7 mph, averaging 87.7 mph with a max distance of 332’. He has strong hands throughout his stroke, utilizing his lower-half through impact with a flat path, working uphill on pitches up in the zone. In the outfield, Colaizzi moves well laterally with a quick first step, also showing off an explosive arm that reached up to 93 mph from a crow hop. He performed extremely well in the 60, recording a 6.73 with a peak run speed of 20.7 mph, also turning in a 32.5” max vertical jump. 

+ INF Mason Netcel (St. Charles North, 2026) gave an upside look on both sides of the ball. He has a projectable frame at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds, and his right-handed swing holds room for added power as he matures physically. He works long through the zone with an uphill path, creating a max EV of 91 mph while working on the sweet spot 91% of the time according to TrackMan. He showcased some athletic and twitchy actions on the infield to pair with steady hands, reaching up to 82 mph across the diamond. 

+ INF Jacsen Tucker (Oswego East, 2027) remains a highly intriguing prospect within the state’s 2027 class, currently slotted at No. 8 in Illinois and No. 215 nationally. He stands out physically at 6-foot-2, 170-pounds with lean strength and all sorts of athleticism, as well as projection as he matures. The right-handed hitter has an easy/loose swing, using his levers well while working on the barrel with a repeatable and simple operation, maxing out at 93.2 mph for his EV. Tucker has athletic actions on the infield with easy range to both sides of his glove, soft hands with a clean glove-to-hand. Premium athlete with a 6.95 in the 60, also recorded a 33.2” max vertical jump. 

+ MIF/OF Easton Newman (Deerfield, 2026) continues to be a name-to-know in the Illinois 2026 class. Currently ranked No. 46 in the state, the right-handed hitter put together an impressive round, reaching up to 91.9 mph with an average EV of 86.5 mph. He has loose, athletic hands, creating some whip through the zone with advanced rotational acceleration (18.1 G’s avg; T20.9 G’s). He showed quick feet with athletic actions in both the infield and outfield, ranging easily to both sides of his glove to pair with a strong arm from both positions (T86 INF; T90 OF). Highly athletic prospect, cruising to a 6.92 in the 60 with a max vertical jump of 32.4”. 

+ OF Dominic Battista (Oswego East, 2026) continues to demonstrate an upside left-handed stroke at the plate. Listed at 5-foot-10, 157-pounds with lean limbs and room to add on strength, Battista creates whip through the zone with a flat path, staying on-plane and in the zone for a long time; maxing out at 89.6 mph for his top EV with a max distance of 336’. He has some present athleticism, as demonstrated by his 31.3” vertical jump. Easy mover with athletic actions in the outfield, topping out at 87 mph from a crow hop. Currently ranked No. 18 in the state. 

+ C Adam Swanson (Ottawa Township, 2026) is a no-doubt name to know from the event, showing well across the board this past weekend. Listed at 5-foot-10, 186-pounds with round/sloped shoulders and strength throughout, the right-handed hitter put on a show in BP with a max EV of 99.9 mph, averaging 95.1 mph throughout his round with a strong, easy swing that stays through the zone with a balanced finish. He took an impressive round of defense, working with a quick/clean glove-to-hand transfer, staying in-line while gaining ground on throws to second to create a pop-time as low as 1.87 seconds. His arm is also plenty strong, playing quick to release at 80 mph. He’s also a premium athlete, recording a 6.71 in the 60 to pair with a 35.9” max vertical jump.  

+ INF Brady Cunningham (Brother Rice, 2027) was one of the more physical freshmen in attendance, listed at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds with present strength throughout. The right-handed hitter delivered a heavy barrel throughout his round of BP, averaging 87.3 mph for his EV with a max of 92.6 mph, staying on top of the baseball throughout his round. Power potential should continue to present itself as he matures and creates more loft in his swing. 

+ OF Logan Fernandez (Mount Carmel, 2026) came away one of the event’s biggest winners over the weekend. He has a projectable build with much more in the tank, listed at 5-foot-10, 168-pounds with lean limbs and a high waist. The right-handed hitter impressed throughout BP, staying on-plane through the zone with a flat path, whippy barrel that projects into more power as he fills out. He made consistent loud contact throughout his round, averaging 91.1 mph for his EV while topping out at 94.8 mph with a max distance of 341’. He has some tools to pair with his bat, including a strong arm from the outfield (T86 mph), premium speed (6.68-60) and a max vertical jump of 34.1”. High-ceiling prospect to know in the state. 

+ INF Isaiah Martin (Lane Tech, 2027) continues to trend in the right direction in front of our staff. He’s an above-average athlete, cruising to a 6.97 in the 60, also putting up an impressive 3.01 in the RSI explosiveness test as well as a 29.8” max vertical jump. The right-handed hitter works on-plane with an efficient path, consistently keeping the ball on a line with a max EV of 91.2 mph. 

+ OF Mason Atkins (West Aurora, 2026) was yet another athletic prospect that showed well in a couple different aspects over the weekend. Currently slotted at No. 68 in the state, the right-handed hitter displayed loose hands with a flat path, making a clear effort to work the ball on a line and stay on top of the baseball. He was on the barrel throughout his round, averaging 85.9 mph for his EV with a max of 93.6 mph. He’s an above-average athlete, recording a 7.01 in the 60 to pair with an impressive 34.3” vertical jump. Athletic mover in the outfield with fluid footwork and steady hands, topped out at 82 mph from a crow hop. 

+ OF Josh Morgan (Fenwick, 2027) continues to look the part as one of the premier athletes in the 2027 class. Currently ranked No. 2 in the state, No. 36 nationally, Morgan started his day by cruising to a 6.63 in the 60, reaching up to 20.6 mph for his peak run speed while also recording a 33.8” max vertical jump. The right-handed hitter has some rhythm in his hands, working with a direct path to the ball with intent to lift to his pull-side. High-follow prospect that is also a highly touted football recruit. 

+ INF Johnny Nelson (Oak Park-River Forest, 2026) is an upside prospect to know in the state. Currently ranked No. 23 in Illinois, the right-handed hitter flashed some power potential throughout his round with an uphill path and loose stroke, reaching up to 91.4 mph for his EV. Impressive athlete, recording a 6.97 in the 60 with a 31.2” max vertical. 

1B Travis Dudycha (Huntley, 2026), C Keegan Seipp (O’Fallon, 2027), 1B Anthony Chavez (Mount Carmel, 2026) and INF Cory Les (St. Laurence, 2026) are a quartet of prospects that swung a heavy barrel over the weekend; with Seipp, Chavez and Les all recording a max EV of 98 mph - and Dudycha recording a max of 99 mph. 

INF Kamrin Jenkins (Oswego), OF Kamran Alikhan (Nazareth), OFJohnny Andretich (Plainfield North) and INF Niko Villaci (Oswego East) are a group of 2026 prospects that deserve a mention from the day as well.

TWO-WAYS

+ OF/RHP Keaton Reinke (St. Charles North, 2026) gave an intriguing two-way look over the weekend. Currently ranked No. 16 in the state, his frame stands out at 6-foot-2, 198-pounds and he put up some impressive metrics throughout his workout, starting with a 6.81 in the 60 to pair with a 31.9” vertical. There’s plenty of bat-strength in his right-handed stroke, creating a max EV of 97.2 mph and max distance of 357’. He has premium arm-strength, topping out at 95 mph from the outfield. Reinke continued to show intrigue when he hopped on the bump and worked his fastball all the way up to 91 mph (sat 86-90) with potentially more left in the tank. 

+ OF/RHP Ian Campbell (Joliet Catholic, 2026) is a physical prospect with some loud tools across the board. Listed at 6-foot-3, 219-pounds, the right-handed hitter showed off some impressive power throughout his round, maxing out at 102.8 mph for his EV while averaging 95.3 mph with a max distance of 354’. He moves well for his size, running to a 7.12 in the 60. He displayed easy arm-strength, topping out at 90 mph from the outfield, and his arm easily transferred over to the mound. He ran his fastball up to an eye-opening 91.1 mph, sitting 88-90 mph with some carry through the zone. To pair off the fastball he went to a firm, 10/4 slider at 78-81 mph with some feel for the zone, and a fading changeup at 78-81 mph. 

+ INF/RHP Drew Borkowski (Huntley, 2026) continues to impress with legitimate two-way ability, and he’s currently slotted at No. 28 in the state. At the plate, the right-handed hitter delivered a heavy barrel with a max EV of 99.1 mph and max distance of 355’, swinging with controlled aggression and intent to do damage. He has fluid actions on the infield, moving well laterally with steady hands. Premium arm-strength, topping out at 92 mph across the diamond. On the mound, Borkowski has an impressive arm that creates a fastball in the 88-89 mph range, reaching up to 90 mph with carry/run through the zone. He showed both a curveball and a slider, with the curveball playing with more depth at 73-75 mph, and the slider coming in with more lateral action at 74-76 mph. His final offering was a changeup at 80-81 mph, playing with over 14” of run consistently.  

+ CIF/RHP Jason Phillips (Plano, 2026) displayed some real power potential throughout his round of BP. The right-handed hitter has a simple, repeatable swing, working direct to the ball with a quick barrel through the zone, reaching up to 95.6 mph for his max EV with a max distance of 341’. He creates easy speed through the zone, averaging 23.1 mph for his hand-speed (T24 mph), 77 mph for his bat-speed (T83.1 mph) and 18.4 G’s of rotational acceleration (T22.1 G’s). On the infield, his hands are soft with a clean glove to hand, moving well for his size with some life in his arm (T81 mph). Phillips’ arm played even better on the mound where he ran his fastball up to 86 mph with a max IVB of 19.7”. He also showed feel to spin a 10/4-shaped slider that played with depth through the zone with over 2300 rpm on average.

+ CIF/RHP Callaghan O’Connor (Bishop McNamara, 2026) displayed some premium velocity throughout his ‘pen over the weekend. Currently ranked No. 2 in the state, No. 69 nationally, the 6-foot-5, 207-pound right-hander sat in the 85-89 mph range with carry and run to his arm-side. To pair off the fastball he went to an 11/5 curveball at 71-73 mph, showing some depth with the ability to land to both sides of the plate. His final offering was a changeup at 76-79 mph, developing feel and shape, but flashing arm-side action and is thrown with fastball arm-speed. At the plate the right-handed hitter uses his levers well to create easy power, registering a max EV of 95.9 mph with an average of 92.6 mph, reaching up to 340’ for his max distance. 

+ MIF/RHP Jory Crocker (Willowbrook, 2026) has one of the highest ceilings in the entire state. Listed at 6-foot, 171-pounds with lean strength and an ultra-high waist, still holding room to add all sorts of muscle in the future. At the plate, the right-handed hitter displayed easy barrel control with an upside stroke, working consistently up the middle of the field with line-drives; averaging 89.4 mph for his EV with a max of 93.7 mph, working on the sweet spot 70% of the time per TrackMan. Defensively, he glides around the infield with athleticism and bounce, pairing it with easy range to both sides of his glove and soft hands with a clean transfer. His arm is plenty strong, topping out at 86 mph across the diamond. Above-average runner, cruising to a 6.88 in the 60, also led the event in vertical jump with a 36.2”. On the mound, Crocker controlled his levers and showed minimal effort to run his fastball up to 87.2 mph. He mixed in a curveball which played with 12/6 shape, and a slider that played with 11/5 shape, and he showed the ability to throw strikes with both. Rounding out his four-pitch mix, Crocker threw a changeup that sat 76-77 mph with mostly straight actions.

+ Missouri commit, INF/RHP Cole Ruggeri (Waubonsie Valley, 2026) did not disappoint in our staff’s first look since the 2022 PBR Junior Future Games. Ranked No. 6 in the state and No. 127 overall, Ruggeri is an athletic mover on the mound with all kinds of ease and fluidity paired with advanced arm-speed. His fastball sat in the upper-80s while topping out at 89.7 mph with arm-side run (avg. 15.2” HM) and carry through the zone. Arguably his best off-speed pitch was his changeup which sat 70-74 mph with swing-and-miss traits and clear fade to the arm-side (avg. 14” HM). His curveball sat 69-71 mph with 11/5 shape and future projection. At the plate, the right-handed hitter swings with intent, staying through the ball with extension while working on the barrel up the middle, reaching up to 94.3 mph for his max EV while averaging 90 mph, reaching up to 351’ for his max distance. 

+ OF/RHP Frank Costabile (Stevenson, 2026) put up some eye-opening numbers across the board over the weekend. From the outfield, Costabile displayed plus arm-strength with his best bullet coming in at 98 mph from a crow hop, pairing with athletic actions and steady hands. The right-handed hitter displayed a compact stroke with a level path, creating backspin up the middle with a max EV of 91.7 mph and max distance of 351’. He’s a premium athlete, recording a 6.79 in the 60 with a 34.2” max vertical. Equally impressive on the mound, Costabile creates easy velocity, sitting 90-91 mph, topping out at 91.8 mph. His slider sits 79-82 mph with well above-average spin (avg. 2700 rpm), creating sharp, 11/5 shape. He throws his changeup with intent, and it has fade and sinking action, sitting 80-82 mph. A high-follow in the 2026 class.

+ MIF/RHP Cy Craft (Du Quoin, 2027) has been steadily trending up, and his performance this past weekend showed no difference. A polished and mature approach during his bullpen, Craft owns a 5-foot-10, 166-pound frame, and showed confidence with three-pitches. His fastball sat 84-85 mph, while topping out at 85.9 mph. He mixed in a sharp, mid-70s slider, maintaining the same slot and arm-speed as his fastball, as well as a changeup that sat 77-79 mph with slight arm-side fade. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showcased loose hands that stay through the zone with extension out front, consistently working on the barrel back up the middle of the field with a max EV of 91.8 mph. Upside swing as he continues to fill out. 

+ INF/RHP Kaden Wasniewski (McHenry, 2027) continues to establish himself as a legitimate two-way follow in the state. Currently ranked No. 9 in Illinois, the right-handed hitter displayed a loose swing with whippy hands through the zone, creating extension out front while maintaining balance through impact; reaching up to 90.2 mph for his max EV with a max distance of 324’. He has well above-average arm talent, reaching up to 92 mph on the infield. Wasniewski has some notable upside on the mound, listed at 6-foot, 161-pounds and equipped with obvious arm-strength, the right-hander cruised with his fastball in the 87-89 mph range, topping out at 89.8 mph with carry and heavy run to his arm-side. He showed some feel for his slider at 77-79 mph, playing with tight shape and 9/3 action, kept at the bottom of the zone. His final offering was a changeup that displayed heavy arm-side run, tumbling towards the bottom of the zone at 80-82 mph. 

+ RHP Mason Bruesch (Geneva, 2027) is an intriguing arm to watch in the freshman class. Bruesch has a deceptive side-arm delivery on the mound, and his velocity is slowly ticking up since last seeing him at the 2023 Junior Future Games. On Saturday, Bruesch’s fastball sat 80-83 mph with an average of 17.3 inches of horizontal movement. His slider showed sweeping action, producing -13.6 inches of horizontal break on average, while his curveball showed -17.4 inches of horizontal movement with 11/5 shape. He rounded out his arsenal with a mid-70s changeup with fade and sink. At the plate, the right-handed hitter stayed through the ball with loose hands, looking to stay on top of the baseball and reaching up to 91 mph for his max EV. Upside swing as he continues to develop and mature. 

PITCHERS

+ RHP Paddy Roth (St. Patrick, 2026) was the Most Valuable Pitcher at the 2023 Illinois State Games, and left this event with a similar impression. An ideal frame at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds with seemingly added strength since we last saw him, Roth is currently ranked No. 4 in Illinois’ sophomore class and No. 105 overall. He has a simple and repeatable delivery paired with a loose arm that has some acceleration out front. A polished and mature arm for his age, his fastball sat 90-91 mph, attacking the zone with the pitch. His slider sat 73-75 mph with late break, and he showed the ability to locate the pitch in and around the strike zone. To round out his three-pitch arsenal, he showed a change-up that sat 80-82 mph with an average of 17.4 inches of fade, as well as feel for the zone. Roth is a high-level uncommitted arm to follow closely this spring.

+ LHP Ian Tosi (Mount Carmel, 2026) made significant strides this off-season and impressed in our first look of 2024. Standing in a 5-foot-11, 177-pound frame with strength and athleticism, Tosi showed well on the mound with feel for three pitches. His fastball sat 85-87 mph with ride through the zone, creating an average of 20.5 inches of induced vertical break. He showed a change-up that sat 73-74 mph with -16.6 inches of average horizontal movement. Tosi creates 12/6 shape with his curveball that sat 66-67 mph, creating an average of -11.1 inches of average induced vertical break. A name-to-know in the state’s 2026 class.

+ RHP Brandon Pelz (Bartlett, 2026) measured in at a lean 6-foot, 169-pounds, and showed feel for all four pitches in his ‘pen. The No. 22 ranked prospect in the state ran his fastball in the 86-88 mph range (T88.8), playing in the zone 67% of the time with life out of the hand. His curveball was thrown with the same intent as the fastball, playing with downer action at 77-79 mph and 2300+ rpm on average. Pelz’s changeup was impressive as well, finding the zone 75% of the time with 13” of HM on average at 77-79 mph. His slider played with some late bite at 72-75 mph with 2200+ rpm on average. 

+ 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. 

+ RHP Connor Elenteny (Mount Carmel, 2026) is another young arm to know in the state. Currently ranked No. 20 in Illinois, Elenteny looks primed for a big spring after what he showed in his ‘pen on Saturday. He had advanced feel for the strike zone (75%) with his fastball, sitting 88-89 mph (T89.5) with 2-seam characteristics. He showed feel to spin the curveball (avg 2300+ rpm) that showed depth at 73-75 mph and was thrown with intent. Elenteny’s changeup played at the bottom of the zone at 77-79 mph with downer action at times.

+ One of the biggest winners from this year’s event was RHP Martin Kinnane (Lockport, 2026). At one of our Preseason ID events in 2023, we saw Kinnane’s fastball sit 78-82 mph, but after an off-season of work, the 6-foot-4, 175-pound arm worked his fastball up to 88.3 mph with ease, while sitting 86-88 mph with ride/carry through the zone. His curveball sat in the mid-70s with sharp bite, showing true control of the pitch (80% strikes), and he also displayed a mid-70s changeup with feel. His ability to control his long levers, his projectable frame, and current make-up have propelled him as a high-level uncommitted follow moving forward.

+ Another standout southpaw was LHP Callum Morrison (Lake Forest, 2026). Currently ranked No. 41 in the state, Morrison displayed athleticism on the bump throughout his ‘pen. His fastball was effective at the bottom of the zone at 85-87 mph. Morrison’s changeup had heavy arm-side run (avg -16” HM) with late tumble at 74-75 mph, showing out-pitch potential moving forward. He rounded out his repertoire with a short curveball at 69-70 mph. Morrison will be another high follow for our staff this spring. 

+ RHP Luke Blackwell (Valmeyer, 2026) and RHP John Strzechowski (St. Laurence, 2026) are a pair of uncommitted arms with similar metrics. Blackwell stands in a 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame with long levers and seemingly more to come. His fastball comes out of his hand clean, and sat 86-87 mph with some arm-side action. He showed a short breaking slider that sat in the mid-70s, as well as an upper-70s change-up with an average of 17.3 inches of fade. Strzechowski owns a 5-foot-11, 165-pound athletic frame. He’s a clean mover on the mound with athletic actions, and he showed a fastball that sat 84-86 mph with some carry through the zone. He mixed in a low-70s slider with short horizontal break, and a changeup with slight arm-side fade, sitting 76-78 mph.

+ RHP Bobby Biggs (Willowbrook, 2026) stands in a highly projectable, 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame with long limbs and a high waist. The ceiling is high with Biggs, as he’s already added on five mph since the summer, now sitting in the 81-84 mph range with noteworthy carry through the zone, consistently playing in the bottom quadrant. To pair off the fastball he went to an 11/5 curveball at 68-70 mph, playing with depth and some feel for the bottom of the zone. His final offering was a changeup in the 77-81 mph range, thrown with confidence at the bottom of the zone and playing with arm-side tumble at times, similar arm action to the fastball. 

+ RHP Joe Kelly (Loyola Academy, 2026) stands in a well-built frame at 5-foot-10, 190-pounds. His fastball sat 84-86 mph with arm-side run (16” avg. HM) and he attacked the zone with strikes (71%). He throws his slider with intent, which features quality spin (2404 rpm avg.), sitting mostly 72-73 mph. To round out his three-pitch mix, Kelly threw a mid-70s changeup that had quality fade (15.2” avg. HM), and he threw the pitch for strikes (80%).

+ RHP Brady Buenik (Libertyville, 2027) left Saturday’s event one of the biggest winners after showing an impressive bullpen with advanced polish for his age. His fastball sat 87-89 mph, topping out at 90.8 mph with heavy run to the arm-side and easy effort. His changeup, which sat 77-79 mph, had late sink and fade, with an average of 17.3 inches of horizontal movement and swing-and-miss characteristics. To round out his arsenal, Buenik threw a low-70s slider with sweeping tendencies, and he showed the ability to land the pitch for strikes at times. An impressive 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame, Buenik established himself as one of the top arms in the freshman class.

+ LHP Samuel Chin (St. Laurence, 2026) gave one of the more fluid looks on the mound over the weekend. There’s all kinds of ease, athleticism and fluidity in his movement on the mound, and he pairs that with a clean and quick arm path out of a ¾ slot. Chin’s fastball sat 81-83 mph with slight arm-side run. His curveball sat 67-70 mph, spinning it at an average of 2624 rpm, and his changeup sat 77-78 mph with -14.9 inches of average horizontal movement.

+ RHP Cullen Schwigen (Rockridge, 2027) is a three-sport athlete and was the starting quarterback this past fall. A 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame with projection, Schwigen has a quick arm and his fastball sat 83-85 mph, topping out at 86 mph. He showed a curveball, too, which sat 67-69 mph with 11/5 shape. Schwigen is a name-to-follow throughout his prep career. 

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