On Aug. 25, the PBR Illinois team visited Triton College in River Grove, Ill., to host its annual Chicagoland Open showcase – a late summer event that perennially produces high-level prospects to continue to follow.

Today, we’re continuing our position-by-position analysis with the day’s infielders, after detailing the day’s catchers and outfielders earlier in the week.

Of the names to highlight below, we’ll start with one of the few out-of-state prospects who joined us in River Grove: Cody Hultnik (Pennfield, MI; 2021). Hultnik totally stuffed the stat sheet at the late August showcase running the day’s fastest 60-yard dash (6.85) while also recording the hardest exit velocity. Simply put, he’s an athlete who is capable of manning shortstop all while adding in some premium right-handed bat strength.

Back in Illinois, Hinsdale Central’s Nicholas Mulvihill (2021) was another one of the day’s top infielders. He was steady, consistent performer who showed well across the board. Nazareth’s Ryan Smith is another junior to follow, who also topped the infield velocity charts with an 89 mph high across the diamond, all while flashing some power to his pull-side.

From the 2023 class, circle Jack Wade’s (Marist) name. Wade was making consistent hard contact from the left-handed batter’s box, especially for his age, and it’s made him a follow as we gather more intel on the state’s incoming freshman.

For reports on all of the infielders who attended the Chicagoland Open, continue on below.

ALL PROSPECTS (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Gavin Arseneau, Oswego, 2021
Positional Profile: SS/2B
Body: 5-foot-10, 150-pounds. Lean projectable frame.
Hit: RHH. Tall balanced stance, leg kick trigger, quick loading action. Loose hands creates whip through the zone, line drive gap to gap approach.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 80 mph. Loose arm, slightly longer arm action, high 3/4 slot, easy release
Defense: Above average actions, feet stay active and work quickly through the baseball, showed body control. Hands play out front and quickly funnel through to release.
Run: 7.19 runner in the 60. Quick feet, light-footed runner.

Christopher Bieniek, Notre Dame College Prep, 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/3B
Body: 6-foot-1, 155-pounds. Long lanky frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, short stride, hands drop into load. Path works slightly uphill, pull side approach.
Power: 71 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 76 mph. Short loose arm action, gets rid of it efficiently, high 3/4 slot, showed ability to play athletic when on the move.
Defense: Footwork stays active and preps to play thorough it to target. Hands funnel to center, celan release.
Run: 8.17 runner in the 60. 

Shane Bonner, South Elgin, 2020
Positional Profile: 2B/SS
Body: 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Compact frame with strength.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open setup, smooth loading action back, short stride, maintains balance through contact. Simple, quiet approach, bat path stays flat, short path.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 72 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Works with two hands, in front of center, sets and gathers to release, long exchange at times, showed some body control.
Run: 7.92 runner in the 60. 

Peyton Burgh, Prospect, 2022
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 5-foot-10, 160-pounds. Lean athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open, tall setup, confident presence in the box, loads hands back and up, short stride.  Short quick swing, slightly uphill finish at times, gets line drive contact.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average bat strength for age.
Arm: RH. INF - 77 mph. Long path, plays over the top.
Defense: Showed some range, longer strider, plays tall at times, hands work out front and plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.51 runner in the 60. 

James Cholke, St. Rita, 2022
Positional Profile: 1B/LHP
Body: 6-foot-3, 180-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open stance, narrow setup, short stride, slight leg lift. Long, level path, opposite field contact.
Power: 83 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. INF - 76 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Footwork sits on the baseball, hands works under center, reliable hands around the bag.
Run: 7.82 runner in the 60. 

Carlos Garcia Jr., Lake View, 2024
Positional Profile: 2B/RHP
Body: 5-foot, 118-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, reverse toe tap stride, average balance. Level path, line drive contact, worked gap to gap.
Power: 61 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 60 mph. Long arm action, over the top slot, showed ability to play accurate.
Defense: Flashed soft hands, worked out in front and moves through the baseball.
Run: 9.84 runner in the 60. 

Jacob Griffin, Riverdale, 2021
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 6-foot, 150-pounds. Lanky frame, thin build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, barrel tip load, short stride, maintains good balance through contact. Gap to gap contact, barrel aware, consistently made contact on the barrell.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 82 mph. Long and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot, arm showed carry across the diamond.
Defense: Lanky actions, hands play under center, with two hands, shuffle s through release.
Run: 7.34 runner in the 60. 

Cody Hultink, Pennfield (MI), 2021
Positional Profile: SS
Body: 6-foot, 160-pounds. Highly athletic build, projectable frame.
Hit: RHH. Open stance, short stride to even, maintains balance. Short path, advanced bat speed, barrel aware. Loose handsy swing.
Power: 100 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 81 mph. Short loose arm action, works out of a high 3/4 slot, showed ability to play accurate, arm carried across the diamond.
Defense: Athletic defender, hands played soft and showed above average body control, actions play through the baseball with relative ease.
Run: 6.85 runner in the 60. 

LeRoy Jordan, Plainfield Central, 2021
Positional Profile: 1B/LHP
Body: 6-foot-1, 145-pounds. Lanky frame with thin build.
Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, wide base, slightly crouched, short stride. Uphill swing plane out of crouched setup, path has some length.
Power: 77 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. INF - 66 mph. Short arm stroke, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Showed feel around the bag, hands and feet work together, rangy target at first base.
Run: 8.08 runner in the 60. 

Luke Lange, Taft, 2021
Positional Profile: 1B
Body: 6-foot-2, 209-pounds. Large frame and build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, short leg kick trigger, average balance. Path works uphill through contact, gap to gap approach and showed hard contact off the bat.
Power: 88 mph exit velocity from the tee. Above average pop for age.
Arm: RH. INF - 67 mph. Short over the top slot.
Defense: Showed actions around the bag, feet and hands work together, natural first base defender.
Run: 8.23 runner in the 60. 

Kendall Lyons, Warren, 2022
Positional Profile: 3B/RHP
Body: 5-foot-10, 170-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall setup, narrow stance, long stride. Simple swing, short to the baseball, pull side approach.
Power: 74 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 76 mph. Short loose arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Deliberate actions, plays tall through the baseball, corner infield profile.
Run: 8.67 runner in the 60. 

Nicholas Mulvihill, Hinsdale Central, 2021
Positional Profile: 2B/SS
Body: 5-foot-10, 152-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Slight open stance, athletic hitting position, short lifted stride. Gap to gap approach, worked line drive middle of the field contact.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 76 mph. Short loose arm action, high 3/4 slot, athletic arm, showed ability to be accurate and play on line.
Defense: Hands played out front, works with two hands while feet stay active through the baseball, funnels to release.
Run: 7.15 runner in the 60. 

James Murphy, Marist, 2022
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 5-foot-6, 130-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, loads hands back, short stride, average balance. Front foot hitter, line drive contact, stays on top of the baseball.
Power: 73 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 68 mph. Short arm action, over the top, arm played accurate across the diamond.
Defense: Feet stay active and move through the baseball, hands play center of frame, clean transfer.
Run: 7.83 runner in the 60. 

Ryan O'Toole, Warren, 2022
Positional Profile: INF
Body: 5-foot-9, 137-pounds. Athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly open, short stride, good balance through contact. Short path, level through the zone, line drive contact, hit in rhythm.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 74 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, accurate at times, showed ability to stay on line.
Defense: Plays with two hands, out front, sits through the baseball.
Run: 7.96 runner in the 60. 

Nicolas Quimque, Lemont, 2023
Positional Profile: 3B/OF
Body: 5-foot-7, 120-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall setup, narrow stance, short lifted stride, gets into lower half. Long path, works uphill, pull side approach.
Power: 74 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 62 mph. OF - 66 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Showed best in the outfield, plays one hand out front and works through the baseball. Infield actions play tall, two hands funnel through center.
Run: 8.05 runner in the 60. 

Trey Schilling, Lincoln, 2024
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 5-foot-8, 150-pounds. Lean frame, slender and athletic.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, slightly crouched, loads hands back, leg kick stride. Path works with length, slightly uphill, slight pull side approach.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 64 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot, quick release.
Defense: Hands play out front and works through the baseball, glove pat to release.
Run: 8.33 runner in the 60. 

Ryan Smith, Nazareth Academy, 2021
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 6-foot-1, 165-pounds. Long lanky frame, projects well.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, smooth loading action, reverse toe tap into leg kick stride. Path has length, loose hands, flashed hard line drive contact.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Flashed pull side power.
Arm: RH. INF - 89 mph. Short over the top arm action, arm carried across the diamond, athletic arm action.
Defense: Athletic defender, showed body control, hands work out front, field athletic and plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.37 runner in the 60. 

Nicholas Smith, Taft, 2021
Positional Profile: RHP/1B
Body: 6-foot, 160-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Open stance, short stride, slight bat wrap load, average balance. Long path, hits off front foot at times, linear hitter.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 78 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Actions showed ability to play through the baseball, stays tall at times.
Run: 7.80 runner in the 60. 

Jake Staub, Plainfield South, 2021
Positional Profile: 1B
Body: 6-foot-1, 225-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced stance, wider setup, slightly crouched, short stride, average balance. Short path, uphill through contact, showed ability to lift hard contact.
Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee. Bat strength present, flashed above average pull side power.
Arm: RH. INF - 69 mph. Short over the top arm action.
Defense: Playable actions around the bag at first base, natural footwork and showed feel for the bag.
Run: 8.12 runner in the 60. 

Jack Wade, Marist, 2023
Positional Profile: 3B/1B
Body: 5-foot-8, 175-pounds. Strong lower half.
Hit: LHH. Balanced stance, athletic setup, short stride, lower half works and maintained balance throughout. Short uphill path creates above average hard contact for his age, strong hands and ball jumped off the bat at times.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 70 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, gathers to release.
Defense: Corner infield profile, hands work right of center, clean exchange, deliberate through the baseball.
Run: 8.41 runner in the 60. 

CJ Weik, Mundelein, 2022
Positional Profile: INF/RHP
Body: 6-foot, 175-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, tucks into load with long stride, average balance through contact. Long, level path, works slightly uphill with pull side tendencies.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 71 mph. Short arm action, works out of high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Corner infield profile, plays tall, hands work left of center, preps feet to play through the baseball on routine ball.
Run: 8.06 runner in the 60. 

Braden Wildi, Elk Grove, 2021
Positional Profile: INF
Body: 5-foot-9, 145-pounds. Lanky frame, lean build.
Hit: RHH. Tall open stance, short stride, slight leg lift. Long level path, slightly uphill, pull side approach.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. INF - 65 mph. Works out of high 3/4 slot with short arm action.
Defense: Hands field in the center, sits on the baseball then shuffles through the release.
Run: 7.87 runner in the 60.

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