Chicagoland Open: Preview

On Tuesday, Aug. 27th, the PBR Illinois team is hosting the Chicagoland Open at Triton College in River Grove, Ill. This event is open to all 2024-to-2027 graduates and, like all PBR events, serve as identifiers for future invite-only events, such as our Illinois State Games and the PBR Future Games.

For a closer look at the showcase details and the technologies we'll have on-site to assist our in-person evaluation for all in attendance, click here. For a complete look at those registered to attend this event, view the most up-to-date version of the roster by clicking here.

ROSTER HISTORY

We've been hosting this event for the past 10 years, and it's consistently provided us a look at prominent players who've later gone on to receive invitations to select events, like the PBR Future Games. Among the players in attendance at this event in 2022, there are already 17 commitments among them.

OF Brady Coon (Triad 2024; SIU-E) and OF Hank Gomric (Althoff Catholic, 2024; St. Louis) were both in attendance last year and showed well in the process. Coon, who is ranked No. 59 in the state, made his PBR event debut at this event last year and he posted a max exit velocity of 95.7 mph, ran a 7.01 60 time, and threw his best ball to home at 85 mph. Gomric, who also made his PBR event debut at this event, is ranked No. 88 in the state’s 2024 class, and the left-handed hitter posted one of the loudest rounds of BP at the event. His hardest hit ball (97 mph) was the second highest recorded at the event as was his farthest hit ball (357 ft.). Both names were winners last year, with Gomric committing shortly after the event and Coon this July.

We're looking forward to checking in on the next crop of talent from this event to earn next-level attention in the coming weeks, months, and years.

ROSTER PREVIEW

Similarly to year’s past, this roster is shaping up nicely, and there’s some talented names from both states headed our way on Sunday.

3B/OF Justin Garcia Hernandez (St. Patrick, 2025) was recently seen at the beginning of the summer, and he posted some big numbers on the offensive end. The strong 6-foot-3, 225-pound right-handed hitter showed a quick bat (T80 mph) and quick hands (T27.3 mph) with the ability to barrel the baseball to the pull-side, recording a max exit velocity of 100.7 mph (event high). Another member of the 2025 class that will be in attendance is C/OF Owen Chael (York). Short and direct to the ball, the 6-foot, 180-pound frame helped produce a 90.8 mph max exit velocity in the winter which will likely tick up since our last look in the winter.