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Future Games: Team Illinois Game 3 Recap

August 1, 2022
By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

Team Illinois capped off one of the more successful PBR Future Games in recent memory with a 4-2 win over Team New Jersey, finishing off a perfect 3-0 week. The arms continued to impress throughout the final game of the event and the offense took a number of good at-bats, scratching across enough runs to complete the sweep.

OF Samuel Chapman (Woodstock, 2024) took some of his best swings of the week, on the final day, finishing 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly. 

Jackson Natanek (Brother Rice, 2025), the youngest middle infielder on Team Illinois, played flawless defense all week and picked up a line-drive single to center field in his final at-bat.

MIF Dayton Murphy (Crystal Lake South, 2024) took some of the most consistent at-bats on the week, played a smooth infield and finished 1-for-3 with a walk in Game three.

SS/RHP Nate Harris (Yorkville, 2024) is a physical two-way prospect who did a majority of his offensive damage this week in Game 3. Harris finished 2-for-2 with a walk and he scored the first run of the game for Team Illinois.

The MVP of Game three went to C Jimmy Janicki (Downers Grove North, 2024). Janicki is a 6-foot-3, 210-pound, physical backstop with clean and easy actions behind the dish and has a knack for hard contact at the plate. Janicki drove in the first run of the game with a triple to deep left-center, finishing 2-for-3 on the day.

OF Khamaree Thomas (Kenwood, 2024) fits the mold of an everyday centerfielder who can hit at the top of an order, as he delivered yet another hit and run scored in Game Three. Thomas lined a single to right field and came around to score in the third inning. 

OF Brendan Tunink (Newman Central Catholic, 2024) was arguably the biggest winner and riser to come out of Illinois this week. Tunink, a left/left outfielder, was named MVP of Game One and finished 1-for-2 in Game Three, including a run scored.

The Illinois crop of arms were an exciting group throughout the week and a majority of them saved their best showing for Game Three, including RHP Luke Weber (Highland Park, 2024). Weber took the ball to start the game and after allowing a lead-off single proceeded to strike out the next three batters looking.  

Below are some more arms worth noting from the Final day of the event. 

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