On Tuesday, August 10th, the PBR Illinois staff hosted the Illinois Senior Games at Triton College in River Grove. The invite-only event featured 70+ uncommitted 2022 prospects from all across the state in Illinois. Players displayed their talents in both a workout setting and added game play.

Shortly after the event’s conclusion our staff rolled out several post-event content pieces relating to some of the workout standouts, statistical leaders, and more. You can find all of those by clicking HERE. 

We’ll begin rolling our position-by-position analysis today and continue on throughout the week, starting with the catchers while working our way around the diamond. Before we do so, here are a few names that stood out: 

+ C Brian Twomey (Riverside-Brookfield) has a physical, 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame and creates easy bat speed and loud contact from the right-side of the plate. Twomey went 2-for-3 with two doubles to center field during game play.

+ Another potent right-handed hitter is C Ryan Kelly (Huntley). Kelly swings with controlled aggression, stays flat and on top of the baseball, routinely making hard/loud contact to the big part of the diamond. Kelly has the ability to backspin the baseball to both gaps and does so with authority thanks to his 6-foot, 195-pound, strong frame. Kelly finished game play 2-for-2.

+ The lone uncommitted backstop at the top of these rankings is C Dylan Holmes (Libertyville). He’s a strong 5-foot-11, 190-pound athlete that showed a short path to contact with some feel to elevate, sending his furthest ball 344 feet, per TrackMan. 

Read below to find all of the scouting reports from the day’s event. 

TOP CATCHING PROSPECTS

1. Brian Twomey, Riverside Brookfield (IL), 2022; Lewis commit.
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 6-2, 210-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, short stride and quiet load. Loose hands, creates easy bat speed, ball jumps off the barrel, natural lift and finishes on balance.
Power: 95.8 max exit velocity, averaged 88.5 mph. 361’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 78 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot, consistently around the second-base bag.
Defense: 2.01-2.12 pop times. Flexible, low setup, clean out of the crouch, plays tall at times.
Run: 8.15 runner in the 60. 

2. Ryan Kelly, Huntley (IL), 2022; Kaskaskia JC commit.
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 6-0, 195-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, short stride and smooth load. Quick, strong hands work level and on top of the baseball. Creates backspin, consistently on time and makes hard/loud contact back up the middle of the diamond. Flashed pull-side power, leaving the yard to left-center field in BP.
Power: 96.1 max exit velocity, averaged 92.7 mph. 359’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short, over-the-top arm action; true throws, played with carry at times.
Defense: 2.02-2.15 pop times. Flexible hips, squared setup, clean and quick out of the crouch, directional.
Run: 7.60 runner in the 60.

T3. Ryan Kempf, Crystal Lake Central (IL), 2022; McHenry County JC commit.
Positional Profile: C/2B
Body: 5-10, 175-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, stride works to even. Simple swing, long bat path, pull-side tendencies, line-drive approach.
Power: 89.6 max exit velocity, averaged 84.8 mph. 350’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot and arm plays accurately.
Defense: 2.07-2.15 pop times. Athletic and flexible behind the plate. Plays fast, clean and directional out of the crouch.
Run: 7.25 runner in the 60. 

T3. Dylan Holmes, Libertyville (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-11, 190-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, and short stride. Short, direct bat path stays through the hitting zone. Feel for the barrel, creates backspin and hard line-drive contact.
Power: 90.4 max exit velocity, averaged 82.7 mph. 344’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short clean arm action, over-the-top slot and throws play with carry.
Defense: 2.08-2.15 pop times. Flexible hips, slightly open setup, athletic actions, clean and directional out of the crouch.
Run: 7.51 runner in the 60. 

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Christian Battista, Oswego East (IL), 2022; Dubuque commit.
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 5-10, 185-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, short stride and maintains balance. Compact swing, strong hands/forearms, consistently on time and hard pull-side contact.
Power: 89.8 max exit velocity, averaged 81.6 mph. 337’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Short, quick arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.11-2.19 pop times. Squared, low setup, quick glove-to-hand release.
Run: 7.97 runner in the 60. 

Jack Desmond, Glenbard West (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-1, 215-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, short stride. Strong hands, covers the entire plate, direct to the ball, consistently on time, gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 96 max exit velocity, averaged 87.8 mph. 344’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot and throws consistently around the second base bag.
Defense: 2.11-2.19 pop times. Steady actions, sure hands, clean out of the crouch.
Run: 7.58 runner in the 60. 

Matt Dworsky, Deerfield (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-0, 205-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall, upright setup, short lifted stride. Quick hands, present bat speed, direct stroke, natural lift with ability to create leverage to the pull-side of the diamond.
Power: 91.3 max exit velocity, averaged 84.9 mph. 338’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 to over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.08-2.21 pop times. Plays from a knee at times, directional out of the crouch.
Run: 7.53 runner in the 60. 

Mac Eccher, Marmion (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 5-11, 185-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, quiet setup, short stride and load. Aggressive swing, natural lift, occasional hard contact and work gap-to-gap.
Power: 90.2 max exit velocity, averaged 83.2 mph. 343’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 73 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.18-2.22 pop times. Flexible, athletic setup, soft/receptive hands, clean out of the crouch, gains ground and length in transfer.
Run: 7.73 runner in the 60. 

Mason Rasmussen, Barrington (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 6-1, 205-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, quiet setup, smooth load and short toe tap stride. Simple swing, loose easy hands, flat path, stays through the middle of the diamond, ability to backspin line-drives.
Power: 87.8 max exit velocity, averaged 82.4 mph. 312’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.09-2.22 pop times. Flexible hips, steady hands, aggressive out of the crouch, steady/soft block.
Run: 7.85 runner in the 60. 

Connor Rodgers, McHenry (IL), 2022; Carroll commit.
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 6-3, 185-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, stride works back to even and maintains balance throughout. Easy swing, loose hands, stays on top of the baseball, creates backspin, gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 91 max exit velocity, averaged 82.6 mph. 302’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.12-2.29 pop times. Flexible hips, clean transfer, easy block.
Run: 7.36 runner in the 60. 

Ethan Sosnowski, East Peoria (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-2, 190-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Open setup, early smooth load and short toe tap stride. Strong hands, present bat strength, ball jumps off the barrel, creates lift and leverage to the pull-side.
Power: 98.9 max exit velocity, averaged 88.5 mph. 396’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.07-2.12 pop times. Steady hands, clean and controlled out of the crouch.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60. 

Carter South, Oswego East (IL), 2022; Luther commit.
Positional Profile: C/2B
Body: 5-10, 140-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly crouched setup, short stride and maintains balance. Simple swing, direct bat path, stays on top of the ball, gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 86 max exit velocity, averaged 80.4 mph. 302’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short, loose arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: 2.05-2.12 pop times. Flexible and athletic behind the plate. Gains ground out of the crouch.
Run: 7.52 runner in the 60. 

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