By Drew Locascio and Matt Huck
Illinois Scouting Staff

The Class of 2019 rankings update was long overdue and much has changed in the state thanks to a busy spring/summer with a countless number of events, games and tournaments taking place.

CLICK HERE for complete 2019 Illinois rankings.

The PBR Future Games took place in early August and featured some of the top uncommitted 2019s in Illinois and the PBR 30+ state coverage area. A number of Illinois prospects shined at the event causing a shakeup in the updated rankings which has been expanded to 125.

Despite the shakeups the PBR Future Games caused, The Top 10 in Illinois stays largely intact, as the top seven prospects in Illinois has not changed. RHP Quinn Priester (Cary-Grove) a Texas Christian commit, remains at the top of the class. Priester continues to ascend every time we see him, and has now begun to do it on the national level. The highly-athletic right-hander has an advanced repertoire on the mound and ran his fastball up to 93 mph this spring, normally sitting 89-91 mph.  

The top prospect still on the board in Illinois is right-handed pitcher Zachary Lee (Effingham) who comes in at No. 4. Lee, has been one of the biggest national risers after his near spotless one-inning stint at the PBR Future Games. Lee spotted his 89-91 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and showed feel for both of his secondary offerings. The 6-foot-4 right-hander works with a loose, quick arm from a low ¾ slot and seems to have plenty more in the tank.

Right-handed pitchers Xander Rojahn (Elk Grove) and Tyler Schlaffer (Homewood-Flossmoor), both opened eyes at the Future Games and are the two newcomers in the Top 10. Rojahn, who committed to Arkansas shortly after the Future Games, had two spotless outings at the event. Rojahn consistently pounded the zone his four-pitch mix and sat 86-88 mph, touching 89 with his fastball. Schlaffer has an athletic, fast arm and went right after hitters with a fastball that he ran up to 91 mph. In Schlaffer’s final appearance of the event he flashed a plus changeup with good feel and swing-and-miss action.

TOP 10

RANK	NAME	STATE	SCHOOL	CLASS	POS	COMMITMENT
1	Quinn Priester	IL	Cary Grove	2019	RHP	Texas Christian
2	Matt McCormick	IL	St. Laurence	2019	C	West Virginia
3	Andrew Wiegman	IL	Carmel Catholic	2019	SS	Louisville
4	Zachary Lee	IL	Effingham	2019	RHP
5	Jason Hodges	IL	Marist	2019	OF	Missouri
6	Grant Leader	IL	Lyons Township	2019	RHP	Illinois
7	Brody Harding	IL	Moline	2019	SS	Illinois
8	Xander Rojahn	IL	Elk Grove	2019	RHP	Arkansas
9	Tyler Snep	IL	Lake Zurich	2019	C	Iowa
10	Tyler Schlaffer	IL	Homewood-Flossmoor	2019	RHP

 

RISERS

The biggest riser in the 2019 rankings is LHP Cole Kirschsieper (Lincoln-Way East) who rises from No. 88 to No. 12. Kirschsieper has been on the rise this summer and showed extremely well at the PBR Future Games. He has a loose, quick arm and tops out at 88 mph with his fastball that jumps on hitters, and shows feel for his offspeed offerings.

Cole Kirschsieper 8.4.17

When it comes to position players, LHH Clark Elliott (Barrington) was one of the top risers, climbing more than 25 spots. The quick-twitch athlete now sits at No. 11 in the state after an impressive showing at the Class of 2019 Showcase, followed up by the PBR Future Games. Elliott ran a 6.59 laser-timed 60 this summer, has a knack for squaring up baseballs and can play all over the diamond.

OF Gregory Ziegler (Joliet Catholic) was yet another riser after his showing at the Future Games. Ziegler, who recently committed to Missouri State, turned heads running a 6.61 laser-timed 60 and was 88 mph from the outfield. The athletic right-handed hitter, plays the game hard and his speed translates on the field.

NEWCOMERS

C Casey Kmet (St. Viator) is the highest newcomer to the rankings checking in at No. 20. Kmet, was the catalyst at the top of the lineup for 3A State Champion St. Viator and earned an invite to the PBR Future Games where he showcased well in the workout and barreled up pitches in game. Kmet committed to Notre Dame, where he will join his older brother Cole with the Fighting Irish.

6-foot-5, 205-pound RHP Tyler Statler (Hononegah) has grown into his frame and has seen an 8 mph jump in his fastball, now topping out at 89 mph. Though he is still raw the frame and present velocity make him one of the more intriguing prospects in the state.  Shane Wilhelm (Columbia) participated as a SS/RHP for Team Missouri at the Future Games but really improved his stock with his performance on the mound. The right-hander pounded the zone with a fastball that sat 85-87 mph, topping at 88 and mixed in a sharp slider at 79-81 mph.

Joseph Miller (Oswego) and Beiker Fuentes (Crystal Lake South) are both high-level defenders who are new to the rankings in the top 40. Miller profiles very well both behind the plate and on the infield. Switch hitting OF/SS Fuentes, recently moved from Venezuela like his brother did last summer, has natural actions in the outfield and has plus arm strength.

CLICK HERE for the updated Illinois Class of 2019 Rankings, extended to 125 prospects.

RELATED CONTENT