Illinois 2020 Signing Period: Big Ten

Throughout the next couple of weeks, the PBR Illinois team is going to be examining the 100-plus prospects on their way to Division-I destinations next fall, breaking them down conference by conference.

Today, we’ll kick this series off by looking at the conference set to welcome the most Illinois prospects: the Big Ten. Twenty names will call the Midwest’s power five conference home come the fall of 2020, the greatest number headed to any conference in the country.

It’s important to note that we broke down all of the in-state D-I programs at length just a couple weeks back. You can find Part One here and Part Two here. If you’re looking for full, detailed breakdowns of Illinois’ top programs and their complete 2019 recruiting classes, check it out.

For now, here’s what you can look forward to inside Big Ten’s baseball scene in the not-too-distant future.

BIG TEN

The usual suspects are pacing the state’s recruitment, though the Big Ten was even busier than normal inside this 2020 class. We covered the conference’s in-state program, Illinois, at length last week (you can click here for more information), so we’ll turn our attention away from Champaign to the homegrown prospects headed out of state.

There are 12 prospects leaving home to Big Ten campuses elsewhere, led by Iowa (3) and Purdue (3). The Hawkeyes’ incoming 2020 class is a robust one, and Wheaton North’s Andy Nelson might prove to be one of its best. INF/OF Nelson has a muscular 6-foot, 180-pound frame, runs a 6.61 60 and is a versatile defender. Nelson, a right-handed hitter, has pull-power and middle-of-the-order potential. Joining Nelson in Iowa City next fall will be RHP Reece Lawler (Warren), who has an upside 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame and loose arm. Lawler sits comfortably in the upper-80’s with more in the tank and his breaking ball has turned into a separator. Anthony Mangano (Lake Zurich) is a highly-athletic left-handed hitter also heading to Iowa. The No. 34 prospect in the state has the ability to play the infield or outfield and swings the bat with intent.

Anthony Mangano (2/10/19)

Headed to West Lafayette byway of Illinois: RHP Jake Kuntzendorf (Aurora Christian), C Mike Schicker (Riverside-Brookfield) and RHP Will Tenuta (Sandburg), all of whom are ranked in the Top-50 in Illinois. Kuntzendorf and Schicker were former members of Team Illinois’ PBR Future Games roster. Kuntzendorf is a durable 6-foot-2 righty with a live fastball and swing-and-miss breaking ball. Schicker has a physical 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame and has one of the strongest arms in the class (83 mph from the crouch). Tenuta has seen his stuff and velocity climb over the past year. The live-armed right-hander goes right after hitters with a fastball up to 90 mph and features a downer curveball.

Will Tenuta (9/13/19)

Michigan State has a couple Illinois products headed its way: RHP Ernie Day (Taft) and C/INF Bryan Broecker (Notre Dame). Day’s been on the rise in 2019 with an easy, clean upper-80s arm and a big breaking ball, ranked No. 42 in the state. Broecker will bring with him some versatility to East Lansing but his calling card is his right-handed bat. Broecker has a strong, quick bat and consistently finds the barrel. 

In-state rivals Michigan will welcome one of Illinois’ best prospects, No. 13-ranked Tre Hondras (Homewood-Flossmoor). Hondras, ranked No. 13 in Illinois’, excels up the middle of the diamond, either at second base or center field and is a top-of-the-order bat. Hondras, a 6.60 runner in the 60, creates havoc on the bases and plays the game with an edge.

LHP Isaiah Coupet is high school teammates with Hondras, but he’ll be headed to out-of-state rivals Ohio State next year instead. Coupet, currently ranked No. 19 in the state, has a fastball up to 89 mph and dynamic secondary stuff. Coupet has a chance to get quality innings early on in his college career if he can continue to harness his repertoire. 

Isaiah Coupet (7/9/19)

Fellow southpaw Noah DeLuga (Lake Zurich) is ranked just behind Coupet on the state’s 2020 board and he’s headed to Minnesota. DeLuga has a deceptive delivery, fastball that has been up to 91 mph and can spin his curveball for a strike. 

Maine West’s own left-hander, Emmett Olson, is a recent Nebraska commit. A big 6-foot-4, 210-pound pitcher with three-pitch feel and a steady fastball that sits comfortably in the mid-80s with more in the tank when needed.

Lastly, there’s Anthony Livermore (Mount Carmel) a Northwestern baseball commit, who has been busy this fall starring for the Caravan on the football field. Livermore, a do-it-all slot receiver and kick returner, has played a big role in helping lead them to a much anticipated 7A State Championship game this upcoming weekend. On the baseball field, Livermore is a spark-plug athlete with advanced infield actions and a top-of-the-order left-handed bat.

RELATED CONTENT