PBR Future Games: Team Illinois Preview

Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 6-3, 180-pounds. Long, lean build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth load, short stride. Loose, strong hands. Barrel strength through the zone. Compact swing. Gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 98.8 max exit velocity, averaged 83.5 mph. 345’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 90 mph. Loose, quick arm action. Natural 3/4 slot. Multi-angle release. Advanced arm strength.
Defense: Balanced footwork, clean exchange, plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.74 runner in the 60. 

Positional Profile: RHP
Delivery: Crossfire delivery, works from third base side, closed landing, athletic finish.
Arm Action: RH. Short, compact draw out of the glove. Loose, quick arm action. 3/4 arm slot.
FB: T84.2, 81.0-83.8 mph. Plays straight. Life through the zone. T2282, 2167 average rpm.
SL: 67.4-70.7 mph. 10/4 shape, flashed lateral action. T2018, 1888 average rpm.
CH: 72.1-74.3 mph. Sinking action. T1893, 1791 average rpm.

Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 25 in the Illinois 2024 class. Ultra-physical, 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame, broad shoulders with a high-waist and well-proportioned frame. Started in left-field and hit out of the three-hole for No. 17 Yorkville on Tuesday; finishing the day 1-for-4 with a double down the line that looked to be just a single but was stretched into extra bases. The right-handed hitter starts in an athletic/open stance, working back to the plate with a long knee-knock stride; hands start high and create some separation at foot-strike before moving with a flat path to the ball, hands are extremely quick and strong through contact with easy power to the whole field. Harris showed off an extremely strong arm from the corner outfield position as well as highly quick/athletic feet; covering ground with ease and making impressive throws to bases with effortless velocity and carry. Harris is a must-see 2024 prospect for any college coach. 

The biggest winner on the mound was LHP Jack Bauer (Lincoln-Way East, 2025). Standing at 6-foot-2, 170-pounds, Bauer has all sorts of projection in his lean/wiry frame. He moves down the mound athletically with a drop/drive lower-half and minimal perceived effort, remaining in-line to the plate before firing from a clean/loose ¾ slot. His fastball worked in the 87-89 mph range, jumping out of his hand with life to the arm-side and spinning at an average of 2,291 RPM (T2440 RPM). His breaking ball plays off a sharp 1/7 plane, spinning at an average of 2,420 RPM, 68-69 mph. His final offering was a fading changeup at 76-78 mph, getting under it at times but thrown with near fastball arm-speed.

Positional Profile: LHP/1B
Body: 6-4, 200-pounds. Tall, lanky levers.
Delivery: Up-tempo, tall and fall delivery, tall at balance point, works on line.
Arm Action: LH. Long arm action, 3/4 slot.
FB: T84.8, 82.7-84.2 mph. Hard running action to the arm side. T2198, 2073 average rpm.
CB: 67.4-69.7 mph. 1/7 shape. Late break. Depth. T2224, 2058 average rpm.
CH: 76.7-77.4 mph. Maintains arm speed. A bit firm at times. T1892, 1828 average rpm.

The biggest winner on the mound from last Tuesday’s event was RHP Tom Ford (Lisle, 2024). Standing at a lanky 6-foot-6, 185-pounds, Ford has plenty of room to fill out his high-waisted and projectable frame. His delivery is simple, pitching exclusively out of the stretch with a drop/drive lower-half, remaining in-line to the plate throughout his stride. His arm works loose and quick with a long arm circle out of the glove, transitioning into a high ¾ slot. The tall right-hander worked primarily in the 86-89 mph range, but reached back for 90-91 mph on his last couple bullets while playing with life at the top of the zone. His curveball looked to be his best off-speed offering on this day, playing with sharp 11/5 shape and downward action, also tunneling off his fastballs effectively while locating down under the zone, 68-70 mph. He went to a slider for his third offering, pulling off to his glove-side at times but flashing sharp 10/4 bullet action, 73-76 mph. Having seen Ford up to 88 mph this past winter, his three mph jump is no surprise as he has started to control his body down the mound more consistently. 

RHP Bryce Koch (Barrington, 2024) was easily one of the biggest winners from Tuesday’s event, catching our staff’s attention the second he walked into the park. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound Koch possesses all sorts of upside to his lean and lanky frame, looking to have plenty of room for added strength in the coming years. It's an easy and low-effort operation down the mound, moving with a tall/fall lower-half that stays in-line to the plate before transitioning into a ¾ to high ¾ slot. His fastball explodes out of the hand with some finish through the zone, sitting 85-87 mph while topping out at 88 mph (T2500 RPM). His changeup was his most consistent off-speed offering throughout his ‘pen, living at the bottom and under the zone while playing with fading action to the arm-side, 78-80 mph. Koch’s slider flashed above-average action at times, playing with sharp/late bite and depth at 74-75 mph, struggling with command down at-times but will easily be able to correct it with a higher starting point for the pitch.

Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-3, 200-pounds. Tall, lean build.
Delivery: Athletic delivery. Slight drop and drive lower half into a long stride, remains in line with the plate while front foot lands slightly closed.
Arm Action: RH. Long draw out of the glove. Loose, whippy arm action. Works from a 3/4 slot.
FB: T89.9, 88.7-89.7 mph. Hard and heavy. T1974, 1823 average rpm.
CB: 68.9-72.3 mph. Decelerates. Slurve type action. T1805, 1676 average rpm.
CH: 72.0-75.3 mph. Fading action. Tends to get underneath. Flashed sinking action. Kills spin. T1444, 1329 average rpm.

Uncommitted freshman came out of the bullpen in the final game of the day for Edwardsville. Physically advanced, 6-foot, 190-pound frame with a strong lower half. Simple delivery, slight drop-and-drive action, stays on-line down the mound and lands square. Long arm action, comes out of a high ¾ slot with looseness at foot strike. Fastball works mostly straight, slight arm-side-action, controlled the zone at times, sat 80-81 mph, touched 82. Mixed in a sweeping breaking ball at 66-67 mph. Scattered two hits and no earned runs in his 1.1 innings pitched. Freshman to follow moving forward.

Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 10 in the Illinois 2024 class. Strong looking build, broad shoulders standing 6-foot-1, 200-pounds. The right-hander’s arm works loose throughout his arm circle into a ¾ slot, playing quick to release. Down the mound, Paplanus works with a repeatable delivery down the mound; reaching balance point and using a drop/drive lower-half to drive down the mound, remaining in-line with a square landing foot. His fastball cruised at 86-88 mph, showing life out of the hand and some run to his arm-side. He went to a slider most often for his change of pace offering; playing off a 10/4 plane with sharp action and feel, 77-79 mph with depth. He also featured a late fading changeup at 78-80 mph, thrown with confidence and feel for the zone.

RHP Luke Weber (Highland Park, 2024) is a 6-foot, 170-pound right-hander with a fluid-moving operation. He creates notable hip/shoulder separation at foot-strike to go along with his loose/flexible lower-half. He worked his fastball in the 85-86 mph range, playing with sinking action. His changeup dives late and hard to his arm-side at 79-81 mph, tugging to his glove-side at times but showing an overall feel for the zone. He also went to a tight slider at 75-76 mph, playing with short 10/4 shape and thrown for strikes.