On Wednesday, February 23rd, the PBR Illinois staff traveled to the Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria, IL., to host the fifth annual Peoria Preseason ID. This open event provided our staff an opportunity for an up-to-date look on players from the Central Illinois area prior to the start of the high school season. 

For a complete list of the player’s that attended this event, click HERE. 

In the week that followed this event, we produced post-event analysis that includes performance highlights inside of our Quick Hits story, a look at the traditional stats measured within our Statistical Analysis piece, batted-ball and pitch data compiled in TrackMan Files, swing metrics captured on the Blast Motion Board, and sight scores from an athletic perspective tracked on the Vizual Edge Scoreboard.

You can learn more about the state-of-the-art technologies featured at our showcases within the hyperlinks above. Today we’ll begin our post-event process by rolling out the individual scouting reports of the day, starting with the catcher position while working our way across the diamond as the week continues. 

TOP CATCHING PROSPECTS

1. Ethan Winters, Sacred Heart Griffin (IL), 2023
 Positional Profile: C
 Body: 5-9, 155-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, smooth load and short stride. Quiet, compact swing, works uphill through the zone and finishes on balance. Sprayed contact to all fields.
Power: 90.9 max exit velocity, averaged 83.6 mph. 295’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 76 mph. Short, over-the-top slot, throws play with some life out of the hand and carry.
Defense: 2.12-2.21 pop times. Strong hands, subtle frames that work back to the plate. Athletic feet that work in-line out of the crouch.
Run: 7.08 runner in the 60. 

2. Griffin Graue, Glenwood (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-1, 163-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, slightly open setup, smooth load and toe-tap stride. Athletic look, short bat path, works uphill, consistent lifted contact into both gaps.
Power: 90.3 max exit velocity, averaged 77.9 mph. 325’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 80 mph. OF - 88 mph. Short, over-the-top slot, consistently put throws around the bag.
Defense: 2.09-2.11 pop times. Steady hands, works to present pitches around the zone. Flexible hips, works in-line out of the crouch on throws, quick/clean transfer, moves quickly into blocks.
Run: 7.73 runner in the 60. 

3. Trey Carter, Williamsville (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 5-10, 135-pounds. Wiry frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, minimal load and short stride. Loose hands, creates whip in swing, stays through the zone a long time and natural lift to both gaps.
Power: 85.5 max exit velocity, averaged 80.6 mph. 319’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, plays with some carry to the bag.
Defense: 2.00-2.14 pop times. Steady hands, feet work in-line on throws to second. Quick/clean transfer out of the glove.
Run: 7.79 runner in the 60. 

4. Kyle Binder, Brimfield (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-8, 170-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, narrow setup, long stride. Strong hands, swings with controlled intent, uphill bat path, and ball jumps off the barrel to both gaps at times.
Power: 92.5 max exit velocity, averaged 84.6 mph. 309’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short, over-the-top slot, quick arm with life out of the hand, showed ability to recover on pitches off the plate and still deliver accurate strikes to second.
Defense: 2.04-2.22 pop times. Sure-handed, quick transfer into throws, feet work in-line, quick into block, athletic footwork.
Run: 7.28 runner in the 60. 

5. Deegan Aeilts, Normal University (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-10, 140-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, minimal load and long leg-lift stride. Short bath, stays direct to the ball and flat through the zone. Present whip and bat speed, stays inside the baseball, and makes hard line-drive contact to all fields.
Power: 86 max exit velocity, averaged 74.4 mph. 277’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 70 mph. OF - 78 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.32-2.45 pop times. Sue-handed, quick footwork out of the crouch, works in-line.
Run: 7.33 runner in the 60. 

5. Connor Drowns, Pekin (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-7, 145-pounds. Compact frame with strength.
Hit: LHH. Balanced, slightly crouched setup, smooth load and sits into backside. Controlled aggression, compact swing, repeats, natural lift and works gap-to-gap.
Power: 84 max exit velocity, averaged 78.4 mph. 290’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. Short, clean high 3/4 slot, quick to release.
Defense: 2.12-2.26 pop times. Sure-handed, strong hands with subtle frames, two-hand catch and throw, quick/clean transfer, works with athletic footwork out of the crouch.
Run: 7.30 runner in the 60. 

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Logan Booth, Pekin (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Strong, athletic frame.
Hit: SH. Balanced setup from both sides of the plate, pre-pitch load, short stride. Stays balanced through contact, path works uphill at times, pull-side approach at times.
Power: 78.9 max exit velocity, averaged 66.6 mph. 280’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, accurate one-hoppers on the bag.
Defense: 2.41-2.58 pop times. Soft, receptive hands, frames pitches around the zone, clean transfer, feet work in-line.
Run: 8.66 runner in the 60. 

Zechariah Landstrom, Pontiac (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: RHP/C
Body: 6-3, 205-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, minimal load and short stride. Simple, quiet swing, strong hands, pull-side approach.
Power: 91.1 max exit velocity, averaged 79.8 mph. 313’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 74 mph. Short, 3/4 slot, put throws on the bag.
Defense: 2.33-2.41 pop times. Steady hands, clean transfer, works in-line, angles chest on blocks to keep ball in front.
Run: 7.58 runner in the 60. 

Ryan Mendenhall, Williamsville (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: C/3B
Body: 5-8, 146-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall, slightly open setup, minimal stride. Long path, uphill tendencies, and uses the middle of the field.
Power: 82.8 max exit velocity, averaged 71.8 mph. 261’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 68 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, plays with some arm-speed.
Defense: 2.28-2.34 pop times. Sure-handed, athletic footwork and clean transfer, stays in-line with second, angles chest over the ball on blocks to deaden out front.
Run: 7.84 runner in the 60. 

Carter Murphy, Springfield Southeast  (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: RHP/C
Body: 5-9, 155-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall, upright, quiet setup, minimal load and short stride. Easy swing, handsy, uphill through the zone at times.
Power: 84.3 max exit velocity, averaged 75 mph. 301’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 67 mph. Short 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.38-2.45 pop times. Clean catch-and-throw, feet work in-line, works under the ball on frames.
Run: 8.21 runner in the 60. 

Ethan Murphy, Springfield Southeast  (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: RHP/C
Body: 5-9, 175-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Tall, relaxed, quiet rhythm and short stride. Strong hands, stays on top of the baseball, flat through the zone.
Power: 85 max exit velocity, averaged 66.2 mph. 251’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. Short, 3/4 slot, some shoulder tilt to create loft.
Defense: 2.34-2.44 pop times. Strong hands, quick/subtle frames, clean transfer, feet work in-line, moves well side-to-side on blocks.
Run: 8.29 runner in the 60. 

Ryan Schaffnit, Morton (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: RHP/C
Body: 6-5, 185-pounds. Long-levered, projectable frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced, quiet setup, smooth load and toe-tap stride. Easy swing, level path and works gap-to-gap.
Power: 90.4 max exit velocity, averaged 83.8 mph. 297’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 75 mph. Short, 3/4 slot, clean catch and throw.
Defense: 2.34-2.40 pop times. Steady hands, works in-line out of the crouch to second.
Run: 8.24 runner in the 60. 

Carson Stevens, Normal University (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: SS/C
Body: 5-9, 155-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Wide setup, minimal load and toe-tap stride. Simple swing, uphill path and hands stay inside the baseball.
Power: 75.7 max exit velocity, averaged 63 mph. 220’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 72 mph. INF - 74 mph. Short, over-the-top slot, consistently put throws around the bag.
Defense: 2.19-2.22 pop times. Stong, confident hands, works under the ball with subtle frames, clean transfer with simple footwork that stays in-line, athletic blocker side-to-side.
Run: 7.73 runner in the 60. 

Michael Stupavsky, Quincy Notre Dame (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: C/1B
Body: 6-0, 175-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Crouched setup, sits into backside slightly, short load. Long path, stays level at times and uses the whole field. Occasional hard pull-side contact.
Power: 94.3 max exit velocity, averaged 83.9 mph. 355’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 77 mph. Short out of the glove, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: 2.18-2.22 pop times. Sure-handed, works under the baseball. Feet work directional out of the crouch on throws to second.
Run: 7.38 runner in the 60. 

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