On Sunday, Oct. 17, the PBR Illinois staff returned to The MAX Sports Complex to host the fall’s Underclass Showcase. This annual event serves as an opportunity for prospects in the state’s 2024-25 classes to display their talents in front of our scouting staff prior to the start of the off-season. There were nearly 60 prospects who made the trip to The MAX on Sunday to participate in a pro-style workout in front of our evaluators.

Shortly after the event’s conclusion, our staff published a multitude of post-event content pieces relating to what we saw on the day. To find those, click HERE. 

Now we’ll put the finishing touches on this event by rolling out our individual position-by-position analysis from this event. We started with the catching group earlier today and now we’ll spend some time highlighting the outfielders from this event. Before we do so, here are a few names that stood out: 

+ OF/LHP Ben Toft (New Trier, 2025) is a 5-foot-10, 155-pound, left/left prospect with an athletic frame and easy actions on both sides of the ball. Toft has an advanced skill set for his age, gliding to a 7.14 time in the 60-yard dash with plenty of room to project on his speed to improve as he matures given his current athleticism. At the plate, Toft swung a loose left-handed bat that worked short and direct to the baseball. It’s a simple, easy all-around operation with gap-to-gap feel as he peppered line drives to all areas of the field. Defensively, Toft has athletic actions in the outfield with a quick, accurate arm that topped at 76 mph to his target. He carried that over to the mound where he sat 76-78 mph with his fastballs and was around the zone with a three-pitch mix.

+ At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, the athleticism OF Luca Royer (Lake Forest, 2024) contains inside his projectable frame is what stands out most. Royer’s right-handed swing recorded one of the day’s top rounds of BP, as the big-bodied outfielder showcased a loose, short swing that found the barrel on repeat, producing steady line-drive contact to all fields. His max exit speed – a 93.3 mph liner – was measured as the event-high. Royer ran a 7.29 in the 60, a quality time for a player his age and size, and his speed allows him to move around the outfield capably, attached to an arm that reached an 81 mph high to home.

+ OF Luke Jurack (Hinsdale Central, 2024) is a well-proportioned, athletic prospect who recorded one of the pound-for-pound best performances at the Underclass Showcase. Jurack passes every eye test: a strong, broad stature that fills out the jersey, sub-6.90 speed, with barrel accuracy from the right-handed batter’s box. Offensively, Jurack utilizes the entire field with a swing that he naturally repeats, demonstrating a knack for hitting. On defense, he continued to impress athletically, playing with a bounce from the outfield, ranging around smoothly. His all-around profile has made him one of the state’s top sophomores already, ranked inside the top-40.

+ OF Chris Daugherty (Brother Rice, 2024) has an athletic, proportional build and he used it to clock a 6.99 in the 60 at the start of his day. Daugherty went on to produce one of the top rounds of BP, displaying a strong, polished, and loose swing consistently. He uses a leg kick stride to sync up his timing on repeat, and it allowed him to square up baseballs one after the other, averaging one of the day’s highest average exit velocities (85.1 mph). His bat path is level, with good extension, and he uses a gap-to-gap approach to pepper line-drives to all sides of the field, and he demonstrated above-average bat strength from the right side, with an 89.8 mph max exit speed. On defense, Daugherty has a loose, strong, and accurate arm and his throws home from the outfield were consistently on-line, coming out of a high ¾ slot, topping 82 mph. His footwork is athletic, and it allowed him to play through the baseball effortlessly, creating a well-rounded prospect profile to monitor early next year.

All of the outfield reports, found below.

TOP OUTFIELD PROSPECTS

1. Ben Toft, New Trier (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-7, 140-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, minimal movements into a short stride, quiet load. Loose hands and wrists, easy. Simple, controlled to contact, flat path, opposite field feel.
Power: 84.99 max exit velocity, averaged 75.11 mph. 254’ max distance.
Arm: LH. OF - 76 mph. Loose, high 3/4 slot, arm showed life and carry.
Defense: Fluid footwork, athletic outfield actions, plays through in rhythm, reliable hands.
Run: 7.14 runner in the 60. 

2. Luca Royer, Lake Forest (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 6-3, 195-pounds. Athletic frame with strength in lower half.
Hit: RHH. Athletic setup, long stride, aggressive lower-half.  Present bat strength, attacks the baseball with intent. Uphill bat path, intent to elevate, gap-to-gap approach. Middle-of-the-order power upside.
Power: 93.32 max exit velocity, averaged 83.78 mph. 311’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Short over-the-top slot, loose arm.
Defense: Sure-handed, moves well for size.
Run: 7.29 runner in the 60. Clean, easy strides.

3. Luke Jurack, Hinsdale Central  (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 5-10, 170-pounds. Athletic, defined frame.
Hit: RHH. Athletic setup with a short stride, simple/repeatable.  Loose, easy swing and rhythm throughout; quiet confidence. Simple swing, comfortable working to all fields.
Power: 84.42 max exit velocity, averaged 79.57 mph. 297’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 75 mph. OF - 76 mph. From the outfield; short over-the-top slot, quick arm with carry. From the infield; Loose high 3/4 slot.
Defense: From the outfield; athletic footwork with fluid actions. From the infield; soft hands with a clean transfer, moves well side-to-side with athletic actions.
Run: 6.88 runner in the 60. Clean straight line runner.

4. Chris Daugherty, Brother Rice (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-8, 155-pounds. Well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, small leg-kick into a short stride, quiet hands throughout his load.  Easy bat speed speed and athleticism, repeats. Athletic path to contact, level plane, knack for the barrel. Made hard contact throughout.
Power: 89.8 max exit velocity, averaged 85.14 mph. 315’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 82 mph. Loose arm action, 3/4 slot, arm flashed carry.
Defense: Athletic footwork, soft hands.
Run: 6.99 runner in the 60. Quick first step.

5. Anthony Xydakis, Morris (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/2B
Body: 5-7, 155-pounds. Athletic, well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Closed setup with an athletic starting position, leg-kick timing trigger with a long stride, gains ground through the box.  Some wrist speed, attacks the baseball out front. Long path to contact, occasional uphill angle. Favored the pull-side.
Power: 87.92 max exit velocity, averaged 75.53 mph. 302’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 84 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, arm has carry.
Defense: Athletic outfield actions, plays through the ball.
Run: 6.93 runner in the 60. 

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Joe Cicero, Lake Park (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 5-11, 160-pounds.
Hit: LHH. Athletic setup, short stride with quiet hands during the load. Quick hands, short and simple swing, barrel stays level through the zone. Steady line drive contact throughout his BP round.
Power: 80.46 max exit velocity, averaged 75.46 mph. 201’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Long/loose high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Sure-handed defender.
Run: 7.79 runner in the 60. 

Nolan Galla, Providence Catholic (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 5-10, 130-pounds. Long-limbed build, projects.
Hit: RHH. Athletic/crouched setup, leg-kick timing trigger, hangs foot into a long stride, glides through the box.  Long path to contact, catches the baseball out front. Elevates and favors the pull-side.
Power: 85.02 max exit velocity, averaged 74.08 mph. 290’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 77 mph. OF - 79 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot from both infield and outfield.
Defense: From the outfield; quick feet, athletic actions. From the infield; sure-handed with a two-hand gather, clean transfer.
Run: 7.40 runner in the 60. 

Jacob Healy, Lyons (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: 2B/OF
Body: 5-7, 120-pounds. Lean, high-waisted frame.
Hit: RHH. Wide/crouched setup, toe taps into a minimal stride, loads hands away from body. Long and level path, middle-in approach. Made steady line drive contact throughout.
Power: 75.11 max exit velocity, averaged 69.03 mph. 224’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 68 mph. OF - 70 mph. From the outfield; loose over-the-top slot. From the infield; short 3/4 slot.
Defense: From the outfield; soft hands with athletic actions, plays through the ball. From the infield; moves well side-to-side with athletic actions. 
Run: 8.10 runner in the 60. 

Quincy Matthews, Kenwood (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: 2B/OF
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Athletic, well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Upright setup, long stride.  Long, uphill path.
Power: 73.85 max exit velocity, averaged 57.78 mph. 228’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 63 mph. OF - 63 mph. From the outfield; short over-the-top slot. From the infield; short over-the-top slot.
Defense: From the outfield; plays through the ball. From the infield; two-hand gather with a clean transfer.
Run: 7.60 runner in the 60.

Jalen Morgan, Fenwick  (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: SS/OF
Body: 5-9, 175-pounds. Strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open setup, knee-knocks into a long stride.  Long path to contact. Worked back up the middle.
Power: 76.66 max exit velocity, averaged 68.08 mph. 210’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 73 mph. OF - 75 mph. From the outfield; short over-the-top slot, quick arm with carry on the ball. From the infield; Loose 3/4 slot.
Defense: From the outfield; soft hands with athletic footwork. From the infield; Soft hands with agile footwork, covers ground.
Run: 7.70 runner in the 60. 

Abe Noble, Crystal Lake Central (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: 2B/OF
Body: 5-7, 140-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Athletic setup with weight shifted to his back foot, toe-taps into a short stride.  Long bat path.
Power: 81.39 max exit velocity, averaged 72.72 mph. 218’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 72 mph. OF - 69 mph. From the outfield; short, high 3/4 slot. From the infield; short, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: From the outfield; plays through the ball. From the infield; plays through the ball with a clean transfer.
Run: 7.74 runner in the 60. 

Aiden Quartz, Wheaton Warrenville South (IL), 2025
Positional Profile: OF/C
Body: 5-10, 140-pounds.
Hit: RHH. Athletic/balanced setup, short stride.  Long path to contact.
Power: 76.49 max exit velocity, averaged 70.7 mph. 268’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 65 mph. Short 3/4 slot.
Defense: Sure-handed, quick feet.
Run: 7.98 runner in the 60. 

AJ Snell, Beecher (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 5-7, 125-pounds. Wiry frame.
Hit: RHH. Upright/open setup, toe-taps into a short stride.  Stays short through the zone, sprayed line drives to all fields.
Power: 83.24 max exit velocity, averaged 70.99 mph. 241’ max distance.
Arm: RH. C - 69 mph. OF - 71 mph. From behind the plate; short, over the top slot, some carry to the bag. From the outfield; short over-the-top slot.
Defense: From behind the plate; sure-handed with quick and directional feet out of the crouch. From the outfield; sure-handed plays through the ball.
Run: 7.25 runner in the 60. 

Matthew Zeman, Montini Catholic (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Strong, square-shouldered frame.
Hit: RHH. Slightly open setup, more weight on back foot, toe-taps into a short stride.  Level path through the zone, quick bat, remains balanced throughout contact.
Power: 86.8 max exit velocity, averaged 66.75 mph. 270’ max distance.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Short, high 3/4 slot, arm showed carry.
Defense: Quick feet, plays through the ball.
Run: Did not run the 60-yard dash at the event.

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