By Steve Nielsen
Scouting Director - Illinois

There was plenty of young talent at the Prep Baseball Report Underclass Showcase on Oct. 28 at The Max. The event featured Class of 2015 and 2016 players from all over the state. Several prospects established themselves as high-follows in the future; certainly players you will be reading about for years to come.

A look at the Class of 2016 prospects at the event:

1. Justin Machado, Glenbrook South HS, SS/RHP, Class of 2016
Machado is a 6-foot, 165-pound infielder. Machado showed solid athleticism in the field, using quick feet to get into an athletic fielding position. His arm showed accuracy at 74 mph across the infield. Offensively, Machado displayed barrel awareness, flashing pop to all fields. His stance is slightly open, setting his hands high and using a short stride. Machado is a line drive gap-to-gap style hitter. On the mound, Machado showed a clean arm action from a high ¾ arm slot showing slight run on a 75-76 mph fastball. His curveball showcased 11/5 action at 65-69 mph.

2. Bryce Gray, Homewood Flossmoor HS, C, Class of 2016
Gray is an athletic 5-foot-9, 165-pound catcher. Gray recorded pop times between 2.18-2.26 while consistently on the bag and displaying arm strength of 70 mph. Gray showed solid athleticism and soft hands receiving the baseball. Offensively, he sets his hands low and hits from a balanced stance while using a short stride. His barrel stays flat through the zone, producing line drives.

3. Sam Nozicka, Grayslake Central HS, C, Class of 2016
Nozicka is a 5-foot-10, 145-pound catcher. Nozicka showed the makings of a strong arm (75 mph) behind the plate as his best pop time was a 2.09. His arm showed carry, using an over the top slot. He hits from a tall narrow stance while using a short bat path. Nozicka showed an advanced defensive prowess that will make him one of the better receivers in his class.

4. Zach Nussbaum, Whitney Young HS, C, Class of 2016
Nussbaum is an athletic catcher who showed solid tools behind the plate. Nussbaum showcased quick feet behind the dish, featuring athleticism and a solid arm. Nussbaum recorded a top pop time of 2.14 while posting 71 mph throws from the crouch. Nussbaum sets up well behind the plate while showing soft hands receiving the baseball. Offensively, he hits out of a balanced stance producing line drives using a level swing.

5. Jacob Snider, Central HS, MIF, Class of 2016
Snider is a 5-foot-5, 135-pound middle infielder. Snider is a mechanically sound infielder who showed soft hands in the infield; his footwork is fluid and he made accurate throws at 67 mph. Offensively, Snider hits from the left side, showing a very balanced setup and quiet approach. He hits with a level bat path, working mainly to the opposite field. Snider exhibited a sound, repeatable swing that should play well in the future.

6. Jordan Libman, Glenbrook South HS, OF/1B/LHP, Class of 2016
Libman is a 5-foot-10, 160-pound two-way player. At first base Libman showed a solid arm at 71 mph across the diamond using a long arm action out of a high ¾ arm slot. Offensively, he showed some pull side pop, using a short stride and an aggressive approach. On the mound, Libman showed the ability to throw strikes with multiple pitches. His fastball showed slight cutting action at 72-75 mph from a high ¾ arm slot. His slider also showed control at 62-65 mph with 10/4 action. Libman also threw a change up at 62-65 mph.

7. Christan Bullock, Morgan Park HS, OF/LHP, Class of 2016
Bullock is an athletic 5-foot-9, 150-pound two-way player. From the outfield Bullock showed a long arm action from a high ¾ slot that produced throws of 73 mph. Bullock also showcased himself at first base, Bullock has the athleticism to play multiple positions as he showed solid control of his body while fielding the baseball. Offensively, he hits from an open stance using a short stride that produces line drives from a level bat path. On the mound, Bullock displayed a 71-73 mph fastball from a high ¾ arm slot. His curveball sat at 65-65 while his change up was 66-69 mph.

8. Jarren Norman, Morgan Park HS, INF/RHP, Class of 2016
Norman is a strong 5-foot-10, 180-pound two-way player. Norman displayed a long, over the top arm action that showed some accuracy at 73 mph. Offensively, he hits from a balanced setup from both side of the plate.  On the mound he showcased a 69-71 mph fastball complimented by a 57-61 mph curveball that showed control.

9. Alonzo White, Morgan Park HS, OF/1B, Class of 2016
White is a 5-foot-9, 110-pound multi-positional player. White showed outfield actions while displaying a 73 mph arm from the outfield. At the plate, he hits from the left side using an open stance showcasing himself as a slap hitter. White also ran an 8.20.

10. Darius Hill, T.F. South HS, INF, Class of 2016
Hill is a 5-foot-8, 125-pound middle infielder who ran an event-best 6.91 60. Hill exhibited soft hands in the field and displayed a 64 mph arm across the diamond. Offensively, Hill hits from a tall balanced stance. Hill has a very quiet approach; it is a simple swing that is mostly generated with his hands. Hill also showed the ability to spray the ball to all fields.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Peyton Bizarri, Rockridge HS, LHP, Class of 2016
Bizarri is a 5-foot-8, 130-pound left-handed pitcher. Bizarri operated from a high ¾ arm slot producing 63-64 mph fastballs with cut action. His curveball worked on an 11/5 plane at 53-54 mph while also displaying a sinking change up at 59-60 mph.

Ryan Casper, Grayslake Central HS, 1B/RHP, Class of 2016
Casper is a 5-foot-11, 172-pound two-way player. Casper showed a long arm action across the diamond at 70 mph. On the mound, Casper worked from a high ¾ arm slot with a short arm action while throwing across his body. His fastball sat at 71-73 mph, also showing a breaking ball at 64-66 mph and a change at 63-64 mph.

Chuck Fleming, Elk Grove HS, MIF, Class of 2016
Fleming is a 5-foot-10, 170-pound middle infielder. Fleming displayed an accurate arm across the infield, his arm works with a long, over the top arm action and clocked at 74 mph. Offensively, he hits from a tall balanced stance, exhibiting a smooth load and short stride. He stays inside the ball well using a short path to the baseball, which created hard contact.

Dalton Hocevar, Bloomington HS, INF, Class of 2016
Hocevar is a 5-foot-7, 160-pound infielder. Hocevar hit from a balanced setup using a short stride. He showed a long arm action across the infield at 63 mph. Hocevar also ran an 8.51 60.

Chris Hoffmann, Lake Zurich HS, 3B/C, Class of 2016
Hoffmann is a 5-foot-9, 160-pound third baseman/catcher. Hoffmann showed a short arm action across the diamond delivery accurate throws to the bag at 64 mph. Behind the plate he recorded pop times of 2.61-2.72. At the plate he hit from an open stance using a short stride to get to contact.

Kelly Lane, Morgan Park HS, MIF, Class of 2016
Lane is an athletic 5-foot-8, 125-pound middle infielder. Offensively, Lane hits from an open stance using a smooth load and short stride. Lane showcased himself as a contact hitter using a short, level swing while showing the ability to spray the ball to both gaps.

Jacob Rintz, Schaumburg HS, SS/RHP, Class of 2016
Rintz is a lanky 5-foot-10, 135 pound two-way player. On the infield, he uses a short, over the top arm action that showed accuracy across the diamond at 68 mph. Rintz uses a short stride out of a slightly closed stance, swinging with an inside out path. On the mound he displayed a 69-71 mph fastball with slight sink, and a curveball at 60-62 mph thrown for strikes. His changeup clocked in at 64-66 mph.

Sam Ruhlmann, Grayslake Central HS, RHP/OF, Class of 2016
Ruhlmann is a lanky 6-foot-2, 160-pound two-way player. Ruhlmann showed a long, high ¾ arm action at 74 mph. Offensively, he hits from a balanced stance using a short stride to the baseball.

Joshua Shaw, Morgan Park HS, 3B/RHP, Class of 2016
Shaw is a 6-foot, 150-pound infielder. Shaw showed quick, fluid footwork in the infield while recording 69 mph throws across the infield. Offensively, he hits from a balanced setup using a short stride.

Tyler Stewart, Bloomington HS, C/SS, Class of 2016
Stewart is a 5-foot-9, 135-pound multi-positional player. Stewart showed arm strength of 61 mph across the infield, while running a 7.92 60. He hits from a balanced stance setting his hands high while using a short stride to get to contact.

Brett Whalen, Grayslake Central HS, RHP/3B, Class of 2016
Whalen is a 5-foot-11, 180-pound two-way player. Whalen displayed a long arm action creating 70 mph throws across the infield. Offensively, he used a short stride and bat path to produce 80 mph exit speeds from the tee. On the mound, Whalen operates out of a full windup using a high ¾ arm slot. His fastball sat at 71-73 mph.

Bryan Wodka, Barrington HS, LHP, Class of 2016
Wodka is a 5-foot-7, 160-pound left handed pitcher. Wodka featured a 70-71 mph fastball out of a high ¾ arm slot with fluid rhythm. His curveball showed 11/5 action at 56-58 mph, while also displaying a change up at 62 mph.