Illinois 2025 Rankings: Newcomers
August 30, 2024
The 2025 rankings update in Illinois are long overdue after a long summer season which featured the end of the IHSA season, a number of Prep Baseball Tournaments, showcases, as well as big invite-only events, most notably the Illinois State Games, which featured close to 400 of the best players in Illinois across all classes.
+ Click HERE to view the entire 2025 rankings board.
+ Click HERE to read Wednesday's 2025 rankings release story, or click HERE to read yesterday's story about some of the biggest risers in the class.
Today, we are taking a look at a number of players that are making their debuts in the Top-200. Read on below for scouting reports, videos and more.
NEWCOMERS
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Martin Villagomez RHP / 2B / Reavis, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 61 / POS: 18
8/21/24: RHP Martin Villagomez (Reavis) emerged as a must-follow arm from the event. He’s an athletic mover with his 5-foot-10, 159-pound frame, and his arm works quickly out front. His fastball has all sorts of life through the zone while sitting 86-89 mph (T90), reaching over 2,600 rpm while averaging over 2,500 rpm, also topping out at 19.6 for his IVB. He showed confidence in his curveball which he could land for strikes, 71-74 mph (T2,740 rpm), consistently landing back door to lefties. |
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Aidan Terronez LHP / OF / Sherrard , IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 70 / POS: 10
6/26/24: 6-foot-1, 170-pounds, lean and projectable frame. The southpaw impressed with a fastball up to 87 mph, cruising around 83-86 mph with the ability to pound the zone. He was also able to land his curveball and changeup for strikes, with the CB playing in the low-70s with 1/7 shape and the CH coming in at 76-78 mph. Easy operation with more in the tank. |
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Miles Woolsey RHP / OF / Mahomet-Seymour, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 74 / POS: 22
8/21/24: RHP Miles Woolsey (Mahomet-Seymour, 2025) was a standout at the Illinois Summer Championships earlier in the summer and provided another impressive look in his most recent trip to Rantoul. The 6-foot, 181-pound right-hander touched 88.5 mph on his fastball’s firmest bullet, pitching at 85-88 mph across his two innings of work. Perhaps more impressive, however, was the feel he had for a fading 75-78 mph changeup that he consistently threw down in the zone to left-handed hitters, and he also flashed strike feel for a low-70s breaking ball.
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Josh Marzec RHP / 1B / Lake Zurich, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 98 / POS: 30
8/21/24: RHP Josh Marzec (Lake Zurich) is a must-know uncommitted arm in the incoming senior class. Standing in a projectable 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame with athleticism, Marzec showed a clean and easy operation with a long, loose and clean arm out of a high ¾ slot. His fastball sat 85-87 mph, topping out at 88 mph with mostly straight actions. He mixed in a low-70s breaking ball with 11/5 shape (-15.3” avg. HM) and showed feel to spin it for strikes, and he rounded out his three-pitch mix with a 79-82 mph change-up that produced fade at times (avg. 14.9” HM). He finished his two-inning outing with one strikeout and one walk. A arm-to-know in Illinois’ 2025 class. |
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Cameron Bates RHP / Grayslake North, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 104 / POS: 33
(7/19/24): A strong 6-foot-1, 190-pound athletic frame, Bates is a two-sport star having already received three D1 football scholarship offers. Now on the baseball field, Bates gave an extremely interesting look through three innings in his start Friday afternoon. The right-handed pitcher mixed three pitches including a fastball sitting 85-88 mph with lots of ride, a curveball sitting 78-79 mph, and a change-up sitting 80-82 mph. He is a quick worker with a fast and fluid motion that is followed by a loose whippy arm. He got into some trouble but was able to work out it limiting the damage as best as possible. Bates will be an interesting name to follow in the 2025 class had the year moves along. |
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Neyderson Campos RHP / OF / YCCS-Albizu Campos Puerto Rican HS, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 105 / POS: 34
6/05/24: Putting together one of the more intriguing bullpens on the day was RHP Neyderson Campos (YCCS, 2025). A wiry and athletic 6-foot-3, 181-pounds, Campos showed to be an athletic arm to keep tabs on moving forward in the state’s incoming-senior class. He showed a lively fastball that sat 86-89 mph (T90) with some sink to it. He tossed in two different breaking balls; with his curveball playing at 78-82 mph, while his slider played with sharp downer action at 78-81 mph with some feel to spin (avg. 2213 rpm). Campos would round out his mix with an 83-87 mph changeup that was thrown with intent, playing with some sink to the arm-side. |
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Franklin Kirchner LHP / OF / Conant, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 108 / POS: 13
6/07/24: Uncommitted. Stands in at a trim, long-levered 6-foot, 165-pounds with plenty of room to fill out the frame. Kirchner got the start for Conant in the State Semifinals and put the team on his back with his stellar outing to send his team to the State Finals. He is an easy mover down hill with a relaxed and simple delivery. His overall composure stood out throughout the start; pitching through big moments and coming up in the clutch when his team needed him the most. He only squandered two hits through his seven innings of work, walking three, while punching out seven. His fastball played with sink and arm-side run at 80-83 mph, inducing weak contact and produced swing and miss throughout. Kirchner’s primary offspeed offering was a short 2/8-shaped slider at 72-74 mph that kept hitters off balance, while also going to a short arm-side fading changeup at 77-79 mph. The southpaw will be a name to continue to monitor moving forward. |
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Constantine Coines OF / OF / Maine South, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 118 / POS: 19
2/25/24
Positional Profile: OF/SS |
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Soogyeom Park RHP / Champaign Central, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 146 / POS: 41
7/19/24: RHP Soogyeom Park (Champaign Central, 2025) is an intriguing uncommitted arm in the state’s incoming senior class. He stands in a hard-to-miss frame at 6-foot-6, 217-pounds with strength throughout. He works out of a hybrid delivery, working with pace during his bullpen. He showed an effortless delivery with a shorter arm path out of a high ¾ slot. His fastball sat 83-86 mph, topping out at 87 with an average of 17.1 inches of horizontal movement. He also displayed a slider with an average of -16.3 inches of horizontal movement, sitting 73-76 mph. A must-know uncommitted name to follow in Illinois
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Carter Johnson 1B / OF / Wheaton North, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 148 / POS: 7
8/21/24: 1B/OF Carter Johnson (Wheaton North) has an upside frame with athleticism at 5-foot-11, 181-pounds. He showed an intriguing left-handed bat, posting a max exit velocity of 95.7 mph (avg. 92.1 mph) during the showcase, as well as blasting his farthest batted ball 350 feet. A 6.91 runner in the 60, Johnson transitioned to gameplay and showed confidence in the box, tallying a home run and two RBIs in his second game of the event. A name-to-follow in Illinois.
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Andy Antonacci RHP / RHP / Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, IL / 20256/26/24: The right-hander had a strong start using his fastball and slider mix. The fastball was heavy and had arm side run which jammed many hitters on the hands, sitting 86-90 mph. Antonacci (Sacred Heart-Griffin, 2025) was able to locate the fastball as well as keep the hitters off balance with his firm slider that sat at 75-78 mph. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound pitcher has a clean and smooth windup with a ¾ arm slot. A very impressive start and a name to follow in the 2025 class.
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Chase Harrison RHP / OF / Oakwood, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 152 / POS: 44
8/21/24: RHP Chase Harrison (Oakwood) is a long-levered right-handed arm with whip and upside. He works out of a ¾ to low ¾ slot, gets natural run to the arm-side and late life. Mixed in a lateral breaking ball that has proper shape and looks to be a future out-pitch when he stays on top of it. High-ceiling arm with plenty more development to come down the road.
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Jackson Beiler SS / RHP / Mt. Zion, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 163 / POS: 37
8/21/24: RHP Jackson Beiler (Mt. Zion) is an upside right-hander to know from the event. Listed at 6-foot-3, 180-pounds, Beiler has a lean, projectable frame that still holds room to fill out. He keeps his delivery simple with a controlled tempo, working with a high leg-kick into balance point before working with a controlled stride that stays in-line. He has a longer arm swing out of the glove, delivering his arsenal from a high ¾ slot. He showed a quality three pitch mix, starting with a mid-80s fastball (T86 mph). His curveball plays off a downer 11/5 plane with depth and feel, 70-72 mph. He rounded out his arsenal with a straight changeup at 78-79 mph.
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Sean Sanderson LHP / OF / Mundelein, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 172 / POS: 18
8/21/24: LHP Sean Sanderson (Mundelein) is an intriguing uncommitted arm in the incoming-senior class. A strong, 6-foot-1, 206-pounds, Sanderson is an easy mover with minimal effort, paired with a long, loose arm action that sat 84-85 mph with his fastball, topping out at 86.7 mph with an average of -15.3 inches of horizontal movement. He mixed in a 69-72 mph curveball that played with short horizontal break, and an upper-70s change-up with arm-side fade. He finished his outing with two strikeouts in 1 ⅔ innings pitched.
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Nolan Hooper RHP / OF / Yorkville Christian, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 176 / POS: 51
2/25/24: RHP Nolan Hooper (Yorkville Christian, 2025) was another 2025 arm to note from the event. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound, wiry, long-levered right-hander showed lively stuff during his bullpen. He is still looking to harness his fastball control but it climbed to 88.2 mph with 15.8 average inches of induced vertical break and his curveball looks to be a go-to secondary offering. Playing at 74-76 mph, he landed it for strikes 100% of the time while working off a 12/6 plane and above average spin; average 2409 rpm. He rounded out his four pitch mix with a slider and changeup. Upside arm to keep tabs on.
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Alec Gunderson SS / C / St Ignatius, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 184 / POS: 45
8/21/24: SS Alec Gunderson (St. Ignatius) stands in a strong 5-foot-11, 172-pound frame with athleticism to pair. He finished gameplay with three hits, including a double and two RBIs, as well as multiple well-hit barrels throughout the three games. He’s a right-handed hitter that provided a quality look in the box with a short and direct bat path. Gunderson also showed clean defensive actions up the middle, making multiple quality plays, while showing a strong arm across the diamond (T87 mph).
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JT Augustyniak SS / 2B / Plainfield Central, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 200 / POS: 48
8/21/24: INF JT Augustyniak (Plainfield Central) had a loud showing with the bat both in the workout and during gameplay at the event. Augustyniak showed a loose, easy swing that could elevate to all parts of the field during batting practice - reaching a max exit velocity of 91.8 mph, paired with a max distance of 344 feet. His ability to find the barrel translated into gameplay where he barreled the baseball up consistently, tallying three hits.
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