On Nov. 8, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed their National Letters of Intent to lock in their official commitments to their respective schools, with hundreds of these signings hailing from Illinois.

Over the next few weeks, we will spend some time highlighting the names from Illinois that signed their NLI to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, starting with the Big Ten, and you'll learn more today about the players from Illinois headed to those programs below. 

Illinois 

Unsurprisingly, the University of Illinois had its hands on a number of in-state prospects. Few players in the state, if any, rival the two-way abilities of LHP/OF Brayden Mazzacano (Schaumburg, 2024). Currently slotted at No. 7 in the state’s updated rankings, Mazzacano’s ability on the mound makes him an intriguing prospect as is, working a fastball up to the 90 mph mark to pair with a handful of dynamic off-speed offerings. He’s no slouch on the other side of the ball either, roaming centerfield with athleticism and his aforementioned strong arm to pair. He can also handle his own with the bat, swinging it well in front of our staff on multiple occasions to go along with above-average BLAST and TrackMan metrics.  

One of the more recent commits, C Luke Landrus (St. Joseph-Ogden) opened some eyes over the summer with his innate ability to limit the run game and upside right-handed stroke. There’s a lot to dream on with Landrus, listed at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds with a lean and projectable build, and he’ll be a fun one to watch as he continues to mature physically.  

RHP Luke Weber (Highland Park) is an upside arm that recently locked in his commitment with the Illini, and he brings a power arm as well as noteworthy upside to the table. The former Future Gamer still has room to fill into his 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame which should help add a couple ticks to his fastball which already can reach into the low-90s, and he’ll keep hitters off balance with a slider/changeup duo.  

The Illini grabbed a couple more arms from within the state in RHP Samuel McArthur (Champaign Central) and LHP Nolan Girard (Glenbrook North). 

McArthur, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hander, creates a tough look for opposing hitters thanks to his cross-fire delivery and explosive fastball, reaching into the upper-80s. He pairs it with a curveball/slider combination that collected plenty of swing and miss in our brief looks.  

Staying on the topic of power arms, Girard brings a big fastball to the table from the left side, reaching up to 91 mph in-event this past summer. He’ll pair it with a low-70s curveball and mid-70s changeup to keep hitters guessing.  

INDIANA  

The Hoosiers dipped their hands across borders and grabbed a couple high-level prospects in MIF Cooper Malamazian (Nazareth) and RHP Henry Brummel (Pontiac). 

Malamazian, a back-to-back state champion, is one of the premier middle infielders in the state. Currently slotted at No. 6 in Illinois, his defense and arm has always been advanced, but it’s his bat and continued physical development that has allowed him to rise within the state as much as he has. He still has plenty of room left to fill into his 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, and he will head to campus with a big arrow-up next to his name.  

Brummel is another name that has seen a significant rise in the rankings as of late thanks to his helium summer, now in the No. 14 position. The right-hander has a big fastball that can reach into the low-90s and his easy movement patterns look to insinuate an up-tick in velocity in the future. He’s shown the ability to grow and adapt quickly, flashing a well above-average slider in our looks this summer after only learning it a couple weeks prior. He also brings a low-70s curveball and upper 70-s changeup to the table, giving him a true four-pitch mix.  

IOWA 

The Hawkeyes won 44 games a season ago, and they’re looking to reload in a big way with CIF Cash Campbell (Montini) helping to headline their 2024 recruiting class. Campbell has long been regarded as one of the premier bats in the state, and he shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. He’s a pure hitter, boasting easy power with a virtually effortless swing and a mature ability to use the whole field. The left-handed hitter has a legit chance to impact the Hawkeyes lineup early in his collegiate career.  

Michigan State  

The Spartans made a big impact in Illinois, grabbing four names from across the state. A duo of middle infielders that will be headed to East Lansing is Dayton Murphy (Crystal Lake South) and Jude Warwick (Downers Grove North).  

Murphy, a former Future Gamer, is a consistent performer in front of our staff. Equipped with soft hands and natural actions on the infield, Murphy will be a steady and reliable force defensively for the Spartans. A right-handed hitter, he has a simple and whole-field approach with above-average bat-to-ball skills, looking to profile as a table-setter at the next level.  

One of the highest ceilings in the class belongs to the aforementioned Warwick, listed at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds with all sorts of untapped upside. It’s easy to see why the Spartans staff like him with his smooth left-handed stroke, defensive ability and above-average run tool (6.64-60 time). He’s a true gamer, playing above what his measurable statistics would suggest with natural actions and instincts on the diamond, and he will be a fun one to watch develop at the next level.  

Moving over to the outfield, Khamaree Thomas (Kenwood) is one of the more exciting players to watch in the state. It would be foolish to underestimate him for his size, as he is a premier defender in the outfield that can also handle the bat from the left side with a loose, handsy swing. He’s proven himself time and time again, perhaps most notably at the Future Games a couple summers ago where he was one of the biggest winners for the Illinois squad.  

Rounding out State’s Illinois recruiting class is RHP Brady Chambers (Lyons Township). Listed at a towering 6-foot-6, 210-pounds, Chambers uses his levers well down the mound to create a fastball in the upper-80s. He has an above-average ability to spin the breaking ball, and his changeup looks to be a potential out-pitch as well with over 19” of run at times.  

Minnesota  

The Golden Gophers locked up two Illinois products in INF Jameson Martin (St. Laurence) and LHP Simon Skroch (Yorkville).  

St. Laurence is a powerhouse on the IHSA baseball scene, and Martin has undoubtedly been a cornerstone in their lineup since being called up to varsity. The right-handed hitter is no stranger to hard contact in front of our staff, routinely punishing baseballs with a loose and intentful stroke. He also brings reliable defense to the table that looks to be able to stick on the infield moving forward. 

When thinking of arms you want to run out to win you a ballgame, Skroch would likely be one of the first names you think of in Illinois. His competitiveness is unparalleled and he backs it up with a deceptive arsenal; featuring a mid-80s fastball that plays higher than the number suggests, and a swing/miss breaking ball that plays exceptionally well off the fastball.  

Northwestern 

The Wildcats stayed local when they grabbed OF Ethan Borggren (Lane Tech), and they’re getting an athletic 6-foot-3, 185-pound bat with power potential. A recent winner from the Illinois State Games, Borggren showed off his upside at the plate with a loud round of BP, reaching up to 97 mph for his max exit velocity with a max distance of 349’. It’s a loose, powerful right-handed swing that should continue to trend upwards with added physical development. He’s also an above-average athlete with a 6.87 60-time.  

Purdue 

The Boilermakers added INF James Novakovic (New Trier) to their 2024 recruiting class, and there’s a lot to like in the left-handed hitting shortstop. Novakovic has natural instincts and feel for the game, making plays on the move look easy to pair with soft and confident hands. At the plate, he stays inside the baseball and looks to work up the middle and to the opposite field, boasting loose hands and loft through the zone. 

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