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’ve already broken down a plethora of these conferences, and you can find those, below:

BIG 10
ACC 
BIG 12
SEC
Missouri Valley
Ohio Valley 

Today, we'll be looking at the players from Illinois that signed to play at schools in the MAC with videos, scouting reports and more. 

NIU

This past summer, the Huskies made the move to hire Ryan Copeland as their new head coach. Copeland joins the Huskies after serving as the head coach of Illinois-Springfield for four years, and he played a major role in turning the Prairie Stars into a powerhouse at the Division II level. The Huskies have been busy this off-season, and they’re adding four strong prospects from in-state to their 2024 high school recruiting class.

Currently slotted at No. 56 in the state, OF Jalen House (Downers Grove South) brings an intriguing set of tools to the table. The first thing that stands out about House is his speed, as he’s recorded a 6.37 laser-timed 60 in-event. His speed is an asset in multiple ways, whether it be on the basepaths, legging out extra-bases or tracking down balls in the outfield. At the plate, the left-handed hitter can reach into the mid-90s for his max EV, looking to keep the ball on a line with a quiet presence in the box. He’s also an above-average defender in the outfield with his aforementioned speed, reliable hands and strong arm (T86 mph OF). 

Sliding in the rankings right after House at No. 57 is RHP Jack Olson (Antioch). The big right-hander is listed at 6-foot-3, 190-pounds with some strength throughout his frame. He moves well down the mound and through his release, reaching as high as 91 mph for his max fastball with some carry and run to his arm-side. He can spin both a curveball and slider in the 2200-2300 RPM range, and will also go to a heavy fading changeup in the upper-70s to fill out his arsenal. 

OF Luca Royer (Lake Forest) already looks the part as a collegiate athlete, standing in at 6-foot-4, 205-pounds with a high waist and strength throughout. He boasts power potential from the right side of the plate, utilizing natural lift and leverage to his pull-side with exit velocities in the mid-90s. Defensively, he has easy range in the outfield, playing light on his feet with natural actions. Also moves well for his size at 7.08 in the 60. 

1B/OF Jack Swaney (Rochester) is a physical left-handed bat headed to Dekalb next fall. He creates easy power from his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame, reaching into the upper-90s for his max EV while also showing the ability to cover the plate and take the ball where it is pitched with a polished approach. Potential middle of the order threat at the next level. 

Toledo

The Rockets dipped into Illinois and grabbed INF Isaac Flowers (Newton Community) to help boost their 2024 recruiting class. Flowers, a multi-sport athlete at the high school level, went on a dominant run throughout the spring and summer circuit, eventually coming away one of the biggest winners from the Illinois State Games in August. He’s an impressive athlete, which he demonstrated by cruising to a 6.74 laser-timed 60 with a 1.64 10-yard split and 20.4 mph peak run speed. His athleticism easily transfers to the infield with fluid footwork and quick/clean actions. He has a short, compact stroke from the left-handed batter’s box, routinely working on the barrel in front of our staff with the ability to drive the ball to the whole field. 

Miami-Ohio 

The Redhawks have been consistent players on the Illinois recruiting circuit, and this year was no different as they locked up OF Quinn Boyer (Montini) and INF Jamie Rasmussen (Glenbrook South).

Boyer stands in at 6-foot-2, 183-pounds with some strength throughout his frame. The right-handed hitter has a simple, short stroke that creates some jump off the barrel, and you can expect his power to continue to trend upwards as he continues to develop physically. He has already proven himself against some of the top competition in the country, as he was named to the All-Area Code Games Team over the summer after going 6-for-9 in gameplay at the prestigious event. 

Another upside prospect headed to the Redhawks, Rasmussen boasts a highly projectable 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame with lean strength and a high waist. The right-handed hitter has a fluid stroke at the plate and the ability to stay through the baseball, reaching into the mid-90s for his max EV in-event. He’s a steady defender on the infield, playing with deliberate footwork and actions while also reaching up to 84 mph across the diamond. 

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