Illinois State Games: Uncommitted 2026s
August 5, 2024
We're hosting the third annual Illinois State Games on August 6th and August 7th, an event that's full of talented prospects from all across the state. We've already posted a preview of the event that provides all pertinent event information, which can be found HERE.
+ To view the full event schedule, click here.
+ To view the full event roster, click here.
+ To view the pitching rotations, click here.
Now, we're breaking down some of the top uncommitted 2026s headed to this week's event:
UNCOMMITTED 2026S
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Parker Fitch RHP / 1B / St Joseph-Ogden, IL / 2026Team 2 Fitch is an uncommitted arm to follow out of Central Illinois to follow this week. It’s an intriguing 6-foot-3, 192-pound frame with athleticism and strength. On the mound he’s an easy mover with a long, loose arm path out of a ¾ slot, showing a fastball up to 85.4 mph, but sitting mostly in the low-80s. He has quality spin on his curveball (avg. 2229 rpm), and heavy fade (20.3” HM avg.) on his mid-70s change-up." |
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Griffin Meeker SS / RHP / Tremont High School, IL / 2026Team 2 From 5/15/24: “Uncommitted. Started at second base and led off for the Turks. Strong, athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds. Showed well defensively in IO with clean footwork, showing range and quality actions. A right-handed hitter at the plate, simple weight-shift load with a short and flat path to the ball, hands stay direct and quick to the ball. A name-to-follow in the sophomore class.” |
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Isaac Wendler 1B / RHP / Father McGivney, IL / 2026Team 2 From 5/2/24: “Strong, sturdy 6-foot, 200-pound frame with broad shoulders and lower half strength, ranked No. 57 overall in the state’s sophomore class. Started at first base and hit fifth for the Griffins. Wide base at the plate, bat starts resting over back shoulder and works up at load, minimal stride. Strong hands, long right-handed swing, keeps his barrel in the zone with intent to elevate out front. Finished with three hits; barreled a loud single to left field and jumped all over a pitch in the bottom of the 11th, spraying it into right-center field for a walk-off win. Slashing .395/.495/.506 in 98 plate appearances during his sophomore campaign.” |
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Kyle Christensen RHP / JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY, IL / 2026Team 3 From 2/25/24: “...is yet another arm making his way through the Hilltopper hallways. Christensen is listed at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds with broad-shoulders and athletic overall build. He has made big strides since his bullpen at this event last winter where he topped at 75 mph with fastball. This time around his fastball played at 82-85, T86 and his slider looked to be his best secondary offering playing at 75-76 mph (2412 average rpm) with tight spin, 10/4 shape and late bite at times.” |
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Austin Borries RHP / 3B / Teutopolis, IL / 2026Team 4 From 5/4/24: “Strong, sturdy 6-foot-3, 200-pound broad-shouldered frame. Took the mound for the Wooden Shoes and helped pitch them to a win over No. 5 Edwardsville. Allowed an unearned run on one hit in his five innings of work, walking three with seven strikeouts. Tall/fall type mover, high leg kick, subtle stack onto his backside and pitches downhill. Open finish, drifts towards the first base side through release. Fastball played with some angle and tilt to it, sat in the low-to-mid-80s, touching 86 mph early. Big bend and depth on an upper-60s breaking ball, high arch, landed it for strikes consistently. A strike thrower with starter’s physicality and size that’s one to follow in the state’s 2026 class.” |
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Maxx Grieme C / 3B / Taylorville, IL / 2026Team 4 From 4/27/24: “Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 44 in Illinois’ sophomore class. Stands in a strong and athletic 5-foot-9, 183-pound frame. Started behind the plate and batted second for the Tornadoes. Grieme really stood out with his work behind the plate throughout the day; hard worker, agile in the crouch, well above-average receiving actions, glove worked high-to-low and stole strikes consistently. Has a strong arm on throws down to second, plays with carry to the bag. At the plate he’s a right-handed hitter with a loose and easy load and an uphill bat path. Barrelled a no-doubt home run over the left field wall in the day’s second game. A must-know uncommitted sophomore in Illinois.” |
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Blake Hoffer LHP / 1B / Glenbrook South, IL / 2026Team 4 From 7/17/24: “A filled-out, 6-foot-5, 200-pound built frame, Hoffer impressed on the mound in his start against Top Tier. The lefty was dominating through his entire outing able to collect six strikeouts before being taken out. His fastball was sitting 82-85 mph and the slider was sitting 70-73 mph. The fastball had a late-in-zone movement that paired well with a slider that was able to generate easy swings and misses. Hoffer has a presence on the mound with a loose and fluid arm that attacked hitters early. Generating easy velocity with a good off-speed pitch, Hoffer is a name to watch in the 2026 uncommitted class.” |
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Braydon McKendrick LHP / OF / Brother Rice, IL / 2026Team 5 From 3/16/24: “Uncommitted. Ranked No. 34 in the state’s sophomore class. 5-foot-10, 176.6-pound frame with strength and athleticism throughout. Provided a quality and polished look for a sophomore, showed the ability to command pitches, including having a feel for his off-speed pitches. Repeats his delivery, easy mover down the mound, has a long and loose arm path out of a ¾ slot. His fastball sat 83-85 mph with slight cut. Mixed in two separate breaking balls; a slider that sat 72-75 mph with 2/8 shape and 2200-2400 rpm, and a curveball that sat 67-69 mph with 12/6 shape and 2300-2500 rpm. A high-level arm in the state’s 2026 class.” |
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Jeremy Thompson RHP / 3B / Romeoville, IL / 2026Team 5 From 2/11/24: “...provided our staff one of the more intriguing two-way looks on the entire day. On the mound, the right-hander has a controlled tempo into a high leg-lift, firing down the mound with a drop/drive lower-half while striding in-line. His fastball worked in the 82-84 mph range, playing with some carry through the zone and setting up a tight, 10/4 slider with sweep and some feel for the zone, 70-73 mph. His final offering was a splitter at 70-73 mph, thrown with intent and playing with late drop and the ability to locate. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has a strong, controlled swing that stays mostly flat through the zone and utilizes his lower-half through impact, helping to create a max EV of 95.3 mph, averaging 90.3 mph with a max distance of 346’. On the infield, Thompson boasts soft hands with fluid actions, playing with rhythm and timing while appearing comfortable to both sides of his glove - also reaching up to 81 mph across the diamond.” |
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Ryan Duncheon Jr. C / RHP / East Peoria, IL / 2026Team 6 From 7/19/24: “...had a strong all-around showing at the event. A physical 6-foot, 193-pound prospect, Duncheon started his event with a loud showing with the bat. The right-handed hitter stayed on the barrel throughout his round and used the whole field during his round. Duncheon posted a max exit velocity of 91.6 mph and also had a max batted ball distance of 342 feet, which was good for second-highest for the event. During the defense portion of the event, Duncheon led all catchers in pop time (1.97-2.09) and was tied for the hardest throw from the crouch at 77 mph. During his bullpen, Duncheon posted an eye-opening 91 mph fastball to end his day, a three mph increase since we had seen him up to 88 mph in the spring. The stretch-only right-hander impressed throughout with his arsenal, showing a slider with 10/4 shape that sat 76-77 mph with an average of 2352 rpm, and a curveball with an average of 2344 rpm, sitting mostly 72-74 mph. He rounded out his four-pitch mix with a change-up that sat 79-81 mph with slight fading action. After his impressive performance, Duncheon received an invite to this year’s Prep Baseball Future Games where he will represent Team Illinois at LakePoint in Georgia.” |
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Ty Hudik 3B / OF / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2026Team 6 From 2/19/24: “...has made some noteworthy strides to his game over the last year. Sporting a 6-foot, 165-pound frame, the high-waisted prospect still has all sorts of room to add strength to his build. The left-handed hitter displayed a loose and athletic swing, maintaining balance through impact while using the whole field with a polished round of BP, upside swing that has made some quality improvements over the last year. On the infield, Hudik displayed fluid actions and soft hands, moving well to both sides and displaying confidence in his back hand. He has a clean over-the-top release, topping out at 82 mph across the diamond. High-ceiling prospect to follow moving forward.” |
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Adam Swanson C / OF / Ottawa Township, IL / 2026Team 6 From 2/24/24: “...is a no-doubt name to know from the event, showing well across the board this past weekend. Listed at 5-foot-10, 186-pounds with round/sloped shoulders and strength throughout, the right-handed hitter put on a show in BP with a max EV of 99.9 mph, averaging 95.1 mph throughout his round with a strong, easy swing that stays through the zone with a balanced finish. He took an impressive round of defense, working with a quick/clean glove-to-hand transfer, staying in-line while gaining ground on throws to second to create a pop-time as low as 1.87 seconds. His arm is also plenty strong, playing quick to release at 80 mph. He’s also a premium athlete, recording a 6.71 in the 60 to pair with a 35.9” max vertical jump.” 2024 Future Gamer |
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Jory Crocker SS / RHP / Willowbrook, IL / 2026Team 7 From 5/17/24: “Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 7 in the state and No. 386 in the country; started at shortstop and batted second for the Warriors. Crocker stands in at a high-waisted and long-levered 6-foot, 171-pounds, and stands out physically on the field. Defensively, he uses his long levers to his advantage to make for some added range up the middle. His arm plays with easy arm strength from a low ¾ slot across the diamond and should allow him to stick on the left side of the infield in the future. From the right side of the plate, he sets up with a wider and athletic base, while utilizing a rhythmic hand load pre-pitch. He has a loose and athletic swing that creates extension at contact with intent to lift the ball while utilizing a strong lower-half. He showed a patient approach in the box with a clear plan of what he wanted to do each at-bat; working deep counts, rarely chasing out of the zone, and swinging at strikes. He then hopped on the mound and showed upside throughout his brief appearance. His fastball plays clean out of the hand at 85-86 mph with some tilt, while he also showed a low 70’s curveball that showed some depth with 12/6 action.” 2024 Future Gamer |
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Jackson Schlott 3B / RHP / Plainfield North, IL / 2026Team 7 From 2/25/24: “...stood out with his right-handed bat and then followed it up with an equally impressive bullpen. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound, physical sophomore has strong, easy swing with loose hands and big power potential. He peaked at 95.2 mph off the bat and his furthest batted ball traveled 346’. On the mound, he is still harnessing his repertoire but he sat 84-85 mph, T86 with a hard, downer type breaking ball at 76 mph with 2268 average rpm. Two-way follow moving forward.” |
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Samuel Chin LHP / LHP / St. Laurence, IL / 2026Team 8 From 2/24/24: “There’s plenty to like on the mound with LHP Samuel Chin (St. Laurence, 2026), starting with the 5-foot-11, 148-pound southpaw’s ability to spin a breaking ball. He consistently landed a 68-70 mph breaking ball for strikes that averaged 2624 RPM, peaking at 2723 RPM. Being able to spin the baseball at a high rate is typically an indicator of future velocity and it’s something we’re personally expecting from Chin, who’s fastball currently sits at 82-83 mph. Additionally, Chin’s changeup showed heavy horizontal movement at peak (T17.7”) at 78-79 mph.” |
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Drew Stevens C / 3B / Normal Community, IL / 2026Team 8 From 3/5/24: “It’s still unclear how much of an impact C Drew Stevens (2026) will have on this year’s Ironmen squad, but in our looks, he’s an in-game competitor that continues to get better each time we see him perform. Now standing in an impressive and strong 5-foot-10, 182-pound frame, Stevens has clearly shown big gains in the weight room as he produced a max exit velocity of 95.2 mph (88.6 mph avg.) this winter, which is over a 10 mph increase within the past year. He’s athletic behind the plate, too, where our scouts have seen him making noteworthy plays. His arm strength is starting to tick up (75 mph), and we’ve seen his pop times improve as well (2.07). Stevens is a potential impact name on this talented Ironmen roster.” |
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Daniel Coyle 3B / OF / St. Laurence, IL / 2026Team 12 From 4/25/24: “Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 29 in the state. Compact, 5-foot-7, 149-pound frame with plenty of room for added strength. Started at third base and hit out of the three-hole as only a sophomore. The right-handed hitter takes scrappy at-bats, working to get his pitch to hit and taking advantage when he gets it; relaxed setup, hands have some rhythm throughout his load and work into a direct/flat path. Impressed defensively in this look, boasting smooth actions with a clean transfer, showing quality range with a quick first step, comfortable to his back-hand, sets his feet and makes strong throws across, also had a diving catch to his glove side. High-follow 2026 in the state.” |
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Andrew Dawson 3B / RHP / Tremont, IL / 2026Team 15 From 5/15/24: "Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 35 in the state’s 2026 class. Started on the mound and batted fourth for the Turks. Stands in a strong, athletic frame at 5-foot-11, 180-pounds. Didn’t get the results he wanted but still showed well. Controlled delivery with a high leg lift, drop and drive delivery down the mound. Clean, quick arm path out of a ¾ slow, quickness out front. Fastball sat 84-87 mph, topped out at 89 mph with mostly straight actions. Utilized his cutter most of the time, which sat 79-82 mph with slight cutting action, also mixed in a curveball that sat 74-78 mph with short break. A must-know arm in the state’s sophomore class." |
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Logan Nordentoft 3B / SS / Prospect, IL / 2026Team 9 From 2/18/24: “There’s still plenty of room to add on strength to his high-waisted 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame, and he possesses some present athleticism and upside. The right-handed hitter has loose hands that look to stay on top of the baseball and use the whole field, giving a polished look throughout his round of BP with a max exit velocity of 95 mph. He’s an athletic defender on the infield, boasting fluid actions and smooth hands, moving well to both slides of his glove with feel and rhythm, also a 7.13 runner in the 60. His arm plays from a long ¾ release, playing with life across the diamond and topping out at 85 mph. His arm-strength easily translated over to the mound, where he ran his fastball up to 86 mph to complement a mid-60s curveball and mid-70s changeup with late/heavy run.” |
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Andrew Dawson RHP / SS / Oak Forest, IL / 2026Team 10 From 6/20/23: “...is a 5-foot-11, 153-pound right-handed pitcher who had one of the better days on the mound. He works with a segmented drop/drive delivery paired with a quick and clean arm working out of a high ¾ slot. Dawson navigated a three-pitch mix with the fastball sitting 82-85 mph, topping out at 86.5 mph (an event high) with arm-side run that worked better to the glove side. The off-speed consisted of a curveball that had 12/6 shape with sharp downer action, and then a changeup that had sinking action playing well off of the fastball. Dawson also flashed one of the stronger arms among the infield group at the event with an 82 mph max velocity from across the diamond.” |
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Henry Humes RHP / Homewood Flossmoor, IL / 2026Team 10 From 2/19/24: “...popped as a high-follow arm on Monday. Listed at an uber-projectable 6-foot-4, 170-pounds with lean limbs and room to add on strength, the right-hander delivered a fastball in the 82-84 mph range, topping out at 85 mph with heavy running action. He has developing spin on his curveball, which plays around 67-69 mph with shorter, downer shape. He flashed some feel for his changeup, delivering the pitch at 68-69 mph with running action to his arm-side at times. Upside arm to follow throughout his prep career.” |
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Cory Les SS / 3B / St. Laurence, IL / 2026Team 10 From 3/10/24: “...may not quite be considered a "newcomer" due to this brief time on varsity last season, but he will have a much larger role this time around with a projected starting role. Currently ranked No. 47 in the state, Les has a quiet, repeatable swing with strong hands and a direct path to the ball, creating exit velocities in the mid-90s in front of our staff. He has a chance to be a real impact bat for the Vikings this spring, and he will also help provide strong defense in the outfield.” |
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Brandon Pelz SS / RHP / Bartlett, IL / 2026Team 10 From 4/6/24: “Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 18 in the state. Started on the mound and struck out eight over four innings without allowing a walk. Listed at 6-foot, 169-pounds, the right-hander has an athletic build with some a strong lower-half, looking to still hold plenty of room for added strength. He attacked the zone with his fastball, cruising in the 83-85 mph while reaching back for 88-89 mph to put hitters away. He was confident in both his curveball and slider, dumping the curveball in for strikes around the mid-70s while using the slider to his glove-side to put hitters away also around the mid-70s. His final offering was a changeup around 74-75 mph, thrown with fastball intent and flashing diving action under the zone. Advanced feel to pitch for his age, comfortable throwing any pitch in any count, also was able to hold velocity throughout the entire outing. High-follow arm in the state.” |
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Jason Phillips 3B / RHP / Plano, IL / 2026Team 10 From 2/24/24: “...displayed some real power potential throughout his round of BP. The right-handed hitter has a simple, repeatable swing, working direct to the ball with a quick barrel through the zone, reaching up to 95.6 mph for his max EV with a max distance of 341’. He creates easy speed through the zone, averaging 23.1 mph for his hand-speed (T24 mph), 77 mph for his bat-speed (T83.1 mph) and 18.4 G’s of rotational acceleration (T22.1 G’s). On the infield, his hands are soft with a clean glove to hand, moving well for his size with some life in his arm (T81 mph). Phillips’ arm played even better on the mound where he ran his fastball up to 86 mph with a max IVB of 19.7”. He also showed feel to spin a 10/4-shaped slider that played with depth through the zone with over 2300 rpm on average.” |
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Chase Rhodes RHP / OF / Tremont, IL / 2026Team 10 From 5/15/24: “Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 160-pound wiry frame with room to add more. Threw two innings in relief, struck out two and walked one. Stretch-only delivery, high leg lift with coil, tall and fall delivery down the mound, works in-line with a short stride. Long, loose and clear arm path out of an over-the-top slot. Fastball sat 84-87 mph with carry through the zone, also mixed in a curveball at 67-70 mph with gradual 12/6 shape, and a change-up at 70-72 mph with slight fade to the arm-side. A name-to-know in the state’s 2026 class.” |
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Logan Fernandez OF / Mount Carmel, IL / 2026Team 11 From 2/24/24: “Fernandez, at 5-foot-10, 168-pounds, reached a max run speed of 20.4 mph en route to a 6.68 60-yard dash and also jumped 34.1” in the vertical with one of the day’s better RSI scores (2.73) as well. He was on the barrel often in BP, producing eight barrels at 90+ mph in BP with a max mark at 94.8 mph. Additionally, Fernandez had the highest composite Vizual Edge score (88.81) of the entire event.” |
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Kyle Ziebell SS / 2B / Harvest Christian Academy, IL / 2026Team 11 From 7/11/24: “...continues to look the part on both sides of the ball. Currently ranked No. 91 in the state, the 5-foot-11, 163-pound prospect started his day by cruising to a 7.00 in the 60. At the plate, the right-handed hitter displayed twitchy, quick hands that work direct to the ball with a slightly uphill path, staying balanced throughout his operation and through impact. Defensively, he moves well laterally to pair with soft hands and a strong arm (T85 mph).” |
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Owyn Edwards RHP / Oak Park-River Forest, IL / 2026Team 12 From 2/11/24: “...stands in a wiry and projectable 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame. A loose, stretch-only delivery with a clean and quick arm, Edwards has the upside to develop into a collegiate arm. His fastball sat 80-82 mph with arm-side run, and he mixed in a slider that sat 68-70 mph with 11/5 shape. Arguably his best pitch was his change-up, which sat 74-75 mph with an average of 16 inches of horizontal movement (17.3” max HM), showing feel to locate the pitch in and out of the lower half of the zone. With continued strength and development, Edwards will be an arm to watch moving forward.” |
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Kaeden Schatsiek 3B / RHP / Brimfield, IL / 2026Team 12 From 7/3/24: “Uncommitted. Gave a brief, upside look on Friday night, throwing two innings in relief. Ranked No. 99 in Illinois’ 2026 class, Schatsiek stands in a strong and athletic 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame. He showed clean actions on the mound with a loose, quick arm out of a ¾ slot, running his fastball up to 89 mph and sitting 85-88 mph with slight arm-side run. He threw a hard curveball at 77-80 mph with late, sharp bite, showing 11/5 shape and producing multiple swing-and-misses. Schatisek is a must-know uncommitted arm heading into his junior year.”
2024 Future Gamer |
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Brett Tucker SS / RHP / Lemont, IL / 2026Team 12 From 6/7/24: “Uncommitted. Ranked No. 58 in Illinois’ 2026 class. Stands in a projectable and athletic 6-foot-1 165.4-pound frame. Started at shortstop and batted sixth. Stood out defensively with steady hands and athletic actions to both sides, made a diving play to his back hand and recorded an out. At the plate it’s a simple right-handed swing with loose, athletic hands and a slightly uphill bat path. Barreled three balls in the game, finishing the day 2-for-4 with a triple, double, two RBI and one run scored. Tucker’s stellar play carried over into Saturday in the State Title game. Early in the game Crystal Lake Central was threatening to score the game’s first run, they hit a ball deep into the left-center gap forcing a relay from the Lemont defense; and from shallow left field, Tucker made a strong and on-the-money throw to home plate to cut down the runner trying to score. Tucker has a soccer background and it showed on the basepaths at points in the game where he forced some defensive miscues thanks to his speed and heady-baserunning. He is a must-know name in the state’s sophomore class moving forward.” |
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Niko Villacci OF / RHP / Oswego East, IL / 2026Team 12 From 6/21/24: “Villacci pitched from a loose, high ¾ arm slot that allowed his curveball in the low 60s to be deceptive. Fastball was 78-84 mph with carry through the zone and easy life out of the hand. Upside arm with clear arm-strength and some feel to pitch.” |
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Joe Kelly 3B / RHP / Loyola Academy, IL / 2026Team 13 From 2/24/24: “...threw his fastball at 84-86 mph while averaging 16 inches of horizontal movement on the pitch, the second-highest mark of the event. Off that, Kelly consistently landed a tight 3-74 mph slider for strikes at 2500+ RPM. To round out his arsenal, he effectively limited both spin and lift on a 75-78 mph changeup that averaged 15.2 inches of horizontal movement.” |
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Sean McNair LHP / LHP / Deerfield, IL / 2026Team 13 From 6/27/24: “...looked to be one of the top arms in attendance Tuesday. Compact 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame, is an athletic mover down the mound with intent throughout. The left-hander gets horizontal run to his fastball that ran up to 87 mph and sat 85-87 mph. Displayed some control of a tight 2/8 slider at 75-77 mph and splitter at 75-78 mph. Worked quick from the third-base side of the rubber, getting significant extension driving down the mound. He displayed a quick ¾ arm action with a full circle at the back.” |
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Cole Latimer OF / RHP / DeKalb, IL / 2026Team 14 From 8/8/23: “...is a name-to-know moving forward in the state. Physical, 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame with some maturity, still has room to add on strength. The right-handed hitter showed a knack for the barrel throughout BP, averaging 86.4 mph and reaching up to 95.7 mph for his max exit velocity (T358’). Athletic, quick hands at the plate, averaging 22.8 mph according to BLAST for his hand-speed (T24.3 mph) and 72.3 mph for his bat-speed (T78.8 mph). Showed to have no issues handling velocity, shooting a ball up the middle for a single on the first night of gameplay. Athletic defender with a quick first step, plays the game hard and fearlessly, tracking down a fly ball and diving into the fence, nearly making the catch but missing by inches. Reached up to 85 mph from a crow hop during workouts. Multi-sport, QB1 to watch as he continues to progress.” |
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Dominic Battista OF / SS / Oswego East, IL / 2026Team 15 From 4/20/24: “Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 23 in the state. Lean, athletic 5-foot-11, 157-pound frame. Started in centerfield and hit out of the leadoff spot. The left-handed hitter has a patient approach, quality zone awareness, drawing two walks on the day. Reached base with a bunt single, recording a 3.88 down the line. Aggressive on the basepaths, always looking to take the extra base, quality reads out of the hand with a quick first step. Rangy defender in the outfield, moves well to all angles, covers ground easily, takes charge and commands the outfield. High-follow 2026 prospect.” |
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Tyson Filyaw OF / RHP / O'Fallon, IL / 2026Team 15 From 7/3/24: “Uncommitted. Filyaw stands in an intriguing frame at 6-foot-1, 188-pounds with seemingly more still to come. In a three-inning complete game, he struck out nine, walked one and allowed one hit, earning the win on the mound. It’s a simple delivery that works in-line down the mound, and he pairs it with a clean arm action with acceleration out front, working out of a ¾ slot. His fastball sat 84-86 mph with arm-side run at times, and he showed feel to throw a low-70s curveball with 11/5 action. An uncommitted name-to-know heading into his junior year.” |
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Ian Campbell RHP / OF / Joliet Catholic, IL / 2026Team 16 From 2/24/24: “Saturday served as a breakout for RHP/OF Ian Campbell (Joliet Catholic, 2026), as the 6-foot-3, 220-pound sophomore showed high-end power on both sides of the ball. At the plate, Campbell juiced his firmest ball at 102.8 mph, with his two other loudest barrels coming off his bat at 97.2 and 100.5 mph, and his furthest ball traveled 354 feet to straight away center field. With that, Campbell’s Blast Motion swing metrics are hard to miss - his peak hand speed (28.4 mph), average hand speed (27 mph), peak bat speed (86.5 mph) and average bat speed (81.9 mph) were all event highs. Campbell topped at 90 mph from the outfield and his fastball sat 89-91 mph in his ‘pen.” |
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Josh Jones RHP / OF / Normal University, IL / 2026Team 16 From 7/2/24: “...came away as an arm to know in the state’s 2026 class following this event. Jones’ fastball touched 87 mph on his final bullet and the 5-foot-11, 170-pound right-hander sat at 82-86 mph in his ‘pen. He spun a 70-72 mph curveball with depth that he flashed feel to land for strikes and also consistently spotted a 75-77 mph changeup in the zone.” |
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Jake Matise RHP / 3B / Mt. Carmel - Chicago, IL / 2026Team 16 From 6/26/24: “Got the start Saturday morning and threw the ball well for Rawlings Tigers Chicago. Stands in at an athletic and bouncy 6-foot, 168-pound frame with more room to fill out. His delivery is easy and clean, with a loose, high ¾ arm slot to pair. Matise (Mt. Carmel, 2026) primarily featured an 82-84 mph (T85) fastball that he controlled to both sides of the plate, with the ability to miss barrels. His curveball worked in the 65-69 mph range and earned occasional whiffs, to help keep hitters off his fastball. He turned in a final line of: W, 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 2 BB, 9 K. Matise is an uncommitted name to continue to monitor in the state’s incoming-junior class.” |
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Rocco Szambelan LHP / OF / Joliet Catholic, IL / 2026Team 16 From 3/16/24: “Strong, well-proportioned 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with broad shoulders and clear lower half strength. Started on the mound for Joliet Catholic against No. 15 Triad. Athletic delivery, clean arm stroke that stays short on the backside and finishes out of a high ¾ window. Fastball touched 85 mph early, played in the low-80s with arm-side action, clean out the hand. Slight lateral action on a slider at 74-76 mph, developing feel for the zone. Turned over a changeup that flashed fade at 77-78 mph. Upside southpaw with three pitches to follow for one of the state’s top 3A programs.” |
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Alec Novotney SS / RHP / Marquette Academy, IL / 2026Team 18 From 5/31/24: “Athletic, compact 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame, ranked No. 45 overall in the Illinois’ 2026 class. Earned the start for the Crusaders in their state semi-final matchup against Routt Catholic, throwing five innings with six strikeouts, three runs and six hits allowed. Tempo’d, athletic mover, gets down the mound in rhythm and with intent. Keeps his direction to the plate, finishes onto a firm and stable lead leg with an in-line landing. Arm draws back into scap retraction out of his glove, travels on a short and compact path to finish out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball works clean out the hand, played straight at 83-85, touching 86 mph early in his outing. Spun two different breaking balls with above-average feel for both. Slider played at 74-78 mph with true lateral tilt, grabbed swing-and-miss in this look. Spun curveball in the low-70s, has more arch and depth than slider, flashed bite, feel for strikes. A soon-to-be junior arm to follow.” |
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Paddy Roth RHP / OF / St. Patrick, IL / 2026Team 20 From 4/20/24: “Uncommitted, currently the top arm in the state’s sophomore class ranked No. 3 in Illinois, and No. 105 nationally. A fluid and athletic mover at a high-waisted 6-foot-3, 195-pounds, the righty came out of the ‘pen for the final two innings and showed well. His arm works clean and quick from a low ¾ slot with acceleration out front. His fastball came out of the hand easy with some arm-side run to it at 84-87 mph (T88 multiple times). He worked in a late-breaking slider at 71-73 mph for swing and miss when he needed it, while mixing in a 78-80 mph changeup. The sophomore will be a high-follow name to continue to watch moving through his high school career. He turned in a final line of: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 K” |
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