Illinois Summer Championships: Preview

July 11, 2024
By: Illinois Staff

The Illinois Summer Championships is a strict invite-only series of events set to take place at the Rantoul Family Sports Complex and surrounding fields. The tournament is set to host 26 in the 15u division and 20 teams in the 17u division, with a majority of the teams coming from Illinois, and a select few from Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, and Wisconsin.

To view each team's roster, click here.
To view the tournament schedule, click here.
Find full tournament coverage on @pbrtscouting.

Read up on some of the top prospects headed to Rantoul, below:

State (IL) Rank: No. 45

+ Alec Novotney, SS/RHP (Marquette Academy HS, IL, 2026):

Travel Team: Chicago Elite Royal

“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.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 60

+ Mason Orton, LHP/OF (Mahomet-Seymour HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Rawlings Tigers HOI

“Orton has taken over as the ace of the staff and looks to be one of the top left-handed pitchers still on the market in the 2025 class. We had Orton up to 88 mph this winter in a bullpen but reports have had him touching 90 at points this spring. Left-hander to know in the state”

State (IL) Rank: No. 64

+ Josh Fleming, SS/OF (York HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: White Sox Elite 17U Black

“Uncommitted. The No. 41 ranked player in the state turned in a strong day at the plate on Monday collecting two hits off of a high-level arm in the same class. The right-handed hitter has a simple, hitterish setup in the box standing in at a presently strong 6-foot-1, 185-pounds. He uses a leg kick trigger for timing to go with a flat swing path that works direct to the ball. Fleming also impressed with his aggressiveness at the plate, attacking fastballs early in counts. The three-hole hitter for the Dukes is a name to continue to follow in the state’s 2025 class.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 83

+ Eli Craft, C/2B (Monticello HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Rawlings Tigers HOI

“...has continued to really impress our staff this summer after seeing brief looks this spring. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed hitter may have some of the best catch and receive traits in the state’s 2025 class. Athletic and agile, Craft moves well behind the dish and has a high motor with leadership traits. He has an aggressive swing that remains in control with uphill tendencies, and as he continues to add strength, his power tool will naturally tick up. During gameplay, Craft turned around on an 86 mph fastball and sent it down the left field line for a single.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 95

+ Cannon Madej, LHP/1B (Lemont HS, IL, 2026):

Travel Team: Chicago Elite Royal

“Uncommitted. Most notably know for his ability on the mound but stood out at the plate in this look. Frame has ticked up since last spring; filling out the uniform at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds (listed at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds last spring). Offensively, left-handed hitter, went 2-for-3 on the day with two RBI. Lined a two-run single just off the shortstops outstretched glove in his first at-bat and followed it up with a single to left in his next at-bat. Easy, quiet swing, stays within and inside the baseball with a line-drive, whole-field approach. Sophomore to know in the state.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 118

+ Gavin Bailey, OF/2B (Mahomet-Seymour HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Yard Goat Baseball

“Uncommitted. Bailey had an impressive week at the plate going 10-for-19 with three home runs, one double, 13 RBIs, seven runs scored and four stolen bases. His most impressive game of the week came in their 4-3 win over Effingham. He hit a grandslam in the top of the seventh, and he finished the day 2-for-3 with a grandslam, four RBIs, one run scored and a walk. In their 9-0 win over Charleston, Bailey went 2-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs, two runs scored and a walk, and he added another home run in their 11-1 win over Charleston, finishing the game 1-for-3 with a home run, four RBIs, two runs scored and a walk. Bailey is hitting .476 on the season.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 128

+ Luke Gallet, 1B/RHP (Dwight HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Braidwood Barracudas

“Uncommitted. 6-foot-4, 215.2-pound frame with athleticism and strength throughout. Started on the mound for the Trojans and threw a complete game, struck out six, walked two, allowed one earned run and six hits. Clean and uptempo delivery on the mound, minimal effort, repeats. Loose, easy arm out of a ¾ slot. Continuing to improve as a pitcher, showed confidence and the ability to attack hitters. Likely has more in the tank as he touched 87 mph with his fastball twice, but sat mostly 82-85 mph through the first few innings. Mixed in a curveball that sat 68-70 mph with 11/5 shape. An uncommitted arm-to-know moving forward.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 159

+ Russell Oros, OF/ (Downers Grove North HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Longshots Baseball 25s

“...is another outfielder who has made big gains since our last look in 2022. He has grown an inch and gained 10 pounds since last August and has seen his average bat speed tick up five mph. He was on time and on the barrel throughout his round and the ball was jumping off the barrel at times; he registered a peak exit velocity of 94 mph which is up nine mph from last August. Uncommitted 2025 right-handed hitter trending in the right direction.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 195

+ Matthew Swartz, OF/LHP (Monticello HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Yard Goat Baseball

“Uncommitted. Listed at 5-foot-11, 170-pounds with athleticism in the frame. Started in left field and batted second for the Sages. Showed well in IO, moving well around the outfield with an accurate arm that plays with above-average arm strength. Didn’t record a hit in the game but impressed in his first at bat, barreling a 92 mph fastball to the right fielder for a line-out. An uncommitted junior that continues to impress our staff in the few looks that we have had.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 196

+ Daniel Kane, RHP/1B (Oak Park-River Forest HS, IL, 2025):

Travel Team: Longshots Baseball 25s

“...stands in a long-limed frame at 6-foot-5, 210-pounds with seemingly more to come. He threw both a four-seam fastball and a sinker, with his fastball sitting 87-89 mph, topping out at 89.6 mph with clear ride through the zone, and his sinker sat 86-88 mph with slight arm-side run. Kane also threw an upper-70s slider with an average of -14 inches of horizontal movement and minimal IVB. An uncommitted arm to follow this spring.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 22

+ Chase Reinhart, LHP/OF (Normal West HS, IL, 2027):

Travel Team: Rhino K's 15u Knox

“Ranked No. 21 in Illinois’ freshman class. Stands in an athletic frame with more to come at 6-foot, 175-pounds. Didn’t get the results he wanted, but tallied six strikeouts in five innings of work while only walking one. Reinhart is an athletic mover on the mound with a clean, compact arm path that’s quick out front. Fastball sat 81-83 mph with arm-side run at times, and he mixed in a curveball at 71-72 mph with 1/7 shape. Slowed down the curveball at times to throw it for strikes, but played most effectively when he threw it hard, creating sharp, late action. A name-to-know in the freshman class.”

State (IL) Rank: No. 30

+ Cameron Delahoussaye, RHP/1B (Waubonsie Valley HS, IL, 2027):

Travel Team: Rhino 15u Roberts

“...emerged as a name to know in the state’s incoming-sophomore class. Presenting an imposing frame at 6-foot-2, 203-pounds with a visibly strong lower-half, Delahoussaye had a strong all-around showing. Starting at the plate, the right-handed hitter had hard elevated contact to the pull-side throughout his round with a max exit velocity of 98.1 mph (third-highest for the event) with an average bat speed of 77.4 mph (second-highest for the event). He then led the event in highest infield velocity at 87 mph across the diamond from first base with comfortable actions around the bag to pair. He then hopped on the bump and ran his fastball up to 86.3 mph with an average spin rate of 2508 rpm (an event high). His best offspeed pitch during his ‘pen was a 67-68 mph splitter with downer action at the bottom of the zone. Delahoussaye is now ranked No. 30 in the state, and will be one to watch throughout the summer circuit.”

State (IN) Rank: No. 120

+ Brayden Walls, C/OF (Lake Central HS, IN, 2027):

Travel Team: 5 Star Great Lakes 2027 Howard

“5-foot-9, 130 pound left-handed hitting catcher. Offensively, hits from a slightly open setup with a high hand set and high back elbow. Big load with a drop in the hands. Toe-tap timing trigger. Balanced finish. Shows some bat speed through the zone. Level swing path, pull-side approach (76.4 Max Exit Speed). Defensively registered pop times of 2.33-2.41 with throws topping out at 68 mph. Open setup, solid hands. Arm action and exchange are a bit long, if he shortens up should see a significant improvement in his pop times. ”