Preseason ProCase: Preview

On Wednesday, Jan. 31, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff will head to Rhino Sports Academy in Shorewood, Ill., to kick start our winter showcase season with the Preseason ProCase. This invite-only event features some of the top-end talent in the state’s senior class as they’ll participate in a pro-style workout while gathering measurables via our state-of-the-art tech partners.

ILLINOIS 

SS Jimmy Anderson (Joliet West; Heartland CC) is coming off an impressive summer circuit heading into his senior season. The Heartland signee was one of the better overall prospects at the Illinois State Games this past August where he showed fluidity and athleticism up the middle defensively. A 6.84 runner in the 60 at an athletic 6-foot, 180-pounds, Anderson has the range to stick up the middle on the infield. He has shown to be accurate with the baseball as well from various slots with his best bullet clocking in at 87 mph across the diamond. The right-handed hitter has some of the quicker hands at the plate (avg 22.1 mph) with a direct and controlled swing that leads to consistent line-drive contact, creating exit velocities in the mid-90s.

Arizona signee RHP Ryan Anderson (Minooka) will be one of bigger-bodied prospects in attendance, standing in at 6-foot-6, 214-pounds. With his easy and low effort delivery downhill, Anderson can dial his fastball up to 90 mph with 2300+ rpm of spin, with potentially more left in the tank there. His slider is sharp at 2300+ rpm as well, sitting in the mid-70’s leading to missed barrels. Anderson rounds out his repertoire with a low 80’s changeup that shows arm-side diving action to make for a strong third offering. With his repeatable delivery and advanced pitchability, Anderson should make for a fun watch on Wednesday.

Currently ranked No. 34 in the state, SS David Cox (Nazareth; Illinois-Chicago) is a presently strong 6-foot-4, 210-pound infielder that will be in attendance on Wednesday. Cox has a hitterish look about him in the right side of the box, where he showcases an aggressive swing that has some advanced strength with exit velocities up to 99 mph. The strong-armed defender (T92 mph) has shown soft and confident hands to pair, which should allow him to stick on the left side of the infield. Don’t be surprised if the 2022 Future Games alum continues to put up loud numbers on Wednesday.

Few in the state do a better job of filling out a uniform than OF Savion Flowers (Kenwood; Eastern Kentucky), coming in at 6-foot-5, 200-pounds with lean strength and muscle throughout, still holding room for added physicality in the future. He brings one of the more impressive sets of tools to the ProCase, starting with his raw power. The left-handed hitter creates easy juice from his large frame, reaching as high as 99 mph for his max EV with a max distance of 360’. Despite his size, Flowers is still a well above-average runner, cruising to a 6.69 in the 60 with long/athletic strides, helping him cover easy ground in the outfield as well as take extra bases whenever he has the chance. He’s an athletic defender both in the outfield and at first base, and his arm from the outfield (T94 mph) is yet another eye-opening tool he possesses. 

OF Nate George (Minooka; Eastern Illinois) heads into the event as the No. 10 ranked player in the state and he has arguably the loudest all-around set of tools on the roster. He has plenty of present strength in his 6-foot, 200-pound frame, and there's still room for growth as he continues to mature. The right-handed hitter has a considerable amount of raw power, creating exit velocities as high as 104 mph in previous events. His BLAST metrics are also extremely impressive, averaging 24 mph for his hand speed, 85 mph for his bat speed, and 25.8 g for his rotational acceleration. George has a unique power/speed combination, as he has also recorded a 60-time as low as 6.39 seconds which has proven to impact games both on the offensive side as well as defensively. His arm is certainly nothing to scoff at either, reaching up to 94 mph from a crow hop. 

RHP Aidan Hayse (Joliet Catholic; Tennessee) will be an exciting arm in attendance. Listed at an athletic 6-foot-3, 193-pounds, Hayse has a lean and projectable build that should continue to trend up in the future. He has highly athletic, yet repeatable mechanics that pairs with above-average arm-speed, creating a fastball that can reach up to 94 mph and work to both sides of the plate. His secondaries also create intrigue, starting with his slider that works around 80 mph and spins between 2400-2500 rpm on average, playing with sharp bite and tilt through the zone. He also shows plenty of upside in his changeup, thrown with deceptive arm-speed in the mid-80s with over 20” of run at times. Hayse is certainly a high-ceiling arm that has a chance to make a big statement on Wednesday. 

One of the best runners in the entire state, OF Jalen House (Downers Grove South; Northern Illinois) will look to impress in front of pro scouts this coming week. Listed at 6-foot, 175-pounds, House has an athletic, lean build with a high waist and more room to add on strength. As previously mentioned, House is a high-level runner at 6.37 in the 60, and his speed can impact the game in numerous ways, whether it be tracking down fly balls in the outfield or causing headaches for opposing teams on the basepaths. He’s a left-handed hitter, which makes his speed play up even more, and he tries to keep the ball on a line to help keep his legs in play when he makes contact. 

3B James Love (Joliet West; Eastern Illinois) started 2023 with a big showing at the Aurora Preseason ID, and he continued to show well throughout the high school season and summer tournament circuit. Standing in a strong and athletic stature at 6-foot-1, 205-pounds, Love has continued to add strength over the last two years. His strength was shown during his round of BP at last year’s event, posting a 102.9 mph max exit velocity and a 94 mph average exit velocity (up nearly 10 mph since 2021). He’s a polished defender with a strong arm that’s been up to 88 mph, and he looks like he has the current makeup to stick on the left side of the infield moving forward.

Likely to impress during bp on Wednesday is Minnesota signee, SS Jameson Martin (St. Laurence). At a well-proportioned 5-foot-11, 190-pounds with strength, Martin has shown well numerous times in front of our staff, checking in at No. 36 in our state rankings. The right-handed hitter has advanced bat-to-ball skills while posting max EV’s of 95 mph. Defensively, Martin plays with fluid hands and footwork to go with a quick arm that has topped out at 84 mph in the past making him a reliable defender up the middle. 

OF/LHP Brayden Mazzacano (Schaumburg; Illinois) is one of the premier two-way talents in the state. Currently ranked No. 7 in Illinois, Mazzacano is equipped with a fastball that can work up to 90 mph, and he can dissect opposing hitters with his wide variety of off-speeds; going to both a curveball and a slider, as well as a changeup and a splitter. On the other side of the ball, Mazzacano is an athletic defender in center field, covering ground easily with accurate reads off the bat, also reaching up to 90 mph from a crow hop. The left-handed hitter has routinely hit in front of our staff, and he can reach as high as 98.3 mph for his max EV while also reaching as high as 80.6 mph for his max bat-speed. Also a 6.82 runner in the 60, Mazzacano is a well-rounded prospect that should attract some pro attention for a number of reasons. 

Northern Illinois signee, RHP Jack Olson (Antioch) continues to add strength to his now 6-foot-3, 212-pound frame. A simple and athletic delivery on the mound, Olson’s fastball sits 88-90 mph with ease, topping out at 91.3 mph in our looks. Spinning both a slider and a curveball, Olson’s curveball sits in the low-70s with an average of -13.1 inches of horizontal movement, and his slider sits 72-74 mph with an average of 2,259 RPM. He rounds out his four-pitch mix with a mid-70s changeup that has an average of 15.7 inches of horizontal movement. 

MIF Kenny Perez (De La Salle) is heading into the ProCase off a recent commitment to Western Illinois in November. Ranked No. 17 in state, Perez is one of the best defenders in Illinois’ 2024 class, showing the ability to stick on the infield long term. He has an advanced arm, posting 88 mph across the diamond at the Illinois State Games last August. Using a wood bat at the State Games, Perez showed above-average power (T95.9 mph) with his rhythmic right-handed swing, sending balls up the middle and to his pull-side. At 5-foot-10, 185-pounds with athleticism and strength, the 7.02 runner should garner some attention moving forward.

SS Jude Warwick (Downers Grove North; Michigan State) comes in as the No. 30 ranked prospect in the state, and he has some of the highest upside in Illinois as well. Listed at 6-foot-1, 160-pounds, Warwick has all sorts of room to add on strength in the coming years with plenty of present athletic ability. The left-handed hitter has shown quality bat-to-ball skills in numerous looks, staying balanced throughout his operation and using the whole field with sneaky power to his pull-side at times, which will only trend upwards with added physicality. He patrols the infield with confidence, moving well to both sides of his glove while covering easy ground, pairing with soft/quick hands and a clean transfer. Also a 6.64 runner in the 60, Warwick has a lot to like about him, and he should only continue to get better in the coming years. 

RHP Luke Weber (Highland Park; Illinois) was a former member of Team Illinois at the Future Games in 2022, and he’s continued to solidify himself as one of the state’s top pitching prospects. Athletically built with seemingly more strength to come, Weber stands at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds. He has a controlled and athletic delivery with a quick arm out of a low ¾ slot. Weber’s fastball sits 89-90 mph and has been up to 91.2 mph with a max of 19.1 inches of horizontal movement. His change-up is arguably his best off-speed offering with an average of 20.1 inches of horizontal movement. He also throws a firm slider that sits in the mid-70s.

C Blaine Williams (Tremont, 2025; Illinois) is the lone junior headed to this year’s Preseason ProCase. He stands in a hard-to-miss frame at 6-foot, 195-pounds with plenty of strength throughout. The Central Illinois native has one of the strongest arms in the state, regardless of class, with his best bullet being recorded at 85 mph on throws down to second while popping a 1.91 from the chute. At the plate, he’s direct to the ball and makes contact with authority, averaging 88.4 mph off the bat during BP last winter. We’ve also seen his fastball up to 89.3 mph with reports of his velocity being higher since we last saw him on the mound.

WISCONSIN 

Arguably one of the biggest power threats in the Badger State, OF Jackson Brewer (Homestead; Columbia) is making the trip down to Illinois on Wednesday. It is hard to miss Brewer, as he is listed at a strong and athletic 6-foot-3, 220-pounds. Despite his large stature, he is an exceptional athlete, as he has marked 60-yard dash times as low as 6.75 before which is something that he uses in the outfield, too, a position he is still familiarizing himself with. Offensively, Brewer creates easy juice with his left-handed bat and he has reached exit velocities of 99.1 mph in our looks and has also averaged 90.7 mph, too. His offensive abilities impress even more in game as he has arguably been one of the most consistent performers in front of our staff for some time now and he has now catapulted himself into some MLB Draft consideration because of it.

Long regarded as one of the state’s top prospects, 3B Brock Lulewicz (Muskego; Wichita State) is the second Wisconsin prospect to know heading into Wednesday’s Procase. Listed at an athletic 6-foot-1, 205-pounds, Lulewicz swings a smooth left-handed bat that he has continued to add more and more pop to in our most recent looks. His innate bat-to-ball and advanced approach are also impressive, as you rarely see him get fooled during his at-bats. Defensively, he is a clean and athletic mover on the left-side of the infield with enough arm strength to stick there long term. While he is an advanced prospect due to his abilities, he is also a confident and competitive gamer in between the lines, something that should not get overlooked when talking about him.

Itinerary 

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

+ Check-in Times:

• All Position Players: 5:45 pm

• Pitcher's Only: 7:00 pm

*Times subject to change

Related Content