On Monday, June 3rd, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff traveled to Mundelein High School to host the Slammers Scout Day, where 50 players from the Slammers program participated in a pro-style workout in front of our staff.

To see a full list of players that attended, click HERE. For all the statistics collected at this event, click HERE.

POSITION PLAYERS

+ C Quinn Schambow (Libertyville; Oklahoma State) is the top ranked catcher in the state and continued to show why. Defensively, he is highly-advanced with a strong arm behind the plate that is one of his biggest weapons. In-game he is ultra-aggressive throwing behind runners and shutting down the running game. On this day, he showed clean, athletic and highly repeatable actions out of the crouch. His arm was playing easy, with life and accuracy while topping at 83 mph from the crouch with his best pop time coming in at 1.92. Offensively, he has strong hands and elevates the baseball with authority to both gaps at times.

+ C Ryan Wilberding (2027) looks to be the next high-follow catcher coming out of Libertyville HS. The 6-foot, 190-pound right-handed hitter was a presence in the varsity lineup as a sophomore and it is easy to see why with the advanced bat speed he showed during BP. Wilberding has power potential from the right-side and he averaged an impressive 91.9 mph off the bat during BP with his furthest ball traveling 359’. He also showed actions and tools to stick behind the plate long term. He was a quality receiver during the bullpen setting and then topped at 78 mph with pop times ranging from 2.01-2.03 during the defensive workout. Name to know in the 2027 class.

+ 1B Cal Hanson (Grayslake Central) was one of the biggest winners from the event. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound, long-levered, projectable, left-handed hitter stood out offensively. He took consistent, intentful swings while leading the event in bat and hand speed; averaging 23 mph hand speed and 71.8 mph bat speed. It's a loose, athletic swing that features all kinds of upside and was all over the barrel throughout. He peaked at 98.1 mph off the bat and sent his furthest batted ball ‘322 despite working mostly line-drives to both gaps. Hanson also ran a 7.39 60 and was 80 mph across the infield from first base. Hanson is an uncommitted left-handed bat to know in the 2025 class.

+ SS Cole Lockwood (Libertyville) is another left-handed hitting infielder to note from the event. The 5-foot-10, 140-pound Valparaiso commit, ran a 6.98 60 and was all over the barrel with ease during his round of BP. It's a simple, quiet, highly repeatable swing with sneaky jump off the barrel and a mature, calm presence in the box. Defensively, he is natural on the infield, moving with ease and body control while showing a quick release and accurate arm at 75 mph across the infield.

+ 1B Axsel McKnight (Libertyville) is a 2027 left-handed bat to follow moving forward. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound physical rising sophomore has advanced hand and bat strength at the plate. When the swing syncs up there was all kinds of jump off the barrel to the pull-side, launching his furthest batted ball 325’ with more to come down the road.

+ C/3B Matthew Hara is another 2027 from Libertyville who deserves a mention from the event. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound, right-handed has an easy operation at the plate with loose hands, feel for the barrel and whole field approach.

+ SS Nick Szalony (Mundelein) showed well in an in-game look this spring and carried it over to the event. Listed at 5-foot-11, 147-pounds, Szalony has athleticism and upside throughout his game. Offensively, the right-handed hitter has a clean swing with quick hands, stayed on the barrel to all fields and flashed sneaky, easy pop at times. Defensively, he moves with ease and flow to his game on the infield. The glove is soft with a quick release and strong arm that flashed carry at 80 mph. 7.00 runner in the 60.

+ C Logan Young (Mundelein) put together a solid overall day. Offensively, the 6-foot-2, 180-pound, well-proportioned, right-handed hitter took a balanced, mature round of BP. He hits with simple, easy rhythm, direct hands and creates occasional leverage to the pull side. Defensively, he was a sound receiver during bullpens and was clean and repeatable out of the crouch with a receptive glove while topping at 75 mph from the crouch. Pop times ranged from 2.11-2.16.

+ C/3B Eddie Zuniga (Mundelein) was one of the top infield defenders on the day, while also showing well behind the plate. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound, athletically-built, versatile prospect, has soft, receptive hands that play equally as well behind the plate and on the infield. He is a fluid mover with athletic overall actions and a clean release on the infield. He topped at 82 mph across the infield, 78 mph from the crouch and registered a low pop time of 1.99.

+ Bode Rohrbach and Carson Holmes (2026’s), both right-handed hitters, are yet two more prospects roaming the Libertyville hallways that deserve a mention from the event. Rohrbach flashed well above-average bat speed and power to the pull-side, regaistering a peak exit velocity of 92.5 mph while his furthest batted ball traveled 353’; third-best of the event. Holmes had a simple approach and drove balls to both gaps.

+ 1B Connor Brockway (Vernon Hills, 2026) is a 6-foot-3, 200-pound, physical right-handed bat that put up noteworthy numbers and results during BP. Brockway generated relatively easy jump off the barrel with his long-levers, peaking at 95.2 mph off the bat (91.7 mph average) and launching his furthest batted ball 358’; second-best of the event.

+ Jack Burger (Lake Forest) and Winston Ericson (Loyola Academy) were two 2027 bats that warrant a follow moving forward.

PITCHERS

+ RHP Chase Lockwood (Libertyville, 2026) and LHP Nico Harper (Libertyville, 2026) are two arms from Libertyville that threw well and will be worth keeping tabs on entering the summer.

Lockwood has continued to trend upwards since we saw him at this same event last year. Currently ranked No. 32 in the state, Lockwood is a smooth and clean mover at a lean and trim 6-foot-2, 175-pounds. He pounded the zone (86% strikes) with his fastball throughout his ‘pen; sitting 80-82 mph (T83) with over 14” of run on average, with some occasional ride through the zone to pair (avg 15” IVB). He showed two different breaking balls in this look; with the 11/5-shaped curveball having the better feel for the zone at 68-69 mph, playing with depth through the zone, while his slider was harder at 72-74 mph with short, lateral action. Lockwood rounded out his arsenal with a heavy arm-side fading changeup (avg 21” HM) at 77-78 mph with occasional sink as well. The incoming junior will be a name to continue to follow this summer.

Harper is a loose and easy mover at a lean 5-foot-10, 155-pounds with some present muscle throughout the frame. Currently ranked No. 75 in the state, he continued to look the part as a top-100 player in the state with the upside he showed in his ‘pen. Harper has a very easy operation on the mound with minimal effort present from a low ¾ slot. He worked his fastball (avg. 2359 rpm) in the 83-85 mph range, playing with carry (avg. 16.3” IVB) and arm-side run (avg. -14.1” HM). His curveball played with a ton of sweep (avg. 23.3” HM) through the zone from a 1/7 shape at 63-65 mph. Harper would round out his arsenal with a 76-77 mph changeup that flashed out-pitch potential; playing with arm-side fade (avg. -13.6” HM) and sink (avg. 6.8” IVB) at the bottom of the zone.

+ LHP Baris Brua (Mundelein, 2025) and RHP Joey Kafka (Mundelein, 2025) are a pair of Mundelein arms to follow going into the summer circuit.

Brua is an imposing southpaw that stands in at 6-foot-5, 218-pounds. He showed feel to spin his fastball (avg. 2280 rpm) that played with heavy arm-side run (avg. -18.3” HM) and carry (avg. 15.9” IVB) through the zone at 84-85 mph. He had a feel for the zone with his slider at 76-78 mph, playing with short vertical action from a 2/8 shape. He rounded out his ‘pen with a 79-81 mph changeup thrown with fastball armspeed, playing with arm-side run (avg. -17” HM) and occasional sink (avg. 10.7” IVB).

Kafka is an athletic, high-waited 6-foot-1, 190-pound righty that showed feel to spin throughout his ‘pen. Currently ranked No. 163 in the state, Kafka displayed a four-pitch mix in this look. His fastball sat 84-85 mph (avg. 2349 rpm), and led the event in max velocity (85.7) and average horizontal movement (21.2”). His curveball sat 77-78 mph, playing from a tight 10/4 shape, and led the event in both max spin rate (2637 rpm) and average spin rate (2577 rpm). His 78 mph changeup played with arm-side fade (avg. 18.5” HM) and sink (avg. 3.9” IVB) to go as a potential tertiary offering moving forward. Kafka then rounded out his arsenal with a 79-82 mph cutter that showed short glove-side action with an average spin rate of 2489 rpm (T2563).

+ RHP Theo Kellogg (Libertyville, 2026) was another Libertyville product that showed well on the mound. Kellogg threw one of the event's hardest fastballs at 85.5 mph (avg. 2249 rpm), while showing carry (avg. 17.2" IVB) and arm-side run (15.4" HM). His changeup also played with arm-side action (avg. 17.4" HM) at 72-76 mph with sink (avg. 6.1" IVB) at the bottom of the zone. Kellogg would round out his mix with a 68-71 mph slider that flashed sharp action. 

+ RHP Tyler Koehlhoeffer (Libertyville, 2027) showed to be one of the better 2027 arms in attendance. He is a long-levered 6-foot-1, 150-pounds, that had the ability to sync up his levers and show some pitchability from the right side.

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