The Illinois Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the season. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the Illinois Scout Blog is loaded with information …

SATURDAY, APRIL 6TH

Bartlett vs. Conant 

By: Pete Hamot
Assistant Director, Illinois & Wisconsin

Brandon Pelz, RHP, Bartlett, 2026
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. 

Josh Colaizzi, OF/RHP, Bartlett, 2026
Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 68 in the state. Strong, compact frame, 5-foot-9, 185-pounds with round shoulders and a developed lower-half. Started in right field and hit out of the leadoff spot for the Hawks. The right-handed hitter has a calm, confident presence in the box, swings with clear intent to do damage with a flat path. He came out of the ‘pen to close the game out and attacked the zone with a fastball at 82-83 mph, attacking his glove-side confidently. To pair off the fastball he went to a sharp, 11/5 curveball in the low-70s for swing and miss. 

Dylan Tornero, DH, Bartlett, 2024
Uncommitted. Listed at 6-foot, 180-pounds, trim and athletic build. Impressed with three hits on the day for the Hawks, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. The left-handed hitter has a simple operation, coiling his back hip slightly with a medium/controlled load and creating slight separation in his hands before firing through the zone with a flat, direct path. Simple approach with quality bat-to-ball skills. 

Jake Parpet, C, Conant, 2024
Heartland CC commit. Currently ranked No. 133 in the state. Listed at 5-foot-9, 150-pounds, wiry, athletic frame. Started behind the plate and hit out of the leadoff spot. High-level defensive backstop, comfortable and natural actions, clean glove-to-hand that plays into a high release, creating backspin and carry through his target, reaching as low as 1.94 for his pop-time during IO. Works to present the ball around the zone, strong hands work down-to-up to steal strikes at the bottom. The right-handed hitter has a confident presence in the box, loose hands that work into a flat path, fluid pre-pitch rhythm with a medium leg-kick timing trigger. Follow backstop in the state with high in-game IQ. 

Cooper Hanson, SS, Conant, 2024
Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 253 in the state. Athletically built, 6-foot, 175-pound frame, still has room to add on strength. Started at shortstop and hit out of the two-hole for the Cougars. Initially impressed in IO with natural, athletic actions up the middle, controls his body well to both sides of his glove, comfortable on the move, soft hands. The left-handed hitter has a hitterish look in the box, boasting strong, quick hands while working to stay short to the ball. Uncommitted senior to know in the state. 

Matthew Maize, OF, Conant, 2024
Strong, upside frame with a high waist, listed at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds. The left-handed hitter hit out of the four hole for the Cougars and recorded two hits on the day, including a ringing double and two runs scored. At the plate, he has quick, strong hands that work through the zone with a flat path; confident look with a simple load that allows him to be on-time, showed the ability to cover the plate by taking a pitch on the outer-half over the second-baseman for a double. 

Connor Kehoe, RHP, Conant, 2025
Uncommitted. Listed at 5-foot-9, 142-pounds, still has plenty of room to add on strength. Came out of the ‘pen for the Cougars and threw it extremely well over 5.1 innings, scattering just four hits with one earned run, two walks and two strikeouts. The right-hander has a deceptive, high leg-kick that works with some pace, tall/fall lower-half, creates some angle on his fastball with an over the top slot. He cruised with his fastball in the 80-81 mph range throughout most of his outing, attacking the upper quadrant of the zone and also setting up a sharp, downer 12/6 curveball at 69-73 mph for swing and miss. He also flashed a slider at 74 mph with sharp 10/4 action.