Chicago Preseason I.D.: Statistical Analysis
February 26, 2020
On Sunday, the PBR Illinois team hosted its second annual Chicago Preseason I.D. showcase at Pullman Community Center where over 70 prospects participated in this open event. On Tuesday, we published rapid analysis coming out of the three events from last weekend, including Chicago’s. Today, we’re detailing the top statistical performers from Chicago’s event specifically.
Keep an eye out in the next few weeks as we edit and post videos in player profiles and publish position-by-position analysis from this event. For now, take a look at the measured data collected in Chicago.
MAX FASTBALL VELOCIty
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Max FB |
1 | Nick Walczak | IL | Maine South | 2021 | RHP | 85 mph |
2 | Sava Dupor | IL | Glenbrook South | 2021 | RHP | 84 mph |
3 | Wilken Benjamin III | IL | Mundelein | 2021 | OF | 83 mph |
^ | Marty Boyle | IL | St. Ignatius | 2021 | LHP | 83 mph |
4 | Asa Waites | IL | Morgan Park | 2021 | SS | 82 mph |
^ | Patrick Ford | IL | Rolling Meadows | 2022 | RHP | 82 mph |
5 | Drew Horne | IL | Fenwick | 2022 | RHP | 81 mph |
^ | Will Hayes | IL | New Trier | 2022 | RHP | 81 mph |
^ | Ryan Koehler | IL | Barrington | 2021 | 2B | 81 mph |
^ | Vince Waterman | IL | Homewood-Flossmoor | 2023 | LHP | 81 mph |
Juniors paced this leaderboard, with Maine South’s RHP Nick Walczak sitting at the top, at 85 mph. His upside frame and tight slider made him one of the day’s biggest winners, and he’s still uncommitted. Five-foot-10, 175-pound righty Sava Dupor (Glenbrook South) sat 82-83 mph, and touched 84, with some feel for his offspeed, too. Mundelein two-way junior Wilken Benjamin III has a highly projectable 6-foot-4, 175-pound frame with a loose arm that topped 83 mph on Sunday. From Rolling Meadows, RHP Patrick Forde led the sophomores who took the mound by topping 82, though fellow 2022s Will Hayes (New Trier) and Drew Horne (Fenwick) were right behind him.
TOP 60-YARD DASH
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | 60-yard |
1 | Brandon Rogers | IL | Mount Carmel | 2022 | OF | 6.65 |
2 | Kamrin Cox | IL | Homewood-Flossmoor | 2023 | RHP | 6.86 |
3 | Giacomo Fanizza | IL | Lake Park | 2021 | 3B | 6.98 |
4 | Sam Petersen | IL | Lane Tech | 2021 | OF | 7.00 |
5 | Julius White | IL | Warren Township | 2021 | OF | 7.04 |
6 | Cristian Santiago | IL | Mundelein | 2021 | C | 7.13 |
7 | Jatonne Sterling Jr. | IL | Morgan Park | 2021 | C | 7.16 |
^ | Peyton Burgh | IL | Prospect | 2022 | 3B | 7.16 |
^ | Sam Gossard | IL | New Trier | 2022 | OF | 7.16 |
8 | Anthony Sykes | IL | Bradley Bourbonnais | 2021 | OF | 7.18 |
Brother Rice’s Brandon Rogers is among the best uncommitted sophomores in the state, and he was all over this event’s leaderboards. He ran a 6.65 in the 60, which easily led this group, and you’ll see for yourself where else he shined on Saturday. Freshman Kamrin Cox (Homewood-Flossmoor) motored to a 6.83 mark, an advanced time for his age. Lake Park junior Giacomo Fanizza (uncommitted) is a physical right/right prospect who burst onto leaderboards all over this showcase.
TOP EXIT VELOCITY
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Exit Velo |
1 | Giacomo Fanizza | IL | Lake Park | 2021 | 3B | 95 |
2 | Will Meyer | IL | Maine South | 2021 | OF | 94 |
3 | Benji Ries | IL | Stevenson | 2021 | C | 92 |
^ | Brandon Rogers | IL | Mount Carmel | 2022 | OF | 92 |
4 | Darryl Loyd III | IL | Morgan Park | 2021 | 1B | 91 |
^ | AJ Gaca | IL | St. Charles East | 2022 | C | 91 |
5 | Harrison Kennicott | IL | Barrington | 2021 | 1B | 90 |
^ | Julius White | IL | Warren Township | 2021 | OF | 90 |
Like here… Fanizza’s 95 mph high off the tee led the way. He applied it to his round of batting practice, too, where he took aggressive, fast hacks on the barrel. Maine South OF William Meyer (2021; uncommitted) had a strong statistical day and was just one tick off Fanizza in this category. Rogers’ bat strength reared itself here, at 92 mph, tied with junior Beni Ries (Stevenson; uncommitted).
TOP INFIELD VELOCITY
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | INF Velo |
1 | Giacomo Fanizza | IL | Lake Park | 2021 | 3B | 83 |
2 | Ryan Koehler | IL | Barrington | 2021 | 2B | 82 |
^ | Alexander Gonzalo | IL | Maine South | 2021 | SS | 82 |
3 | Darryl Loyd III | IL | Morgan Park | 2021 | 1B | 80 |
^ | Peyton Burgh | IL | Prospect | 2022 | 3B | 80 |
4 | Iyari Hill | IL | Simeon | 2021 | 1B | 79 |
^ | Will Hayes | IL | New Trier | 2022 | RHP | 79 |
Here’s the third straight chart in which Fanizza is on top of, showing his overall physicality plays on defense, too. Another Maine South prospect landed near the top of a chart, too, after Alexander Gonzalo (2021; uncommitted) topped 82 mph from across the infield, tied for second with Ryan Koehler (Barrington, 2021; uncommitted).
TOP OUTFIELD VELOCITY
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | OF Velo |
1 | Brandon Rogers | IL | Mount Carmel | 2022 | OF | 89 |
2 | Sam Petersen | IL | Lane Tech | 2021 | OF | 88 |
3 | Will Meyer | IL | Maine South | 2021 | OF | 87 |
4 | Marty Boyle | IL | St. Ignatius | 2021 | LHP | 85 |
5 | Kamil Joshi | IL | Maine South | 2021 | OF | 84 |
6 | Kamrin Cox | IL | Homewood-Flossmoor | 2023 | RHP | 83 |
^ | Julius White | IL | Warren Township | 2021 | OF | 83 |
7 | Jatonne Sterling Jr. | IL | Morgan Park | 2021 | C | 82 |
Rogers, again, stands out in a big way with some huge arm strength for a sophomore, reaching an 89 mph high on his throws home. Right behind him was Lane Tech’s Sam Peterson (2021; uncommitted), who came in second with an 88 mph high. This is also another area in which Maine South’s Meyer stood out, topping 87 mph throws home.
TOP CATCHER VELOCITY
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | C Velo |
1 | Aaron Barrera | IL | Lakeview | 2021 | C | 76 |
2 | Cristian Santiago | IL | Mundelein | 2021 | C | 75 |
3 | Colin Horneman | IL | Mount Carmel | 2022 | C | 74 |
^ | Benji Ries | IL | Stevenson | 2021 | C | 74 |
4 | AJ Gaca | IL | St. Charles East | 2022 | C | 73 |
^ | Aydin Wright | IL | Thornwood | 2022 | C | 73 |
^ | Jorge Garcia | IL | Chicago Bulls College Prep | 2021 | C | 73 |
Lakeview junior Aaron Barrera (uncommitted) led a deep, talented group of backstops with a 76 mph high through the infield. He’s quick and clean out of the crouch with an aggressive lefty bat, too. Mundelein’s Cristian Santiago (2021; uncommitted) was the best runner inside this group (7.13) and he also swings a quiet bat with good athleticism behind the plate that works well with his arm strength. A couple more catchers were tied with a 74 mph high, including sophomore Colin Horneman (Mount Carmel; uncommitted), who also swings a simple right-handed, upside bat.
TOP POP TIMES
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | Pop Time |
1 | Aaron Barrera | IL | Lakeview | 2021 | C | 2.05-2.18 |
2 | Kyree Alexander | IL | Thornwood | 2022 | C | 2.06-2.20 |
3 | Colin Horneman | IL | Mount Carmel | 2022 | C | 2.07-2.25 |
4 | AJ Gaca | IL | St. Charles East | 2022 | C | 2.08-2.28 |
5 | Colin Leslie | IL | Chicago Lab | 2022 | C | 2.11-2.15 |
6 | Jorge Garcia | IL | Chicago Bulls College Prep | 2021 | C | 2.12-2.18 |
7 | Benji Ries | IL | Stevenson | 2021 | C | 2.13-2.26 |
8 | Matt Dworsky | IL | Deerfield | 2022 | C | 2.15-2.29 |
Barrera’s natural backstop actions and instincts helped him average the lowest pop time of the showcase. Kyree Alexander (Thornwood, 2022; uncommitted) was among the most interesting athletes in attendance, and he has quickness and twitch attached to his entire game, including his actions out of the chute. Fellow sophomores Horneman and A.J. Gaca (St. Charles East; uncommitted) were also neck and neck, next up on the leaderboard. Gaca also swings a physical right-handed bat with aggressive intentions.
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