On July 31, PBR will bring to you the summer’s premier scouting event: The Future Games. Taking place in its inaugural year at the state-of-the-art LakePoint sports complex in Emerson, GA, this four-day event will pit some of the country’s top 2021 and 2022 prospects against one another in front of hundreds of college and professional scouts.

On Wednesday, Team Illinois - along with every other represented state - will participate in a workout day that is broken down into each players’ specific positional group (60’s & evaluated BP/defense). This year, Team Illinois will take on all surrounding territories in Iowa/Minnesota on Thursday, Wisconsin on Friday and Indiana on Saturday. All further scheduling can be found here.

For now, lets take a dive into Team Illinois. 

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Team Illinois

Right-handed Arms

This Illinois roster is full of high-level talent, especially on the mound and will showcase some of the top uncommitted prospects in the 2021 & 2022 class. RHP Brennyn Cutts (Toledo-Cumberland) is the highest ranked uncommitted prospect in the IL ‘21 class and rightfully so. At the 2018 Future Games, Cutts ran his fastball up to 85 mph and more recently the 6-foot-3, 200-pound righty was up to 89 mph at our Underclass Trials in Early June with his usual swing-and-miss secondary offerings. 

Brennyn Cutts (6.5.19)

Two physical and imposing-framed right-handers will pair with Cutts in Jackson Lee (Effingham) and Aidan Krupp (Oak Park-River Forest) who both run their heaters into the mid-to-upper 80s. Two more right-handers - who are the lone 2022 arms on the roster are Owen Murphy (Riverside-Brookfield) and Alex Alberico (Providence Catholic). Both have quick arms and dynamic stuff. Murphy put together an impressive outing at the recent PBR Oklahoma Limited Series where he was up to 85 mph and matched it with a hard-biting slider. Alberico established himself as one of the top uncommitted power arms in the Midwest at the PBR Limited Series at Illinois State. Alberico came out of the bullpen at the event sitting 88-89 mph, touching 90.

Alex Alberico (7.12.19)

2021 RHP’s Drew Martin (Mt. Pulaski) and Tom Egan (Mt. Carmel) really know how to spin the breaking ball. Egans’ fastball should clock in a few ticks higher - recently running it up to 87 mph this past weekend at LakePoint -  but both possess sharp benders in their back pocket that should generate plenty of swings and misses. 

Southpaws

This staff will have no shortage of southpaws with pitchability in Reed Gannon (Minooka), Cylis Cox (Staunton), Eric Orloff (Glenbrook North) and Isaiah Thompson (Sacred Heart-Griffin). Gannon possesses a highly projectable frame at 6-foot-3, 170+-pounds, a clean, athletic arm action and was recently seen by our IL staff this summer sitting his fastball at 83-86 mph. Cox and Orloff were both at the Underclass Invitational this past February showing mid-80’s heaters with upside repertoires. Thompson will be the only two-way player rostered sporting a short stroke with strength at the plate and a low-80’s fastball paired with two distinct sharp biting breaking balls. 

Backstops

The two backstops that will be putting their fingers down for this staff are Ty Batusich (Joliet West) and Ben Hartl (Springfield). Batusich, the highest ranked uncommitted offensive player in the ‘21 class, wields a strong left-handed bat with a knack for the barrel and plays with confidence in his all-around game. Hartl is a hyper-competitive, tough-out type player who knows how to control the barrel through the zone. Both have clean actions out of the crouch with pop-times that hover near the 2-flat mark. 

Ty Batusich (2.17.19)

Outfielders

Outfielder Nicky Giamarusti (Notre Dame) has an athletic, strong 6-foot, 175-pound frame and plays the game fast, recently running a 6.46 60-yard-dash. He swings an aggressive bat with present bat speed looking to damage the ball to his pull side. Ryan Orput (Hinsdale Central) plays similar to Giamarusti only from the left side of the dish. Orput, who stands at 6-foot-4, 190-pounds,  has a plus run tool as well, 6.66 60-yard dash, with physicality in his game producing line drive contact while creating occasional pull-side leverage. Cameron Hill (Kenwood) has his arrow trending up as of late as the 6-foot-3, 198-pound seems to continue to add useable strength to his already impressive frame. Hill has rhythm in his hands with the ability to lift the ball to all fields and his long strides play well on both sides of the ball. Isaiah Thompson, listed above, will play in the outfield grass as well.

Cameron HIll (7.2.19)

Infielders

The crop of infielders features a mixed bag of athletes all possessing an above-average skillset or two. Andrew Jimenez (St. Charles North) burst onto the scene at last months Class of 2021 showcase running a 6.76 60-yard-dash with a 94 mph exit velocity. Gallien Coupet (Homewood-Flossmoor) and Jack Scheri (LaSalle Peru, 2022) are both sure-handed infielders that can defend up the middle and really run. Rounding out the group is a pair of left-handed bats in Sam Antonacci (Sacred Heart-Griffin) and George Korompilas (Glenbrook South) who both possess loose, quick hands with the ability to lift the baseball to both gaps. Korompilas is one of the more premier, uncommitted power bats in the 2021 class. 

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ILLINOIS ROSTER

NAME	STATE	SCHOOL	CLASS	POS
Alex Alberico	IL	Providence Catholic	2022	RHP
Sam Antonacci	IL	Sacred Heart-Griffin	2021	SS
Ty Batusich	IL	Joliet West	2021	C
Gallien Coupet	IL	Homewood-Flossmoor	2021	SS
Cylis Cox	IL	Staunton	2021	LHP
Brennyn Cutts	IL	Toledo-Cumberland	2021	RHP
Tom Egan	IL	Mt. Carmel	2021	RHP
Reed Gannon	IL	Minooka	2021	LHP
Nicky Giamarusti	IL	Notre Dame	2021	OF
Ben Hartl	IL	Springfield	2021	C
Cameron Hill	IL	Kenwood	2021	OF
Andrew Jimenez	IL	St. Charles North	2021	3B
George Korompilas	IL	Glenbrook South	2021	1B
Aidan Krupp	IL	Oak Park River Forest	2021	RHP
Jackson Lee	IL	Effingham	2021	RHP
Drew Martin	IL	Mt. Pulaski	2021	RHP
Owen Murphy	IL	Riverside-Brookfield	2022	RHP
Eric Orloff	IL	Glenbrook North	2021	LHP
Ryan Orput	IL	Hinsdale Central	2021	OF
Jack Scheri	IL	LaSalle Peru	2022	INF
Isaiah Thompson	IL	Sacred Heart-Griffin	2021	OF/LHP

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