Preseason All-State, Underclass: Positional Data Dive
March 7, 2023
On Feb. 25, the PBR Illinois staff hosted the Preseason All-State: Underclass showcase at The MAX in McCook, Ill., featuring many of the state’s top players inside both the 2025 and 2026 classes. This event helped our staff gain a clearer picture of the on-the-rise underclassmen in Illinois, and we’ll begin to break down the excellent thoroughly today and throughout the week. Inside today’s Quick Hits post, we’re highlighting the best of the best – the talent that exited the event as with arrows pointed way up headed into the spring.
Last week, we took a closer look at some of the immediate standouts who caught our attention with our Quick Hits. Yesterday, we published our statistical analysis, where we broke down the stat leaders from the more traditional categories. Today, we will take a further in-depth look at the top positional players with the help of our tech partnerships, broken down by the categories down below:
SYNCRO ATHLETIC TESTING
60-YARD DASH
Rank | Name | State | School | Class | Pos | 60-yard |
1 | Logan Fernandez | IL | Mt. Carmel | 2026 | OF | 6.78 |
2 | Connor Lund | IL | South Elgin | 2025 | OF | 6.82 |
3 | Trey Meyers | IL | New Trier Township High School Winnetka | 2025 | OF | 6.83 |
4 | Karlos Otero | IL | Romeoville | 2025 | SS | 6.85 |
5 | Blaine Williams | IL | Tremont | 2025 | C | 6.91 |
6 | John McAuliffe | IL | Marist | 2025 | OF | 6.92 |
7 | Ethan Bass | IL | Glenbrook North | 2026 | SS | 6.96 |
^ | Nolan Ramoley | IL | Brother Rice | 2026 | OF | 6.96 |
^ | Gavin Powels | IL | Downers Grove South | 2025 | OF | 6.96 |
8 | Patrick Connors | IL | Hinsdale Central | 2026 | OF | 7.00 |
^ | Logan Wroughton | IL | Mt. Carmel - Chicago | 2026 | SS | 7.00 |
^ | Gavin Michaels | IL | Normal Community | 2026 | SS | 7.00 |
9 | Zach Rubin | IL | Antioch | 2026 | SS | 7.01 |
10 | Frank Costabile | IL | Stevenson | 2026 | OF | 7.02 |
10-YARD SPLIT
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
10-yd
1
Cole Lockwood
IL
Libertyville
2025
SS
1.64 s
^
John McAuliffe
IL
Marist
2025
OF
1.64 s
2
Trey Meyers
IL
New Trier Township High School Winnetka
2025
OF
1.66 s
^
Gavin Powels
IL
Downers Grove South
2025
OF
1.66 s
3
Quinn Schambow
IL
Libertyville
2025
C
1.68 s
4
Logan Fernandez
IL
Mt. Carmel
2026
OF
1.69 s
^
Jack Wheeler
IL
Morris
2025
3B
1.69 s
5
Connor Lund
IL
South Elgin
2025
OF
1.70 s
PEAK VERTICAL JUMP
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Jump Height (max)
1
Remo Indomenico
FL
THE FIRST ACADEMY
2025
OF
36.7
2
Jack Bauer
IL
Lincoln-Way East
2025
LHP
35.2
3
John McAuliffe
IL
Marist
2025
OF
34.3
4
Haiden Lajcin
IL
Mount Carmel
2026
OF
33.5
5
Blaine Williams
IL
Tremont
2025
C
32.9
^
Ethan Bass
IL
Glenbrook North
2026
SS
32.9
6
Nolan Ramoley
IL
Brother Rice
2026
OF
32.6
7
Easton Newman
IL
Deerfield
2026
SS
32.4
8
Dominic Holton
IL
Notre Dame College Prep
2025
SS
32.2
9
Kolin Adams
IL
Mount Carmel
2025
OF
32.0
10
Joe Olson
IL
St. Laurence
2025
LHP
31.4
Traditionally, the 60-yard dash has been the in-event standard to help measure a player's speed tool. While the measurement still has its utility, the 10-yard split has started to become more and more applicable in determining the player's burst and reaction time in-game, whether that's in the outfield or on the basepaths.
The ability to develop force quickly is a requisite ability in most sports. The reactive strength index (RSI) has been developed as a measure of explosive strength and is derived by evaluating jump height divided by ground contact time during the depth jump. Regarding vertical jumps and its application to baseball, there have been studies conducted that show a correlation between max jump height for an athlete and their ability to generate power and strength, especially on the mound.
TRACKMAN
EXIT VELOCITY (MAX)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Exit Velocity (max)
1
TJ McQuillan
IL
Mount Carmel
2026
3B
102.6 mph
2
Enzo Infelise
IL
Providence Catholic
2025
C
101.5 mph
3
Jimmy Downs
IL
Kenwood Academy
2025
3B
101.4 mph
4
Xander Metke
IL
Brother Rice
2025
1B
100.9 mph
5
Ethan Bass
IL
Glenbrook North
2026
SS
100.5 mph
6
Conor Essenburg
IL
Lincoln-Way West
2025
1B
100.4 mph
7
Benjamin Mitchell
IL
HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
2025
C
99.3 mph
8
Henry Murray
IL
Lane Tech
2025
OF
99.1 mph
9
Timmy Leark
IL
Oak Park River Forest
2025
OF
98.2 mph
10
Addison Latko
IL
DePaul College Prep
2026
C
98.0 mph
EXIT VELOCITY (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Exit Velocity (avg)
1
Conor Essenburg
IL
Lincoln-Way West
2025
1B
95.5 mph
2
TJ McQuillan
IL
Mount Carmel
2026
3B
95.0 mph
3
Jack Wheeler
IL
Morris
2025
3B
94.2 mph
4
Dylan Kassab
IL
Hinsdale Central
2026
C
93.4 mph
5
Henry Murray
IL
Lane Tech
2025
OF
93.1 mph
6
Gael Urbieta
IL
Loyola Academy
2025
C
93.1 mph
7
Benjamin Mitchell
IL
HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
2025
C
93.0 mph
8
Jimmy Downs
IL
Kenwood Academy
2025
3B
92.8 mph
9
Xander Metke
IL
Brother Rice
2025
1B
92.8 mph
10
Davian Villalobos
IL
Chicago Hope Academy
2025
1B
91.8 mph
Exit Velocity: This metric measures the speed of the ball, measured in miles per hour, as it comes off the bat at the moment of contact.
BATTED BALL DISTANCE (MAX)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Distance (max)
1
Enzo Infelise
IL
Providence Catholic
2025
C
385 ft
2
Henry Murray
IL
Lane Tech
2025
OF
370 ft
3
Benjamin Mitchell
IL
HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
2025
C
362 ft
4
Conor Essenburg
IL
Lincoln-Way West
2025
1B
354 ft
5
AJ Putty
IL
Huntley
2025
1B
352 ft
6
Derrick Holmes
IL
Brother Rice
2025
OF
351 ft
7
Dylan Kassab
IL
Hinsdale Central
2026
C
350 ft
8
Ethan Bass
IL
Glenbrook North
2026
SS
349 ft
9
Addison Latko
IL
DePaul College Prep
2026
C
348 ft
10
Anthony Chavez
IL
Mount Carmel
2026
1B
346 ft
SWEET SPOT%
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Sweet Spot %
1
Davian Villalobos
IL
Chicago Hope Academy
2025
1B
100 %
^
Phillip Thigpen
IL
Kenwood Academy High School
2025
SS
100 %
2
Derrick Holmes
IL
Brother Rice
2025
OF
87 %
^
Timmy Leark
IL
Oak Park River Forest
2025
OF
87 %
^
Karlos Otero
IL
Romeoville
2025
SS
87 %
^
Angel Castro
IL
DE LA SALLE INSTITUTE - INSTITUTE CAMPUS
2025
C
87 %
^
Ximi Baftiri
IL
Morris
2025
SS
87 %
3
Luke Yolich
IL
Whitney Young
2025
SS
85 %
^
Braden Deverman
IL
Normal University
2025
RHP
85 %
^
Zach Rubin
IL
Antioch
2026
SS
85 %
^
Aidan Nohava
IL
Brother Rice
2025
3B
85 %
^
Logan Wroughton
IL
Mt. Carmel - Chicago
2026
SS
85 %
^
Christian Clark
IL
St. Rita
2025
SS
85 %
^
Paddy Roth
IL
St. Patrick
2026
RHP
85 %
^
Isaiah Giganti
IL
Normal University
2026
RHP
85 %
^
Enzo Infelise
IL
Providence Catholic
2025
C
85 %
^
Jason Duy
IL
Minooka
2026
SS
85 %
Sweet Spot percentage: This metric is determined by how often the player produces a batted ball during the session with a launch angle between 8 to 32 degrees.
BLAST MOTION
HAND SPEED (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Hand Speed (avg)
1
Anthony Chavez
IL
Mount Carmel
2026
1B
24.3 mph
2
Ian Kelly
IL
Huntley
2026
OF
24.0 mph
3
Cole Latimer
IL
DeKalb
2026
OF
23.1 mph
4
Xander Metke
IL
Brother Rice
2025
1B
23.1 mph
5
Conor Essenburg
IL
Lincoln-Way West
2025
1B
23.1 mph
Hand Speed: The observed speed as measured on the handle of the bat (measured six inches from the knob of the bat). Peak Hand Speed will occur prior to the moment of impact, very close to the commit time in the swing when the wrists unhinge.
BAT SPEED (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Bat Speed (avg)
1
Dylan Kassab
IL
Hinsdale Central
2026
C
78.7 mph
2
Conor Essenburg
IL
Lincoln-Way West
2025
1B
77.5 mph
3
AJ Putty
IL
Huntley
2025
1B
75.9 mph
4
Ethan Bass
IL
Glenbrook North
2026
SS
74.9 mph
5
Jimmy Downs
IL
Kenwood Academy
2025
3B
74.9 mph
6
Henry Murray
IL
Lane Tech
2025
OF
74.6 mph
7
Benjamin Mitchell
IL
HARVEST CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
2025
C
74.5 mph
8
Xander Metke
IL
Brother Rice
2025
1B
74.2 mph
9
Hayden Bernreuter
IL
Triad
2025
OF
74.2 mph
10
Addison Latko
IL
DePaul College Prep
2026
C
73.8 mph
Bat Speed: The observed speed of the sweet spot of the bat at impact. The sweet spot of the bat is measured six inches from the tip of the bat.
ROTATIONAL ACCELERATION (AVG.)
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Rot. Acc (avg)
1
Anthony Chavez
IL
Mount Carmel
2026
1B
30.7 g
2
Ian Kelly
IL
Huntley
2026
OF
23.2 g
3
Xander Metke
IL
Brother Rice
2025
1B
22.3 g
4
Blaine Williams
IL
Tremont
2025
C
22.1 g
5
Kaleb Navarro
IL
De La Salle
2025
C
21.6 g
Body Rotation: A swing that has the appropriate relative contributions of body and bat rotations is an efficient and Powerful swing that maintains proper sequencing. An efficient baseball swing is one in which the body creates the initial movements, which is then transferred to the arms and out to the bat, thereby maximizing Bat Speed through this proximal-to-distal kinematic sequencing movement pattern.
VIZUAL EDGE
EDGE SCORE
Rank
Name
State
School
Class
Pos
Edge Score
1
Gavin Triezenberg
IL
Brother Rice
2025
SS
92.06
2
Logan Fernandez
IL
Mt. Carmel
2026
OF
86.91
3
Connor Lund
IL
South Elgin
2025
OF
83.28
4
Kolin Adams
IL
Mount Carmel
2025
OF
82.53
5
Daniel Coyle
IL
St. Laurence
2026
3B
82.07
6
Nehemiah Torres
IL
Glenbrook North
2026
SS
81.88
7
Tyler Trapp
IL
Lane Tech
2025
SS
81.83
8
Michael Langan
IL
Neuqua Valley
2025
3B
81.81
9
Jaxson Crancer
IL
Normal Community West High School
2026
OF
80.83
10
Drew Stevens
IL
Normal Community
2026
C
80.34
The Edge Score is a comprehensive score out of 100 that takes the core-six visual skills into account, providing athletes, parents, coaches and scouts with a benchmark number for assessing an athlete’s overall visual ability. In general the higher the Edge Score, the higher chance of athletic success. Think of the Edge Score as the 'Sixth Metric' in the standard Five-Tools that make up a ball player.
The average Edge Score for the 2020 MLB Draft Class was 79.3 (of hitters who completed a Vizual Edge test). MLB players we've worked with typically show stronger scores, with elite hitters scoring consistently above 87.0 on their Edge Score.
+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.