Shooter's Shortlist: Midwest & Canada 2025s
April 7, 2023
As the season inches towards summer and the recruiting trips get planned, a look into the must-see uncommitted underclassmen that PBR’s Vice President of Scouting, Shooter Hunt, is circling for college coaches to plan around.
CANADA
 |
Austin Collins RHP / OF / Okotoks Dawgs Academy, AB / 2025Wiry-thin with a quick, athletic arm, Collins is going to have a chance to generate whiffs in the future with multiple pitches. Working into the upper 80s in a March bullpen in front of PBR Canada, the 5-foot-11, 160-pound right-hander also demonstrated advanced feel for spin including a tight breaking ball. An elastic mover with some whip to the arm stroke, look for Collins to see a steady rise as his lean frame continues filling out.
|
 |
Esteban Dessureault 3B / 1B / St-Exup�ry, QC / 2025Rankings OverallRank: 340 / POS: 25
The sturdy, 6-foot-2, 215-pound left-handed hitter already takes some of the more professional at-bats in the class, and combined with a powerful stroke, could ultimately nestle into the middle of a lineup at the next level. Balanced throughout the approach with the ability to slow the game down, future plate appearances against high-level arms will only provide for a faster learning curve. |
INDIANA
 |
Parker Rhodes RHP / OF / Greenfield Central, IN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 6
Rhodes is sure to excite the data enthusiasts as he electrified in a PBR Indiana preseason bullpen with a 4’8” release height and a fastball that exploded through the zone at 90 mph with north of 2600 rpm. A silky-smooth mover down the mound with electricity to the arm stroke, the fastball is sure to be a weapon with some aptitude to spin (curveball 74-75 & slider 77-78) promising the potential for a swing and miss offering. A faded changeup at 80-81 paired well next to the fastball, and should give Rhodes strong potential of continuing as a starter at the next level. The wiry-athletic, 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-hander is a must-see early on in the spring and should have a significant crowd throughout most of the summer.
|
ILLINOIS
 |
Tucker King RHP / OF / Lyons Township, IL / 2025Rankings StateRank: 37 / POS: 8
A smooth mover with a crisp delivery along with loose whip to the arm stroke, King should be at or near the top of every recruiter’s list as a must-see this spring. Up to 91 mph (2314 rpm) in an electric February bullpen for PBR Illinois, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound, athletic right-hander exhibited one of the highest ceilings in the midwest including the makings of a tight sweeper (75-77) and changeup (80-82). Betting on the upside and athleticism, there is plenty to get excited about with regards to King’s future, and he is most definitely an arm to know. |
MICHIGAN
 |
Luke LaCourse RHP / 3B / Bay City Western, MI / 2025Rankings StateRank: 4 / POS: 4
|
 |
Paul Toovalian RHP / 1B / Orchard Lake St. Mary's, MI / 2025Rankings StateRank: 5 / POS: 5
|
MINNESOTA
 |
Nick Bowron C / RHP / Rochester Lourdes, MN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 5 / POS: 1
A left-handed hitting catcher with big arm strength who can really catch-and-throw, Bowron is highly intriguing as a position player, and also holds some upside on the mound. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound athlete was up to 83 mph from the crouch while delivering accurate throws with carry in the 1.8’s during workouts. He then delivered loud barrels that produced exit velocities up to 98.8 mph with the ability to lift, promising some excitement around future power potential. On the mound he reached back for 88.8 mph after a full workout, and should see even more later in the summer. |
 |
William Haas LHP / OF / Rockford , MN / 2025Recently up to 90 mph, Haas first made a name for himself at the PBR Future Games where he was one of the more projectable arms of the event. Currently adding strength to a wiry, 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, the quick-armed southpaw is easy to dream on with present aptitude for spin and a fastball that gets on the plate in a hurry. |
 |
Luke Ryerse RHP / 3B / East Ridge, MN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 4 / POS: 2
Polished with an ease to operation and movement, Ryerse is sure to draw the attention of college coaches early and often throughout the summer. Built in the mold of many previous arms to come out of Minnesota with sturdy athleticism at 6-foot-1, 200-pounds, the right-hander was recently up to 91.5 mph in a bullpen for PBR Minnesota where he backspun at a max of 2449 rpm. Looking the part of a future starter, Ryerse also showed feel for a tighter slider with nearly 2600 rpm that exhibited real sweeper upside along with killing spin (1324 rpm avg) on a quality changeup that showed considerable life to the arm side at 81-83. |
 |
Hunter VaDeer OF / RHP / Lyle , MN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 6 / POS: 1
At 6-foot-1, 195-pounds with lean strength and elite athleticism, VaDeer holds considerable upside as a true two-way player at the next level. A 6.95-runner who blasted balls with upwards of 100.2 mph exit velocities from the right side, his highest upside might ultimately be on the mound. The right-hander was up to 92.2 mph (2271 rpm) in a preseason bullpen in front of PBR Minnesota where he also showcased intriguing upside on a breaking ball that was thrown as firmly as 81.2 mph with 2737 rpm. Based on the athleticism and ease of movement, the velocity should continue to grow, and VaDeer is clearly a name to circle looking ahead towards the summer. |
OHIO
 |
Cooper Gilkerson RHP / 3B / Hilliard Darby, OH / 2025Rankings StateRank: 11 / POS: 4​​
|
 |
Harper Lann RHP / Walsh Jesuit, OH / 2025Rankings StateRank: 9 / POS: 3
Big and physical at a barrel-chested 6-foot-2, 215-pounds, Lann was up to 90.7 mph (2274 rpm) at PBR Ohio’s February Procase while flashing solid feel for upside secondary offerings. Bullying the fastball into the zone with a fast arm, his 2500+ rpm curveball (73-76) and power-changeup (82-83, 1519 rpm avg.) exhibit plenty of upside with the potential for blossoming into a true three-pitch mix. However, it is the imposing presence and arm strength that is most likely to bring coaching eyes this summer, and as part of a strong Walsh Jesuit program in the state of Ohio, expect Lann to make noticeable jumps sooner rather than later. |