By Illinois and Missouri Scouting Staff

The inaugural St. Louis - Top Prospect Games is coming Tuesday, June 6th at Roy E. Lee Field on the campus of SIU-Edwardsville. Currently there are over 70 uncommitted 2018 prospects from Illinois and Missouri. The summer Top Prospect events draw between 70-100 colleges from across the country.

CLICK HERE to view the current roster.

This is an invite only event and is exclusive to the top 2018 uncommitted prospects in the state. Last year’s Top Prospect - Chicago currently boasts 95 college commitments that have been reported to PBR.

Missouri will be well represented at the Top Prospects Games -St. Louis.  Several pitchers from the talent-filled Winter Pitchers Showcase in February will be in attendance. Kevin Winston (Rockwood Summit), Will Gilmer (Sikeston) and Matt Kesel (Francis Howell Central) were 86-plus at the winter event.  Jack Adams (Kirkwood) another standout from the winter showcase tossed five complete games this spring, topping at 84 mph.  Cody Hacker is coming off an impressive spring as well, collecting 82 strikeouts in 46.2 innings with a fastball that has topped at 88 mph.  

Colten Weber (Jackson), a 2017 grad, has recently de-committed from Dallas Baptist and will be throwing in his first PBR event since the 2015 Future Games where he was both a pitcher and catcher.  

The Kansas City side will be well represented as well.  Collin Brougham (Park Hill South), a 6-foot-2 163-pound right-handed pitcher sat 83-84 mph in the Winter Pitchers Showcase.  Karsen Reid (Smithville) is an athletic middle infielder with 6.9 speed, while AJ Spinello (Rockhurst) is a quick, catch and throw catcher that shows occasional power from the right side of the plate.  Ian Jacobs (Liberty) is a 6-foot 170-pound left-handed handed catcher that showed gap-to-gap strength with the bat this spring. Mason Majors (Staley) also has a sub-two pop time from behind the plate power potential.  

Payton Hannah (Nixa) and Braden Mahurin (Dixon) are a pair of players to keep an eye on from the Southwest Missouri.  Hannah is a strong framed shortstop, while Mahurin will be displaying his talents on the mound.

The St. Louis area also has a trio of left-handed hitting infielders to keep an eye on, Aaron Klar (Vianney), Jack Darwin (Whitfield) and Ricky Maddock (Kirkwood). Jaxson Huffman (Poplar Bluff) is a also a projectable left handed hitter from southeast Missouri.  

Illinois will also have its fair share of talented prospects to keep an eye on next week. A strong crop of catchers is led by Brandon Bannon (Richmond-Burton), Ben Chapman (Rochester), Nick Doman (Marist) and Andrew Erickson (Tuscola). Bannon is athletic behind the plate and comes out of the crouch quick and clean with a strong arm. Chapman and Doman both have strong, true accurate arms.

Jacob Blount (Lincoln-Way Central), Jackson Kaplowitz (Niles Notre Dame) and Danny Sperling (Wauconda) have intriguing frames and play the left-side of the diamond. Kaplowitz emerged as a high-follow 2018 after a big spring. Sperling has a smooth, simple left-handed swing while Blount has a strong arm and can defend.

Jacob Marti (Normal West) and Jeff Morton (Mundelein) are two other position players to follow. Marti is 6-foot-3, 220-pound, highly athletic, switch-hitter who runs a 6.76 60. Left-handed hitting Morton, hits in the middle of the lineup for Mundelein HS who finished second in Class 4A last spring.

Some of the top arms from Illinois heading into Tuesday is Dalton Lambert (Harrisburg), Andrew Schimmoler (Oswego), Ryan Turgeon (Nazareth), Tyler Labedz (TF South) and Charlie Erler (Alton).

There are plenty of other players not mentioned who are poised to break out at the event.

Click Here to view the current roster for Tuesday’s event.

TEAMS

*Teams are subject to change*

Where:

Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville

Roy E. Lee Field at Simmons Baseball Complex

5200 New Poag Road (Stadium Drive)

Edwardsville, IL 62025

ITINERARY

Check-in at 8:20 – 8:40 am for Position Players

Showcase will start at 9:00 am

Pitchers Check-In one hour before scheduled game time.

Game 1: 11:45 AM - Team 1 vs. Team 2

Game 2: 1:45 PM - Team 3 vs. Team 4

The event should end around 3:30 PM.

*Schedule subject to change

* Metal cleats are not allowed. Players must wear turfs or molded spikes.

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