Weekly Diamond Notes

This week’s PBR Illinois Player of the Week was LHP Payton Hutchings (Coal City). Hutchings, an Illinois commit, threw an immaculate game, striking out all 21 batters that he faced last week. He’s the No. 2-ranked LHP in Illinois’ sophomore class and you can see why.

Each week, we’ll acknowledge some of the best performers who fell just short of being named the Player of the Week. Let’s take a look at 2018’s first edition of Diamond Notes. It was a rainout-filled opening week of the season, but there were still plenty of players who got off to hot starts.

Week 1 & 2 Performances

Caydn Schuchman, INF, Breese Mater Dei, 2019
Schuchman helped his high school get off the ground quickly by going a combined 5-for-7 in two games with a double, a walk, three RBIs, and two stolen bases.

Chandler Hillebrenner, C/RHP, Streator, 2018
Hillebrenner was a two-way threat in his team’s first week of action in 2018. At the plate, he was 5-for-11 with three doubles, five runs, and eight RBIs. In his one start on the mound, Hillebrenner pitched five innings and allowed just one run on three hits, two walks, and struck out seven.

Nick Guerra, 3B, Morton, 2019
The junior third baseman started off on a torrid pace this spring for the Potters. After three opening week games, Guerra was hitting .444 with two home runs, two triples, and eight RBIs. On the mound, Guerra had a nice start too, allowing just two runs in five innings of work.

Garry Maynard, 3B, Oswego, 2019
Maynard opened his season with an electric start offensively, going 7-for-11 in his team’s first three games, smacking three triples, a homer, and drove in 10 runs. After one week of play, his OPS surged to 2.150.

Ryan Mintz, RHP/INF, 2019
In two starts last week Mintz went 12 innings, got two wins, gave up four hits and two earned runs. He walked three and struck out a total of 11. In his first start of the week against Glenbard South, he did not allow a hit and struck out six in his six innings of work. 

Andrew Hoffman, RHP, Plainfield East, 2018
The Oakland commit was dynamite in his first start of the season; Hoffman pitched a five-inning shutout and allowed just one hit and struck out 10 in his team’s 11-0 win.

Tyler Stuart, RHP, Herscher, 2018
The Southern Mississippi commit was dominant in his latest start against Bradley-Bourbonnais. Stuart pitched a seven-inning shutout, allowed just three hits, and struck out 15.

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