On Aug. 23, the PBR Illinois team hosted this large, annual late summer showcase: the Chicagoland Open. Eligible to any and all high school-aged players, the Chicagoland Open is generally among the more well-attended events on our summer dockett, and this year’s edition was no different. There were 90 players who made it out to Carol Stream’s Lee Pfund Field for this showcase, and we began breaking down our findings in the days that followed. We previously published rapid analysis inside of our Quick Hits story, and we dove into the measured data gathered inside the Statistical Analysis.

Today, our positional analysis continues with the outfielders, after we started the week publishing the reports on the event’s catchers.

Uncommitted seniors dominate the top-five list you’ll see below, led by Zachary Stokes (Waubonsie Valley, 2021). Stokes’ left-handed bat propelled him to the top of this ranking, as its fluid and smooth path helped him generate above-average bat speed with noteworthy strength on contact, and his path helps him produce some loft and carry as a result. He’s also a sub-6.90 runner and he uses that speed and athleticism well in the outfield.

From Geneva, Garrett Peters (2021) is another uncommitted senior who should earn more attention after his performance here. A quiet, strong right-handed bat with barrel feel and bat speed who also runs well and fits a corner outfield role well.

Read the full reports of the aforementioned below, and check out the rest of the outfielders who made it to the Chicagoland Open.

TOP OUTFIELD PROSPECTS 

1. Zachary Stokes, Waubonsie Valley (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 6-1, 180-pounds. Strong, athletic frame; projects.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, slight bat waggle into a smooth load, closed toe-tap timing trigger.  Fast hands, short bat path, naturally lifts through contact, swings with intent. Gap-to-gap approach, showed pull-side power, makes hard contact on the barrel.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 85 mph. Long arm action, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Feet attack in a direct line, glove fields out front, occasional pack to release, plays through the baseball.
Run: 6.88 runner in the 60. 

2. Garrett Peters, Geneva (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-11, 165-pounds. Athletic frame with some strength; offers room for more physical projection.
Hit: RHH. Quiet in the box, balanced setup with a slight weight shift onto back leg, smooth load, short stride, controlled balance throughout. Loose hands with natural bat speed, simple swing stays short to the baseball, gap-to-gap approach. Advanced feel for the barrel, consistent hard contact; average exit velocity of 87.64 mph in BP, per TrackMan.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee. Max exit speed of 94.51 mph with a max fly ball distance of 322 feet in BP, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. OF - 84 mph. Long and loose arm circle, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Feet attack the baseball in a steady rhythm, steady hands, clean hand transfer with a windup to release, plays through the baseball.
Run: 6.84 runner in the 60. 

3. Roger Simon, Loyola Academy (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Athletic frame, room to add muscle.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands load back, quick leg kick trigger.  Present bat speed, raw bat strength, uphill path, gap-to-gap approach. Swings with intent, loud contact off the barrel; average exit speed of 90.27 mph, maxed at 98.37 mph per TrackMan.
Power: 93 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 87 mph. Short arm action, over-the-top slot. Accurate arm, throws play with carry to the bag.
Defense: Athletic feet, speed plays in the field, steady hand transfer, gains ground at gather, plays through the baseball.
Run: 6.67 runner in the 60. Light on his feet, advanced foot speed for age. 

4. Will Meyer, Maine South (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 6-0, 185-pounds. Athletic frame with compact strength; sturdy lower half.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, high hands/back elbow, fluid pre-pitch hand rhythm, short stride, drives the lower half.  Fast hands with bat speed, short and simple swing travels on an uphill trajectory through contact. Gap-to-gap approach, hard contact off the barrel, hits in rhythm throughout.
Power: 95 mph exit velocity from the tee. Took a loud round of batting practice: average exit speed of 84.19 mph, maxed at 93.80 mph, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. OF - 90 mph. Long and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot. Throws played with carry to home plate; advanced arm strength for age.
Defense: Advanced defender with natural outfield actions. Fields in a smooth, confident rhythm throughout, athletic feet cover ground, soft hands with some length to release. Oozes a calm/confident demeanor.
Run: 7.13 runner in the 60. 

5. Wilson Irvin, Lake Forest (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-0, 190-pounds. Well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Tall setup, open base, steady hand rhythm into load, quick leg lift trigger, stays balanced through contact.  Strong hands/wrists with bat speed, short and uphill path, gap-to-gap approach. Loose pull-side power, consistently made hard contact that way. Potential middle-of-the-order thumper.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee. Took a noticeably loud round of batting practice; max exit speed of 94.21 mph with a max fly ball distance of 350 feet, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, glove fields out front, steady crow hop to release, plays through at times. Profiles best in a corner outfield role.
Run: 7.52 runner in the 60.

BEST OF THE REST (LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)

Oliver Barkal, New Trier (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Compact frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, steady pre-pitch hand rhythm, tempo'd load, short stride.  Athletic hands, uphill bat path, some pull-side lift.
Power: 89 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 84 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, staggered lower half rhythm, steady hands, wind up to release.
Run: 7.13 runner in the 60. 

Griffin Burk, Springfield (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/2B
Body: 6-0, 165-pounds. Lean, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Tall stance, quiet pre-pitch, short stride.  Long and uphill bat path, line drive approach, favors pull-side.
Power: 75 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Maintains a fluid foot rhythm throughout, long hand transfer to release, plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.04 runner in the 60. 

Ryan Caccia, St. Charles North (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: C/OF
Body: 6-0, 170-pounds. Athletic build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, smooth pre-pitch rhythm, hands load back, short stride, some balance through contact.  Quick hands, short bat path, extends through contact, line drive approach.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 79 mph. OF -  mph. Shorter arm action finishes out of a high 3/4 slot from the crouch, longer windup in the outfield. Accurate throws from the chute to the bag, play with carry.
Defense: Worked out behind the plate and in the outfield. Advanced catching actions, receives the ball with soft hands, strong wrists, and presents the ball well. Athletic stance, fluid feet that work in line to the bag, silky-smooth hand transfer to a quick trigger release. Showed some rhythm in the outfield, hops to release.
Run: 6.93 runner in the 60. 

Ryan Cleinmark, Olympia (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-8, 150-pounds. Slender frame with room for added physical development.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands load high, short stride to even.  Simple swing, short and level bat path, some gap-to-gap feel.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 78 mph. Long arm circle comes out of a high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Starts in an athletic stance, feet work around the baseball at times, steady hands, windup to release.
Run: 7.00 runner in the 60. 

Remington Cox, Homewood-Flossmoor (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Lanky, wiry frame with more room to fill out.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, active pre-pitch hand rhythm, minimal load, leg lift timing trigger.  Long and level bat path, some extension through contact, line drive approach.
Power: 67 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 80 mph. Short and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Highly active feet are constantly on the move, attacks the baseball, plays through release.
Run: 7.16 runner in the 60. 

Ryan DiGrazia, Waubonsie Valley (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 6-3, 180-pounds. Lean frame with room to fill out.
Hit: RHH. Tall setup, hands rest high, bat drops to a vertical stance at load, quick leg kick trigger.  Uphill bat path, pull-side approach, barrel gets underneath at times.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 80 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Works on an angle to the baseball, feet field in a smooth rhythm to the baseball, long to release.
Run: 6.65 runner in the 60. 

Evan Eberle, Oak Park-River Forest (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 6-0, 160-pounds. Wiry, athletic frame with more room to fill out.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, arm bars at load, quick leg kick trigger.  Level bat path, pull-side approach, did flash some juice; max exit speed of 93.09 mph with a max fly ball distance of 360 feet.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 85 mph. Long arm circle, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Patient outfield actions, slight breakdown prior to gather, clean exchange, plays through the baseball at times.
Run: 6.97 runner in the 60. 

Gabe Flynn, Stevenson (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/SS
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Thin build.
Hit: RHH. Tall stance, smooth load, steady leg kick trigger.  Simple swing, loose hands, uphill bat path, gap-to-gap approach. Fluid rhythm throughout, repeats well.
Power: 84 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 80 mph. Short arm stroke, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Plays to the baseball, fields in a fluid rhythm, soft hands, steps behind to release.
Run: 7.27 runner in the 60. 

Drew Gilley, New Trier (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/OF
Body: 5-10, 165-pounds. Lean, athletic build.
Hit: LHH. Quiet in the box, tall setup with some knee bend, simple load, short stride.  Strong hands and wrists, loose bat speed; averaged 24.18 mph of bat speed, per Blast Motion. Uphill bat path, advanced bat strength for age, pull-side approach. Consistently on the barrel, hits everything hard; average exit speed of 90.90 mph, per TrackMan.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 84 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Glides to the baseball, occasional two-hand gather, long to release.
Run: 7.15 runner in the 60. 

Jalen House, Downers Grove South (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-9, 140-pounds. Thin, high-waisted frame.
Hit: SHH. Tall stance, balanced base, smooth load, steady leg lift trigger.  Uphill bat path with lift to the pull-side, smooth rhythm throughout.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 70 mph. Short and loose arm stroke, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Fields with some lower-half rhythm to the baseball, quick hand transfer to release.
Run: 7.52 runner in the 60. 

Will Kusak, Hinsdale Central  (IL), 2024
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-10, 145-pounds. Lean build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, subtle pre-pitch bat waggle, hands load into a strong hitting position, quick leg kick trigger.  Uphill bat path, naturally elevates through contact, flashed pull-side power; max exit speed of 93.27 mph with a max fly ball distance of 343 feet.
Power: 82 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 57 mph. Long arm stroke, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, length to release.
Run: 7.32 runner in the 60. 

Mark Lavizzo, Centennial (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 5-9, 141-pounds. Wiry, athletic frame.
Hit: LHH. Quiet in the box, balanced setup, bat rests high over back shoulder, loads quick, short stride.  Simple swing; throws hands at the baseball. Short and level path, sprays some to all fields.
Power: 74 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 68 mph. Short arm action with some point in the back, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Athletic feet work on an angle to the baseball at time, some breakdown prior to gather, packs to release.
Run: 7.31 runner in the 60. 

James Linn, North Boone (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/C
Body: 5-9, 155-pounds. Strong, athletic frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, bat rests over shoulder, high back elbow, short stride.  Short bat path, middle-away approach.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. C - 71 mph. OF - 74 mph. Short arm stroke, over-the-top slot.
Defense: Worked out in the outfield and behind the dish. Feet attack the baseball on the grass, glove plays out front with some steadiness in the hands, glove backs to release. Staggered base, quick gather to release from the chute.
Run: 7.54 runner in the 60. 

Isaiah Lusk, Montini Catholic  (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/OF
Body: 6-1, 160-pounds. Lean, highly projectable frame. Room to tack on muscle throughout body.
Hit: RHH. Quiet in the box, tall setup, minimal load, short stride.  Long bat path, pull-side approach.
Power: 77 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 79 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, feet field in a staggered rhythm, steady hands, clean exchange to release.
Run: 6.98 runner in the 60. 

Edward Mahoney, Loyola Academy  (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/2B
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Lean build.
Hit: LHH. Balanced setup, closed base, high hands, leg kick timing trigger.  Long and level bat path, lifts some through contact, gap-to-gap approach, hands work through the baseball.
Power: 80 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Works direct to the baseball, steady footwork, average hands with a clean exchange.
Run: 7.26 runner in the 60. 

Jared McCrary, Evanston Township (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-8, 135-pounds. Athletic, high-waisted frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, bat rests over back shoulder, minimal load or stride. Short bat path, line drive approach.
Power: 76 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 77 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Feet attack the baseball in a smooth rhythm, soft hands, clean exchange, quick to release.
Run: 7.05 runner in the 60. 

Ethan Petsch, Sun Prairie (WI), 2022
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 6-2, 192-pounds. Athletic, well-proportioned frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, quiet pre-pitch, hands load back, leg lift trigger. Level bat path, backspins off the barrel, line drive approach, favored pull-side.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Some pre-pitch bounce, fluid footwork, glove fields slightly out front, quick transfer to release.
Run: 7.68 runner in the 60. 

Luis Roman, Lake View (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF
Body: 5-9, 160-pounds. Athletic build, strong lower half.
Hit: RHH. Tall setup, balanced base, hands load back, short stride to even.  Fast hands with bat speed, long and level path, gap-to-gap approach, swings with intent.
Power: 76 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 71 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, fields off to the side, crow hops  to release, plays through some.
Run: 7.13 runner in the 60. 

Cooper Schmid, Plainfield South (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/1B
Body: 6-3, 190-pounds. Lean, athletic frame with plenty of room to add muscle/strength.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands load back, short stride.  Strong hands with bat speed, short and simple stroke, extends through contact, gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 92 mph exit velocity from the tee. Intriguing power potential as frame continues to physically develop. Max exit speed of 94.57 mph in BP with a max fly ball distance of 317 feet in BP, per TrackMan.
Arm: RH. OF - 82 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Aggressively attacks the baseball, feet play directly in line, long strides cover ground, plays through to release.
Run: 7.18 runner in the 60. 

Russ Steil IV, Sacred Heart Griffin (IL), 2021
Positional Profile: OF/OF
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Athletic, well-proportioned frame. Looks the part.
Hit: LHH. Quiet in the box, crouched base, bat starts horizontal over back shoulder, minimal load, strides short.  Short bat path stays level through the zone, line drive approach, pull-side tendency.
Power: 85 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Long arm circle finishes out of an over-the-top slot.
Defense: Athletic in the field, quick feet that play to the baseball in a steady rhythm, high crow-hop to release. 
Run: 6.58 runner in the 60. Soft on his feet, well above-average run tool. 

Dylan Swanstrom, Lemont  (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/3B
Body: 5-10, 151-pounds. Athletic build.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, open base, quick pre-pitch rhythm, short stride.  Level bat path, line drive approach.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 81 mph. Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Active defender plays to the baseball, feet field in a smooth rhythm, quick exchange, plays through.
Run: 7.20 runner in the 60. 

Ethan Tucker, Homewood Flossmoor (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/OF
Body: 5-9, 140-pounds. Thin, wiry frame.
Hit: RHH. Upright stance, bat starts tall, minimal load/stride.  Simple swing, long bat path, line drive approach.
Power: 78 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 68 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Patient to the baseball, glove fields out front.
Run: 7.21 runner in the 60. 

Luke Wallace, Lemont (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-0, 165-pounds. Wiry, athletic frame that projects.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, bat wraps some at load, quick leg lift trigger, controlled through contact.  Quick hands with some twitch, short and uphill path, barrel head works underneath the baseball, gap-to-gap approach.
Power: 81 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 79 mph. Short/compact arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Tempo'd defensive rhythm, steady glove works out front of body, clean exchange, quick to release at times.
Run: 6.78 runner in the 60. 

Drew Wellington, Mundelein (IL), 2022
Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-10, 155-pounds. Thin build.
Hit: LHH. Crouched setup, active pre-pitch hand movement, hands drop at load, short stride.  Advanced hand speed for age; averaged 27.55 mph of hand speed per Blast Motion. Short bat path with an elevated attack angle, simple lift through contact, line drive approach.
Power: 86 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: LH. OF - 83 mph. Short and quick arm circle, loose high 3/4 slot.
Defense: Attacks the baseball, athletic feet, works around the baseball. Soft hands, quick transfer, athletic through release.
Run: 6.69 runner in the 60. 

Nathan Zambori, Glenbard South (IL), 2023
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-11, 175-pounds. Lean, high-waisted frame.
Hit: RHH. Balanced setup, hands drop at load, short stride.  Short bat path, line drive approach.
Power: 87 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Arm: RH. OF - 77 mph. Long arm action, high 3
Defense: Plays to the baseball, glove fields under center of body.
Run: 6.77 runner in the 60. 

RELATED CONTENT