Stay tuned over the coming days for a deeper look inside the Illinois 2023 rankings. 23 OF Brayden Bakes (IL) turned in a 6.4 60-yard dash time & has been a treat to watch this week. + Notre Dame commit, RHP Ryan Hussey (Providence Catholic) was another winter standout who has been getting his first taste of varsity baseball this spring. Barczis right-handed swing stays inside the baseball and he hammered baseballs with authority to both gaps. CLICK HERE for the entire 2023 Illinois Rankings. Illinois 2023 Rankings Updated Fri September 3, 2021 By Andy Sroka, Diego Solares and Drew Locascio Illinois Staff Now that the summer circuit has concluded, it's time for our staff to update the state's player rankings, beginning with the Class of 2023, the juniors. He flashed a changeup very briefly in his outing at 83 mph, playing with heavy fading action to the arm-side and coming out of a similar fastball release slot. And shortly after that, we hosted a couple late fall events that prompted us to take another hard look at the rankings prior to the 2021 showcase season kicking off. 6.69 runner in the 60, 101 mph Max EV, topped 83 mph from the crouch. Changeup, thrown with arm speed and feel, used sparingly, 78-81 mph. Here's that video: The biggest jump in the update came from 6-foot-4, 170-pound RHP Zander Mueth (Belleville East) who moved from No. Find out where your teams stands. Just like his twin brother Ryan, Brayden is an impressive athlete, built at a muscle-bound 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame. Did not see a swing-and-miss throughout the weekend and almost every ball in play seemingly is on the barrel with line-drive flighted contact to the entire field. 3 in the state. Geraghty has proved to be more than just a fire-baller thanks to his off-speed polish, and this alone sets him apart from many other hard-throwing right-handers in the country. Slider appeared to be the separator in this look. Mueth shined at the Illinois. With so much projection left on the frame, there is clearly lots to be excited about, and given his ability to produce spin on the baseball, look for Mueth to continue taking big strides forward in the future. Hussey creates easy low-effort velocity with the makings of an above-average three-pitch mix. Today, well start by highlighting the top-10 players, a group that doesnt look too much different to our previous updates, and well also spotlight the prospects who performed well enough this past winter that they moved north up the board in this update. The new No. At the event, McDevitt. Powered By. Voegele impressed at the plate throughout the event, staying up the middle from a short, quick right-handed stroke. Griffitts has also seen his foot speed (6.97 60) and arm strength (87 mph) tick up over the off-season. Stay tuned over the coming days for more in-depth coverage of the 2023 Illinois rankings. + Arguably the biggest winner from this years circuit, RHP/INFDominic Voegele (Columbia, 2023; Kansas commit) jumps more than 35 spots in this update, sitting at 11th overall. His compact physicality generates advanced right-handed bat strength, and it translates to premium arm strength from behind the plate. He ran one of the fastest 60-yard dashes of the entire Future Games at 6.45 seconds and brings a potent power/speed combo to the diamond - one that earned him a starting spot in the Red Raiders (Huntley finished the 2021 season 32-3) outfield as a sophomore throughout the IHSA season. 14 in the state and onto the national board after strong showings throughout 2021, including at the Future Games with Team Illinois. From PBR Illinois State Games (6/27/21): "Crafton has a 6-foot-2, 175-pound, highly-athletic, high-waisted, frame and has been driving balls with authority all weekend long. While he showed plus arm strength for his age, his ability to spin the baseball may be his biggest separator. RHP Jarron Thompson (@wvhsbaseball, 2023) has a live arm, and he requires little effort to get to premium velocity. This skill-set combined with the advanced feel for the barrel and hard contact he has shown in game equals some of the best upside on both sides of the ball, in the class. Class of 2023 Illinois State Rankings Ranking Last Updated: 7/7/2023 Rankings Menu for 2023 Class Position State Rankings By Grad Year select select Clear filters Ranked Prospects *Disclaimer: PG cannot 100% guarantee the accuracy of the verbal college commitments listed below. + Zion Rose (Brother Rice; Louisville) remains the top-ranked position player in the states 2023 class, and he is ranked inside the national top-50 as well. + We were looking forward to getting our first in-person look at RHP Zander Mueth (Belleville East) at last weekends Limited Series, and he did not disappoint. put on an impressive display of arm strength and spin with pitchability. At a 2020 winter workout, our staff was in attendance to see Rose put together a sub-6.60 time in the 60-yard dash, all while taking one of the best rounds of batting practice managing to stand out amongst the likes of legitimate pro prospects three years older than him, like Ed Howard and Wisconsins A.J. It shouldnt be a surprise following his performance at the Underclass Invitational, but Mueth has the makings of the kind of player who can run the table at the top of the rankings throughout the remainder of this class prep career. Durable 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame. 2 overall in the state and inside the top-40 nationally is C. (Huntley; South Carolina). Fastball jumps out of the hand, lively, action through the zone. + Huntley has played its way into becoming the No. (Waubonsie Valley). 1 overall spot if the 2023 class wasnt so loaded at the top. Illinois Baseball News | Prep Baseball Report Weve also seen him up to 87 mph in the past on the mound with a 2,400+ RPM slider to pair. Griffitts has a highly-repeatable swing with quick/strong hands, is consistently on time and drives the ball with authority and backspin off the barrel. Roses athleticism and raw strength are rivaled by few people in the country, and his ability to hammer balls off his right-handed barrel as a result are evident. Strong, athletic build, round shoulders with evenly distributed weight, standing 6-foot-1, 205-pounds. At the event, McDevitt put on an impressive display of arm strength and spin with pitchability. This skill-set combined with the advanced feel for the barrel and hard contact he has shown in game equals some of the best upside on both sides of the ball, in the class. Landed upper-70s sweeping slider consistently, then flashed a filthy 82-mph change for K, as seen below. 7/24/23 Physical at the plate with advanced bat speed and consistently works on the barrel with little swing-and-miss. 2023 C @IndianaBase commit TJ Schuyler (Antioch HS, IL) plus defender that has shown a big arm and consistent sub 2.0 pop times between innings, with a couple hits here for @hittersbaseba11 @PBRIllinois @MW_Premier #Super16 pic.twitter.com/gnn7rE9l1k. Defensively, former first baseman has transitioned rather easily to the outfield. Bond also was all over the barrel in BP with surprising bat strength; 96 mph exit velocity off of a tee. 1 Huntley and runs his fastball up to 89 mph with an ever-improving breaking ball that spins close to 2700 rpm. 9 to No. (Brother Rice; Louisville) remains the top-ranked position player in the states 2023 class, and he is ranked inside the national top-50 as well. The low-effort, low-pulse operator is polished on the mound with some of the best off-speed feel in the class. Easy, low-effort operation for the most part, did reach back for some at times. High-level 2023 that profiles as a starter at the next level.. Cooper Cohn (McHenry) did his best work this fall at a tournament in LakePoint, in front of the PBR Georgia director, Phil Kerber. 7/21/23 Impressed with numerous barrels throughout the day and finished 3-for-4 with a double. The Iowa commit has a starter profile and features some of the best spin-metrics in the class. He also flew around the basepaths, taking extra-bases at will and serving as an offensive manufacturer for his squad throughout the event. + Making his debut in the Top-10 is OF Brayden Bakes (Huntley; Wichita State commit). + INF Ryan Niedzwiedz (West Aurora, 2023) climbs 10 spots in this update and is one of the top prospects in this class still on the market. 07 26 IL 2023 PBR Future Games (Illinois Invite) LakePoint Sports - Cartersville, GA; + While Bakes rose over a dozen spots nationally, OF Trey Swiderski (Joliet Catholic; Louisville) is almost up 100 spots. 2023 Power 25 - Prep Baseball Report Bakes also had a stretch where he homered in three straight at-bats at a PBRT Creekside event and weve seen him hammer multiple balls over The Monster at Fenway Field at The Rock Sports Complex in the past. 4 overall spot in the class and inside the top-70 nationally. Just like his twin brother Ryan, Brayden is an impressive athlete, built at a muscle-bound 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame. Built at a chiseled 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, Bakes punished baseballs off his left-handed barrel and tied for the tournament lead in home runs with three. He attended the Underclass Invitational and put on one of the most powerful rounds of batting practice we saw from any prospect this winter and of any age. 109 in the overall rankings.. Wolters compliments his lively . The PBR logo and Prep Baseball Report Covering All the Bases of High School Baseball are federally registered trademarks of Prep Baseball Report. + Sefcik continues to add quality lean muscle to his 6-foot, 180-pound frame and showed an advanced combination of tools for his age this winter; ran a 6.90 in the 60, was 89 mph across the infield, and registered a peak exit velocity of 99.6 mph during BP. Up a few spots to No. Above-average arm behind the plate for his age. Mon July 24, 2023. continues to add quality lean muscle to his 6-foot, 180-pound frame and showed an advanced combination of tools for his age this winter; ran a 6.90 in the 60, was 89 mph across the infield, and registered a peak exit velocity of 99.6 mph during BP. That was evident when he pulled a fastball that was up and tailing away from him off the wall in right center field. One of three sophomores already committed to Louisville, Rose has advanced physicality and wields the top right-handed bat we've seen in this class to date. Built at a physically imposing 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, Barczi is a 6.69 runner with a big arm that tops at 83 mph from the crouch. Barzci also has some of the top bat speed and bat strength in the class highlighted by his 104 mph max exit velocity during BP at the. 12 overall ranking on our Illinois board. Site By: PUREi, 2023 PBR Junior Future Games Preview: Team Illinois, Central Illinois Open: Statistical Analysis, Rantoul Family Sports Complex - Rantoul, IL, A look at some of the names to follow at the Future Games including must-watch position players, frontline arms, and 4-day follows, Shooter's Cheat Sheet: AZ-CA-NV-PNW (Future Games), A look at some of the names to follow coming from the West Coast including must-watch position players, frontline arms, and 4-day follows. Illinois Baseball News | Prep Baseball Report Looks to do damage on every swing, pull-side tendencies. 28 on our updated board. + While Bakes rose over a dozen spots nationally, OF, (Joliet Catholic; Louisville) is almost up 100 spots. Heres a report from that event, published inside our, one of the more physically impressive prospects in the 2023 class. Free swinging mentality at times, occasional swing-and-miss. He went to his breaking ball often throughout the outing, thrown both for strikes and to put hitters away while manipulating shape, playing with sharp 11/5 action and depth at 73-78 mph. in March. + Barczi has been a standout performer with an arrow up next to his name for the last couple of months and the trend only continued with his showing at the Underclass Invitational. He sat 88-90 mph, T91-92, with jump and run. The uncommitted catcher is listed at a strong, wide-shouldered, 6-foot-1, 185-pounds. +CLICK HERE for the updated 2023 rankings. The separator for Geraghty however is his aptitude to spin the breaking ball, ripping off an upper 70s slider with over 2,800 RPM confidently. Worthman ran an event-best 6.57 60 and was runner-up with a 94 mph exit velocity off a tee. He showed well at Area Codes offensively and the value he brings to the field as a lockdown center fielder further enhances his all-around prospect status. Over the course of the two days, no one stood out on the bases more than Nevils. By Andy Sroka, Diego Solares and Drew Locascio C Colin Barczi (Naperville Central, 2023). Heres a report from that event, published inside our Quick Hits (March 29): one of the more physically impressive prospects in the 2023 class. + RHP Parker Detmers (Glenwood, 2023) continues to impress as one, if not the most polished pitcher in the state and sits at No. IL Rose has an impressive combination of strength/speed/power and an innate ability to find the barrel with authority in game. The top three risers; No. It is a fluid, easy, twitchy swing that stays compact and works with natural lift to the pull-side. Were wrapping things up by updating the states 2023 class, expanding our board after an extensive dive into these prospects throughout the spring and summer circuits. 10 prospect in the state is still harnessing his command but he sat 90-92 mph, touching 93, (reaching a 2,573 rpm max spin rate) in his bullpen while featuring an above-average changeup and an aggressive slider at 79-83 mph (2,357 rpm max) that flashed wipeout potential. Roman continues to add physicality to his 6-foot-2, 185-pound, wide-shouldered frame and as a result he features some of the best pull-side power in the class. At the Underclass Invitational this winter, Sauser pounded the bottom part of the zone behind an 87-89 mph fastball and paired it with an advanced curveball and slider, both of which spun at 2300+ rpm. At 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, Stulgas upside offensively is undeniable, and his ability to generate easy bat speed from a simple right-handed stroke is evident. His bat continued to look like one of the better still on the market, playing with extreme ease and comfort in the box. Cohn plays the game with a high-level of confidence and has advanced bat speed from the right side of the plate. Sefcik repeats his right-handed swing well with on-time barrel feel that lives in the zone for a long time. 2023 PBR Junior Future Games Preview: Team Illinois, Central Illinois Open: Statistical Analysis, Rantoul Family Sports Complex - Rantoul, IL, A look at some of the names to follow at the Future Games including must-watch position players, frontline arms, and 4-day follows, Shooter's Cheat Sheet: AZ-CA-NV-PNW (Future Games), A look at some of the names to follow coming from the West Coast including must-watch position players, frontline arms, and 4-day follows. For now, heres some insight on the news and notes from the top-10 players in the state. 12 C Colin Barczi (Naperville Central) and No. View All News Overall, his feel for hitting is advanced, as he lets the ball travel, stays within himself, controls the barrel and makes hard contact to all fields. He's a multi-sport athlete at 6-foot-4, 200-pounds and has seen a pretty impressive climb in velocity over the past few months, now sitting at 91-94 mph. He is a legitimate power threat at the plate and a menace on the basepaths, swiping 30+ bases this spring for the Crusaders potent offense. It seemed as though Bakes made a statement at every high-end event that he attended this summer, including the PBR ProCase - Midwest, where he launched a home run in gameplay despite playing up a level with some of the top 2022s in the Midwest. #5 Lane Technical High School 2501 W Addison St, Chicago, Illinois 60618. Hes a low-effort 88-90 mph, topping at 91.7, the days highest mark. South Carolina football: Beamer describes QB LaNorris Sellers' role as a freshman in 2023 Here's what Rattler told local media prior to entering the main room Thursday at SEC Media Days: On 2024 . In the first quarter of 2023, Illinois had a GDP growth of 0.20%. 88 nationally), joins Rose and Detmers as three Illinois sophomores currently in the top-100 nationwide. Kwasny strung together a highly impressive performance at Creekside this summer, and our scouts in attendance had this to say about him: Kwasny flat-out dominated for Top Tier Americans in relief on Saturday evening. He displayed easy bat-strength with a double to the opposite field, as well as numerous barrels throughout batting practice; scorching balls straight into the wind and using the whole field.. On top of the lively fastball, Louck features an advanced feel for a slurvy breaking ball, with sweeping action, that induces a number of swing-and-misses. 8 on our updated list: LHPTore Indomenico(St. Ignatius). 07 26 IL 2023 PBR Future Games (Illinois Invite) LakePoint Sports - Cartersville, GA; 08 8 IL Illinois State . Hunt has had this to say about Bakes and his physical profile: Barrel-chested with defined strength throughout a compact, 5-foot-9, 181-pound frame, Bakes brings plenty of athleticism to the diamond as a 6.8-runner who boasts 101+ exit velocities. Most effective down in the zone, induced several weak ground balls with some late sinking action to it. 125 spot, per se. A Michigan commit, Head is one of the most complete prospects in the Midwest. Transfer portal rankings: College football's 10 best classes in 2023 UC Invitational Quick Hits. IL His huge summer as an uncommitted high-follow allowed him to parlay his performance into an invitation to the PBR Future Games as one of the younger players in attendance, and he fit right in. Was also up to 88 on the bump in last nights playoff game. His mentality on the mound is worth mentioning, as Kwasny has long been known to our staff as a bulldog-type that attacks hitters with confidence. By: Illinois Scouting Staff. Physical 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame with loud tools across the board. Bakes impressed a couple different occasions this winter moved up a spot on our board, and 16 spots up the national one. Commands the fastball, creates angle, occasional boring action, comes out of the hand easy; sat 85-88 mph in his first inning. Bounces all over the field, including on the bases. The uncommitted 6-foot-1, 185-pound, right-hander has been getting starts this spring for No. Central Illinois Open: Quick HIts Hard line drive single here. CH features late action under the zone.#UnderclassInvitational | @ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/D4bR214NVp. He broke out at a PBR Wisconsin tournament earlier in the summer, and lands at No. + C AJ Malzone (St. Rita, 2023) continues to prove himself as a true left-handed threat offensively in this class and he rises up a handful of spots on our updated board as a result. Started on the mound in the State Semifinals and dominated; tossing a complete game one-hitter with 14 strikeouts - also while displaying pitchability and mound presence well above his years. Illinois has major pros and cons for businesses, according to CNBC He one-upped that performance at a PBR Creekside Tournament where he commanded the fastball to both sides of the plate, showed advanced feel for his breaking ball and touched 86 mph with the fastball. Illinois | Prep Baseball Report His power potential is becoming his trademark, and he showed it off at both the PBR Midwest Fall Championships and the PBR at The Rock Fall Championships, slugging no-doubt homers in both events. Also, a standout on the gridiron, Head is a dynamic athlete who should continue to be a mainstay towards the top of the 2023 rankings over the next few years. The right-handers arm is ultra loose throughout his arm swing into release, playing long out of the glove and into a slot with effortless arm-speed. LHH is tough & plays hard w/ present strength through the zone. At a lanky 6-foot-5, 220-pounds, Kwasny could comfortably add quality mass onto his frame over the next few years and see an even greater uptick in his stuff. One of the top 2023s in the state., + We arrive at No. leading into a countdown through the official PBR Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. His athleticism is also an asset defensively, as hes versatile enough to spend time at catcher, third base, or in the outfield. Head is an ultra-athletic, left/left prospect,that can profile at the top of a lineup with more power to tap into down the road from a loose, easy left-handed stroke. Follow List CLASS OF 2023 UPDATE C Zion Rose (Brother Rice) and RHP Parker Detmers (Glenwood), both Louisville commits, remain at the top of the 2023 class in Illinois. 7 overall on our state board and cracks the top-200 nationally. + The highest-ranked prospect from Illinois in the national 2023 rankings is naturally the No. He sat 88-91 mph in his two innings today; CB, 70-72, with tight, biting action. It seemed as though Bakes made a statement at every high-end event that he attended this summer, including the PBR ProCase - Midwest, where he launched a home run in gameplay despite playing up a level with some of the top 2022s in the Midwest. 1 overall in the state after an electrifying performance at the Underclass Invitational, where he touched a low-effort 92 mph high with his fastball to go along with a whiffle-ball like swing-and-miss slider and late-darting changeup. Quiet tempo and rhythm on the mound, coils into the backside and shows the front hip before engaging downhill in a simple, controlled manner. Loose arm path finishes out of a high slot. Head is a left/left athlete and a dynamic outfielder where his speed plays best. Then again, with the way recruiting has been trending, high-level 2023 prospects are already making verbal commitments. 11 OF. (McHenry) was one of the top two-way prospects we saw all winter long. (Marist) are all uncommitted position players who made a statement this winter and have carried it over to the spring. C Zion Rose (Brother Rice) and RHP Parker Detmers (Glenwood), both Louisville commits, remain at the top of the 2023 class in Illinois. Certainly this list will change and evolve in time, as we know many players will grow, develop and mature. OFDillon Head(Homewood-Flossmoor) has been one of the biggest risers and top performers of 2021 from the Illinois 2023 class, grasping onto the No. (Normal University) is a 6-foot-2, 160-pound right-handed pitcher with one of the highest-ceilings in the class. Threw it with more confidence and conviction than we had seen in the past, turning to it often in two-strike counts as the game went on.