2025 Illinois State Games: Preview

Alec Novotney RHP / SS / Marquette Academy, IL / 2026

From 6/10/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 49 in the state. Athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame with room to add strength. On Friday, started on the mound and hit out of the lead-off position. Novotney threw two innings while striking out two batters. Also went 3-for-3 while driving in four runs. On the mound the right hander has a smooth delivery with a compact short arm action from a high ¾ slot. His fastball sat 85-87 mph with life through the zone. Showed two true breaking balls; A slider that sat 73-76 mph with late bite, and a curveball that sat 69-71 mph with 11/5 shape and depth. At the plate, the right-handed hitter works out of a balanced setup with a toe-tap trigger. Short, direct bat path with pull-side power, collected two doubles to left field, and also connected on a hard line drive down the third-base line for a single. On Saturday, Novotney threw three innings in relief, struck out three, walked two, allowed one run and four hits. Also tallied two hits on the day with one run scored. Uncommitted name to know."

Hunter Baugh SS / RHP / Edwardsville, IL / 2026

From 6/5/25: "...Uncommitted. Former future gamer and currently No. 32 in the state’s 2026 class. Stands in at a compact 5-foot-9, 140-pounds with athleticism down the mound. Has a quality feel for his actions down the mound and showed a lively mid 80s FB with arm side run and life out of the hand. Started that game for the Tigers and had a strong start, throwing five innings, allowing five hits, one walk, an unearned run and three strikeouts on the day."

Samuel Finn LHP / 1B / Plainfield North, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Sturdy and physically imposing 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. Got the ball to start for the Tigers and turned in a dominant performance. Simple/repeatable delivery down the mound with some athleticism to pair, tall/fall lower-half, front-side stays closed. Compact arm action, high ¾ slot with arm-speed out front. His fastball had a heavy finish to it, sitting 86-88 mph. Finn had immense feel for his 72-74 mph curveball that was sharp (2700+ rpm) with 1/7 shape, and induced whiffs. After allowing one baserunner in his first inning of work, he went on to retire the next nine batters in the order, with seven of those outs coming via strikeout. Finn will be a name to continue to follow throughout the spring. Line: 3.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 9 K."

Tre Cole RHP / Champaign Central, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Currently ranked No. 156 in the state. Highly projectable 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, still plenty of room to add on strength. On the mound, Cole impressed in his 2.1 innings of work, scattering two hits and one run while striking out three. The long-levered right-hander has an easy delivery with body control, messing with timing occasionally and repeating well for his size. His arm is clean from a high ¾ slot, creating a fastball in the 85-87 mph range with easy life. He also showed a bullet slider in the mid-70s along with a changeup around 79 mph with mostly straight action. At the plate, he has an easy and fluid swing that projects into more power as he continues to fill out, working well through the zone with some whip and looseness, upside swing. Defensively, he glides around the infield with long strides and steady, confident hands, creating strong throws across the diamond. High-follow two-way prospect." 

Josh Jones RHP / OF / Normal University, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Uncommitted. Lean frame at 6-foot, 186-pound switch plenty more room for added strength. Started on the mound for the Pioneers and struck out four in three innings of work. Loose and easy mover on the mound, high leg lift with tuck, tall and fall delivery down the mound, works in-line. Long, clean arm path out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball sat 84-87 mph, topping out at 88 mph, played straight. Mixed in a 75-77 mph curveball with 11/5 shape, showing feel at times."

Ronan Owens RHP / Lane Tech, IL / 2026

From 3/7/25: "...works out of a well-proportioned, 6-foot-3, 198-pound frame. Working out of a stretch-only delivery, Owens showed a short arm action with a fastball up to 90 mph, but sitting mostly 88-89 mph with quality spin (avg. 2370 rpm). He threw two breaking balls, both playing with similar 11/5 shape and generating around the same average spin rates and movement metrics. He rounded out his mix with an upper-70s changeup that looks to still be developing. Owens remains an uncommitted arm-to-follow closely this spring."

Henry Humes RHP / Homewood Flossmoor, IL / 2026

From 3/7/25: "...stands at a hard-to-miss 6-foot-5, 176-pound long-levered and high-waisted frame. On this day, Humes showed feel for all three pitches within his arsenal, while pitching out of an up-tempo delivery with a quick arm. HIs fastball sat 84-85 mph with some carry through the zone. The breaking ball showed to be the most polished offspeed offering; thrown for strikes 80% of the time with 12/6 downer action, playing at the bottom of the zone. His changeup flashed, working 71-73 mph, killing spin (avg. 922 rpm) with hard dive (avg. 0.8” IVB)."

Adam Swanson C / OF / Ottawa Township, IL / 2026

From 4/19/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 36 in the state. Strong 5-foot-11, 191-pound athletic frame. Started on the mound and hit out of the two-hole. On the mound, Swanson struck out three batters through 4.1 innings. Right-hander operates from a drop/drive approach with a high leg lift with tuck. Long, clean arm action from a ¾ slot. Fastball sat 85-87 while topping out at 88 with arm-side run. Mixed in a slider that sat 76-77 with 10/4 shape that had sharp action. At the plate, Swanson finished the day going 3-for-4 with two doubles. Right-handed hitter that operates from an open stance with a small stride. Compact, balanced swing with a flat bat-path. Gap-to-gap approach. Continues to get the barrel on the ball."

Anthony Chavez 1B / OF / Mount Carmel, IL / 2026

From 5/14/25: "...6-foot-2, 207-pound, long-levered, high-waisted left-handed hitter with plenty more quality strength to come. Arrow up prospect, currently ranked No. 41 in the Illinois’ 2026 class, who posted big measurables (T107 mph exit velocity) this winter. Was on the barrel throughout the game; finished 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored. Opened up the scoring with a backside two-run home run to left field in the top of the first inning. Barreled a fly ball to the warning track in his second at-bat and flew out hard to right in his third at-bat. Calm in the box with fluid movement patterns. Creates easy leverage and lift in his swing. Middle-of-the-order profile who showed whole field power and mature approach. Uncommitted left-handed bat to know in the state."

Wade Ozment RHP / OF / Crystal Lake Central, IL / 2027

From 4/12/25: "...Uncommitted. Highly projectable 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame, long-levered with plenty of room to add on strength in the coming years. Started in left field and hit out of the five hole for the Tigers. The right-handed hitter was on the barrel a couple times, one being a single and the other being a hard lineout to CF. Simple and smooth swing that stays direct to the baseball, keeps his hands inside the ball. Moves athletically around the outfield, long strides, gains ground with ease, quick first step. Arm plays well above-average with strength and carry to his target. High-level two-way prospect to follow."

Traxton Roberts RHP / 3B / Armstrong, IL / 2027

From 3/6/25: "...continues to impress with each watch. A standout at this event a year prior, Roberts’ stuff has clearly made a jump. Standing at a long-levered 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, he is a controlled mover down the mound paired with a noticeably quick arm. His fastball sat 86-88 mph on this day for strikes with carry (avg. 17.6” IVB), and an average spin rate of 2316 rpm (T2379). His curveball (avg. 2310 rpm) sat 71-75 mph with sweeping-action for strikes 60% of the time. His 76-78 mph changeup flashed as well with an average of 17.6” HM. A must-know name for the spring."

Mason Bruesch OF / RHP / Geneva, IL / 2027

From 5/2/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked 32nd in the state. Standing 6-foot, 166 pounds with a lean and projectable build. Got the start on the mound and looks to be an intriguing follow in the years to come. The right-hander has a medium leg lift with a tall/fall delivery. His fastball sat 86-88 mph topping out at 89 mph with run. He also displayed a slider which sat between 73-76 mph with horizontal break."

Dominic Stottler SS / OF / United Township, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 134 in the state. 6-foot-1, 181-pound athletic frame with room to continue to add strength. Hit out of the two-hole while starting in right field. Stottler went 2-for-3 with an RBI double down the left field line. The right-handed hitter swings from a wide upright stance with a long stride. Quality bat-to-ball skills from a compact swing. Consistently on the barrel with pull-side power and easy strength. Showed the ability to cover ground in right field."

Connor McKay RHP / RHP / Nazareth Academy, IL / 2026

From 5/10/25: "...Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 119 in the state. Trim, high-waisted 6-foot-2, 174-pound frame. Got the ball to start for the Roadrunners and provided an upside look. Loose and simple mover down the mound, working from a stretch-only delivery. He showed to have a loose/quick arm from a ¾ slot. Primarily working with two pitches; his fastball sat 87-89 mph early in the outing, reaching that velocity easily, while he would settle in at 83-86 mph in the later stages of the game with sinking action. McKay would go to a 75-78 mph slider (2400+ rpm) as his secondary offering, that seemed to get better as the start progressed, playing in the zone more while inducing swing and miss in the later stages of the outing. McKay is a name to continue to follow as the spring goes on."

Trace Schaaf LHP / 1B / Lockport, IL / 2026

From 5/21/25: "...Uncommitted, Schaaf collected a complete game win over No. 19 Lincoln-Way East. He fired seven innings, allowing four hits, three earned runs, and six strikeouts."

Landon Ehman OF / RHP / Providence Catholic, IL / 2026

From 10/13/24: "...is a name that has made significant strides since our staff last saw him in the winter of 2023. It’s an athletic frame with room for growth at 5-foot-9, 151-pounds. The left-handed hitter has an uphill path and posted a max exit velocity of 90.9 mph, while sending his farthest hit ball 347 feet during his round of batting practice. His athleticism translated well to his defensive round, showing confidence with quality footwork and clean and quick arm that produced the top outfield velocity of the day (87 mph). A 7.16 runner, Ehman also recorded a peak jump height of 31.3 inches."

Jackson Connoyer RHP / Quincy Notre Dame, IL / 2026

From 3/1/25: 

Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-4, 180-pounds. Extremely projectable, long-levered with all sorts of room to fill out.
Delivery: Controlled, uptempo delivery, high leg lift, tall/fall down the mound.
Arm Action: RH. Long, loose, quick arm action from a 3/4 slot.
FB: T86, 84-86 mph. Clean out of the hand with life, firm through the zone, has carry. T2076, 2020 average rpm.
CB: 68-71 mph. 12/6 action, late bite. T2105, 2056 average rpm.
SL: 72-76 mph. Firm, short lateral break. T2102, 2048 average rpm.
CH: 75-76 mph. Hard, plays with fade, strikes. T1799, 1690 average rpm.

Austin Rutter SS / 2B / Sacred Heart-Griffin, IL / 2027

From 6/10/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 61 in the state. Lean 5-foot-9, 160-pound frame with room to add strength. Started at second and hit out of the six-hole. Rutter shined on Friday and Saturday as he finished the weekend going 3-for-6 at the plate. The left-handed hitter operates from a wide, balanced stance with a toe-tap trigger. Compact swing that quick through the zone. Came up in a big spot and connected on an RBI single into right field to tie the game on Saturday. Smooth operator up-the-middle."

Ty Springer OF / 1B / Sacred Heart-Griffin, IL / 2026

From 6/2/25: "...Uncommitted. Stands in at a 6-foot, 178-pound frame with athleticism. Started in CF and hit out of the two-spot for the Cyclones, opening the scoring in the first inning by roping a double hard into the left-center gap. Quick and compact swing, fast out of the box, and looks the part on the field. A name to follow going forward."

Myles Broome C / OF / Br Rice High School, IL / 2027

From 7/17/24: "...Displaying an athletic and proportionate 5-foot-9, 165-pound display with room for growth, Broome was impressive at the plate for the Chicago White Sox Ace. The right handed batter went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI hitting a line drive to center field and a line drive to right field. Mechanically, Broome has high hands at the plate with a long stride. He portrays a quick bat speed with a level swing."

Cullen Schwigen RHP / OF / Rockridge, IL / 2027

From 5/24/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 10 in the state and No. 203 nationally. Strong 6-foot-2, 195-pound athletic frame. Premium two-sport athlete, quarterback that has received interest from high-level schools. Started at short and hit out of the two-hole. Schwigen had quite the day both at the plate and on the mound. On the mound, he struck out six batters through three and two-thirds innings. The right-hander operates from a tall/fall delivery with a high leg lift. Clean, compact, quick arm action from a ¾ slot. Fastball was firm while sitting 87-89 and topped out at 90 with life. Mixed in a curveball that sat 72-75 with sharp, late actions and an 11/5 shape. Curveball shows out-potential. Struck out five of his first ten batters faced. At the plate, Schwigen went 2-for-4 on Saturday. The right-handed hitter operates from a wide, upright stance with a short stride. Showed a whippy, compact swing with a flat bat path. Strong hands with a gap-to-gap approach. Connected on two singles up the middle."

Nico Harper LHP / OF / Libertyville, IL / 2026

From 5/24/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 131 in the state. 5-foot-10, 165-pounds, trim and athletic build. Gave a brief look out of the ‘pen, striking out two in a 1-2-3 inning of work. Simple and athletic delivery, high leg-lift into a coiled balance point, reaches with the front leg down the mound and works in-line. Long arm action out of the glove, smooth into release, ¾ slot, easy effort. The fastball played in the 83-83 mph range with late arm-side sink, showing the ability to keep it to the arm-side and also collect swing/miss in the zone. The curveball showed a shorter and gradual 1/7 shape at 65-67 mph, and the changeup played similar to the fastball at 77-79 mph."

Trevor Ames OF / RHP / St. Joseph-Ogden, IL / 2026

From 4/28/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 159 in the state’s junior class. Stands in an upside, 6-foot-2, 177-pound frame with plenty of room for added strength. Threw two innings in relief, struck out one, walked one and allowed two hits. Threw 37 pitches, 23 of those for strikes. Loose, free-and-easy mover with a long, clean arm path out of a high ¾ window. Fastball came out of the hand clean with slight arm-side action, sitting 83-86 mph. He also mixed in a curveball at 65-69 mph with 12/6 actions, sharp at times, and a change-up at 77-79 mph with fade, throwing it to a left-handed hitter. Also finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI and one run scored. An uncommitted name to know in Illinois’ junior class."

Rhett Harris 1B / OF / Minooka, IL / 2026

From 5/5/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 155 and the No. 5 first baseman in the state. Standing in at a 6-foot-3, 230-pound frame with strength present throughout. The junior got the start at first for the Indians and had a strong day at the dish. Harris displayed a balanced setup, loose hands, and a whole field approach. The right-handed hitter finished the day 3-for-4, with a double and two RBIs."

Kash VanHouten SS / RHP / Canton, IL / 2027

From 4/16/25: "...Slated to rise in our next rankings update, VanHouten stands in an athletic and strong 6-foot, 181-pound frame. Started on the mound and batted third for Canton. On the mound, a competitor that attacks the zone with both a fastball and slider, high leg lift with tuck, repeats, quick arm that works out of a ¾ slot. Fastball sat 88-91 mph throughout the outing, touching 92 mph early, and played with life through the zone, arm-side action at times. Mixed in a slider at 74-79 mph with sharp action that garnered plenty of swing-and-miss, late action. Threw one change-up at 82 mph with fade. A right-handed hitter at the plate, VanHouten has moxie in the box and looks to hit, loose pre-pitch movement with bat speed through the zone, intentful swing with control. Finished the day 1-for-2 with a double and a run - in his only out, barreled a ball to deep centerfield for a flyout. After pitching, moved over to shortstop and showed actions and range up the middle of the field. We’ve continually seen VanHouten perform in-game, remains one of the state’s top sophomore prospects."

Jack Schiek RHP / 3B / Lockport, IL / 2026

From 3/7/25: "...a young-looking 6-foot-2, 175-pound right-hander that showed well on the day. He’s a loose and easy mover with a compact and clean arm from a ¾ slot. His fastball showed some carry traits in the 85-87 mph range, setting up a curveball with shorter horizontal action at 71-73 mph, landing it consistently for strikes. His final offering was a straight changeup in the 75-77 mph range."

Jaiden Ponce OF / RHP / St Ignatius, IL / 2026

From 2/13/25: "...was easily one of the day’s biggest winners on both sides of the ball. Listed at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, Ponce has some loud tools across the board, starting with a 6.94 in the 60-yard dash. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed some controlled intent while working on the barrel to the pull-side, reaching up to 100 mph for his max EV. He also showed off some premier arm-strength from the outfield, reaching up to 93 mph from a crowhop. Ponce showed intriguing upside on the mound as well. The athletic right-hander moves with ease and has a quick arm, running his fastball up to 91 mph with quality spin. His fastball sat 84-90 mph (T90.5), averaging 2659 RPM. He showed both a breaking ball (76-83 mph, avg. 2679 RPM) and a changeup (82-87 mph), though his feel for offspeed was inconsistent in this look. Regardless, the combination of athleticism, arm speed, and fastball life makes him a follow moving forward. He’s a name to check in on this spring during high school play or at summer events."

Griffin Dobberstein 3B / SS / Marquette Academy, IL / 2027

From 6/10/25: "...Uncommitted. Stands in a 5-foot-10, 165-pound frame with more room to fill out. Pitched a perfect inning in relief for the Crusaders on Friday, collecting two strikeouts. Attacked hitters with a FB that sat 83-85 (T86) with arm-side run. Also flashed a low-70s SL with late 10/4 bite and showed an ability to locate the pitch glove side for swing-and-miss. Pitched with ease and athleticism down the mound with a low-tempo delivery, showed repeatability with a loose arm action. On Saturday, started on the mound. Settled in after the first, throwing four innings with two earned runs. He did damage at the plate going 3-for-4 with one RBI. Launched a solo home run to start the game, followed that up with two hard-hit singles to center. Must-know name in the 2027 class."

Dylan Huff RHP / OF / Glenwood, IL / 2026

From 5/20/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 15 in the state and No. 439 nationally. Athletic 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame with room to add strength. Started in center and hit out of the two-hole. Huff showed well on Tuesday as he went 1-for-3 at the plate. The right-handed hitter operates from a wide, upright stance with a long stride. Strong hands from a compact swing with an uphill bat path. Showed a whole field approach. Connected on a single into right field in the third inning. Showed a patient approach throughout the game, including working a walk in his final at bat. Covered plenty of ground in center and showed off a strong arm during I/O."

Andrew Satunas C / Lockport, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 131 in the state. Sturdy, well-proportioned 5-foot-9, 183-pound frame. Started behind the plate and batted sixth for the Porters. Left-handed hitter was all over the barrel, making loud contact consistently, while showing a mature approach. Relaxed and simple setup, hitterish look, fluid load, short leg lift stride, athletic and direct path. Went 2-for-3 with a double, while using the whole field. Defensively, he has a mature presence behind the dish and field general qualities; relaxed, one-knee receiver, loose-wristed, works up through the baseball, presents pitches, steals strikes. A high-level backstop to continue to monitor this spring."

Lincoln Boersma RHP / SS / Providence Catholic, IL / 2027

From 2/21/25: "...impressed with his long-levered athletic frame at 6-foot, 180-pounds, showing plenty of room for added strength. His fluid and athletic movement on the mound stood out. The fastball came out clean and easy, sitting 85-86 mph, and topping out at 86.7 mph. His slider (71-73 mph) was his most effective secondary offering, showing sharp shape, while he also landed a curveball (69-70 mph) and changeup (76-77 mph) for strikes. With his combination of athleticism and pitchability, Boersma is a high-follow arm heading into the spring and summer. He also swung it well at the event; showing an easy, flat path, paired with a line drive approach from the right side."

Caleb Hornbrook C / OF / Normal University, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 112 in the state. Started behind the plate and hit out of the three hole for the pioneers, not coming up with a hit but sending a ball deep to center for a fly out. Hornbrook really stood out behind the plate, working hard to block the ball up to all directions, moving athletically from the crouch. He has natural actions behind the plate, pairing with a strong arm that was on the bag routinely. Hard worker behind the plate with strength in his right-handed swing."

Omar Avalos Jr OF / Father McGivney, IL / 2027

From 6/10/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 20 in the state. 5-foot-7, 165 pound strong, athletic frame. Avalos hit out of the two-hole and went 3-for-4 on the day with 2 RBI and one run scored. Left-handed hitter with a wide, upright stance, low-hand setup, and small leg lift. Compact swing with a gap-to-gap approach, showed above-average bat speed. Started the day with a triple into the right center gap that led to him scoring the first run of the game for McGivney. Finished with two hard-hit singles. Defensively, he showed range coming in towards the infield to make two catches, also showed a strong arm during I/O. Continues to impress in each of our looks this spring."

Parker Roop SS / RHP / Normal University, IL / 2027

From 5/10/25: "...Ranked No. 99 in the state’s sophomore class, stands in a high-upside, 6-foot, 155-pound frame with a high-waist and plenty of room for strength to come. Started at shortstop and batted seventh. Finished the day 1-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch. Left-handed hitter, fluid and easy swing with a toe-tap trigger, hands worked direct to the ball with a flatter path through the zone. Impressed defensively during in-and-out with his range and actions, showing a confident glove with an accurate arm across the diamond. High follow sophomore heading into the summer."

Drew Ward OF / 2B / Sacred Heart-Griffin, IL / 2026

From 6/10/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 187 in the state’s 2026 class. Stands in a lean and athletic 6-foot, 170-pound frame. Went 2-for-4 with a double, one run scored, and drove in the game tying runs in the seventh, eventually leading to a Cyclones’ win. Ward stands in the plate with a slightly crouched, wider base and has a toe-tap trigger into a level swing. His first hit came in the 6th that started a rally, eventually coming around to score. In the seventh, he drove in two on a double that was roped into left-center field. Still uncommitted, a name to follow next year as he heads into his senior season."

Cole Brent OF / LHP / Normal University, IL / 2027

From 5/7/25: "...Uncommitted, ranked No. 86 in the state’s sophomore class. Athletic 5-foot-19, 178-pound frame with strength. Started in right field and batted second. Showed a strong arm in right field during in-and-out, making throws on a line to third base and home. A left-handed hitter, Brent delivered a well-hit ball to centerfield in his second at-bat of the game for a flyout. We’ve seen big tools out of Brent at a showcase this past winter, and he remains a name-to-follow in Illinois."

Lance Cuddy LHP / OF / Coal City, IL / 2026

From 3/26/25: "...Uncommitted. Cuddy had a strong week going 5-for-9 at the plate with two home runs, six RBIs and two runs scored. In their win over Prairie Central, he went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and one run scored."

Keenan Donaldson C / 2B / New Trier, IL / 2026

From 5/15/25: "...Uncommitted, high-waisted 5-foot-10, 171-pound frame. Got the start at DH and batted in the five-hole. Balanced setup, with loose hands, toe-tapping into minimal stride. Donaldson showcased his ability to find the barrel, going 2-for-2 on the day with three RBIs and a walk. An uncommitted junior bat to keep an eye on."

Isaac Harris LHP / OF / Joliet West, IL / 2026

From 3/28/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 80 in the state. Athletic 5-foot-11, 175-pound frame. Harris started the game on the mound. Harris picked up three strikeouts in two innings. Clean, compact arm action from an over-the-top slot. Balanced, sidesaddle, drop/drive delivery with free hips and effort in velocity. Fastball sat 83-85 with deception. Mixed in a curveball that sat 65-67 with 12/6 shape."

Mickey Lotus SS / OF / St. Laurence, IL / 2026

From 6/19/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 120 in the state. Lean 5-foot-9, 143-pound athletic frame with room to add strength. Started at second and hit out of the two-hole. Lotus impressed on Friday as he went 3-for-4 at the plate. The switch-hitter operates from a wide, balanced base with a small foot lift. Compact swing that is direct to the ball with strong hands. Whole field approach with quality bat-to-ball abilities. In his first plate appearance, Lotus connected on a line drive into center field for a single. Worked an eight-pitch at-bat for a walk in his second plate appearance. In his third plate appearance, Lotus connected on an inside-pitch for a double into right field. Smooth operator at second base."

Nolan Kendall C / OF / Andrew, IL / 2026

From 4/29/25: "...Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 120 in the state. Stands in at a lean 5-foot-10, 158-pound frame with room for added strength in the future. Batted leadoff and started behind the dish for the T-Bolts. A left-handed hitter, he was on the barrel repeatedly, showing an athletic swing that stayed in the zone for a long time. In his first at-bat he lined out to center field, then hit a hard line drive single into right his next at-bat, and in his final at-bat he was on the barrel again - this time lining out to right. Behind the plate, he has a leadership presence about him, and flashed high-level receiving abilities; working up through the baseball, showing loose wrists, and the ability to steal pitches on the corners. An uncommitted backstop for schools to know."

Luke Blackwell RHP / 3B / Valmeyer, IL / 2026

From 3/7/25: "...a must-know uncommitted arm from the day. There’s some present strength in his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, creating a downhill delivery down the mound with a longer arm action into a ¾ window. His fastball sat comfortably in the 89-90 mph range throughout, playing mostly straight and setting up a bullet slider at 76-78 mph. His final offering was a changeup he could land in the zone with hard run, 81-83 mph."

Samuel Chin LHP / LHP / St. Laurence, IL / 2026

From 5/15/25: "...Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 42 in the state. 6-foot, 155-pound build, lean and wiry with plenty of room to add on strength. High-ceiling starter profile with three distinct pitches. Clean, easy mover, medium and up-tempo leg-lift with a slight coil into balance point, works in-line with a slightly uphill shoulder tilt down the mound, front foot lands closed, silky mover. Loose, full arm circle into a ¾ release. The fastball played 85-87 mph early on with carry, working it both in/out to either handed hitter. Showed feel for the curveball to land for strikes and below the zone, sharp 1/7 action with depth and some sweep at times, 72-74 mph. Changeup flashed hard and late dive with out-pitch potential, 81 mph, missed arm-side in-game. High-ceiling arm that is one of the top uncommitted southpaws in the state."

Cole Latimer OF / RHP / DeKalb, IL / 2026

From 5/13/25: "...Uncommitted and currently ranked No. 48 in the state. 6-foot-3, 185-pound frame with a long-levered build and plenty of room to add size. Latimer got the start in center field and hit second in the Barbs lineup. Offensively he had a hard ground ball through the left side of the infield for a single. Showed range and quality reads off the bat, arm plays well above-average with life and accuracy. High-follow uncommitted outfielder, also a QB1."

Logan Rosenthal OF / RHP / St. Joseph-Ogden, IL / 2026

From 4/28/25: "...Uncommitted, ranked No. 168 in the state’s junior class. Strong, athletic frame at 5-foot-8, 173-pounds. Started in centerfield and batted leadoff. No results to show for at the plate, but a left-handed hitter that took quality at-bats throughout the game. Fouled off pitches, created a tough out for the opposing pitcher. Showed speed and athleticism in the outfield, range with a quality arm to pair. Uncommitted name to know."

Jacob Newman C / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2026

From 4/24/25: "...Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 124 in the state. Trim, 6-foot, 180-pound frame with room for added strength in the future. Started behind the plate and batted sixth. Newman continued to cement himself as one of the top defensive backstops in the state in this game, showing the advanced receiving actions we have become accustomed to seeing, while additionally catching a would-be base stealer trying to take third base. The right-handed hitter was also on the barrel a couple times in this look, tallying a single, while also showing the ability to use the whole field."

Jackson Ahrens SS / OF / East Peoria, IL / 2026

From 5/10/25: "...Uncommitted, stands in an athletic 6-foot, 170-pound frame with seemingly more strength to come. Started at shortstop and batted leadoff. Finished the day with a hit and one run scored, but impressed defensively during in-and-out, athletic mover with range and a clean glove-to-hand transfer. Offensively, hands work direct to the ball with a slightly uphill path through the zone. Multi-sport athlete, plays football, basketball and baseball - All-Conference selection in basketball. Uncommitted name to follow in Illinois."

Madden Cotts SS / OF / Libertyville, IL / 2027

From 3/6/25: "...has made some noticeable strides since our last look a year ago. The left-handed hitter took one of the better rounds of BP on the day with quick hands and a flatter path through the zone, showing an athletic and handsy swing with some looseness throughout, creating sneaky jump off the barrel from his 5-foot-8, 153-pound frame with a max EV of 97 mph. He also put up notable BLAST metrics with an average bat-speed of 73.3 mph and average hand-speed of 22 mph. Cotts then impressed during defense; showing some natural actions and feel for playing on the infield. He gets around the ball to get his momentum moving toward first, utilizing a two-hand funnel into his body, and showing rangy actions as well. His arm was loose and whippy, flashing arm speed at times, topping at 83 mph."