The 2025 MLB draft was held in Atlanta, GA, this year, with the first round beginning on July 13th and the final pick being called on July 15th. This year, just like every year, the state of Illinois was well-represented, and we’re going to spend some time dissecting those draft picks and their future destinations. We will break down the players that were drafted out of high school and college, beginning with this former No. 7 ranked player, Brendan Summerhill.

Brendan Summerhill OF / Whitney Young, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 4 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 83 / POS: 21 ARIZONA Round CB-A, Pick 42, Tampa Bay Rays Taking home Big 12 Championship All-Tournament, All-Big 12 Honorable Mention, Gold Spike pre- and midseason watch list, Baseball America First Team Preseason All-American and Preseason All-Big 12 honors, the stage was set for Brenan Summerhill. The right-handed hitting outfielder slashed .343/.459/.556 with four bombs, 12 doubles, six triples, 34 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases to end his junior season with the Wildcats. He showcased his contact-oriented style of play backed by elite defense, committing zero errors all season long. As the Wildcats made a deep run into the College World Series, Summerhills' stock only rose, as the Tampa Bay Rays took him 42nd overall, adding a high-upside bat and glove to their system.

Jaden Fauske C / 3B / Nazareth Academy , IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 2 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 15 / POS: 2 LSU Signee Round 2, Pick 44, Chicago White Sox From 2025 First Team All-State: “Jaden Fauske will leave high school as perhaps one of the better prep hitters to ever come out of the state. The LSU commit was a varsity contributor for all four of his years, capturing two baseball state championships, wearing a Roadrunners uniform and will likely not have to wait long to hear his name called when the MLB Draft rolls around next month. Over the course of his four-year varsity career, he put up a .492/.590/.744 triple-slash, good for a 1.334 OPS, while hitting 44 doubles, 10 triples, 12 homers, driving in 136 runs, and stealing 73 bags. In 2025, Fauske posted career-highs in triples (4), home runs (6), RBI (40), walks (29), and stolen bases (33).”

Jake Munroe 3B / SS / Champaign Central, IL / 2022 Rankings  JucoRank: 56 / POS: 2 StateRank: 93 / POS: 4 Louisville Round 4, Pick 109, Los Angeles Angels  After spending two years at John A Logan College, Munroe would transfer to Louisville for his Junior year and had an immediate impact on the Cardinals. The right-handed hitting third baseman would slash .346/.451/.593, with 13 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 13 doubles. Playing a key piece in the Cardinals' run to Omaha.

Sean Episcope RHP / 3B / The Latin School of Chicago, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 25 / POS: 7 Princeton Round 5, Pick 155, Milwaukee Brewers  While only making four starts this year for Princeton, Episcope still has an intriguing profile, garnering draft interest this year. The big right-hander in his four starts tossed 20 innings, striking out 26, walking only four, and allowing only seven hits en route to a 3.15 ERA. An interesting arm heading into the Brewers system.

Conor Essenburg LHP / 1B / Lincoln-Way West, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 4 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 86 / POS: 13 Kentucky Signee Round 5, Pick 157, Atlanta Braves From 2025 First Team All-State: “Conor Essenburg earns First Team All-State honors after one of the more impressive seasons across the state. The Kentucky commit slashed .464/.591/.909 good for a 1.500 OPS, while hitting four triples, 11 doubles, 10 home runs, 49 RBI, 42 runs scored, 36 walks and eight stolen bases. He was also a force on the mound, going 5-0 in 44.2 innings pitched, striking out 94, walking 23, allowing six runs on the year (0.94 ERA), while also tallying a 0.92 WHIP. Essenburg broke the record numerous records at Lincoln-Way West – season home runs (10), career home runs (21), season RBI (49), career RBI (118), season runs scored (42), stolen bases in a career (35), most pitching wins in a season (10), career pitching wins (20), season strikeouts (102), career strikeouts (294).”

Jack Wheeler 3B / RHP / Morris, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 17 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 380 / POS: 19 Illinois Signee Round 6, Pick 175, Texas Rangers  From 5/14/25: “Illinois commit, currently ranked No. 18 in the state. 6-foot-5, 190-pound frame, long limbs and lean with all sorts of room to add strength in the coming years. Premium three-sport athlete (football/basketball), set the Morris all-time scoring record for basketball this past spring. Started at third base and hit out of the three-hole for Morris, didn’t have anything to show for it at the plate but impressed with his overall knowledge of the zone with no chase. Simple load and swing, gets the knob to the catcher and showed athletic hands through the zone, used the whole field, was able to stay back on one and drive it the other way for a hard lineout to right. Will have a chance to stay on the infield at the next level, high IQ, knows where to go with the ball before each play, always thinking, soft/fluid hands and transfer, arm plays with strength and life across the diamond, showed multiple angles during IO. High-ceiling prospect to dream on, especially if he’s focused solely on baseball.”

Shai Robinson SS / Homewood-Flossmoor, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 13 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 375 / POS: 74 Illinois State Round 10, Pick 299, Minnesota Twins Coming off an outstanding year in the Illinois State lineup comes by the name of Shai Robinson. The right-handed hitting shortstop offered one of the most interesting draft profiles in this class. Robinson showed potential to stick at shortstop, but could see some movement within the infield. With the bat, Robinson slashed .276/.459/.409 with three home runs and six doubles. While not blowing away with the power numbers, Robinson excels with plate discipline, drawing 42 walks to 19 strikeouts. A hitter that finds a way on, showing an already advanced feel for the zone, finding a home with the Twins as he sets to make an impact in the Twin Cities.

George Bilecki OF / Marist, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 124 / POS: 27 Lewis Round 12, Pick 375, San Diego Padres George Bilecki was an absolute force at the plate this season for Lewis, slashing .356/.432/.797 with 23 HRs and 66 RBIs. He more than doubled his previous season high of 10 home runs and finds himself selected in the 12th round by the Padres.

Ethan Storm RHP / Sycamore , IL / 2022 Rankings  JucoRank: 118 / POS: 52 StateRank: 213 / POS: 63 Rock Valley JC Round 13, Pick 78, Tampa Bay Rays  Prior to being drafted, Ethan Storm was committed to Oklahoma and was expected to pitch for the Sooners next season. Storm racked up 51 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched for Rock Valley.

Brendan Brock C / OF / Mascoutah , IL / 2022 Southwestern Illinois JC Round 14, Pick 425, Milwaukee Brewers  Brendan Brock was a force offensively for SWIC this season, hitting .398 with 15 HRs with 52 RBI and stealing 39 bases on the season. Selected by the Brewers in the 14th round,  he will have the choice between the Brewers organization or a commitment to Oklahoma.

Noah Edders RHP / Downers Grove South, IL / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 11 / POS: 4 OverallRank: 480 / POS: 179 Troy Round 15, Pick 451, Chicago Cubs A Super 60 participant back in 2021, Edders then took his talents to Bradley after high school and led the team in innings pitched (79) his sophomore year (2024), before then transferring to Troy for the 2025 season. This past spring, Edders led the team in innings pitched (65), while also recording 67 strikeouts over that span. The Downers Grove South product will now enter the Cubs farm system.

Eddie King OF / Marian Catholic, IL / 2021 Rankings  StateRank: 9 / POS: 2 Louisville Round 16, Pick 473, Pittsburgh Pirates  Eddie King Jr put up a monster season at the plate in 2025, slashing .367/.435/.750 with 17 HRs and 63 runs driven in. As a result, he found himself selected to the All-ACC Second-team and chosen by the Pirates in the 16th round.

Casey Hintz RHP / St. Viator, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 32 / POS: 7 ARIZONA Round 16, Pick 482, Seattle Mariners  Casey Hintz has spent the last three seasons at Arizona, where he has been a mainstay in the Arizona bullpen. In total, he has made 75 appearances and pitched 115.0 innings, striking out an even 100 batters over his time in Arizona.

Luke Mensik RHP / Lincoln-Way Central , IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 19 / POS: 5 OverallRank: 311 / POS: 107 Xavier Signee Round 17, Pick 506, San Francisco Giants  From 5/16/25: “Xavier commit, currently ranked No. 16 in the state’s senior class and No. 310 nationally. Got the start on the mound for the Knights, tossing four and two-thirds innings and only allowing two earned runs. Easy, repeatable delivery, working in-line, from a loose high ¾ arm slot. Mensik showed some high quality stuff on the bump, despite picking up the loss. The right-hander’s fastball showed some life out of the hand at 90-93 mph. His main out-pitch was his 11/5 shaped curveball at 74-76 mph that played with downer action. Showed swing and miss potential with both pitches. Finished the day with seven strikeouts on five hits.”

Joel Sarver RHP / Champaign Central, IL / 2020 Rankings  StateRank: 74 / POS: 30 Charlotte Round 17, Pick 513, Arizona Diamondbacks Sarver would attend Northwest Florida State College out of high school before transferring to Charlotte to finish out his college career. In 2025, Sarver would pitch out of the bullpen for the 49ers, striking out 32 batters over 22.2 innings of work, walking just five batters, and only allowing six extra-base hits all spring. A name to continue to follow as he enters the D-Backs' system.

Ethan Moore SS / 2B / Oak Park-River Forest, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 9 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 141 / POS: 38 Tennessee Signee Round 18, Pick 534, Cincinnati Reds  From 5/02/25: “Tennessee commit, currently ranked No. 8 in the state and No. 124 in the country. 5-foot-10, 202-pound frame, extremely developed lower-half, strong and compact frame, round shoulders. Started at shortstop and hit out of the three-hole for the Huskies, finishing the day 1-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. Switch hitter, showed a compact and strong swing from both sides of the plate, athletic hands, can control the barrel and match plane, gap-to-gap approach throughout his rounds of BP with line-drives. Minimal swing/miss in-game with good swing decisions, no chase, recorded a 4.26 down the line from the left side on a groundout to the pitcher. Confident hands on the infield, plays with bounce and timing through the baseball, comfortable on the move, has no trouble moving laterally, clean/crisp exchanges, body flows. His arm plays with strength across the diamond, can play on the move and change angles, has the strength to stay on the left side if-needed. One of the top infield prospects in the country, should continue to garner professional interest throughout the spring, advanced defender that will be able to stay on the dirt at the next level, simple/compact swing with gap-to-gap approach and strength.”

Julius Sanchez RHP / LaSalle Peru, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 19 / POS: 4 Illinois Round 18, Pick 535, Texas Rangers  The former 12th-ranked player in the 2022 class, Sanchez has spent the last three seasons at Illinois. He has totaled 29 innings over the last two seasons, collecting 30 strikeouts over that span. He finds himself picked in the 18th round by the Rangers.

Cameron Appenzeller LHP / Glenwood, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 3 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 13 / POS: 2 Tennessee Signee Round 19, Pick 572, Seattle Mariners  From 5/20/25: “Tennessee commit. Projectable 6-foot-5, 185-pound frame. Started on the mound and hit out of the lead-off position. Appenzeller shined on Tuesday as he struck out 12 batters through six shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk. He threw 88 pitches in his six innings of work, picking up a 70% strike percentage. He didn’t allow a hit until the fourth inning. The left-hander operates from a tall/fall approach with a repeatable delivery that has easy actions. Long, clean arm action from a low ¾ slot. Fastball sat 89-92, clean out of hand. Was sitting 90-92 in the first inning. Settled down to 89-90 in the fifth inning. Mixed in a slider that sat 77-80 with depth and sweeping action. Settled down to 76-79 in the fifth inning. Produced plenty of swings and misses with his slider. Confident, competitor on the mound. At the plate, the left-hander connected on two solo home runs. His first home run came in the first inning and was a no-doubter over the right-center wall. His second came in his final at bat during the sixth inning, which was down the right-field line.”

Jimmy Anderson SS / Joliet West, IL / 2024 Rankings  StateRank: 33 / POS: 7 Heartland CC Round 19, Pick 574, Baltimore Orioles  The freshman out of Heartland made waves during his first year on campus. The right-handed hitting shortstop ended his year with 10 home runs, 18 doubles, 63 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases, while slashing .439/.520/.706. His immediate impact sent waves not only through the JUCO world, but also at the pro level as he finds himself being selected in the 19th round by the Orioles.

Ike Young RHP / Monticello, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 12 / POS: 2 Illinois Signee Round 20, Pick 597, Tampa Bay Rays  From 5/31/25: “​​Illinois commit, currently ranked No. 22 in the state’s senior class. 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, high-upside frame with more strength to come. Three-sport athlete, Quarterback for Monticello’s State-Runner up team in the fall. Started on the mound in a 2A Sectional Championship and struck out 13, allowed no earned runs and one hit. Athletic, easy mover down the mound, loose arm with clear acceleration out front. Fastball sat 89-92 mph throughout and topped at 93 mph early. Threw two different breaking balls in this look, both in the mid-to-upper-70s - Curveball showed 11/5 shape with late, sharp action at times, garnered swing-and-miss. Continues to look like one of the top arms in the senior class.”

Michael Hilker Jr RHP / Yorkville , IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 170 / POS: 53 Arizona Round 20, Pick 599, Minnesota Twins  After spending two-years at Wisconsin-Whitewater, Hilker Jr transferred to Arizona and put together an intriguing junior season. The right-handed pitcher saw majority of his time out of the bullpen where he saw 22.1 innings, while striking out 27 and walking four, with a 6.45 ERA. He now joins Shai Robinosn as the second Illinois native to be joining the Minnesota Twins.

Estevan Moreno SS / 3B / Montini Catholic, IL / 2022 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 139 / POS: 25 Notre Dame Round 20, Pick 602, Seattle Mariners  A former Super60 participant and the No. 7 ranked player in the 2022 class, has seen time as a regular starter over his last three seasons for the Fighting Irish. Slugging 30 home runs and driving in 107 across his career, Moreno found himself selected by the Mariners in the 20th round.

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