2026 Rankings Update: Newcomers
August 29, 2025
With the summer behind us and the 2026 State Rankings being released this past Wednesday, we’re taking a look at some of the newcomers within this update. A considerable number of players impressed over the summer, which allowed plenty of fresh faces to appear in the latest update, following a summer of events, tournaments, and the Illinois State Games.
Today, we’re taking a look at some of the notable newcomers. Note, the players mentioned within this story were ranked within the top 200 of the latest update.
2026 NEWCOMERS
 |
Devin De Loach LHP / 1B / Crystal Lake South, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 48 / POS: 9
From 5/16/25: “Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 249-pound frame. Got the ball to start for the Gators, turning in a quality start and earning the win. The southpaw has a controlled/simple delivery down the mound, throwing from a high ¾ slot. Utilizing a two-pitch mix, De Loach would mainly work in an 80-83 mph fastball that played with slight sinking action, while also working in a 67-71 mph slider that he could manipulate the shape of; at times playing with big-break for strikes, while at other times showing late darting action for swing and miss. De Loach showed mature mound presence in big spots in the game, having to navigate around baserunners in a handful of innings, and pitching out of jams. Line: W, 6 IP, 2 H, 5 BB, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 K. An uncommitted name to follow heading into the summer.” |