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Class of 2027 Rankings Update

August 19, 2026
Illinois Scouting Staff

With the summer circuit finally behind us, it is time for our staff to refresh the rankings before our fall circuit starts to take off. Between events and tournaments, there was a ton of action to be seen, with players making notable strides and raising their own stock.

Today, we are taking a look at some of the notable movement in the rankings, found below.

For a look at the complete rankings list, click HERE.

Top-10

+ Holding down our No. 1 spot, CIF Brady Cunningham (Brother Rice; Texas A&M commit) has been on a torrid stretch since the spring, taking home our Player of the Year award before carrying his success well into the summer. He has caught a ton of buzz on national level, performing on the national stage at numerous events across the country, including winning the High School Home Run Derby on national television where his plus power was on display for the entire country to see. The bat continues to perform at a high clip on the biggest stages, and we don’t expect that to stop any time soon. 

+ Right-hander Traxton Roberts (Armstrong; Kentucky commit) is making a jump up to No. 2 after a helium summer. He has a full repertoire of weapons with both a slider and a curveball with swing and miss potential, pairing with a fastball that plays consistently in the low-90s with more to come in the near future. It’s real starter upside with a ton of clay still to mold, and we expect him to only continue to get better. 

+ Some of the top arm-talent in the entire country belongs to RHP Brady Buenik (Libertyville; Tennessee commit), and he’s rising one spot to No. 5 in this update. Equipped with a physical 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame that screams workhorse, he has the arm-strength to pair with a fastball up to 97 mph. Though the command wavers at times, the electricity in the arm is impossible to ignore, as he also shows a couple dynamic secondaries with a slider and a splitter to go with the fastball. 

+ Another helium arm making a jump in this update is RHP Liam Nash (Huntley; Florida commit), who comes in at No. 7 in this update. The fastball was making waves around the state, working into the mid-90s in the spring and even creeping into the upper-90s during the summer on the national stage. There is electric arm-speed to pair with the radar gun readings, and his slider looks to be a quality secondary offering with swing and miss potential and sharp bite. 

+ RHP Charley Spour (St. Anthony; Louisville commit) was one, if not the biggest winner from Team Heartland at the Senior Future Games this past summer. It’s an electric fastball up to 97 mph with spin rates over 2,600 rpm, and he features a firm slider in the mid-80s that has some potential to be a real weapon for him. 

Top-50

+ Rising a handful of spots to No. 14, CIF/OF Gavin Stanislawski (Brother Rice; Wright State commit) offers some of the top raw power in the state, boasting exit velocities that can reach over 111 mph. He hit in front of our staff at numerous stops this past summer, showing improved bat-to-ball and swing decisions to pair with his advanced strength in the bat. He’s also an impressive athlete that can play a couple different spots in the field, sporting a 6.74 in the 60 with an arm that can reach up to 91 mph. 

+ MIF Carson Trivellini (Crystal Lake South; Illinois commit) is rising nine spots to No. 15 in this update as he continues to look like a premium middle infield prospect. The frame and ceiling stands out at 6-foot-2, 184-pounds, looking to have all sorts of room to continue to add strength to an already athletic build. The hands stand out on the infield with range and a strong arm, looking to profile at short at the next level - and he’s also been swinging it well for our staff in recent looks. 

+ Coming in at No. 16, OF Jazarris Mackmore (Marian Catholic) has been a helium bat in the state with power outputs on the national stage. There’s present strength and twitch in his swing with natural lift, putting together impressive at-bats while also performing at a high clip in front of our staff. There’s some tools to go along with it, running a 6.70 in the 60 at an impressive 6-foot-1, 200-pounds. 

+ C/OF Rocco Triolo (Lincoln-Way East; Northern Illinois commit) is making a significant jump to No. 18 in this update, as he continues to make a case for being one of the top bats in the state. He performs at every single stop, consistently creating loud outputs with bat-to-ball and power, coming away as a big winner from the Senior Future Games about a month ago. 

+ RHP Keegan Schwarting (Joliet West; Kentucky commit) is rising 50 spots to No. 19 in this update, and he’s been one of the more impressive names in the state as of late. Standing in at an impressive 6-foot-7, 190-pounds with all sorts of projection remaining, it's easy to get excited about his future. The fastball plays in the upper-80s with nearly 2,500 rpm, and he can also spin his slider over the 2,600 mark with wipeout potential. 

+ Another high-ceiling arm making a big jump is LHP Grayson Waters (Oak Park-River Forest; Virginia Tech commit), rising 56 spots to No. 20. He stands in at 6-foot-6, 197-pounds with still more room to continue to fill out. The fastball plays up to around 90 mph, pairing with both a slider and a changeup that he can throw in the zone for swing and miss. Three pitches for strikes with starter upside, along with being left-handed makes him a highly intriguing arm in the state. 

+ RHP Graydon Leonard (Gibson City-Melvin Sibley; Illinois commit) has made some significant strides as of late and he’s rising to No. 26 as a result. The fastball has been up to 93 mph in recent reports with a tight slider and changeup to pair. 

+ OF/RHP Russell Applegate (Charleston) is the top newcomer and also one of the top uncommitted prospects in the state with this recent update. Applegate has all kinds of athleticism and tools to go along with some power in his left-handed swing. At the State Games in early August he ran a 6.54 60, was 95 mph from the and peaked at 99 mph off the bat with a 359’ max distance. He carried over that workout into game play where he was consistently on the barrel with authority. That was no surprise to see as we got a number of impressive looks at him in Rantoul this summer at Prep Baseball Tournaments. One of the top 2027 athletes on the market in the Midwest.

+ Coming in at No. 31 in this update, RHP Kobe Jordan (Providence Catholic; Michigan commit) offers some of the highest upside in the state and he has the arm-talent to go along with it, working his fastball into the mid-90s on multiple occasions this past summer. At 6-foot-4, there’s plenty more clay to work with, and his clean movement patterns indicate that there are still more velocity jumps to be had. 

+ OF Kyle LaRose (St. Charles East; Northern Illinois commit) was a big winner for our staff this past summer, rising 178 spots to No. 36 in this update. He’s a true centerfield profile with range and foot-speed, pairing with a loose, athletic left-handed swing with more strength on the way. 

+ UTIL Tanner Beyna (St. Viator; Northern Illinois commit) has been a staff favorite for some time now, and he’s climbing 99 spots to No. 39 in this update. He’s a true switch-hitter with bat-to-ball skills and bat-speed, and he continues to perform at every stop in front of our staff. He also provides defensive versatility with the ability to catch, play first base and even the outfield if needed. 

+ RHP Easton DiBernardi (Marquette Catholic; Illinois State commit) is making a splash up to No. 50 in this update as he continues to show as a high-level two-way in the state. The left-handed swing is athletic with some pop, and he has some tools with a 6.93 in the 60 and peak velocity of 91 mph from the outfield. On the mound, the fastball gets up to around 92 mph with over 2,600 rpm, pairing with a sharp sweeping slider and fading changeup. 

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