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Class of 2027 Showcase: Quick Hits

October 17, 2025
By: Illinois Scouting Staff

On Sunday, October 12, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Class of 2027 Showcase at The Max in McCook, IL. This event was host to roughly 40 players from all around the state and gave our staff one final look at a number of these players as the fall circuit comes to a close.

Today, we are taking a look at some of the day’s biggest winners with scouting reports and videos, below.

Position Players

Jackson Roberts, INF, Barrington, 2027
Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 75 in the state. 6-foot, 154-pound frame, lean with plenty more room to add on strength. Gave a strong all-around showing in every aspect. Athletic right-handed hitter with a balanced swing, fluid rhythm in the hands with a short and simple load, flat path with line-drive intent, 91 mph peak EV. Natural defender on the infield with fluid footwork and soft hands, moves easily to both sides with rangy actions, clean glove-to-hand and double play turn, arm plays from multiple angles and with easy strength across (T87 mph). Also a 6.78 runner in the 60.

Jayden Ibarra, INF, St. Rita, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-11, 184-pound frame, evenly distributed with some present strength. Took one of the top rounds of BP on the day, rhythmic load and operation, fluid and controlled with a flat path, stays balanced with ease throughout impact, middle of the field approach with some natural lift at times, 97 mph peak EV with an average of 89 mph, half of his swings registered at 95 mph or higher. Soft hands on the infield, secures the ball into his body, steady footwork through the baseball. 7.13 runner in the 60.

Michael Peck, OF, Oak Forest, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-10, 161-pounds, projectable frame, high-waisted with room to add more strength. Emerged as an upside and intriguing right-handed bat from the day. Longer swing with a flat path, hangs foot into a longer stride, was on the barrel some to the pull-side, 90 mph peak EV.

Tyler Phillips, INF/C, St. Charles East, 2027
Uncommitted. 6-foot, 160-pounds, athletic and trim build, projectable and room to add strength. Clean right-handed swing, longer stride that works back to the plate, some rhythm in the hands. Stayed mostly pull-side throughout the round, 95 mph peak EV. Steady actions from behind the plate, efficient glove to hand transfer, works in-line with quick feet - also a sure-handed defender on the infield with reliable actions and a two-hand gather, clean transfers. 6.73 runner in the 60 to pair.

Danny Corona, INF, St. Rita, 2027
Uncommitted. Took a quality round of BP on the day, clean swing, controlled with a flat path, balanced, worked to keep the ball on a line up the middle, some intent to lift pull-side. Soft hands, plays low and through the baseball with steady footwork, quick first step. Clean arm, short circle with a high ¾ release.

Kayne Tagliavia, C/INF, Elk Grove, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-8, 193-pound frame, proportionate with some present strength throughout. Clean right-handed swing with some thump in the barrel, peaking at 94 mph for his EV while averaging 87 mph, consistent feel for the barrel throughout his round. Controlled and simple load, longer path with some natural lift up the middle and pull-side. Steady-handed on the infield with deliberate actions and footwork, two-hand gather works out front, clean transfers. Clean glove-to-hand from the chute, works in-line and stays low from the crouch, short arm action and high ¾ release, 2.21 pop-time, T72 mph.

Cooper Schilly, INF, Festus, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-10, 170-pound frame, proportionate build. Gave a strong all-around look with some notable measurable tools. The right-handed hitter showed a compact and balanced swing with a mostly pull-side approach in the round with some lift at times (T355’), getting the ball out front with some loud results, peaking at 98 mph for the EV while averaging 89 mph. 6.71 in the 60. Steady hands with deliberate actions, patient footwork and approach, clean and short release (T82 mph).

INF Nathan Dugan (Vernon Hills), OF Aiden Fitzgerald (Bradley-Bourbonnais), C Alexander Burke (Oak Park-River Forest) and INF Kevin Thatcher (Lincoln-Way West) are four more names that showed well on the day and deserve a mention.

Two-Ways

Jacob Becker, 1B/RHP, Jacobs, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame, present strength in the upper-half with broad shoulders. Took one of the loudest rounds of BP on the day, averaging 85 mph and peaking at 96 mph with feel for the barrel up the middle and pull-side, showed natural feel to elevate the baseball with almost half of his hits registering over 95 mph. Smooth defender at first base with feel for the position, strong arm across (T84 mph). The arm-strength easily transferred to the mound where he worked in the 78-80 mph range. Also flashed a slider/changeup mix with the slider showing short lateral bite at 67-69 mph and the changeup playing with slight fade, 74-78 mph.

Richard Ricciardi, OF, St. Francis, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-11, 150-pounds, lean and wiry build with room to add more strength. Twitchy right-handed swing with a flat path, middle/pull approach in this look with line-drives, some feel to lift the ball up the middle. Steady actions in the outfield, some bounce in the pre-pitch, clean arm and whippy ¾ slot. Gave an intriguing look on the mound with a fastball up to 80 mph, playing with big carry traits through the zone. Flashed feel for his changeup in the 73-74 mph range, some arm-side life. Developing feel for his slider with up to 14” inches of horizontal action, 69-71 mph.

Hayden Bates, 1B/RHP, St. Thomas More, 2027
Uncommitted. 6-foot-5, 167-pound frame, highly projectable with long limbs, plenty of room for added strength and physical development. Right-handed hitter, wide base with a medium stride, works direct to the baseball with a flat path, 90 mph peak EV. Sure-handed defender at first base, soft hands with fluid footwork around the bag. Simple delivery with a short/medium leg-lift, works in-line with a tall/fall lower-half down the mound, over-the-top release. Fastball played up to 79 mph with more to dream on.

Danny Harris. INF. Andrew, 2027
Uncommitted. 5-foot-11, 173-pound frame, proportionate, wiry with room to add strength. Left-handed hitter, simple load with a wide base, stays short to the ball, easy hands with a line-drive approach the other way, 89 mph peak EV. Showed some arm-strength on the mound with the fastball playing around 82-83 mph. Showed the ability to land his changeup for strikes consistently, mostly straight actions at 70-72 mph.

Pitchers

Hunter McGrath, RHP, Lisle, 2027
Uncommitted, 5-foot-10, 177-pounds, strong lower half, Mcgrath tossed the loudest bullpen of the event. The fastball played with some sink at 85-86 mph, flashed a curveball in the low 70s with 2300+ avg. spin rate and nearly -15 in. of HM, the slider was thrown with higher spin rates (2491 rpm avg.) in the high 70s, and showed a changeup with armside run and sink in the low 80s.

Jose Samaniego, LHP, St. Francis (Wheaton), 2027
Uncommitted, 6-foot-2, 159-pound, long and lanky frame, the southpaw tossed an intriguing bullpen on Sunday, the fastball worked up to 85 mph, sitting 83-84 mph with -12 in. of avg. HM. Samaniego flashed two off-speeds, the curveball played at 66-72 mph with control around the zone, and the changeup played at 75-79 mph with -16 in. of avg. HM.

Alexander Aridas, RHP, Maine South, 2027
Uncommitted, 5-foot-11, 157-pounds, room to add strength, Aridas showed command and feel for every pitch, working around the zone throughout the bullpen. The fastball worked in the low-80s topped 82 mph with feel, flashed a curveball at 68-71 mph, and a low spin changeup in the low 70s with armside run and sink.

Matthew Guzauskas, RHP, Aurora Central Catholic, 2027
Uncommitted, 6-foot-1, 169-pounds, the right-hander threw a four pitch mix, with the fastball sitting in the low 80s, topping 82 mph with command and sink. Showed a curveball in the high 60s, a slider in the low 70s with 11 in. of avg. HM, and a changeup with armside sink in the mid 70s.

Anthony Urso, LHP, IC Catholic Prep, 2027
Uncommitted, 6-foot-3, 169-pounds, athletic frame, Urso’s velo will tick up with added strength to the already impressive frame. Tossed a quality ‘pen at the event, flashing feel throughout. The fastball worked in the mid-70s, topped 77 mph, flashed a curveball in the low 60s with an avg. of 12 in. of HM. Also showed a changeup with solid ASR/S in the low to mid 70s.

Landon Paul, RHP, St. Charles North, 2027
Uncommitted, 6-foot-1, 205-pound physical frame, Paul showed four pitches in the ‘pen with some higher spin rates. The fastball plays firm with some sink at 82-84 mph and an avg. spin rate of 2180 rpm, the curveball is in the mid 70s with an avg. spin rate of 2185 rpm. Paul flashed a changeup in the high 70s with 13 in. of avg. HM. The cutter played well at 78-80 mph and an avg. spin rate of 2275 rpm.

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