This update to the class of 2025 comes after a busy winter with a couple of high-level events, such as the Super 60 and Preseason ProCase, as well as the first couple weeks of their final spring season. This shakeup to the class will be also one of the final updates to the 2025 class.

The top of the class remains concrete with three potential first-round draft picks sitting at the top of the class; LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Glenwood; Tennessee), UTIL Jaden Fauske (Nazareth; LSU) and LHP Jack Bauer (Lincoln-Way East; Virginia). All three prospects now sit in the top-12 of the 2025 National Rankings, emphasizing how strong this Illinois senior class is at the top.

Bauer made a big jump up to No. 12 Nationally after one of the loudest starts to a final spring season that we can remember. The 6-foot-3, 191-pound, left-hander has long had some of the best arm talent in the midwest but he has taken it to a new level this spring. Most recently in a start at Lake Point in Georgia, his fastball was routinely touching 100+ mph on a TrackMan unit, topping at 101.8 mph. That is the firmest fastball we have ever seen out of a high school prospect in Illinois and potentially ever since the inception of Prep Baseball in 2005. It also puts him in rarified air when it comes to left-handed pitchers across the world, regardless of age, who throw 100+ mph. What's even more impressive is that he is throwing a higher volume of strikes than ever before, flashing a swing-and-miss slider with 2900+ rpm to go along with an above-average changeup. Bauer has some of the biggest buzz of any prep prospect across the country and should be a name to follow extremely closely when it comes time for the MLB Draft this summer.

3B CJ Deckinga (Minooka; Michigan State) and 1B/OF/LHP Conor Essenburg (Lincoln-Way West; Kentucky) are two more prospects that have been rising as of late. Deckinga, now the No. 4 prospect in the state, broke out at the ProCase earning an invite to the Super 60 where he continued to shine, showing off high-level athleticism, the ability to stick at third base and one of the highest overall ceilings in the class. Essenburg, also a Super 60 participant, is the top two-way talent in the state with a fastball in the low-to-mid 90s and a potent right-handed swing that has been making extremely loud contact all spring long.

RHP Brandon Shannon (McHenry; Louisville), C Quinn Schambow (Libertyville; Oklahoma State), MIF Ethan Moore (Oak Park-River Forest; Tennessee), LHP Aidan Flinn (Marist; Illinois) and OF/RHP Joseph Chiarodo (Edwardsville; Alabama) round out the updated Top-10 in the state.

Shannon was a standout at this winter’s Super 60 and he has been dominant so far this spring leading McHenry HS, who is currently a top-five ranked program in the state. His fastball can climb into the upper-90s with upside to his entire arsenal.

Outside of the top-10 there are plenty of notable prospects who continue to elevate their games and prospect status. Four right-handed arms from Southern Illinois are all catching some draft interest and they come in at No. 12-No.15 respectively; Brandon Menser (Waltonville; Cincinnati), Andrew Winslow (Triad; Oklahoma State), Austin Musso (Mascoutah; Arizona State) and Connor Blue (O’Fallon; Cincinnati). All four of the aforementioned arms have plenty to like and are all different in their own right. Menser hovers around 90 mph with his fastball, he spins one of the better top-to-bottom breaking balls in the class and is a long-levered, two-sport athlete with all kinds of development yet to come. Winslow is almost all pure ceiling with a low-90s fastball, projectable frame, above-average slider and a low slot that offers some uniqueness to his profile. Musso and Blue have some of the best “now stuff” with fastballs in the low-90s and quality swing-and-miss breaking balls. Musso has been up to 94 mph this spring and has long been one of the top performers in the state. It will be fun to watch in the coming year’s to see what comes from all four of these arms.

3B/RHP Jack Wheeler (Morris; Illinois) is another multi-sport standout who is climbing up the list, up 11 spots to No. 18 in the state. Wheeler is broad-shouldered, can stick at third base moving forward, has easy bat and hand strength in his swing and is long strided around the bases. Wheeler’s best baseball days are yet to come.

RHP Ike Young (Monticello) is another Illinois commit on the rise, up five spots to No. 22 in the state. Young is a highly-atheltic arm who continues to see his velocity and stuff tick up. Now sitting comfrotabely in the low-90s, it is easy to dream on the upside and athleticism he possesses.

RHP/INF Brayden Zilis (Minooka; Illinois State) is another prospect who has been steadily climbing up the board over the last year or two and now sits at his highest spot yet, No. 23 in the state. Zilis is a dynamic two-way talent who was up to 93 mph in his first start this spring with a swing-and-miss breaking ball. He is also a left-handed hitter who has been all over the barrel in our in-game looks.

LHP/OF Hayden Bernrueter (Triad; John A. Logan JC) is making one of the biggest moves in the class, climbing over 80 spots and now sitting at No. 40 in the state. Bernreuter put on an extremely impressive performance early on at the Kickoff Classic. Here is the Scout Blog from that game:

“John A. Logan JC commit. 5-foot-10, 191-pound, left/left, two-way prospect who stood out on all sides of the ball on Saturday. Came away as one of the biggest arrow-up prospects from the Kickoff Classic. Hits out of the two-hole and had a big day with the bat over the course of two games; finished the day 4-for-8, 3B, 5 RBI, 3 R. Barreled consecutive RBI singles back up the middle in the first game of the day. Loose, athletic hands with minimal effort and heavy barrel. Ball sounds different and jumps off the bat differently. Flashed whole field power with a deep, high fly off the base of the left-center field wall for a triple. All kinds of upside in the left-handed swing. Came out of the bullpen to finish off game two of the day and showed high-end stuff on the mound. Clean, quick arm and attacked hitters with a lively fastball that played up to 92 mph, flashed carry at the top of the zone and got a number of swing-and-misses in the zone; sat 88-90 mph mostly. Showed a slider up to 80 mph that was in the zone with short, horizontal action. Overall skill set continues to polish and improve everytime we see him. Riser in the 2025 class.”

There are a number of other prospects continuing to trend up in the class and have impacted the rest of the expanded list.

CLICK HERE for a look at the complete Illinois 2025 rankings.

RELATED CONTENT