Illinois 2025 Winners: 2028 Position Players
December 15, 2025
With the end of the year right around the corner, we wanted to spend some time to highlight players we saw throughout the year that stood out to our staff - whether it be from an event, a tournament, or a game in the spring. Today, we are continuing our rollout with a look at some of the position player winners from the class of 2028.
Position Player Winners
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Carver Cohn OF / LHP / McHenry, IL / 2028From 6/19/25: "Currently ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 18 nationally. Lean 5-foot-9, 163-pound athletic frame with room to add strength. Started in center and hit out of the lead-off position. Cohn continues to impress as he went 1-for-2 at the plate on Friday. The switch-hitter operates from a wide, balanced base with a small stride. Fluid hands from a pure swing that has whip and is long through the zone. Whole field approach. Laid down a bunt in his final at-bat and beat out the throw with 3.81 time down the line out of the right-handers box. His above-average speed also shows on defense as he covers plenty of ground in center. Displayed his strong arm (88 OF velo) during I/O." |
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Anderson Kaufmann C / RHP / Alton, IL / 2028From 5/28/25: "Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 2 in the state’s 2028 class. Possesses a strong, 5-foot-11, 172 pound frame with room for more strength. Went 1-for-2 on the day, taking a Connor Blue FB up the middle for a line-drive single. Operates out of an athletic, wider base setup with an uphill swing that shows intent to lift. Also a premier defender behind the plate, showcasing 1.89-2.01 pop times earlier this year." |
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Quincy Fulton 1B / RHP / Newton, IL / 2028From 3/6/25: "1B Quincy Fulton (Newton, 2028) stands out right away with his 6-foot-1, 209-pound frame, and he holds some of the biggest power potential not just in the state, but likely the country. Currently slotted at No. 2 in Illinois and No. 72 in the country, Fulton is a switch-hitter that has shown big juice from both sides of the plate. He showed easy strength at impact with not much perceived effort, and he also showed a natural feel to lift the baseball with loud contact at times, reaching up to 98 mph for his EV with a 348’ max distance. He also put up some impressive BLAST numbers with an average bat-speed of 75 mph, peaking at just under 80 mph." |
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Kanon Baxley SS / RHP / Kaneland, IL / 2028From 5/7/25: "Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 8 in the state. Athletic, high-waisted 5-foot-9, 159-pound frame. Batted leadoff and played shortstop for the Knights. Baxley showed athleticism on both sides of the ball in this look. Defensively, he showed to have easy range up the middle, while displaying confident hands and an accurate arm from across the infield. Offensively, the right-handed hitter worked a quality at-bat in his third plate appearance, working a walk after getting down 0-2 in the count. Baxley also showed to have foot speed out of the box, posting a 4.45 down the line in his second at-bat. Baxley is a young name to continue to follow in the state’s freshman class." |
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James Sobkowiak SS / RHP / Downers Grove South, IL / 2028"Also known to be a high-level arm, Sobkowiak is a high-waisted left-handed hitter with his best days still ahead. He's a clean defender with the arm-strength to stick on the left side, and the bat projects to add more power throughout the coming years, already boasting an athletic and upside swing." |
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Ryan Pipkins OF / RHP / Champaign Central, IL / 2028From 8/5/25: "Fresh off a strong Midwest Super Sophomore Games, OF/RHP Ryan Pipkins (Champaign Central, 2028) would continue to show one of the more intriguing two-way profiles in the state's 2028 class. At the plate, he showed a controlled left-handed stroke with line drive intent and some present feel for the barrel while flashing some barrel strength during his batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 97.2 mph. Finished gameplay 4-for-7 with a double, a home run, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Would also show well on the mound, throwing two scoreless innings, showing simple, easy movements on the mound with feel to repeat while working from a high 3/4s slot. The fastball would sit in the low-80s and was thrown alongside an upper-60s-low-70s curveball with sweeping shape and a fading low-70s changeup. Athletic 6-foot, 174-pound frame." |
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Ryder Rennette SS / 2B / Dunlap, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 10 / POS: 3
From 7/24/25: "Athletic 5-foot-10, 155-pound frame with room to add strength. Rennette had quite the weekend at the plate and on the mound. At the plate, Rennette constantly found a way on base. The left-hander hitter has advanced bat-to-ball abilities from a compact swing that is direct to the ball. A top-of-the-order type bat that can set up the heart of the order. On the mound, Rennette struck out ten batters through seven innings across two appearances. The right-hander operates from a simple, controlled delivery with a high leg lift and a tall/fall approach. Long, loose, easy arm action from a ¾ slot. His fastball sat 80-83 with arm-side run. He mixed in a sharp curveball that sat in the mid to upper 60s." |
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Josh Ouimette LHP / OF / Carmel Catholic, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 11 / POS: 2
From 5/3/25: "Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 6 in the state. Batted leadoff in both games for the Corsairs; playing right field in game one and starting on the bump in game two. Offensively, he’s a left-handed hitter with a calm, relaxed presence in the box, showing maturity by not expanding the zone. He showed a simple/flat path with quick hands and worked on the barrel in game two. Also showed to be a clean mover in the outfield, taking proper routes in the outfield while flashing foot speed. On the bump in game two, Ouimette continued to show a clean operation on the mound that we saw earlier in the winter. He navigated a three pitch mix on this day; sitting 79-81 mph (T82) with his fastball, while going to a 69-71 mph changeup heavily, and completing his arsenal with a big curveball that sat 63-65 mph. Ouimette is a young name to continue to follow in the state’s freshman class." |
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Brady Jones 3B / RHP / Metamora, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 12 / POS: 1
From 8/5/25: "3B/RHP Brady Jones (Metamora, 2028) stands out with a long-levered, 6-foot-5, 196-pound frame and plenty of room for added strength. At the plate showed an easy & balanced left-handed swing. Took a quality round of batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 95.5 mph and an average of 92.2 mph. Would finish gameplay 2-for-6 with two singles. On the mound, he attacked the zone with an 86 mph fastball featuring late ride, pairing it with a swing-and-miss curveball that showed depth through the zone. His easy, repeatable windup and projectable frame point to a high ceiling." |
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Brock Hamilton 1B / RHP / Homewood-Flossmoor High School, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 14 / POS: 2
From 2/22/25: "One of the day’s biggest takeaways was RHP/1B Brock Hamilton (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2028), who looks to have made some significant strides since the last time we saw him a year ago. He has an imposing presence, standing in at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds, and there still appears to be room to add strength as he matures throughout the coming years. Despite being one of the youngest in attendance, the big right-hander delivered the second hardest fastball of the day at 86 mph, working with an easy, long-levered delivery that is able to create some angle through the zone. His curveball is still developing at 74-78 mph with short action, but he should be able to get outs with just his fastball right now. At the plate, he showed easy juice from the right side with a peak exit velocity of 91.5 mph, also averaging 22 mph for his hand-speed." |
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Nicholas Chiarodo SS / RHP / Edwardsville, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 15 / POS: 4
From 8/5/25: "Presenting a twitchy 5-foot-9, 142-pound frame, SS/RHP Nicholas Chiarodo (Edwardsville, 2028) would emerge as a name to follow within the state’s rising sophomore class. At the plate showed a twitchy right-handed swing with present feel for the barrel and line-drive intent. Took a quality round of batting practice, producing a max exit velocity of 91.7 mph and an average of 85.6 mph. Finished gameplay 4-for-4 with three doubles and three walks. Also showed some intriguing showcase tools with a 6.88-second 60-yard dash and 83 mph infield velo. Chiarodo then hopped on the mound and showed to be an upside follow for the coming years. A dynamic mover down the mound, he showed three pitches; headlined by a 78-80 mph (T81) fastball, that played clean out of the hand and was in the zone consistently. He had above-average feel for a 66-67 mph curveball." |
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Nic Bralts SS / 2B / Champaign Central, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 17 / POS: 5
From 7/24/25: "It is hard to find someone who had as strong of a weekend as Nic Bralts did. The 6-foot, 167-pound infielder finished the weekend 14-for-20 with seven runs driven in. Bralts has a louder presence in the box than most, but is able to hone in everything going into the swing that found barrel after barrel. Nic Bralts has plenty of athleticism and projectability, and is certainly a name to keep an eye as he enters his sophomore season. Bralts impressed on the mound on Sunday as he struck out five batters through four plus innings. The right-hander operates from a simple, controlled delivery with a high leg lift and a tall/fall approach. Quick, compact, short arm action from a ¾ slot. His fastball sat 81-84 mph with arm-side run. Mixed in a sharp curveball that sat 65-68 mph." |
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Kameron Cox SS / 2B / Montini Catholic, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 19 / POS: 6
From 6/3/25: "MIF/RHP Kameron Cox (Montini, 2028) continues to look like one of the top rising sophomores in the state. The right-handed hitter has an athletic swing with a gap to gap approach, working on the barrel to the whole field with a peak EV of 91 mph. He’s an advanced defender with clear feel for the position, confident/soft hands with fluid footwork, crisp/clean transfers, range to both sides of his glove. His arm also looks to be able to stick on the left side of the infield, topping at 84 mph with a quick and clean release. He also hopped on the mound and gave a brief but loud look, topping at 84 mph with the fastball." |
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Luke Crowder LHP / OF / Benet Academy, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 21 / POS: 4
"Crowder is a high-level two-way in the state, but we were highly impressed with his staus as a position player this past summer. He's highly projectable at 6-foot-2, 165-pounds, looking to have all sorts of room to continue to add strength. He was all over the barrel in our looks throughout the summer, showing an easy, simple swing that is surely going to continue to become more dangerous with added strength." |
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Landon Sopkin RHP / SS / Minooka, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 24 / POS: 5
"The right-handed hitter was a big winner for us this past summer, showing a simple, strong swing that is quick from launch with the abilty to drive the ball into the gaps. He was consistently on the barrel in our looks, getting his 'A' swing off consistently on pitches in the zone. He's also a sure-handed defender that can handle the glove up the middle of the infield." |
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Barrett Schifferdecker OF / RHP / Loyola Academy, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 25 / POS: 5
From 3/6/25: "OF Barrett Schifferdecker (Loyola Academy, 2028) looks to be a name we’ll have to follow closely throughout the coming years with some loud tools across the board. He has an impressive 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame with some present strength throughout and long levers, and there’s still more room to add in the coming years. The left-handed hitter was all over the barrel throughout his round, coiling into his load before firing through the zone with strong hands, looking to stay on top of the baseball while creating extension out front and using the whole field, peaking at 97.5 mph for his EV. He looks to be an athletic mover in the outfield, backed by his 6.90 in the 60, also showing off a strong arm reaching up to 86 mph from a crowhop." |
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Carson Ramoley OF / Brother Rice, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 26 / POS: 6
From 3/6/25: "OF Carson Ramoley (Brother Rice, 2028) is an athletic young prospect to watch throughout the coming years. The younger brother of Kentucky commit Nolan Ramoley, Carson also appears to be a strong, toolsy prospect. Listed at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds, Ramoley has a lean and upside build with sloped shoulders, allowing plenty more room for muscle in the coming years. He’s an above-average runner, cruising to a 6.90 in the 60 to start his day. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has a loose and whippy stroke with length through the zone at times with the ability to elevate, creating some loud contact with sneaky juice at times, reaching up to 94 mph for his peak EV with a 349’ max distance. He also put up above-average BLAST numbers, averaging 75 mph for his bat-speed, 23.2 mph for his hand-speed and 18.2 Gs for his rotational acceleration. Ramoley showed a ton of intrigue on the defensive side of the ball. He displayed quick feet, the ability to play through the ball, and played with overall confident actions and range. |
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Weston Wyzukovicz C / OF / Libertyville High School, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 27 / POS: 2
From 3/6/25: "C/INF Weston Wyzukovicz (Libertyville, 2028) is a versatile defender that looks to handle the bat well from the right side. At the plate, he showed to have strong hands with some easy flick in the barrel, staying through the zone with a flat path while remaining balanced through impact, reaching up to 93 mph for his peak EV. He’s an above-average athlete with a 7.05 in the 60, though we’ve had him down to a 6.97 in the past. Defensively, Wyzukowicz showed to have a quick glove-to-hand operation behind the plate, with a top pop-time of 2.07 seconds." |
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Peter Pignatiello SS / RHP / Benet Academy, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 28 / POS: 7
From 3/6/35: "INF/RHP Peter Pignatiello (Benet Academy, 2028) gave an impressive two-way look over the weekend. At the plate, the left-handed hitter showed the ability to control his levers well while working on-plane, staying compact and balanced with the ability to work the middle of the field and the other way. Defensively, Pignatiello really looks the part of a highly-athletic defender for years to come. He has natural and athletic actions at the position; presenting the glove, playing low to the ground, catching the ball out front, and making plays on the move. His arm played accurately while working from multiple slots when needed. He then hopped on the bump and provided an upside look. He is a smooth and athletic mover down the mound with pitchability. He pounded the zone with both his fastball (T80 mph) and changeup (72-75 mph), with each pitch being thrown for a strike 100% of the time. Pignatiello will be a two-way name to follow throughout the coming years." |
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Tommy Gasner 1B / LHP / Huntley High School, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 31 / POS: 3
From 3/6/25: "1B Tommy Gasner (Huntley, 2028) showed well a couple weeks ago at the McHenry Preseason ID, and once again gave an impressive look this time around. There’s some present physicality in his 6-foot, 198-pound frame, and it easily transfers over to his left-handed swing, reaching up to 94 mph for his EV in this look - also showing the ability to drive the baseball up the middle and the other way throughout his round." |
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Lawton Close OF / RHP / Naperville North, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 32 / POS: 7
"Close is an upside left-handed hitter we saw show well at The Rock this past summer. The swing is clean and balanced, showing a mature approach to use the whole field while staying inside the baseball. We expect him to continue to progress and develop, though he is already a polished bat with upside." |
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Caleb Mease OF / Wheaton Warrenville South, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 33 / POS: 8
From 2/21/25: "OF/RHP Caleb Mease (Wheaton-Warrenville South, 2028) is a young two-way player to follow from the day. There’s some present strength in his 5-foot-10, 183-pound frame, and the right-handed hitter was on the barrel with some loud contact throughout his round, looking to elevate to the pull-side with a max EV of 97 mph and max distance of 351’. He also gave an intriguing look on the mound, working his fastball up to 81 mph to pair with a curveball and changeup in the mid-60s." |
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Gavin Helpingstine OF / RHP / Brother Rice, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 34 / POS: 9
From 6/3/25: "OF/RHP Gavin Helpingstine (Brother Rice, 2028) looked to be one of the top athletes in attendance, cruising to a 6.64 to start off his day. He has a twitchy, athletic swing with intent to lift the baseball, peaking at 99 mph for his EV with an average of 90 mph. He showed a strong arm both in the outfield and on the mound, topping out at 82 mph from a crowhop and 83 mph with the fastball." |
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Riley Cook SS / RHP / New Trier Township HS Northfield, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 35 / POS: 8
From 6/10/25: "INF/RHP Riley Cook (New Trier, 2028) is a long-levered 6-foot-2, 160-pound two-way prospect to follow from the event. He started his day by running one of the top 60’s for the event at 7.18. Cook then showed the ability to utilize his long levers at the plate and put up a line drive round, flashing barrel strength to the pull-side. He then flashed natural actions on the infield, paired with smooth movement patterns and one of the stronger arms for the event (82 mph). Cook showed an advanced pitch mix for his age. His fastball sat 82-83 mph with a max IVB of 12.6 inches. Slider sat 71-73 mph with an average HM of -11.5 inches and a max spin rate of 2354 RPM. His changeup sat 74-77 mph with a max HM of 13.7 inches while having a 97% spin efficiency." |
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Trey Hrasky OF / LHP / O Fallon High School, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 37 / POS: 10
From 3/20/25: "OF/LHP Trey Hrasky (O’Fallon, 2028) stood out both with the bat and on the mound on this day. Starting on the mound, he is an athletic mover at 5-foot-9, 160-pounds paired with a quick arm. Working primarily out of the stretch; he worked his fastball up to 80 mph with some life out of the hand and playing with occasional sink. Hrasky then went to a low 60s curveball that had feel for the zone and played with 12/6 big break. He rounded out his mix with a 67-70 mph changeup that flashed tumbling action. The same athleticism is present as a left/left outfielder. Ran a 7.08 60, topped at 81 mph from the outfield and worked up to 88 mph off the barrel during BP. Handled pitches all over the zone and showed a polished approach lifting hard contact to all fields." |
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JD Farkas LHP / OF / Hersey, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 39 / POS: 6
From 10/19/25: "LHP/OF JD Farkas (Hersey, 2028) has long been a staff favorite, and he continued to impress with a strong two-way look over the weekend. There’s some present strength in his compact, 5-foot-8, 175-pound build. On the mound, he’s extremely polished with feel for four pitches, and his delivery is very repeatable and simple. He works exclusively out of the stretch with a high and controlled leg-lift into balance point, drops into his back leg and rides it down the mound in-line. Clean arm circle, ¾ slot. Showed two different fastballs - a four-seam at 80-84 mph with slight run, and a sinker with more arm-side action and feel around the zone, 77-80 mph. Showed advanced feel for his tight curveball with 1/7 shape, landing it in the zone 100% of the time per TrackMan, 66-70 mph. Also went to a fading changeup at 69-72 mph, flashed feel around the zone and plays clean out of the hand. Farkas showed to be one of the better left-handed hitters in attendance as well; showcasing a loose swing, flat path, and line drive approach that generated backspin contact to the middle of the field. He had the fourth-highest max EV (96.2 mph), fifth-highest average EV (86.5 mph), third-highest average distance (234 feet). To round out his strong performance, he tied for the second-highest outfield velocity for the event at 86 mph." |
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Monty Chalabi C / 1B / Notre Dame College Prep, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 40 / POS: 3
From 8/5/25: "C Monty Chalabi (Notre Dame College Prep, 2028) is a physically-impressive looking sophomore who looks the part behind the dish. At 6-foot, 191-pounds with present strength, Chalabi was among the event leaders in catcher velocity, reaching 78 mph from the chute. In-game, Chalabi posted a pop time as high as 2.09 seconds, showing smooth catch/throw actions. A physically imposing right-handed hitter to pair, he posted a max EV of 98.7 mph with a max distance of 376 feet during batting practice." |
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Isaiah Wolter C / RHP / Oswego East, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 41 / POS: 4
From 8/5/25: "C Isaiah Wolter (Oswego East, 2028) shined in all aspects of the event. Wolter is listed with a strong 5-foot-10, 175-pound athletic frame. Wolter started off the event posting a 60 time of 6.83. Defensively, the catcher posted a pop time of 1.96-2.09 while having a catcher velocity of 78 mph. The right-handed hitter has an intentful swing with a flat bat path and easy jump off the barrel while having a line drive approach. Wolter had an average exit velocity of 91.7 mph while having a max exit velocity of 105 mph. He had an average bat speed of 73.9 mph while having a 77 mph max with an average hand speed of 22.4 mph while having a 23.9 mph max." |
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Drew Whitney C / 1B / Barrington High School, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 43 / POS: 5
From 7/15/25: "C Drew Whitney (Barrington, 2028) had the top round of BP of the event as he displayed an advanced swing. The catcher is listed at a strong 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. The left-handed hitter has an uphill bat path while looking to lift the ball with loose hands. The ball jumps off his barrel with a pull-side approach. His average batted ball distance was an impressive 275 feet while having a max distance of 370 feet. Whitney’s max exit velocity was 99.3 mph with an average hand speed of 22.5 mph (23.6 mph max)." |
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Wes Thompson C / OF / Normal University, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 44 / POS: 6
From 3/6/25: "C Wes Thompson (Normal University, 2028) is an impressive catcher to note from the day. He has some projection in his frame, standing in at 5-foot-10, 166-pounds with lean levers and room to fill out. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed a polished swing with a balanced operation, displaying quick/explosive hands with a flat path. He also looks to be a quality defender with a clean catch/throw operation behind the plate, pairing with a quick transfer and strong arm (1.99 pop-time; T80 mph)." |
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Gavin Hartigan SS / RHP / Nazareth Academy, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 46 / POS: 9
From 5/17/25: "Hartigan would have a quality day at the plate for his Nazareth squad, going 2-for-6, with a triple, and two runs scored across the Saturday Doubleheader. At the plate, the right-handed hitter presents a balanced upright setup, utilizing a short stride and toe tap to get into a position of launch with loose hands and a level bat path, while also showing an ability to backspin the baseball. Speed and athleticism are obvious parts of Hartigan's game, allowing his skillset to play up on the basepaths and the dirt. Additionally, the Nazareth freshman showed a selfless play style that routinely moved the needle for his squad. Must follow name in the emerging Illinois 2028 class. 5-foot-7, 158-pound frame." |
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Kaeson Ernst RHP / 1B / Warrensburg-Latham, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 47 / POS: 9
From 7/1/25: "RHP/INF Kaeson Ernst (Geneva, 2028) is a two-way talent with upside on both sides. A projectable, high-waisted 6-foot-4, 176-pound frame. At the plate, Ernst utilizes a simple swing that is long through the zone with a line-drive approach. Ernst had an average exit velocity of 88.1 mph (95.4 mph max) and a max distance of 312 feet. On the mound, Ernst utilizes his long levers for an easy delivery with a loose, uninterrupted arm action. His fastball sat 79-81 mph while topping out at 82 mph with a two-seam shape, having an average horizontal movement of 14.6 inches and an average induced vertical break of 10.4 inches. Ernst’s changeup shows heavy movement as it has an average horizontal movement of 21.2 inches while sitting 73-75 mph. He also showed a slider that sat 70-73 mph with an average horizontal movement of -5.2 inches and an average induced vertical break of -4.5 inches." |
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Alex Govoni 3B / RHP / Loyola Academy, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 48 / POS: 3
From 3/6/25: "A right-handed hitter that took a quality round of BP to note is INF Alex Govoni (Loyola Academy, 2028). He has a short and simple swing, staying direct to the baseball while working to stay on top of the ball, also remaining balanced and athletic throughout with a peak EV of 94 mph. On the infield, Govoni showed athletic footwork with sure-handed actions and a two-hand gather, moving well to both sides of his glove. He has some present arm-strength, reaching up to 82 mph across the diamond and 81 on the mound." |
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Sam Steele OF / OF / Naperville North, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 49 / POS: 12
From 10/19/25: "OF Sam Steele (Naperville North, 2028) was another winner on both sides of the ball at the event. A lean and athletic 5-foot-10, 171-pounds, Steele started the event by showing athletic actions in the outfield defensively, while topping out at 85 mph, good for third-highest for the event. He then ran the fastest 60 for the entire event at 6.92 seconds. The right-handed hitter showed the ability to create jump off the barrel, swinging with loose hands and staying balanced throughout. Steele finished the event third in max EV (96.8 mph), first in average EV (93.3 mph), second in max distance (361 feet), first in hard hit percentage (83%), fifth in max hand speed (22.9 mph), fourth in average hand speed (21.3 mph) and max bat speed (78 mph), first in average bat speed (73.3 mph), and first in max jump height (26.7 inches)." |
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Gavin Jones SS / RHP / Bishop McNamara, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 50 / POS: 10
From 2/22/25: "UTIL Gavin Jones (Bishop McNamara, 2028) was one of the days’ biggest winners on both sides of the ball. He has a trim, athletic build at 5-foot-11, 172-pounds, holding room for continued development and added strength. At the plate, the left-handed hitter worked on the barrel throughout his round, staying direct to the baseball with a whole field approach, also showing the ability to lift the baseball at times with a 90 mph peak EV. He’s an athletic defender on the infield with some bounce in his step and fluid footwork, showing easy range and actions to both sides of his glove and soft hands, also showing the ability to deliver accurate throws on the move and from multiple slots. His athleticism transferred to the outfield as well with similar actions and a strong arm (T85 mph). He gave just as good, if not a better look on the mound with a fastball around the 80 mph mark. He also showed an innate ability to spin his breaking balls, with a curveball in the 66-68 mph range spinning over 2,600 rpm, and his slider playing with more lateral shape and depth at 70-71 mph with over 2,500 rpm." |
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Colton Francisco 3B / OF / Minooka, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 51 / POS: 4
From 2/21/25: "Another intriguing two-way prospect, UTL/RHP Colton Francisco (Minooka, 2028) is a left-handed hitter with advanced feel to hit. The 5-foot-9, 153-pound prospect posted a max exit velocity of 90.5 mph, averaging 87.7 mph throughout his round. He then hopped on the bump and displayed a strong feel for both his fastball and his changeup. He ran the fastball up to 80 mph with run for strikes (86%). He maintained arm-speed on the changeup at 68-69 mph with sinking action that killed spin." |
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Hunter Lockefeer C / OF / St. Viator, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 52 / POS: 7
From 2/13/25: "Another young left-handed hitting catcher to note from the day is Hunter Lockefeer (St. Viator, 2028). He took a polished round of BP while boasting a smooth and balanced swing, showing little perceived effort to deliver the barrel through the zone and create a max EV of 93 mph (T362’), showing some ability to manipulate the barrel at times. He took his defense both as a catcher and from the outfield; starting behind the plate, Lockefeer was a confident receiver of the baseball, working to present pitches around the zone for strikes with soft hands. He works in-line down to second on his throws, staying in his legs while working with a clean transfer, 2.19 pop-time. In the outfield, he showed athletic and clean footwork, moving well to both sides of his glove and reaching up to 82 mph from a crowhop." |
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Sage Lelm 3B / OF / Morton, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 54 / POS: 5
From 8/5/25: "3B Sage Lelm (Morton, 2028) is a physical right-handed hitter that connected on a couple hits throughout the two-day event. Lelm is listed with a strong 5-foot-10, 192-pound frame. The third baseman finished his event with a double back up the middle. During the workout portion of the event, Lelm had an average exit velocity of 90.9 mph with a max exit velocity of 98.2 mph with an average bat speed of 76.1 mph with a max of 79.1 mph. The third baseman posted an 84 mph infield velocity while having a 7.08 60 time and a vertical jump of 28.7 inches. Lelm is an interesting name to keep an eye on going into his sophomore year." |
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Johann Lasn OF / RHP / York, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 57 / POS: 13
From 8/5/25: |
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Hayven Gamboa C / OF / Mount Carmel, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 59 / POS: 9
From 8/24/25: "C/OF Hayven Gamboa (Mount Carmel, 2028) had an athletic showing on both sides of the ball. Standing at a twitchy 5-foot-9, 138-pounds, Gamboa looked comfortable at both defensive positions he participated at. Behind the dish, he showed quick feet out of the crouch and reliable transfers that led to a pop time range of 1.94-2.03. In the outfield, he had natural reads on balls in the air, and displayed easy actions throughout, while attacking the ball. He posted the second-best bullet from the outfield for the event at 84 mph. Offensively, the right-handed hitter had one of the easier rounds of BP, showing loose and athletic hands with an easy and balanced swing, while using the whole field throughout his round." |
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Chase Grigonis 3B / RHP / St. Francis, IL / 2028Rankings StateRank: 60 / POS: 6
From 9/23/25: "INF/RHP Chase Grigonis (St. Francis, 2028) was one of the bigger winners from the event on both sides of the ball. A lean 6-foot-3, 192-pounds, he showed a line drive approach to the middle and pull-side parts of the field from the right side of the plate. He flashed barrel strength, peaking at 98.7 mph off the bat during BP paired with a max distance of 322 feet. Defensively, he played with quick feet and athletic actions, fielding the ball cleanly out front and showing feel for the position throughout the defensive workout, while maxing out at 80 mph from across the diamond. On the mound, worked from the stretch, flashing a three pitch mix. The fastball ran in the lower 80s, topping 83 mph with some ASR and an avg. of 14 in. of IVB. The right-hander threw two off-speeds, the curveball sat 69-71 mph with a 12/6 shape and the changeup played well off the fastball at 74-75 mph with an avg. of 16 in. of HM." |
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