We recently made a much needed update to the Illinois 2027 Rankings after a long winter of preseason events and some early spring looks. With this update, there were plenty of notable changes with prospects rising in the rankings or entering for the first time.

With that, our staff wanted to take a look at some of the notable risers that rose at least two spots in this rankings update, as well as all of the newcomers within the Top-60.

Click HERE to see the full 2027 Rankings (IL), or click HERE to see the overall Prep Baseball 2027 Rankings.

With the update, we highlighted some of the prospects within the Top-10 as well as some names outside of it, found HERE.

---

RISERS

Shane Torres C / SS / Waubonsie Valley, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 17 / POS: 2 From 3/1/25: “Torres, currently ranked No. 29 in the state, is a strong left-handed hitter that worked on the barrel with some lift to the big part of the field, also showing the ability to stay through it the other way with strength (T93.2 mph EV). Defensively, Torres posted a 2.00 pop time, while reaching 75 mph out of the chute.”

Carson Trivellini SS / 2B / Crystal Lake South , IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 18 / POS: 6 From 2/13/25: “One of the more interesting athletes in attendance, INF Carson Trivellini (Crystal Lake South, 2027) had a strong all-around showing. Currently ranked No. 22 in the state, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound multi-sport athlete started his day with a 6.97 in the 60-yard dash. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed a compact turn through the zone with a flatter path and balanced finish, reaching up to 95 mph for his EV, staying pull-side throughout. He’s an impressive defender on the infield with natural actions, fluid footwork and clear athleticism, boasting sure-handed actions with a quick glove-to-hand release and athletic doubleplay turn. His arm is quick and natural, playing from a high ¾ release, T82 mph. High ceiling name to know.”

Austin Winge RHP / OF / Lockport, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 23 / POS: 5 From 3/28/25: “Austin Winge, RHP, Lockport, 2027 Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 40 in the state. Well-proportioned 5-foot-9, 171-pounds with a strong lower-half. Came in to close the game out for the Porters and had a loud outing. Simple and explosive mover down the mound with a drop/drive lower-half. Long, full arm action, high ¾ slot with acceleration out front. His fastball sat 88-90 mph, T92, with carry through the zone and flashed armside run for swing and miss, while showing above-average spin (2400+ rpm). He also showed a 12/6 curveball at 75-77 mph, and flashed a slider at 79 mph. Line: IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 2 K. Winge is a high-follow name in the state’s sophomore class.”

Traxton Roberts RHP / 3B / Armstrong, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 28 / POS: 9 From 3/1/25: “RHP Traxton Roberts (Armstrong, 2027) continues to impress with each watch. A standout at this event a year prior, Roberts’ stuff has clearly made a jump. Standing at a long-levered 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, he is a controlled mover down the mound paired with a noticeably quick arm. His fastball sat 86-88 mph on this day for strikes with carry (avg. 17.6” IVB), and an average spin rate of 2316 rpm (T2379). His curveball (avg. 2310 rpm) sat 71-75 mph with sweeping-action for strikes 60% of the time. His 76-78 mph changeup flashed as well with an average of 17.6” HM. A must-know name for the spring.”

Mathew Crownhart LHP / OF / Homeschool, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 39 / POS: 5 From 2/22/25: “OF/LHP Mathew Crownhart (Homeschool, 2027) first jumped onto our staff’s radar this past fall at the St. Louis Fall ID. It looks like Crownhart added some strength over the off-season, showing a leaner frame - 5-foot-11, 170-pounds. He’s a loose, easy mover down the mound with a long and quick arm path that works out of a low ¾ slot. The velocity on his fastball may not be eye-opening at the moment, but the operation, frame and arm speed suggest velo to come throughout the spring, summer and beyond. His change-up had heavy fade and depth at times, sitting in the low-70s, and his curveball showed short, horizontal action. Crownhart has continued to improve offensively as well. The left-handed hitter swung a loose and easy bat that produced line drives throughout his round. His exit velocity peaked at 92.4 mph (avg. 85.5), while posting a max distance of 337 feet (avg. 228 feet).”

Newcomers

Tristan Steger C / 3B / St. Laurence, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 22 / POS: 4 From 3/06/25: "C Tristan Steger (Mount Carmel, 2027) is another standout name that made his Prep Baseball event debut over the weekend. He has a physically imposing frame at 6-foot-1, 191-pounds, with room for added physical development. He showed natural and clean actions out of the crouch, while posting a 1.88 pop time (event-best), paired with an accurate arm that topped at 75 mph. At the plate, the left-handed hitter showed athletic hands while controlling his levers well, staying balanced throughout with loud contact off the barrel (T101 mph EV, 91.7 mph avg.). He was also able to elevate the ball with ease, showing big power potential with a max distance of 370’."

Jackson Macdonald 3B / RHP / Sycamore, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 24 / POS: 3 From 4/03/25: "Uncommitted. 6-foot-1, 182-pound frame, athletic and trim build with more room to add strength in the coming years. Started in right field and hit out of the seven-hole for the Spartans, finishing the day 2-for-3 with a double, RBI and a run scored. Smooth left-handed swing, covers the plate with ease, polished approach, took a pitch on the outer half the other way for a double in his first at-bat, later turned on a pitch middle/in for a single to his pull-side, athletic hands with control of the barrel. High-follow, also a real two-way prospect."

Colin Doyle RHP / 1B / Downers Grove North, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 26 / POS: 7 From 4/09/25: "Colin Doyle, RHP (Downers Grove North, 2027): Uncommitted, made an appearance out of the bullpen for Downers Grove North in their 10-8 win against Mt. Carmel, throwing 4.1 innings, striking out ten, allowing three hits, no runs, and one walk."

Lincoln Boersma RHP / SS / Providence Catholic, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 31 / POS: 12 From 2/21/25: "RHP/INF Lincoln Boersma (Providence Catholic, 2027) impressed with his long-levered athletic frame at 6-foot, 180-pounds, showing plenty of room for added strength. His fluid and athletic movement on the mound stood out. The fastball came out clean and easy, sitting 85-86 mph, and topping out at 86.7 mph. His slider (71-73 mph) was his most effective secondary offering, showing sharp shape, while he also landed a curveball (69-70 mph) and changeup (76-77 mph) for strikes. With his combination of athleticism and pitchability, Boersma is a high-follow arm heading into the spring and summer. He also swung it well at the event; showing an easy, flat path, paired with a line drive approach from the right side."

Mason Bruesch OF / RHP / Geneva, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 32 / POS: 4 From 9/20/24: "Displaying a slim and athletic 6-foot-1, 151-pound frame with a projection for added strength, Mason Bruesch came in clutch for the Top Tier Americans. In the bottom of the seventh inning with a runner on, Bruesch ripped a walk off double deep in the gap to right center. At the plate, Bruesch portrays a wide stance with his hands near his head. He transfers his weight on his back leg during the swing with a small stride. He drives through the ball with a smooth and slightly lifted swing. He was quick to the ball and was able to cover a lot of ground in center field."

Quinn Rooney LHP / OF / Benet Academy, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 33 / POS: 4 From 3/06/25: "LHP Quinn Rooney (Benet Academy, 2027) is an intriguing arm-to-follow from the event, standing in a 6-foot-5, 197-pound frame. His fastball sat in the low-80s throughout his ‘pen, but he showed the ability to work up to 87 mph towards the end. Rooney also mixed in a curveball that showed depth at times (avg. -9.5” IVB), and a low-70s changeup with some downer action."

Luke Bryant SS / RHP / Hall, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 38 / POS: 7 From 3/12/25: "INF Luke Bryant (Hall, 2027; IL) is an athletic 5-foot-10, 150-pound infielder that impressed throughout the event on Sunday. At the plate, the right-handed hitter took a polished round of BP, with a fluid and easy swing showing feel for the barrel throughout. Defensively Bryant showed steady actions with arm strength up to 84 mph."

Braylen Brown RHP / 3B / Staunton, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 40 / POS: 15 From 4/07/25: "At 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Brown offers a lean, projectable frame with room to add strength, and he moves with fluidity down the mound, featuring a clean, loose arm action and effortless tempo. Since our last look, Brown has made noticeable strides, with his fastball now sitting at 85–90 mph, topping at 91, and showing impressive carry through the zone (17.2” IVB). His separator is a tight, high-spin 69–70 mph slider that profiles as a true swing-and-miss pitch—spinning up to 2,670 RPM with -18.6” of horizontal movement. He also mixed in a developing changeup at 80–84 mph with heavy arm-side fade. Brown is a high-upside arm that college coaches should have on their radar."

Cooper Holman RHP / OF / Wilmington, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 42 / POS: 16 From 3/28/25: "Cooper Holman, RHP, Wilmington, 2027 Strong, well-proportioned 6-foot-3, 193-pound frame. Got the ball to start for the Wildcats and had an efficient outing. A simple/controlled delivery; higher leg tuck into balance point, drop/drive lower-half, gains ground down the mound. Longer draw out of the glove, compact arm action, ¾ slot with arm speed out front. Holman’s repertoire was headlined by an 83-87 mph (T88) fastball that had armside run to it. He showed feel for both secondary offerings; with his curveball showing depth at 70-72 mph (2300+ rpm), and his changeup showing fading action at 78-79 mph. Holman got ahead in counts consistently, throwing a first pitch strike to 17 of the 23 batters he faced. Line: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K. An arm to continue to follow in the state’s sophomore class."

Ryan Rodriguez 3B / C / Batavia, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 43 / POS: 4 From 2/21/25: "INF Ryan Rodriguez (Batavia, 2027) dominated the leaderboards from this event, showing an easy operation and strong hands from the right side. He posted an event-best 368-foot max distance, a 100.3 mph max exit velocity, and an average EV of 93.8 mph. He also tied for the highest average hand-speed (23.7 mph), capping off a stellar showing. Rodriguez is yet another prospect from Batavia to follow this spring coming out of this event."

Cooper Johnson RHP / 3B / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 44 / POS: 17 From 3/06/25: "RHP Cooper Johnson (Lincoln-Way East, 2027) was another winner that emerged from the event. Presenting an imposing and high-waisted 6-foot-2, 183-pound frame, Johnson’s arsenal stood out with its movement on this day. His fastball exploded out of the hand at 84-85 mph (T86) with sink (avg. 11.2” IVB) for a 67% strike percentage. He then went to a 71-72 mph curveball that was in the zone 80% of the time with hard vertical action. He would round things out with a 76-77 mph changeup that played with fade (avg. 16.4” HM) to make for a quality three-pitch mix."

Darren Klein RHP / SS / Mascoutah, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 48 / POS: 18 From 3/28/25: "RHP, Darren Klein, Mascoutah, 2027 Uncommitted. Durable yet projectable 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame, still more room to add strength. The right-hander got the start on the mound for Mascoutah and gave an extremely polished look for his age. He has a repeatable delivery with an athletic leg-lift into a coiled balance point, keeping some bend in his back knee throughout, working in-line down the mound with intent, controlled and balanced. His arm plays from a lower window, clean arm swing and ¾ release. He was able to work his fastball to both sides of the plate, especially his glove-side, also showing the ability to work it up and down in the zone at 82-85 mph. His curveball showed gradual 11/5 shape with the ability to land it for strikes, 71-73 mph. Also featured a changeup in the mid 70s with slight deceleration, playing with fade to his arm-side. Highly polished arm with a bright future ahead."

Kellen Forsythe RHP / 3B / Coal City High School, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 51 / POS: 19 From 3/12/25: "RHP Kellen Forsythe (Coal City, 2027) was one of the event’s biggest winners. He stands at a high-waisted and loose-levered 6-foot, 158-pounds, with room to fill. He had a controlled and athletic delivery down the mound, paired with long, loose arm action. Forsythe's fastball was clean out of the hand with life through the zone at 84-86 mph. He landed the slider at 69-72 mph with 10/4 shape, while showing feel for a changeup at 77-78 mph with late fading action (avg. 17” HM). Forsythe will be a name to follow throughout the upcoming spring."

Austin Rutter SS / 2B / Sacred Heart-Griffin, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 54 / POS: 11 From 4/01/25: "Austin Rutter, 2B, Sacred Heart-Griffin, 2027 Last week' s Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week, Rutter impressed in a brief look last night. Compact frame with athleticism and future projection. The bat stood out in this look from the left-side of the plate, starts in a balanced position with slight bend in the knees, toe-tap trigger into longer stride. Minimal pre-pitch hand movement, works short to the ball, quick and twitchy through the zone with a slightly uphill path. Finished the day with a single to the opposite field."

Grant Statler LHP / 1B / Hononegah, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 55 / POS: 6 From 3/06/25: "LHP/1B Grant Statler (Hononegah, 2027) will be a name to follow throughout the coming years on both sides of the ball. He has a wiry and projectable build, standing in at 5-foot-10, 167-pounds. At the plate, the left-handed hitter displayed a simple, flat swing with a balanced and compact finish, working on the barrel to the whole field, showing the ability to cover the plate (T94 mph EV). Statler worked a simple delivery on the mound and showcased his fastball up to 85 mph. He showed some feel for both his curveball and slider - the curveball working with 11/5 shape, and the slider playing with more short, horizontal bite. He rounded out his arsenal with a changeup that worked with slight fade, sitting 74-76 mph."

Jace Koth OF / LHP / Jacobs, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 57 / POS: 8 From 2/19/25: "One of the day’s top performers, OF/LHP Jace Koth (Jacobs, 2027) gave a strong look on both sides of the ball. The left-handed hitter has all sorts of upside in his swing, displaying athletic hands with whip in the barrel and a line-drive approach, extremely athletic operation with body control and balance through impact. On top of his impressive round of BP, Koth tied an event-best 3.80 in the 30-yard dash. He’s an impressive and fluid athlete in the outfield, attacking the baseball with fluid footwork, fielding the ball in-stride and moving efficiently into a crowhop (T85 mph). He also showed well on the mound, working his fastball up to 80 mph to go along with a curveball he could land for strikes and a changeup."

James McGrath OF / OF / St Francis - Wheaton, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 58 / POS: 9 From 6/05/24:  Body: 6-0, 185-pounds. Strong and athletic frame, well-proportioned. Hit: RHH. Wide setup, fluid quiet load, short stride. Balanced, loose swing, stays up the middle with lifted tendencies at times. 70.1 mph bat speed with 14 G’s of rotational acceleration. Power: 95 max exit velocity, averaged 87.1 mph. 321’ max distance. Arm: RH. OF - 79 mph. Short, compact arm action, high 3/4 slot. Defense: Fields the ball cleanly off front foot, athletic actions, stays behind the ball. Run: 7.05 runner in the 60.

Brody Libel RHP / OF / Glenbard North, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 59 / POS: 21 From 3/06/25: "RHP Brody Libel (Glenbard North, 2027) made a strong impression at last Saturday’s event. The sophomore worked his fastball at 87-88 mph, showing a long, loose arm action and a quick release out front. Libel complemented it with a diverse mix: a curveball at 60-64 mph, a slider at 66-69 mph, and a 74-75 mph changeup that landed for strikes 100% of the time. Still early in his development, Libel’s live arm and athleticism on the mound established him as a follow in the class."

Grayson Waters LHP / 1B / Oak Park-River Forest, IL / 2027 Rankings  StateRank: 60 / POS: 7 From 2/13/25: "Waters is a high-waisted and long-levered 6-foot-3, 170-pound southpaw to follow. His arm plays long and loose from a ¾ slot, paired with a controlled and repeatable operation down the mound. Waters’ fastball sat 80-82 mph with a heavy finish to it with arm-side run. His curveball showed to be an out-pitch moving forward; sitting 69-70 mph with a 12/6 shape, showing depth and the ability to be located at the bottom of the zone consistently while flashing feel to spin (avg. 2334 RPM)."

RELATED CONTENT