Illinois Class of 2026: Final Rankings Update
July 10, 2026
The 2026 class has now graduated and this update will be the final one for the class. The class continued to take shape and deepen in talent as the final senior season took place. A number of guys continued to make a push towards the top of the class and put themselves on a number of follow lists for MLB organizations. The top of the class features a number of guys who could see their names called early on the draft such as SS Landon Thome (Nazareth; Florida State), SS Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North; Wake Forest) and RHP Jack Slightom (Lyons Township; Cincinnati). A host of others are also in the mix to hear their name called and it would be no surprise to hear anyone in the top 20, or beyond get drafted in a couple of days.
The top 100 of this class is loaded with high-ceiling prospects who should continue to make an impact for years to come. The list has expanded to 300+ players that have earned their stripes throughout high school. Read on below for some noteworthy 2026s towards the top of our board.
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Landon Thome SS / 2B / Nazareth Academy, IL / 2026Florida State commit Landon Thome is one of the more popular names in the country and has been since he stepped foot into high school. A varsity contributor since his freshman year with a state title under his belt, Thome has had an illustrious prep career up to this point and really capped it off on a high-note, earning Gatorade Player of the Year for Illinois and also now First Team All-State honors. The left-handed slugger turned in a .535 batting average with a .630 on-base percentage, also swatting seven home runs with eight triples, 14 doubles, 31 RBIs, 59 runs scored, just 12 strikeouts to 30 walks and a staggering 54 stolen bases. He will likely be one of the first Illinois prep names off the board in this upcoming draft. |
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Ethan Bass SS / Glenbrook North, IL / 2026Wake Forest commit Ethan Bass has been a cornerstone for Glenbrook North’s program his entire prep career, and he’s going out on a high note with First-Team All-State honors. He has collected numerous accolades throughout his career, including 100 career hits, the single season HR record and the career HR record. This past spring, he turned in a .449 batting average with 12 home runs, six doubles, 40 RBIs, 51 runs scored, 47 walks to only 16 strikeouts, 21 stolen bases and an OPS of 1.519 - all while supplying high-level defense at shortstop all year long. |
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Jack Slightom RHP / Lyons Township, IL / 2026The Cincinnati signee was one of the more dominant arms from start to finish this spring. A name that will surely garner draft buzz next month, he allowed just two earned runs over 45.1 innings to the tune of a 0.31 ERA in 2026. As impressive as his run prevention was, his strikeout-to-walk numbers were perhaps even more impressive; punching out 87 and only walking nine all spring. He finished the year with a perfect 7-0 record on the mound while helping lead Lyons Township to a 23-12 record. Slightom possessed one of the more dynamic arsenals we have seen come through the state; headlined by a fastball that touched 96 mph routinely, paired with a sweeping slider at 78-80 mph and rounding out his mix with a hard changeup at 85-87 mph. |
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Kaeden Schatsiek OF / RHP / Brimfield, IL / 2026Schatsiek continued to ascend in his final spring season and rose up six spots in the final rankings as a result. The Illinois State signee earned First Team All-State honors and set school records for home runs and on-base percentage after a historic 2026 season while possessing some of the loudest tools in the state. At a physical 6-foot-4, 215-pounds, he is a 7.07 runner in the 60, has been up to 94 mph from the outfield, and peaked at 108 mph off the bat. This spring in 38 games, he triple-slashed .486/.593/1.171 (1.764 OPS) while swatting 17 homers, 13 doubles and four triples with 61 RBI. He walked 26 times to just eight strikeouts, and also swiped 11 bags. On the mound, he punched out nearly 100 batters (99 total) over 48 innings. Schatsiek boasts a low-90’s fastball that was up to 94 mph for our staff during the spring, while showing a mid-80’s changeup. |
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Ryan Duncheon Jr. RHP / C / East Peoria, IL / 2026Future Illinois State Redbird, RJ Duncheon put together one of the more dominant two-way seasons in 2026. He amassed over 300 career strikeouts on the mound, while adding 149 this year. In 85.2 innings, he notched a 1.47 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP, while walking just 20 batters all spring, leading the Raiders to the 3A State Finals with a final record of 11-3. Also a key contributor in the lineup, he put up a .542/.627/.883 triple-slash to make for a 1.510 OPS, collecting 14 doubles, nine bombs and 41 RBIs. He punched out just seven times all spring while drawing 32 walks. |
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Cory Les SS / 3B / St. Laurence, IL / 2026Incoming Louisville Cardinal, Cory Les leaves St. Laurence holding a pair of records following 2026; setting the single season record for runs scored (64) and triples (10). Les was also named the Anthony Lawless MVP of the CCL Blue in 2026. Offensively, he triple-slashed .486/.600/1.055 (1.655 OPS) while amassing 12 doubles, 10 homers, and 52 driven in. Les also walked 29 times to 13 strikeouts, while also stealing 21 bags. On the mound, he was a crucial part of the Vikings’ pitching staff, posting a 2.82 ERA over 22.1 innings, punching out 25 over that span. |
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Brandon Thomsen C / St. Viator, IL / 2026Purdue signee, Brandon Thomsen, earns First Team All-State honors after an illustrious career at Saint Viator. Thomsen earned East Suburban Catholic Conference Player of the Year after posting a .524/.532/.961 triple-slash, good for a 1.593 OPS. Thomsen notched double-digit homers (10) in 2026, while collecting 13 doubles, a triple, and driving in 50. He walked over double the amount of times he struck out (35:15). All while supplying premier defense behind the plate; he is known for being one of the more talented catch-and-throw backstops in the region, and has been up to 84 mph from the chute for our staff. |
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Ian Tosi LHP / Mount Carmel, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 16 / POS: 1
Miami signee, Ian Tosi, has long been one of the top performers on the mound across the state dating back to his freshman year where he got time on varsity at Mount Carmel. After missing majority of the 2025 season due to injury, he helped lead Mount Carmel back to State for the first time in over a decade in 2026, sitting atop the rotation and posting a perfect 8-0 record while punching out 58 over 52.1 innings pitched. With his pitchability and competitive edge on the mound, Tosi could be an early impact arm for the Hurricanes next spring. |
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Chase Rhodes RHP / Tremont, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 17 / POS: 5
Recent Kansas commit, Chase Rhodes, put together a big spring pitching for the 1A State Champions. Amassing over 100 strikeouts (119 total) over 53.2 innings pitched, he scattered just 16 hits over that same span. He compiled a final record of 9-1, while allowing just four earned runs this spring, posting an ERA of 0.52. In the State Finals, Rhodes was sitting 90-93 mph with his fastball, while turning to a sweeping slider at 73-77 mph (2300-240 rpm), completing his arsenal with an 80 mph changeup. Rhodes was one of the main factors for why Tremont finished as 1A State Champs, finishing the year with a final record of 38-2. |
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Chase Lockwood RHP / Libertyville, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 20 / POS: 6
Another future Illinois State Redbird, Lockwood put together one of the better careers while at Libertyville, helping lead the Wildcats to two consecutive State Titles while sitting atop the pitching staff. The right-hander has long been an easy mover with pitchability and has started to see his velocity tick up this year. Given his stuff and pitchability it would be easy to imagine him making an impact early on in his college career. |
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Griffin Meeker SS / Tremont, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 22 / POS: 6
Coming off a 1A State Title, Griffin Meeker went out on a high note and was undoubtedly one of the primary contributors to their success - hitting .478 with five home runs, eight triples, 16 doubles, 45 RBIs, 63 runs scored and 29 stolen bases. Now set to attend Heartland CC, Meeker is a 6-foot-2, 200-pound prospect with the tools and actions to stick left side of the infield long-term - pairing with his physical right-handed bat with proven in-game success. Still plenty more to come with this high-upside infielder. |
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Logan Hickman 3B / RHP / Alton, IL / 2026Rankings StateRank: 41 / POS: 2
John A. Logan signee, Logan Hickman, has been one of the buzzier two-way prospects in the state and jumps 51 spots in this final update, coming off a very strong spring for Alton. A dynamic athlete on the mound, the righty has worked his fastball into the reportedly up to 90 mph while also showing real two-way ability with his right-handed bat as he moves on to the next level. The emergence of his physical right-handed bat has warranted the big jump in the rankings and could continue to flourish as he gets to the next level. |
CLICK HERE for a look at the updated and expanded 2026 Illinois Rankings.
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