Illinois Class of 2026 Rankings Updated
May 21, 2025
As the spring is winding down we have had the luxury of scouting numerous games and prospects from all across the state all spring long during the IHSA Season. With the playoffs underway and the summer right around the corner, the time has come to update the list once again. It has expanded by 25 players, with the top 225 players in the 2026 class now ranked.
TOP OF THE CLASS
For the first time in a couple of years, there is a new No. 1 sitting at the top of the Illinois’ 2026 class, INF Landon Thome (Nazareth). Thome, a recent Tennessee commit who is up from No. 2 in the state, is also now slotted in the Top-30 of the National rankings. Thome made a statement at last summer’s Future Games for Team Illinois and has only continued to elevate his prospect status since. His athleticism continues to tick up looking the part at shortstop this spring and he continues to show off his elite left-handed swing. Thome, long known for his polished approach and advanced bat-to-ball skills, has seen his power tick up leaving the yard a number of times so far this spring.
ATH Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North, Wake Forest) slots in right behind Thome at No. 2 in the state. Bass, a former All-American Game participant, is also a high-level National prospect, sitting in the top-40 in the country. Bass is a natural infielder who plays shortstop in the spring but has the tools and athleticism to play anywhere on the diamond at a high level.
Scout Blog (4.12.25): Wake Forest commit. Currently ranked No. 1 in Illinois and No. 22 Nationally. Started at shortstop and hit in the three-hole. Dynamic overall prospect. Easy and athletic lateral movements on the infield. Advanced body control and extremely natural on the move. Ranged far into the second base side of the infield for a 6-3 putout. Arm plays clean, strong and accurate with a fluid release. Athletic enough to profile anywhere on the diamond. Offensively, had a tough offensive day despite a first-pitch barreled single into left-field in his third at-bat. Consistent loose, strong, aggressive swings throughout the game. Easy bat speed with lift and thump off the barrel. Also hopped on the mound and would be a high-follow prospect if he chose to ptitch. Athletic, clean arm, high-volume of strikes and sat 88-90 mph in his quick stint. Our first look at the No. 1 prospect in the state this spring.
CIF T.J. McQuillan (Mount Carmel; Wake Forest), SS Kamrin Jenkins (Oswego; Missouri), OF Nolan Ramoley (Brother Rice; Kentucky) and SS/RHP Jory Crocker (Willowbrook; Arizona) all stay the same in the rankings from No. 3 to No. 6.
RHP Jack Slightom (Lyons Township; Cincinnati) and RHP Keaton Reinke (St. Charles North; uncommitted) are the two biggest risers at the top of the rankings, now at No. 7 and No. 8, respectively.
Slightom is a huge arrow up right-hander who showed off high-level stuff this winter at the Preseason All-State and has continue to back it up all spring.
Scout Blog (4.21.25): Currently ranked No. 9 in the state. 6-foot-3, 193-pound frame, some present strength in the lower-half, still has plenty of room to add strength, young look. Started on the mound and flashed four pitches, high upside with a starter profile. Hands work in sync with his leg-lift, high balance point, drop/drive lower-half, explosive down the mound, works in-line. Clean arm circle with a high ¾ release. Fastball played around 88-90 mph, touching 91 mph in the first inning, maintained velocity in the stretch still grabbing a 91, was more 87-90 in the second inning, collected swing/miss up in the zone and reached back for velocity when he needed to. Slider showed sharp action and 10/4 shape, 78-80 mph, flashed depth. Changeup is similar out of the hand to the FB, 79-83 mph, plays with gradual dive to the arm-side. Cutter flashed a short wrinkle, 85 mph, could be a quality fourth offering to play off the FB/SL. High-ceiling arm with his best days still ahead.
Reinke, a former Future Games participant, who also stars on the football field and has his best days ahead of him as well. The 6-foot-4, 206-pound, right-hander was up to 91 mph in an outing this spring to go along with an above-average curveball.
Scout Blog (5.2.25): Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 11 in the state and No. 395 in the country. Athletic, high-waisted 6-foot-4, 206-pound frame. Started on the mound for the North Stars, and continued to look the part of one of the top remaining uncommitted arms in the region. A high-level athlete on the gridiron in the fall, his athleticism on the mound is hard to miss. Reinke is a simple/controlled mover down the mound, throwing from a clean, high ¾ slot. Showed feel for three pitches in this outing, while showing better command for a 75-78 mph curveball that spun well (2400+ rpm) from when we last saw him earlier in the spring. He would touch 90 mph with his fastball, while primarily sitting 87-89 mph with the pitch, and he would hold that velocity throughout his five and a third innings of work. He would also toss in an 81-82 mph changeup that had slight fading action. Throughout the outing, he would work around some trouble on the basepaths and show mature mound presence. He also batted out of the leadoff spot for the North Stars and showed high-level foot speed on the bases, posting a 4.20 down the line on an infield single in his final at-bat from the right side. An uncommitted junior to continue to keep tabs on.
OUTSIDE THE TOP 10
The biggest riser just outside the top-10 is LHP Zane Caves (Minooka; Michigan State). Caves is a long-levered, 6-foot-5, 190-pound, three-sport athlete who oozes projection with now stuff that continues to get better everytime we see him. Most recently he was running his fastball up to 90 mph with a go-to breaking ball.
RHP/C Ryan Duncheon Jr. (East Peoria; Illinois State) has had a big spring so far on the mound and with the bat. Up five spots to No. 21 in the state, Duncheon has been touching 92 mph with his fastball and has one of the better sliders in the class that he likes to showcase early and often. He also swings a strong right-handed bat with pull-side power and natural lift in his swing.
OF/QB1 Johnny O’Brien (Fremd; Northwestern football) is another prospect climbing in this recent update, up 40 spots, into the top-30 in the class now. O’Brien is a left/left center fielder committed to play quarterback at Northwestern. Regardless of his future in football, O’Brien is one of the top outfielders in the state. Listed at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, O’Brien is a loose, fluid, easy athlete with a loose quick swing at the plate and profiles in center field defensively.
RHP Ian Campbell (Joliet Catholic), a 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior, has firmly put himself on the radar as one of the top power arms still available in the state. Also a high-level football prospect with double-digit Division I offers, Campbell was lights out in the East Suburban Catholic Conference this spring only allowing nine hits in 19+ innings in conference. Read below for a more in-depth on what we saw in person this spring.
Scout Blog (5.7.25): Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 52 in the state. 6-foot-3, 235-pounds, present strength throughout, durable build. Started on the mound for the Hill and dominated over his 4.1 innings of work, allowing just one hit and one run while striking out seven against five walks. Campbell, also a high-level edge/OLB on the gridiron, moves well for his size down the mound with an in-line delivery and drop/drive lower-half, loose arm plays from a high ¾ window. It was a heavy dose of fastballs from Campbell, going right after hitters while sitting 90-92 mph, still grabbing 92 in the second inning out of the stretch, overpowering hitters in the zone and getting a plethora of late swings. The slider is still developing a bit with gradual 10/4 shape, but he throws it firm around 80 mph. He also flashed a changeup in the low-80s that he sells with arm-speed, showing slight arm-side run at times, though he really didn’t need either offspeed because the fastball was so dominant. Extremely impressive look from the two-sport standout.
SS James Feigelson (St. Charles East) is another uncommitted prospect climbing up the board. Up 24 spots to No. 65 in the class, Feigelson had an impressive performance this winter at the Preseason All-State as well as our early looks at him so far this spring.
Scout Blog (5.2.25): Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 89 in the state. Lean and athletic 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with room for added strength in the future. Batted cleanup and played shortstop for the Saints. Showed well on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he began to stand out pre-game, showing bouncy and athletic actions on the infield which would carry over into gameplay while additionally showing an accurate and strong arm across the diamond that has been up to 93 mph for us in the past. Athletic right-handed hitter with some twitch in the swing, paired with strong hands. An uncommitted name to continue to follow who should be able to stick on the left side of the infield at the next level.
C Drew Stevens (Normal Community; Valparaiso) is up 15 spots and now right behind Feigelson at No. 67 in the update. Stevens continues to make strides to his overall game and the best still seems yet to come. Stevens has been tapping into his in-game power and consistently leverages baseballs in the air.
OF Kamran Alikhan (Nazareth) and C Andrew Satunas (Lockport) are two uncommitted position players on the rise, now sitting in the top-75 in the class.
Alikhan is an upside right/right outfielder who has been one of the top position players in a strong Nazareth lineup. He also ran a 6.86 and was 87 mph from the outfield this winter.
Satunas is a left-handed hitting catcher who continues to make big overall strides and recently this spring has been suplanted in the three-hole for the Porters. Its a compact, repeatable swing with above-average feel for the barrel and polished approach. Name to know heading into the summer
Asher Cantu (O’Fallon) is another left-handed hitting catcher on the rise, up over 70 spots, now at No. 95 in the state. Cantu has carried over a strong showcase season this winter into the spring for Power-25 O’Fallon. Cantu has easy levers and flashes whole field power with natural lift in his swing.
RHP/3B Will Graba (made one of the biggest jumps in the entire rankings, climbing over 80 spots, now sitting just outside the top-100. Graba has been one of the top arms for a one loss Fremd club this season. When not on the mound, he plays third base and also hits in the middle of the lineup.
Jack Gianikos (Maine South), Connor McKay (Nazareth), Andrew Dawson (Oak Forest) and Trevor Ames (St. Joseph-Ogden) are a quartet of uncommitted right-handed arms who now sit in the Top-100 in the state. All four have upside stuff and are names to know in the state.