With the fall circuit in the books, it is time for one final update before the winter season fully kicks off. There is not much overall movement in this update with only a couple players really seeing significant jumps, but there are 10 new names as we continue to expand our rankings. 

Continue reading below for a look at all the notable action in the rankings for this update. 

The Top Three 

Our top two players in the state remain the same with OF Carver Cohn (McHenry) at the No. 1 position and RHP Dodger Friedrich (Lane Tech) right behind him. 

Cohn is a premier athlete that patrols the outfield as good as anyone in the state, profiling in center long-term. His run tool is a weapon in all aspects of his game, allowing him to cover ground in the outfield while also being a constant threat on the basepaths (6.64 60). Another highly intriguing aspect of his profile is the fact he’s a switch hitter, pairing with natural twitch and bat-to-ball abilities that profile him at the top of lineups. 

Friedrich is a physical specimen at 6-foot-4, 216-pounds with all sorts of present strength. He has some of the top raw arm-talent in the country, boasting a fastball up to 91 mph with control in the zone. The separator with him is his ability to spin a slider with wipeout potential, spinning over 2,600 rpm at times while flashing feel in the zone. 

RHP Jack Postma (Barrington) is rising one spot to No. 3, and he has one of the higher ceilings in the country. Standing in at a long-levered 6-foot-4, 195-pounds, Postma is nowhere near his ceiling when it comes to his frame and overall arsenal. The movement patterns indicate much more to come from a velocity standpoint - though he’s already running his fastball into the upper-80s. He has also shown feel for both a curveball and a changeup that help fill out a dynamic arsenal. 

Other Risers 

Rising 19 spots to No. 29 we have RHP Blake Harris (El Paso-Gridley), fresh off a loud showing this past fall where we saw his fastball velocity skyrocket from the mid-80s to 88 mph. There’s plenty to like about his profile, starting with the fact he’s 6-foot-6, 213-pounds with more strength on the way. The secondaries are still coming along, but the raw talent and ceiling are impossible to ignore. 

INF/RHP Riley Cook (New Trier) is rising five spots to No. 35, and he’s another one with a high ceiling we want to bet on. Listed at 6-foot-2, 160-pounds, he has a wiry, high-waisted frame with plenty of room for added strength in the coming years. The right-handed hitter has a clean swing that is simple with feel for the barrel, and it should only continue to get better as he grows into his body. On the infield, he’s a smooth and natural defender that should be able to stick on the dirt longterm. He also gives an intriguing look on the mound with a clean arm and fastball up to 84 mph, showing some feel to spin a slider as well. 

Newcomers 

OF/RHP Jacob Hite (St. Laurence) is making his debut at No. 23 in this update, and he’s one that our staff saw show well both in gameplay and in-event. The frame is easy to dream on at 6-foot, 174-pounds with all sorts of projectability, and he has loose movement patterns on both sides of the ball. A right-handed hitter, he has a fluid and balanced swing with feel to work on the barrel with loud results, also not using much perceived effort to get to his power (T97 mph EV). He has also shown a clean arm and promising three-pitch mix on the mound, highlighted by a fastball up to 82 mph. 

LHP/OF JD Farkas (Hersey) was one of the biggest two-way winners we saw all fall, and he is making his debut in the rankings at No. 39. A proven in-game performer on the tournament circuit, Farkas showed a four-pitch mix with advanced feel in the zone, running his fastball up to 84 mph with a dynamic mix of pitches. He also looks to be a polished left-handed hitter with a clean, balanced swing, working line-drives to his pull-side gap with ease in-event (T96 mph EV). 

A couple talented southpaws making their debuts are Dayne Franks (Orion) and Dante Gianino (Gibault Catholic).

Franks slots in at No. 42, and he will work his fastball into the mid-80s with a deceptive arm action - while his changeup also looks like a potential out-pitch while tunneling effectively off the fastball. He also swings a loud barrel from the left side with uphill intent that could profile in the middle of a lineup. 

Gianino makes his debut at No. 45, and he’s a strong 6-foot-2, 180-pound arm with easy movement patterns. The fastball will get up to 86 mph, and he already shows a promising changeup with above-average action as a secondary offering. 

OF Sam Steele (Naperville North) cracks our top-50 at No. 49, and he was a big winner this past fall in front of our staff. There’s present strength in his 5-foot-10, 171-pound frame, and he looks to have the athleticism to match with a twitchy right-handed swing and an above-average run tool. He took one of the best rounds of the day at the Underclass Showcase this past fall, wearing out the middle of the field with line-drives and hard contact (T97 mph EV). 

Coming in at No. 53 we have INF/RHP Keegan Crabtree (Lincoln-Way East), a projectable two-way who impressed on both sides of the ball at the Underclass Showcase. He’s a simple and easy mover on the mound with a loose arm, creating some angle on the fastball through the zone while topping at 82 mph. He’s also easy to dream on at the plate with a balanced, easy swing, showcasing a line-drive approach to the whole field with more strength to come. 

RHP Will Hunt (Benet) and RHP Jack Bullington (Marist) are a couple talented right-handers making their debuts in this update, and they are back-to-back at No. 55 and No. 56. 

Hunt stood out on the summer circuit, showcasing a low/mid-80s fastball with natural cutting action at times. Standing in at 6-foot-1, 165-pounds, he has a projectable frame that should only continue to add strength in the coming years. He’s also an athletic, clean mover that can repeat his delivery, looking to have more in the tank there as well. 

Bullington stands in at a projectable 6-foot-1, 187-pound frame, and he’s long been a performer on the mound for our staff. His clean delivery is easy for him to repeat, and he competes in the zone with three pitches - highlighted by a high-spin fastball in the low-80s. He’s also a talented catcher with arm-strength from the chute, and there’s some present strength in his right-handed bat with more to come. 

C/OF Hayven Gamboa (Mount Carmel) is jumping in at No. 59, and he has rapidly been making jumps over the past year. He has added noticeable strength and twitch to his swing with loose movement patterns and feel for the barrel. He’s also a versatile defender with natural, athletic actions both behind the plate and in the outfield. 

INF/RHP Chase Grigonis (St. Francis) rounds out our rankings in the No. 60 position, and he’s a strong-bodied 6-foot-3, 192-pound right-handed hitter with a middle of the order profile. He wore out the barrel in his round of BP at the Chicagoland Fall ID, showing a flat swing with length through the zone and a peak EV of 99 mph. He also has arm-strength on the mound with a peak fastball of 83 mph. 

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