Illinois Natives in the MLB: Then & Now - Chicagoland
December 17, 2025
Illinois is well-known for consistently producing talent in baseball. The Prep Baseball presence has long been felt in our borders, offering our players unrivaled scouting coverage as we cover our great game.
For over 10 years, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff has seen several players move on & play professional baseball, including some who have reached the highest level and received the highest accolades a professional can receive. Our background with these players continues to climb, and of the 26 players from the Chicagoland area who played in the MLB last year and are in our database, 19 (73%) of them attended a Prep Baseball event while they were in high school, and a handful of others were well-known and covered by our staff as high school prospects.
Of this group, multiple were selected to participate in the Super 60 and were also Future Games participants. Some of these players blossomed in college and never looked back. We have reports dating back to the class of 2008, included below. All of these players had different paths to the big leagues. Some spent several years in the minors before they got their first taste of the bigs. Others have had success at the highest level, including a couple of these players winning the World Series. Everyone has their own journey.
Now, let's take a look at the Chicagoland natives in our system that appeared in a game in the MLB during the 2025 season.
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Garrett Acton RHP / 1B / Lemont, IL / 2016Tampa Bay Rays “4.29.15 - 6-foot-1, 200-pound RHP ranked No. 16 in Illinois’ 2016 class, No. 189 overall. Struggled in this outing against Oak Forest, compounded by several Lemont errors. Fastball sat 87-90 mph in first inning, dropped more into 85-86 range in second inning, both long innings in a 50+ pitch two inning stint. Still reached back for 89 mph on final pitch in second. Curveball flashed 11/5 shape, struggled to throw for strikes from 68-70 mph. 74-75 mph slider only thrown a handful of times, but flashes promise. Also flashed a firm changeup in the 83 mph range, thrown aggressively with run to his arm side. Acton is committed to St. Louis, if he figures out a consistent breaking ball, his power fastball/slider combination could prove devastating on opposing hitters.” |
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Lake Bachar RHP / Wheaton North, IL / 2012Miami Marlins “6/10/16 - Drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 5th round out of Wisconsin-Whitewater.” |
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Ryan Borucki LHP / 1B / Mundelein, IL / 2012Pittsburgh Pirates / Toronto Blue Jays “Committed to the University of Iowa in April of his junior year. Earned an invite to the Area Code Games. Long and loose left-hander with quick, whippy arm action, a projectable frame and an easy 85-86 mph fastball. Borucki should continue to see his velocity climb as he gets more physically advanced.” |
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Nick Burdi RHP / Downers Grove South, IL / 2011Boston Red Sox “Committed to Louisville ... Drafted in the 24th round by the Twins A first-team all-state selection as a junior, Burdi went 9-0 for the Mustangs with a 1.03 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 53.1 innings this spring. He walked only 12, four of them in his final game of the year. ... This strong-bodied right-hander is a high-level talent who should receive significant pro interest as a senior. He possesses an impact power arm that climbed as high as 95 mph over the summer and fall with, it seems, more in the tank.” |
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Caleb Durbin SS / 2B / Lake Forest, IL / 2018Milwaukee Brewers “8/8/17 - 5-foot-8, 164-pound right-handed hitting shortstop. Strong, compact frame. Offensively balanced setup, armbar load, short toe tap stride. Short, uphill swing path. Showed strength thru contact, 90 mph exit velocity from a tee. Ran the 60 at 7.34. Defensively short arm action from a high ¾ slot. Accurate throws, showed ability to throw from multiple angles. Athletic defender, quick exchange with fluid footwork. Threw 77 mph across the infield.” |
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Dietrich Enns LHP / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2009Detroit Tigers / Baltimore Orioles “Committed to Central Michigan...Left-hander had a breakout junior campaign ... Throws three pitches for strikes - and throws them at any time in the count. ...Enns emerged as one of the premier left-handers in the state this spring, then further solidified his status over the summer by leading the Griffins to the IHSBCA summer state championship. In the spring, Enns posted a 7-2 record with a 1.39 ERA. With the ability to throw three pitches for strikes, Enns struck out 71, walked 21 and allowed 9 earned runs in 45.1 innings pitched.” |
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Brett Harris 3B / SS / Hersey, IL / 2016Athletics “5.13.15 - Athletically built 6-foot-1, 165-pound shortstop, hits leadoff for team. Finished 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the second inning and flew out twice to right field. Balanced offensive setup, simple approach, longer path. Defensively, shows reliable hands.” |
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Brent Headrick LHP / Reed-Custer, IL / 2016New York Yankees “5.25.16 - Illinois State recruit. Ranked No. 31 in Illinois and No. 400 overall. 6-foot-6, 185-pound, left-handed pitcher with a long, lanky, extremely projectable frame and plenty of room for continued physical development. Velocity continues to climb and looks to have plenty more in the tank. Ability to hold his velocity throughout his start. Smooth, repeatable, efficient delivery with rhythm; stays on line, lands square and finishes athletically. Simple, efficient lift and go out of the stretch. Deceptive pickoff move to first base; picked off two runners. Arm works clean, loose and quick out of a ¾ slot with minimal effort. Threw his fastball for a strike throughout, with life, arm-side-run and tilt when down in the zone; flattens out, arm-side-run when up in the zone. Fastball sat 86-88 mph throughout, touched 90 twice. Held his velocity throughout, sat 88 mph in the seventh inning. Velocity was firmer out of the stretch than wind-up at times. Flashed a slider, average feel, inconsistent shape, 1/7, 10/4 action, short break and some depth when he stays on top; went to it more often in the later innings, 75-78 mph throughout. Feel for a changeup, straight action, fastball arm speed, 79 mph; potential out pitch. Overall, Headrick controls his body extremely well given his extra-large frame. Good overall feel for pitching with athleticism and an extremely high ceiling. Final Line: 7IP, 7H, 3R, 11K, BB.” |
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Andrew Hoffmann RHP / Plainfield East, IL / 2018Kansas City Royals / Arizona Diamondbacks From 4/19/18: “Oakland commit. 6-foot-5, 185-pound right-handed pitcher, long lanky frame, slender build. Delivery is under control and balanced, easy effort, high front side and long levers. Arm action has length, loose and easy, high ¾ slot. Showed ability to command his fastball, worked both sides of the plate at times, command potential is there, slight arm side action, sat 85-86, touched 87 early. Curveball has feel, was able to drop for strikes in any count, 72-74 mph, rarely expanded for strikeouts. Flashed sinking changeup with armside action, rarely used. Final line - 5IP, 6H, 2K, 2BB.” |
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Colin Holderman RHP / Bradley-Bourbonnais, IL / 2014Pittsburgh Pirates “11.1.15 - Currently at Heartland Community College has committed to Mississippi State.” |
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Jake Latz LHP / Lemont, IL / 2014Texas Rangers “5/31/14 - Ranked No. 6 in Illinois’ 2014 class, No. 20 overall. LSU recruit. 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. Room to get stronger, but already a pro build. Works from third base side of the rubber. Over the winter, Latz was throwing a bit across his body, with his stride direction falling towards first base, and landing slightly closed at times. It cut his hips off and affected his command in bullpens, where he would lose pitches to his arm side at times. On Saturday this was no longer an issue. He’s cleaned up his delivery and direction towards home. His delivery out of the windup shows smooth tempo throughout, and cleaning up his lower half seemed to give him even better extension out front, giving him the ability to manipulate the baseball, especially with his off speed. He rocks back over the rubber and loads well on his backside before driving towards home. His arm action is clean and fluid throughout, showing the ability to overthrow late in the count, but still maintain command. Latz dominated Lincoln-Way West after giving up his first earned runs of the year in the second inning. From the fourth to the seventh he struck out 10 of 13 batters faced, allowing only one single. His fastball sat mostly 89-91 in the first, sprinkling in a few at 87-88. He came out possibly overthrowing a bit, leaving some pitches up, but after they regained the lead he settled down in the 86-88 range for the duration of the game. Every inning when he needed it, he reached back for 89-90 especially in two strike counts. His fastball stays true to his glove side, and shows some run to his arm side, but even when it stays straight at the lower end of his velocity range it has late life and gets on hitters quick. His curveball improved as the game went along as well. Early on it was 77-78 and he spiked it a few times. It actually showed better shape and two-plane break in the later innings at 73-76. What really set Latz apart today was 78-80 mph changeup. He hasn’t needed to use it much this year, but after the third he threw it around 8-10 times, inducing weak contact, and a few swings and misses. The pitch was thrown with identical arm speed as his fastball, and has late arm side run with nasty downward action at times. With all three pitches working hitter’s didn’t have a chance. Latz had two three pitch sequences in the sixth that were unfair. To one hitter he went 89 fastball 77 swing and miss change down, and 90 for the strikeout up. Another he went 86 fastball, 78 swing and miss change down, 74 down and in curveball to a right handed hitter for the strikeout. He struck out four in the seventh thanks to a 2-strike curveball bouncing away, and his last fastball of the game registered 89 for his 13th and final strikeout. He threw 79 of 107 pitches for strikes (74%), and threw first pitch strikes to 20 of 28 hitters. On pro scouting scale right now, he shows below average to average fastball velocity (possibly closer to average due him being left handed) and two secondary offerings that are above average right now flashing plus. Two changeups that produced swings and misses had late screwball action that definitely were plus. The last four frames were the most dominant and impressive pitching performance I’ve witnessed in Illinois this season, it was a pleasure to watch. His performances of late may leave him with a tough decision after Thursday’s MLB draft.” |
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Nick Lopez 2B / Naperville Central, IL / 2013Rankings StateRank: 57 / POS: 1
Los Angeles Angels / Chicago Cubs “The athletic 5-foot-9, 150-pound middle infielder is an impressive athlete who showed well in all facets of the game. Defensively, he displayed advanced actions and hands in the field. Lopez moves with fluidity while fielding the ball with soft hands out front. At the plate, the left-handed hitter displayed excellent balance and rhythm throughout his swing. Lopez displayed a short, quick stroke through the zone that consistently hit line drives. Lopez also showed some foot speed, running a 7.09 60.” |
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Ryan Loutos RHP / 1B / Barrington, IL / 2017Rankings StateRank: 57 / POS: 22
Los Angeles Dodgers / Washington Nationals “4.11.17 - Washington University (MO) commit. Currently ranked No. 72 in the Illinois Class of 2017. 6-foot-4, 205-pound right-handed pitcher with a durable frame. Works from a high ¾ arm angle with a short, quick arm action. Drop and drive delivery working in line with home plate. Square landing with good tempo and balance throughout. Showed ability to make in game adjustments. Worked mostly fastball and slider in outing. Fastball showed natural cutting action. Sat 84-86 mph for the first six innings. In the seventh amped it up to 87-88 mph. Slider was best secondary offering with swing and miss potential at 72-74 mph with sharp sweeping action. Complete game victory, struck out 12.” |
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Nick Martini OF / Prarie Ridge, IL / 2008Colorado Rockies “Committed to Kansas State. ... Second team All-State PBR selection ... Led Prairie Ridge to Class 4A state title.” |
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Mike Massey 2B / 2B / Brother Rice, IL / 2016Rankings PBR Draft BoardRank: 59 / POS: 1 College Draft 100Rank: 34 / POS: 1 StateRank: 21 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 215 / POS: 2
Kansas City Royals From 4/09/19: “Loose bodied, athletic middle infielder who recently returned to playing defense after experiencing back issues the first seven weeks of this spring season. During this time he was exclusively the DH. Likely due to his back injury and the inability to hit the weights hard, Massey looks thinner this spring than in the past. When fully healthy, Massey plays defense with ease. He is a plus defender with soft hands, smooth actions and good range in all directions. Also has an average arm and is quick on the DP pivot. At the dish, he has a loose, pure stroke with good rhythm. Starts his swing with a leg lift load. Has minimal separation as he keeps his hands tight to his back shoulder. A slight adjustment for more separation could result in more over the fence power in the future, where it currently projects to be below average. However, his power should continue to grow as he gets completely healthy and fills out. Massey has very good hand/eye and controls the barrel. Never looks over matched and always seems to have a plan up to bat. As a result, he's been very consistent at the plate generating hard contact; batted .330 as a freshman, .326 as a sophomore and is currently hitting .319 with more walks than strikeouts. Remarkably, his babip has a very small range over the past three seasons; .333, .344, .330. Despite being somewhat of a tweener with limited over the fence power (15 career HRs in 540 ABs) and little impact on the base paths (seven career SBs) Massey has consistently hit for average, controlled the strike zone and plays defense at a high level. (Seifert)” |
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Bobby Miller RHP / 1B / McHenry West, IL / 2017Rankings College Draft 100Rank: 41 / POS: 18 PBR Draft BoardRank: 59 / POS: 25 StateRank: 7 / POS: 4 OverallRank: 134 / POS: 59
Los Angeles Dodgers “4.11.17 - Louisville commit. Currently ranked No. 4 in Illinois and No. 50 overall. 6-foot-5, 190-pound right-handed pitcher, durable, strong, athletic build. Threw a complete game with 10 strikeouts, allowed one run and got the win. Long arm action, length on the backside and comes out of ¾ slot. Repeats delivery, rhythm, coiled some at balance point with some effort throughout. Fastball sat 90-92 mph early on in the outing and held the velocity for much of the outing; was still 89-91 mph in the fifth and 88-89 mph in the seventh. Fastball gets arm-side action, occasional boaring action in on right-handed hitters. Straightens out to his glove side. Steadily mixed in a curveball throughout his start; sweeping, slurve action, varied sharpness, went to it with two strikes but comfortable throwing it in any count, 72-77 mph. Only saw one changeup at 84 mph. High-level 2017 arm.” |
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Ryan Noda OF / Grant, IL / 2014Chicago White Sox / Baltimore Orioles “6.14.17 - Drafted in the 15th round out of Cincinnati by the Toronto Blue Jays.” |
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Eric Orze RHP / Glenbard North, IL / 2015Rankings StateRank: 111 / POS: 39
Tampa Bay Rays “4/30/14 Ranked No. 68 in the state, No. 335 overall. Long lanky frame, slender build, 6-foot-2, 160-pound right handed pitcher. Delivery works strictly from the stretch, up-tempo with some effort, upright finish with occasional recoil. Arm action is quick and clean, short backside action, lacks extension, quick late separation, high ¾ slot. Fastball worked steadily at 82-83 mph for most of the game, dipped slightly to 80-81 mph later. Doesn’t pith off of fastball, pitching primarily in the top half of the zone with it, when down shows good arm side run, upright finish and delivery prohibits him from getting fastball downhill. Showed advanced breaking balls with separation between the curveball and slider. Slider is aggressive and hard, showed late two-plane action with depth, swing and miss stuff, ranged from 75-78 mph, occasionally acts like a cutter at the top end. Curveball also has swing and miss action, excellent depth working on 12/6 plane flashing occasional 11/5 action, pitched at 68-70 mph, used it later in count, typically two strike counts, got four of six strikeouts on curveball. Orze primarily pitched backwards using his slider to get ahead of hitters as well as getting back into counts after falling behind. All of his pitches worked primarily out of top part of the zone, should see more success as his delivery works downhill. Orze also brings a moxy to the mound, has a presence and control of the game coupled with a competitive command of the zone.” |
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Quinn Priester RHP / OF / Cary Grove, IL / 2019Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 PBR Draft BoardRank: 22 / POS: 6 OverallRank: 9 / POS: 4 HS Draft 100Rank: 9 / POS: 4
Milwaukee Brewers From 4/06/19: “Texas Christian commit. Ranked No. 1 in the Illinois’ 2019 class and No. 20 overall. 6-foot-3, 200-pound, broad-shouldered, athletically-built, well-proportioned right-handed pitcher; plenty of room for added strength. One of the top high school arms in the country and one of the best to come out of the Midwest in recent memory. Started on Saturday against Huntley and it was his first start with no pitch-count restrictions. Delivery is slow and methodical, highly-repeatable and with extremely easy effort. Arm is clean and quick working from a high ¾ slot and gets extension out front. Ran his fastball up to 96 mph and sat 90-95 mph throughout his 6.2 innings of work. The majority of his fastballs sat 92-95 mph and he kept the same stuff and velocity from the stretch. Was still touching 95 in the sixth inning and 94 in the seventh. Fastball, varies in action, occasionally gets hard arm-side-run, boring in on RHH’s. Will also flatten out and straighten out, especially to the glove side. Overall, he showed control of the fastball. Curveball is an advanced secondary offering with swing-and-miss action. Ability to manipulate depending on count/situation. Drops it in for strikes early and can expand with two; 11/5 shape, tight spin, depth and ranged between 77-82 mph. Only saw a couple of changeups, thrown aggressively, arm-side-run, 84-87 mph. Has a chance to be a plus offering in the future.” |
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Ryan Ritter SS / Lincoln-Way East, IL / 2019Rankings College Draft 100Rank: 82 / POS: 11 JucoRank: 4 / POS: 1 PBR Draft BoardRank: 134 / POS: 18 StateRank: 19 / POS: 4
Colorado Rockies From 4/22/19: “Austin Peay commit, currently ranked No. 20 in the Illinois’ 2019 class. 6-foot-1, 165-pound, long, athletically built shortstop; continues to add quality strength. Advanced defensive actions, plays with moxy, soft sure-hands, clean release and loose arm. Only shows off his above-average arm strength when needed. Will often opt to drop down and throw from low slot when on the move. Natural at starting or finishing the double play turn. Smooth and quick release coming across the bag. Offensively, continues to make strides in the right direction. Loose swing, bat speed is present. Aggressive approach, will attack early in the count and look to drive the baseball. Finished 1-for-3 with a hustle double into the right center field gap. Thought two out of the box, tight turn around first base, no hesitation. High-level 2019 prospect, who is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Should be one to keep an eye on in the coming years.” |
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Bobby Seymour 1B / OF / Mount Carmel, IL / 2017Tampa Bay Rays “Super 60 2017 - Wake Forest recruit. 6-foot-4, 240-pound left-handed hitting first baseman, wide frame, developed shoulders and lower half. Flashed pull-side power at the Super 60. Quiet, simple approach, minimal moving parts, strength in hands, rotational approach, natural lift in swing. Recorded 92 mph exit velocity. Ran a 7.40 60 and was clocked at 73 mph across the infield from first base.” |
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Nick Solak SS / Naperville North, IL / 2013Rankings StateRank: 54 / POS: 5
Pittsburgh Pirates “5/23/13 - Louisville commit. Defensively shows clean actions defensively, hands work well, shows a soft feel. Arm action is long, shows athletic arm action, plays well on the run, long strided. Offensively shows bat speed, athletic swinger, middle to opposite field approach, shows hard contact to the middle of the field. Impressed over the summer with quick, compact swing and all-around play.” |
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Jack Suwinski OF / LHP / Taft, IL / 2016Pittsburgh Pirates “2.7.16 Super 60 - Indiana recruit. 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, strong build, barrel-chested, defined lower half. Advanced left-handed hitting outfielder, swings with controlled aggression, gap-to-gap approach with burgeoning power potential. Quiet mechanics, small leg lift back, subtle hand load, excellent pre-swing rhythm, above-average bat speed, level path with natural lift, some effort in swing; recorded 95 mph exit velocity. Defensively, profiles as corner outfielder; confident, aggressive routes to the ball, fields ball in stride, high 3/4 slot, quick release, above-average carry, on-line and accurate; was clocked at 86 mph from the outfield.” |
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Matt Svanson RHP / OF / Lake Zurich, IL / 2017Rankings StateRank: 58 / POS: 23
St. Louis Cardinals “5.15.17 - Lehigh commit. 6-foot-3, 170-pound right-handed pitcher with a thin, lanky frame. Works from a ¾ to low ¾ arm angle with a loose arm action. Tall and fall delivery, works in line with home plate, closed toe landing. Good tempo with regular effort. Changes looks from the stretch. Fields position well, athletic finish, gets off the mound quickly. Fastball has sinking action, heavy at times. Sat 86-88 mph for six innings. Changeup was deceptive at 72 mph, fastball arm speed worked 72-73 mph. Curveball has short, sweeping action, with occasional late biting action at 71-74 mph. Showed good mound presence, competes. Interesting follow in the coming years as he heads to college.” |
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Mike Tauchman OF / Fremd, IL / 2009Chicago White Sox “Signed at Bradley, this athletic and strong left-handed hitter has been a three-year varsity standout. He finished his senior campaign with a .563 BA, 9 HRs, 8 doubles, 43 RBI, 33 runs and a .793 slugging, earning second-team All-State honors. ... Tauchman is an excellent defensive outfielder with good speed and a plus arm. Was ranked the best overall athlete, defensive outfielder at PBR 2009 Prospect showcase in December. Has good pop from the left-side of the plate, too. ...Tauchman has been the Vikings� power-hitting leadoff man since his sophomore year, when he led the team with a .452 batting average. Also the star quarterback and defensive back on Fremd�s state-ranked football team.” |
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Alek Thomas OF / Mt. Carmel, IL / 2018Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 7 / POS: 2 PBR Draft BoardRank: 19 / POS: 4 HS Draft 100Rank: 8 / POS: 2
Arizona Diamondbacks From 2/04/18: “(Super 60) - Texas Christian recruit, currently ranked No. 8 in the PBR High School Draft 100. 5-foot-11, 179-pound left-handed hitting outfielder, athletic, wiry-strong frame with room for continued physical development. Easy, natural athlete - recruited to go to TCU in baseball and football (also standout basketball player) - with highly advanced baseball instincts. Ran a 6.70 laser-timed 60 (previously ran a 6.43 at the PBR Midwest ProCase last summer). Offensively, hits from a relaxed, open setup, advanced rhythm in load, smooth leg lift back; loose, fluid athletic hands, generates easy bat speed. Overall professional approach. Registered 95 mph exit velocity off a tee with wood. Per FlightScope data during BP, had an average exit velocity of 92.61 with a max of 99.4, with an average launch angle of 15.94 degrees, and a max carry of 360.17. ... Speed and athleticism translate in the field, profiles as a centerfielder at the next level. High-level defender with advanced defensive actions. Moves with fluidity and ease. Was clocked at 88 mph from the outfield. Overall, potential top-round draft prospect.” |
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