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Illinois Rising Stars Game: Takeaways

June 19, 2026
By: Illinois Scouting Staff

On June 2nd, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Illinois Rising Stars Game at Lee Pfund Field in Wheaton, IL. 50 players participated in a pro-style workout, gathering unrivaled access to data through our state-of-the-art tech partners, as well as in-depth scouting analysis from our Prep Baseball Illinois staff. The group was then split up into four teams and participated in gameplay, to further showcase their talents.

We have already released a Statistical and Data Analysis from the event, highlighting some of the best statistical metrics from the day.

Today, we will be looking at the prospects that stood out to our staff within this Takeaways story.

QUICK HITS

+ RHP/1B Blake Fisher (Washington, 2030) put together one of the more well-rounded showings on both sides of the ball. Presenting an upside frame at 6-foot-1, 165-pounds, he began the event by showing easy hand and bat speed from the right side; averaging 86 mph off the bat, paired with a max batted ball distance of 279 feet (tied for 7th best for the event). He went on to tally two doubles during gameplay. On the mound, he works clean and controlled downhill; showing a fastball that sat 80-81 mph (T82) with heavy arm-side run (avg. 17.2” HM), and complemented his fastball with a 68-69 mph curveball and a 70 mph changeup. During gameplay, he would induce weak contact and tally a strikeout.

+ INF Van Ozment (Crystal Lake Central, 2030) is a physically impressive 6-foot-2, 170-pounds and continues to show well with the bat in front of our staff. A left-handed hitter, he has a compact and short swing with evident bat speed and barrel control. He averaged 84 mph off the bat (7th best for event), while leading the event in both average batted distance (274 feet) and max batted distance (321 feet). In gameplay, he tallied a single into right field. Defensively, he has upside on the dirt; flashing feel for the position with a reliable glove that should allow him to stick on the infield moving forward.

+ INF Noah Fountain (Brother Rice, 2030) showed well on both sides of the ball at the event. At 5-foot-10, 165-pounds, he began the event by running a 7.29 60 time - good for 6th best for the event. He would continue to impress during batting practice, where he showed the ability to consistently hit the ball hard in the air ot all fields; evidenced by an average EV of 87 mph (T91) and a max batted distance of 304 feet. Defensively, his actions stood out; playing with ease and soft hands and an accurate arm from across the diamond. He would go on to tally two hits throughout gameplay, including a double.

+ INF/RHP Christopher Morrison (Providence Catholic, 2030) showed well throughout the day, both during the workout and throughout gameplay. A twitchy athlete at 5-foot-8, 145-pounds, Morrison swung it well during BP, showing the ability to hit line drives with loose and easy movements. Defensively, he showed clean and confident actions up the middle with the ability to likely stick there moving forward, and those same confident actions translated into gameplay where he flashed above-average range for his age. He would also reach up to 79 mph across the diamond. Morrison then hopped on the mound and continued to impress there; pumping in strikes and inducing weak contact throughout his outing. His fastball sat 77-80 mph, while turning to a 65-69 mph curveball (60% strikes), and a 68-70 mph changeup to round out his arsenal.

+ 1B Jaden Payton (St. Viator, 2030) is an impressive-looking prospect at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds. A left-handed hitter, he showed a longer, flat path with intent to lift to the pull-side at times and with loud results; averaging 84 mph off the bat (T87) with a peak distance of 300 feet. Defensively, he moves well over at first base with feel for the position and soft hands, while reaching 75 mph from across the diamond with more to come in the future.

+ OF Caden Busch (Joliet Catholic, 2030) is an athletic right-handed hitter to know from the event. He flashed the ability to make hard contact (T87 mph EV) with a compact and flat swing with line drive tendencies to the middle/opposite fields. Defensively, he attacks the baseball and shows natural feel for the position at times, paired with a whippy arm that reached up to 76 mph.

+ OF/RHP Griffin Cunningham (Brother Rice, 2030) possesses an upside frame at 6-foot, 145-pounds. He began the event running a 7.15 60 (2nd best for event), and then swung it well from the right side; showing a compact and short swing with feel to keep the ball on a line up the middle, averaging 82.5 mph off the bat (T88). Defensively, he routinely fielded the ball cleanly and showed natural actions and feel for the position, while peaking at 78 mph (2nd best for event).

+ C Ahmi Hale (Glenwood, 2030) looks to be one of the more advanced defensive backstops for his age. He showed quality glove-to-hand, posting a pop time range of 2.07-2.21 - though we’ve seen it as low as 2.01 in the past. His arm works quick and accurate to the bag with his best bullet out of the chute reaching 74 mph. He also showed to be a willing blocker with above-average receiving qualities in-game. Hale began the event running a 7.25 60 - good for 3rd fastest for the event. The right-handed hitter then showed a compact/athletic swing while reaching up to 88 mph off the bat.

+ RHP/INF Brocktyn Roberts (Armstrong, 2030) put together a strong all-around day. A projectable 5-foot-11, 160-pounds, he led the entire event in the 60, posting a 6.99. Perhaps his best work on the day came on the mound, sitting 79-82 mph (T84) with his fastball that played firm through the zone, while also showing an 11/5 curveball at 69 mph paired with a 75-77 mph changeup with fading actions. Offensively, the right-handed hitter showed to have a compact swing with the ability to hit low line drives to the opposite field with the 4th-highest average EV (86 mph) and 2nd-highest max EV (92 mph).

+ INF Casey Gabriel (Undecided, 2031) showed to be one of the more advanced class of 2031 prospects in attendance. The right-handed hitter showed a flat path with quick hands and the ability to stay on-plane. Defensively, he showed feel for the position up the middle, paired with one of the stronger arms for the event at 80 mph (tied for 3rd). During gameplay, Gabriel tallied two singles.

+ C/OF Matthew Salah (Maine South, 2030) was a right-handed hitter to note from the event. With a high-waisted 6-foot, 155-pound frame, he swung with loose/athletic hands and a flat path. Salah would peak at 87 mph off the bat and tally a loud double during gameplay.

+ INF Giovanni Qualtier (Joliet Catholic, 2030) showed to be one of the better defenders up the middle for the event. He had a confident glove, athletic actions, and quality hands that translated in-game. Offensively, the left-handed hitter has an athletic swing and showed to be a scrappy at-bat in-game; tallying a double.

+ RHP/UTL Michael Manno (St. Viator, 2030) showed intrigue all-around throughout the event. On the mound, he sat 77-79 mph (T80) with his fastball that played with life and cut, working primarily to the glove side in-game. Manno would then go to a 64-68 mph breaking ball that showed depth to round out his arsenal. Defensively, he showed natural actions in the outfield and a strong arm from both the outfield (79 mph) and at first base (78 mph). The right-handed hitter also had a loose and handsy swing.

+ RHP/OF Jack Story (Maine South, 2030) is a broad-shouldered, advanced 6-foot-3, 185-pound two-way to know moving forward. On the mound, he showed to be an easy mover downhill while sitting 77-80 mph (T81) with his fastball that had arm-side run. His offspeed consisted of a 65-67 mph curveball that had 11/5 shape and feel for the zone, while rounding things out with a 71 mph changeup with fade. The right-handed hitter also posted the 4th-highest max EV for the event at 91 mph. Story tallied two hits during the gameplay portion of the event.

+ LHP Trae Herring (Normal University, 2030) delivered one of the better performances on the mound during the gameplay portion of the event. He earned whiffs throughout his lone inning of work, topping out at 76 mph with the fastball, while going to a 63-64 mph curveball for swing and miss against left-handed hitters. He finished his outing punching out two.

+ RHP Liam Gilley (Providence Catholic, 2030) threw the ball well during gameplay, inducing weak contact and recording a strikeout. His fastball sat 75-77 mph, while throwing his 63-65 mph curveball for strikes, and completing his arsenal with a 69-70 mph changeup.

+ RHP/INF Ajay Redman (Richland County, 2030) is an upside follow on the mound. A trim, high-waisted 5-foot-11, 150-pounds, he worked his fastball up to 82 mph in his outing while sitting 79-81 mph with the pitch. His curveball showed tight action at 72-73 mph, while flashing a 74-75 mph changeup with fade to the armside. He struck out one in his lone inning of work. Redman also tied for the event-lead in infield velocity, with his firmest throw reaching 83 mph.

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