On June 11th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Illinois Rising Stars Game at Lee Pfund Field in Wheaton, IL. 39 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 Quick Hits story.

Position Players

1B/RHP Dempsey Steinmetz (Marist, 2029) stood out as a physical right-handed hitter with easy jump off his bat during his round of BP. Listed at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds, he was able to leverage the baseball with ease to his pull-side with little perceived effort in his swing, launching his furthest hit ball 360’ with a peak EV of 95.2 mph. He also looks to be a quality defender with active feet around the bag and soft hands.

SS/RHP Ellis Conley (Undecided, 2029) had a quality showing with the bat at the event. The high-waisted 5-foot-10, 151-pound right-handed hitter showed athletic hands and balance throughout his swing, while using the whole field throughout his round of BP. Conley also hopped on the mound and filled the zone with both his fastball (67% strikes) and changeup (67% strikes).

SS Van Ozment (Crystal Lake Central, 2030) came away a winner both in the workout and in gameplay. Standing in at 5-foot-11, 145-pounds with room to fill out, Ozment looks to be a promising left-handed hitter to follow. He has an easy and balanced swing that played well in-game, not expanding the zone with the ability to see spin, staying back on a breaking ball for a hard barrel, was able to use the whole field. Easy, fluid actions on the infield, soft hands and plays with leverage, arm can play from multiple angles. Finished gameplay 1-for-2 with a run scored.

OF/RHP Chase Carithers (Nazareth Academy, 2029) had a strong all-around showing. Standing at 6-foot, 178-pounds he started the event by running a 7.06 60, good for 5th best at the event. The right-handed hitter then showed easy jump off the barrel during batting practice, reaching a max exit velocity of 88.3 mph with a flatter path through the zone. Carithers was also among the event leaders in outfield velocity, topping out at 81 mph from a crow hop. He then hopped on the mound and topped out at 78 mph with the fastball, while being in the zone consistently with his curveball (83% strikes).

MIF Kaleb Gossett (Yorkville, 2029) had one of the better rounds of batting practice for the event. An athletic 5-foot-9, 140-pound right-handed hitter, he had a line drive approach with easy jump and natural loft off the barrel; reaching a peak exit velocity of 92 mph, while his average EV of 85.5 mph was third-highest for the day. He also led the event in average distance (285 feet), while hitting the second-furthest ball on the day at 334 feet.

MIF Henry Shower (Jacobs, 2029) looked to be one of the top middle-infielders in attendance. He’s a well above-average runner with a 6.81 in the 60, and we can only expect that to continue to trim down in the coming years. The left-handed hitter has a quick and direct swing that works to keep the ball on a line, and he took scrappy at-bats in gameplay with quality bat-to-ball skills on display. His defensive actions are above-average for his age and his foot speed definitely adds to that, allowing him to cover ground easily to both sides of his glove. His hands are soft and pair with a quick/clean transfer. Finished gameplay 1-for-2 with a stolen base.

INF Justin Les (St. Laurence, 2029) took a strong round of BP and established himself as a LHH to follow. There’s more to come in his frame, listed at a broad shouldered 5-foot-11, 165-pounds. He has a simple and balanced swing with little wasted movement, working on top of the baseball with the ability to create backspin up the middle of the field. He also showed steady hands on the infield with deliberate footwork and actions, pairing with a mid-70s fastball on the mound. Fired a scoreless inning on the mound with a strikeout in gameplay.

INF Nolan Maranell (Wheaton-Warrenville South, 2029) will be a right-handed hitter to follow moving forward. He has a strong build, listed at 5-foot-10, 182-pounds with some present strength, and he worked on the barrel pull-side with easy jump off the barrel and little perceived effort, peaking at 92 mph for his EV with a 316’ max distance.

MIF Chase Boykin (Marian Catholic, 2029) is a toolsy and athletic prospect to follow throughout the high school ranks. He’s an above-average runner with a 6.84 in the 60, and he has a longer, athletic right-handed swing to pair with a line-drive approach. On the infield he shows present footspeed and athleticism through the baseball with quick hands, moving well into his throws while staying in his legs. Speed plays up on the infield with easy range and an explosive first step.

INF Andrew Jones (Marist, 2029) has been a name our staff has seen well on multiple occasions this summer, and his showing in this event was no different. He had a strong workout, running to a 7.04 to start his day which should only continue to get faster as he matures. At the plate, he has an athletic and balanced right-handed swing that worked primarily to his pull-side with line-drives in BP. He also worked on the barrel in gameplay with an aggressive approach that ambushed in the zone, finishing gameplay 1-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. He’s a natural and fluid defender on the dirt and looks to profile there as he gets older, showing mature actions and feel for the position with timing through the baseball and confident hands.

INF Jake Kruiswyk (Plainfield East, 2029) swung it well during batting practice. A right-handed hitter, he has a compact path with athletic hands that allow for whip in the barrel while using the whole field.

Two-Ways

OF/RHP Mason Koth (Jacobs, 2029) showed to be a high-follow name in the state’s ‘29 class throughout the day. Standing at a lean and athletic 6-foot, 174-pounds, he started the event by running a 7.18 60 before having a loud round of batting practice. The right-handed hitter’s swing worked short to the ball while creating extension and whip through the zone, displaying easy bat speed while hitting the ball with authority to all fields. He had the fourth-highest average exit velocity for the event (85.3 mph), the second-highest max exit velocity (93.1 mph), and the third-highest max distance (321 feet). The loud tools with the bat carried over into gameplay where he finished 1-for-2 with a double that nearly left the yard. Defensively, he plays with fluid hands and feet while showing easy athleticism. He had the second-highest outfield velocity for the event at 82 mph. Koth then provided an athletic look on the bump during gameplay, striking out two in a scoreless inning of work. He ran his fastball up to 79 mph with easy life out of the hand and natural run, while also mixing in a sinker that showed true sink (avg. 6.6” IVB) and found the zone 100% of the time.

INF/RHP Braden Murray (Cary-Grove, 2030) was one of the youngest in attendance, but he fit right in from a talent perspective. He really shined on the mound with a scoreless inning of work, walking one against one strikeout. He’s a clean and athletic mover with mechanics that are easy to dream on, allowing room to plenty more velocity gains in the future to pair with his clean arm the plays from a high ¾ slot. His fastball played right around 74-75 mph and paired with a curveball/changeup combination he could flash for strikes. At the plate, he showed a loose and handsy swing with a flat path and feel to work on the barrel, staying to his pull-side throughout his round with rhythm to his operation.

RHP/3B Mason Anderson (Charleston, 2029) had an impressive showing on the mound. Presenting a strong 6-foot, 165-pound frame, he attacked the zone throughout his lone inning on the mound. He ran his fastball up to 78 mph, flashing above-average spin (T2223 rpm) with life through the zone. He would toss in an upper-60’s curveball that also showed above-average spin (avg. 2267 rpm), while mixing in an upper-60’s slider and an upper-70’s cutter to round out his repertoire. He would toss a clean inning, while tallying a strikeout. Anderson also showed to have a simple swing from the right side that flashed jump off the barrel with backspin to the middle of the field.

OF/RHP Matthew Loeffel Jr. (Cary-Grove, 2029) had the strongest arm from the outfield for the event (83 mph), while additionally showing well with the bat and on the mound. The right-handed hitter stands at 5-foot-8, 150-pounds, and showed to have quiet and easy hands while working the ball to the middle and opposite fields. He would be on the barrel throughout gameplay as well, tallying two hard singles, while also swiping a bag. A dynamic mover on the mound, Loeffel’s fastball/slider combo showed potential moving forward. His fastball sat 76-80 mph (T82) with run, while slider showed sweeping action at 68-70 mph.

SS/RHP Easton Pickrel (Galesburg, 2029) had an upside showing on the mound in his lone inning of work. Possessing a projectable frame at 5-foot-10, 140-pounds, he showed an intriguing three-pitch mix. His fastball sat 74-77 mph (T78) with natural sinking action, while showing a big-breaking curveball at 57-59 mph, and rounding things out with an upper-60’s changeup that had fading action (avg. 27.2” HM). Pickrel also showed to have an easy swing with a middle of the field approach on offense, while additionally displaying a reliable glove up the middle on the infield.

LHP/OF Charlie Kohman (Downers Grove North, 2029) is an athletic 5-foot-10, 151-pound two-way prospect to follow for the coming years. A simple, uptempo mover down the mound, his fastball played firm out of the hand with run, sitting 75-77 mph. He would toss in a sweeping curveball at 66-67 mph as his go-to secondary, while also showing a low-70’s changeup with fading action. The left-handed hitter also swung it well at the event, displaying a loose swing that uses the whole field while generating jump off the barrel at times. Defensively, he had soft hands and fluid actions and an arm that played athletically with a whippy finish.

OF/RHP Tyler Lanzi (Providence Catholic, 2029) was among the event leaders in numerous categories; 60 (6.88), outfield velocity (81 mph), max exit velocity (92 mph), and average exit velocity (82 mph). He stands at an athletic 6-foot, 160-pounds with some present strength throughout the frame. His swing played athletically with bat speed both during batting practice and in-game as he went 3-for-3 with two doubles and a triple. Lanzi also tossed a scoreless inning on the mound, topping out at 77 mph with his fastball, and mixing in a 64-66 mph curveball for strikes (71%).

OF/LHP Johnathan Zaragoza (Marian, 2029) gave a strong all-around look. He has a simple and easy left-handed swing that stays balanced through impact, looking to keep the ball on a line. He’s an athletic mover in the outfield with fluid footwork, plays through the baseball with intent and moves well into a crowhop. Clean arm from the outfield and on the mound, topping at 74 mph with his fastball and 77 mph from a crowhop.

INF/RHP Leo Kelly (Loyola, 2029) is already looking like one of the top players in the young Illinois 2029 group. He stands out physically at 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, and he has loud tools to pair across the board. He put on a show in BP with a peak EV of 93 mph, showing length through the zone with feel to lift. He caught a barrel in gameplay to finish 1-for-3 as well. On the mound, he fired a shutout inning with a strikeout, working his fastball up to 84 mph with all sorts of life through the zone. He also flashed a curveball and changeup to mix up the speeds.

INF/RHP Grant Liebing (Lemont, 2029) gave a strong look on both sides of the ball. The right-handed hitter showed athletic hands with an uphill path and intent to loft the baseball, finishing gameplay 1-for-2 with a run scored and a hit-by-pitch. Soft hands on the infield with natural actions and instincts, fluid footwork, plays through the baseball. Arm is strong across with a quick release, also showed well on the mound with a fastball up to 77 mph. Looks to have more in the tank from a mechanics standpoint, athletic mover with a clean arm.

Pitchers

RHP Jake Pisano (Providence Catholic, 2029) showed off some of the more premier arm-strength on the day. He’s highly projectable standing in at 6-foot-2, 160-pounds with lean, wiry levers. He has a loose and whippy arm that plays from a lower release window, works in-line from a shorter balance point and leg-lift. His fastball played 80-82 mph and set up a curveball in the upper-60s, spinning over 2,200 rpm at times. In gameplay, he struck out two in one scoreless inning of work.

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