On Nov. 12th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed to lock in their commitments to their respective schools, with hundreds of these signings hailing from Illinois.

Over the next few weeks, we will spend some time highlighting the names from Illinois that signed to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, continuing today with the ACC.

BOSTON COLLEGE

The Eagles went and got an elite athlete in OF Patrick Connors (Hinsdale Central), who will be headed to Chestnut Hill in the fall. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound outfielder impressed at the Senior Future Games, running a 6.41 60-time with an average EV of 90.2 mph in his round of BP. Currently ranked No. 42 in the state, Connors is coming off a strong Spring campaign that featured a National Player of the Week nod. The Eagles will be getting one of the top base stealing threats in the state, who finished with 44 stolen bases during the 2025 high school season.

From 8/5/25: “OF Patrick Connors (Hinsdale Central, 2026) has had one of the most impressive years in the state and continued to shine in Rantoul. Strong 6-foot, 185-pound athletic frame. Connors was a member of Team Heartland in this year’s Senior Future Games. The outfielder is known for his speed as he picked up 44 stolen bases this past Spring while also running a 6.41 60 in Georgia. The speed translates to the outfield where he is able to track down difficult fly balls in all parts of the field. Connors posted a max EV of 97.1 mph at the plate during Tuesday’s workout. The right-handed hitter operates from a compact base with a short swing that is quick through the zone.”

LOUISVILLE

Currently slotted at No. 17 in the rankings, INF Cory Les (St. Laurence) will be the next Illinois product to join the Cardinals, coming after a strong Spring season that led to a 3A State Championship and a spot on the Second All-State team. There is a lot to like in the 6-foot-1, 205-pound infielder who has consistently shown to be an all-around athlete in front of our staff, running a 6.76 60-time at the Illinois State Games. The left-handed hitter features plenty of strength in his swing with a max EV of 102 mph in-event. He also possesses a steady glove with a strong arm across the diamond at 89 mph in-event.

From 6/19/25: “Louisville commit, currently ranked No. 17 in the state and No. 449 nationally. Strong 6-foot-1, 205-pound athletic frame. Started in center and hit out of the four-hole. Les was impactful on Saturday afternoon as he went 1-for-3 at the plate while coming around to score two runs. The left-handed hitter operates from a wide, balanced stance with no stride. Strong hands with pull-side power from a pure swing that has a flat path. Whole field approach. Connected on a single into left field in his second at-bat. Continues to be an all around weapon.”

MIAMI

The Hurricanes strengthened their incoming pitching staff with the signing of LHP Ian Tosi (Mount Carmel). Currently ranked No. 26 in the state, Tosi was a member of Team Illinois at the 2024 Future Games and has been a proven in-game performer in front of our staff, consistently living in the mid-to-upper 80s with a big-breaking curveball with a max IVB of -13.4”. The left-hander will be coming back after missing his junior season due to injury, and will look to continue upon his success from the past. 

From 8/12/24: “LHP Ian Tosi (Mount Carmel) was about as dominant as it gets over his two innings of work, not allowing a single hit, run or walk while striking out two. Listed at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, the southpaw has been a mainstay at the top of Mount Carmel’s rotation as an underclassman, and he got to show his stuff on the biggest uncommitted stage. He fearlessly attacked the zone with his fastball, cruising in the mid-80s and touching 88 mph with carry through the zone. He showed feel for both his curveball and changeup, landing them both for strikes when he wanted. High-level compete factor paired with his advanced feel to pitch and arsenal makes him one of the more sought after southpaws in the state.”

NOTRE DAME

South Bend continued to be a popular landing spot for Illinois recruits as the Fighting Irish were able to grab a trio of high-level arms in RHP Connor Elenteny (Mount Carmel), LHP Michael Pettit (Lincoln-Way West), and RHP Callaghan O’Connor (Bishop McNamara). 

Elenteny, the No. 16 ranked player in the state, is a quality right-handed arm that the Fighting Irish have a lot to be excited about. The former Future Gamer possesses a projectable 6-foot-3, 203-pound frame with some strength throughout. Elenteny showcases a heavy upper-80s to low-90s fastball that works up to 93 mph with a sharp slider in the high-70s in the 2200-2300 RPM range, and a fading changeup in the high-70s to low-80s. 

From 5/3/25: “Notre Dame commit, currently ranked No. 8 in the state, No. 275 nationally. 6-foot-3, 202-pound frame, high-ceiling with much more room to add on strength in the coming years. Competed well on the mound over his 5.2 innings of work, striking out nine along the way against five walks. Though the line might not stand out, Elenteny still looked the part as one of the top arms in the state. He’s an easy, athletic mover with some tall/fall in his delivery, works quickly down the mound from balance point and gains momentum, stays in-line. Full arm action, clean with some whip, ¾ slot. The fastball was competitive around the zone, being effectively wild at times, sitting in the upper-80s early on and topping out at 90 mph. The slider showed effective action and 10/4 shape for some chase out of the zone, 72-74 mph. Also flashed a curveball in the upper-60s with a bigger 11/5 shape. High-ceiling right-hander, much more to come and dream on.”

Pettit, a high-waisted 6-foot-1, 185-pound left-hander with pitchability will be a great addition for the Fighting Irish. Currently ranked No. 22 in the state, the former member of Team Illinois at the Future Games continued to show well in front of our staff this Summer. Pettit features an upper-80s fastball with arm-side run that has been up to 91 mph in-event, paired with a fading changeup in the upper-70s to low-80s, and a mid-70s curveball that has seen spin rates of up to 2400+ RPM.

From 7/17/25: “Notre Dame commit. Pettit would get the start Friday evening for his Rawlings Tigers squad and would throw six quality innings in which he would collect seven strikeouts, pounding the zone throughout (68% strike rate). The fastball would sit 85-86 mph, topping out at 88 mph with arm-side run. Would also throw a low-70s off-speed with fade and a 69-71 mph breaking ball that produced spin rates north of 2400 rpm. Athletic 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame with room for added strength.”

O’Connor, an imposing, highly projectable 6-foot-5, 207-pound right-hander with plenty of room to fill in is another great addition for the Fighting Irish pitching staff. Currently ranked No. 33 in the state, O’Connor has consistently shown quality stuff on the mound in front of our staff. His fastball sits in the upper-80s, topping out at 90 mph with some swing-and-miss potential. He also features a sharp 10/4 slider in the upper-70s range, and a deceptive changeup with late fade in the low-to-mid 80s. 

From 4/10/25: “Notre Dame commit. Currently ranked No. 20 in the state. Long-levered, 6-foot-5, 207-pound frame, some present strength but still has plenty of room to add on more. Got the start on the mound and threw it well despite unfavorable results. Easy, controlled mover with a slight coil and crouch into balance point, works in-line with a drop/drive lower-half. Clean arm that hides the ball on the backside, tight high ¾ window through release. The fastball played around 87-89 mph, topping out at 90 mph, sitting more 87-88 mph in the stretch, got some swing/miss in the zone, and stayed mostly arm-side. Slider flashed sharp action and 10/4 shape, 78-80 mph, pairs well off the FB when kept low and away to a RHH. Sells the changeup with arm-speed, 83-84 mph, short and late fade. High-ceiling arm to follow closely.”

WAKE FOREST

The Demon Deacons did some work to bolster one of the already top classes in the nation by  bringing in two of the top players in the state in SS Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North) and 3B TJ McQuillan (Mount Carmel). 

Currently the No. 2 ranked player in the state and No. 22 ranked player nationally, Bass is one of the best shortstops in the country who continues to trend upwards with every look. He showcases easy power to all fields with a max EV of 101 mph in-event, and is a fluid defender up the middle with a strong arm across the diamond at 90 mph. The recent All-American Game participant has been lighting up the Summer and Fall tournament circuit, and looks like he could make an instant impact at the next level. The toolsy right-handed hitter is also coming off of an impressive spring season where he batted .402 with 9 home runs and 11 doubles that earned him a spot on the Second All-State team. 

From 5/24/25: “Wake Forest commit, currently ranked No. 2 in Illinois and No. 33 in the country. 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame, lean with twitch and more room to add strength, highly athletic. Started at shortstop and hit out of the two-hole, finishing the day 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored. The right-handed hitter has notable present bat-speed in his swing with athletic hands, staying back on spin and seeing it deep to drive it the other way for a double. Gave plus run-times throughout the day with a 4.19 down the line and 4.63 on a turn. Shortstop profile at the next level, confident hands with rhythm and timing, fluid feet with easy range to both sides of the glove, crisp glove-to-hand and transfers, makes double-play turns look easy to all angles. Arm can play on the move and from different slots, plays with easy strength and is quick to release. High-profile middle infield prospect, extremely versatile athlete that can impact the game in multiple ways, will be a draft follow this coming year.”

McQuillan, a physical 6-foot, 215-pound third baseman with plenty of strength throughout, is another major addition that will be heading to Winston-Salem. The No. 3 ranked player in Illinois and No. 117 ranked player nationally, has shown consistently easy power at the plate to all fields with a polished approach that has resulted in success. Featuring a strong feel for the barrel, McQuillan has been up to a 102 mph max EV with an average EV of 98 mph in-event. McQuillan will continue to be a major part of a strong Caravan lineup, providing a major thump in the middle of the order.

From 5/14/25: “Wake Forest commit. 6-foot, 215-pound, strong, barrel-chested frame. Ranked No. 3 in the Illinois’ 2026 class, No. 115 Nationally. Physicality oozes in the box and all over the diamond. Finished 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored. Grounded a ball up the middle in his second at-bat. Despite grounding out in his third at-bat, impressed with a 4.32 down the line given his frame and position profile. Physical left-handed hitter with advanced bat strength and bat speed. Name to know for the 2026 draft circuit.” 

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