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 BIG 10. 

For a look at the SEC outlook, click HERE.

For a look at the ACC outlook, click HERE. 

Illinois 

The Illini stayed in-state to grab a duo from Mount Carmel, signing 1B/OF Anthony Chavez and MIF Joey Ireland. 

Chavez has been a consistent performer with the bat over the last couple of years, and it's easy to like the long-levered frame as well as his easy power. He consistently gets intentful swings off while keeping a quality approach, making his hit tool and power tool blend nicely together. He is also quite agile for his size with a 6.88 in the 60 - giving him some versatility to play both first base and in the outfield. 

From 7/22/25: “2025 Senior Future Games: 1B Anthony Chavez (Mount Carmel, 2026) came into this week as one of the top uncommitted left-handed bats in the state and has done nothing but elevate that status. He took one of the loudest rounds of the day with a 103.8 mph peak EV, working on the barrel routinely with five balls hammered over 102 mph. His BLAST metrics were off the charts, averaging 23.7 mph for his hand-speed and 81.3 mph for his bat-speed, also averaging 27.5 G for his rotational acceleration. The hit tool is very evident, but he also features a smooth glove at first base with feel for the position and natural actions. A 6.88 runner in the 60 to pair, Chavez will be a name to circle and follow throughout the rest of the week.”

Ireland has long been a top defender in the state and he profiles right up the middle of the field at the next level, specifically on the dirt. He’s extremely athletic with more to come in his 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame, boasting a 6.6 60-time with impressive jump metrics as well. A right-handed hitter, he has a clean, rhythmic swing that keeps the barrel through the zone, and he’s also a weapon on the basepaths who’s always looking to take an extra 90 feet. He also earned Third-Team All-State honors from us this past spring after he turned in a .406 average with 11 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 36 RBIs, 27 runs scored and 12 stolen bases - all while providing lockdown defense at shortstop. 

7/17/24: “Illinois commit. An athletic, 6-foot, 164-pound frame, Ireland could not be stopped with the bat through his first two games this weekend. The right-handed hitter went 5-for-6 with two singles, a double, and two triples. Ireland showed rhythm and maturity in the box with quick hands that stay compact and through the ball. He keeps the barrel through the zone, able to drive the ball to all parts of the field. The righty also showed his ability to run the bases, swiping a handful of bags, beating throws with ease. At shortstop, he is a rangy defender with soft and quick hands. He has a good mental clock, knowing the time he has and not rushing any part of his movements. A handful of plays were made with ease and showed a strong arm that works with different angles.”

LHP Blake Hoffer (Glenbrook South) is a fun signing for the Illini, and he has one of the higher ceilings out of all the left-handed arms in the state. He’s listed at 6-foot-5, 200-pounds with more room to fill out, and he gets down the mound well with easy movement patterns and a clean arm. The fastball plays in the upper-80s with a tight slider and a changeup to go along with it - and there’s certainly more jumps likely to be had in the near future. 

From 8/22/24: “LHP Blake Hoffer (Glenbrook South) is an intriguing 6-foot-5, 200-pound southpaw to know. He is a clean and athletic mover downhill with a two-pitch mix. His fastball is clean and lively out of the hand at 83-85 mph (T86) with carry through the zone at an average of 16” of induced vertical break. Playing off the fastball was a short 69-73 mph slider that showed 1/7 shape.”

The final addition for the Illini was actually one of their earlier verbal commits with C Addison Latko (DePaul College Prep). Coming off a big fall circuit, Latko brings a high-motor playstyle to the field with him. He has some tools across the board with a pop-time as low as 1.89 and peak velocity of 80 mph from the chute - and he also has a knack for hard contact with a peak EV of 99 mph in-event. 

From 3/7/25: “C Addison Latko (DePaul College Prep, 2026; Illinois commit) has long had a strong right-handed swing, and he showed much of the same over the weekend with a peak EV of 99 mph - averaging 91 mph with a peak distance of 368’. He displayed strong hands throughout his round, creating bat-speed with intent to lift up the middle of the field and pull-side, utilizing controlled aggression throughout. He has trimmed some time off his 60, turning in a 7.03 - and he also improved his pop-time with a 1.89 (T80 mph).”

Indiana

The Hoosiers should feel good about the two names they signed from Illinois, with RHP Gavin Swartz (Normal Community) and C Dylan Kassab (Hinsdale Central) both set to make their way to Bloomington after their prep careers. 

Swartz really made a name for himself this past spring, helping to lead Normal Community all the way to the state semi-finals - earning Second-Team All-State honors with an 8-2 record, 70 innings pitched, 95 strikeouts to just 18 walks, a 1.80 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. There’s no shortage of ceiling and arm-talent with Swartz, who stands in at 6-foot-3, 170-pounds, and we’ve seen him up to 93 mph with the fastball. His improved control of the zone has made him a true weapon at the high school level, and his best days are very much still ahead of him. 

From 6/19/25: “Indiana commit, currently ranked No. 22 in the state. Projectable 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. Started on the mound and hit out of the four-hole. Swartz shined Friday night as he struck out seven batters through seven and a third innings. Swartz did not allow a run until the eighth inning. The right-hander operates from a simple, controlled delivery with a high leg lift with a tall/fall approach. Long, clean arm action from a low ¾ slot. His fastball sat 90-91 in the first inning with 2300-2500 RPM. Settled down to 89-90 for the remainder of the game. Mixed in a slider that sat 79-81 with sharp, late depth that produced plenty of swings/misses. Went to it heavily the second time through the order. Also flashed a changeup that sat 83-85 that had sinking action.”

Kassab will be a nice addition for the Hoosiers as he boasts some of the best raw power in the state. He has an intentful swing from the right side with feel to lift pull-side, already showing glimpses of his power potential with a 105 mph peak EV in-event over the summer. He also has some tools behind the plate, reaching as low as 1.78 for his pop-time with a peak velocity of 80 mph down to second. 

From 6/3/25: “C Dylan Kassab (Hinsdale Central, 2026; Indiana) had one of the loudest rounds of BP during the event. The physical catcher clocks in with a 5-foot-10, 205-pound frame. The right-handed hitter’s barrel creates leverage through the zone while swinging with intent. The Indiana commit connected on three home runs while coming in with an average exit velocity of 95.7 mph (max EV of 105 mph) while having a 92% hard hit percentage. Behind the plate, Kassab posted a pop time of 1.78-2.00. The catcher also showed off some advanced speed behind the plate as he posted a 7.15 60 time.”

Michigan State

The Spartans will be adding a couple Illinois names to their stable of arms with the likes of LHP Zane Caves (Minooka) and RHP Paddy Roth (St. Patrick).

Caves, also a standout on the basketball court, is a highly projectable 6-foot-5, 190-pound southpaw that is only scratching the surface. He’s an easy mover with a low effort delivery, creating a tough angle for hitters from a higher release while working the fastball up to 90 mph. He also has advanced feel for his high-spin curveball in the low-70s which consistently proves to be a separator for him. 

From 5/29/25: “The Michigan State commit struck out 11 of the 19 batters he faced against Bolingbrook. Caves picked up the win as he allowed one unearned run, two hits and one walk through four innings.”

Roth has plenty of arm-talent in his own right, attacking hitters with a fastball up to 93 mph to pair with a slider/changeup mix. He has a durable build at 6-foot-3, 221-pounds, and it would not be surprising at all to see him continue to make jumps in the near future.

From 5/17/25: “Michigan State Commit. Strong 6-foot-3, 221-pound frame. Roth would show above-average stuff on the mound despite the outcome during the second leg of the Saturday doubleheader. Working from a low-3/4s slot, the right-handed arm showed a fastball that would sit 89-91 mph, with life up in the zone, and was paired with a 78-80 mph slider with depth and 10/4 shape. At the plate, the right-handed bat acted as a prevalent offensive catalyst for his St. Patrick squad, going 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs, a run scored, and a walk across the two-game set.” 

Northwestern

The Wildcats didn’t have to go too far to grab their duo from in-state, inking OF Nolan Ramoley (Brother Rice) and RHP Henry Humes (Northwestern) both within the last couple of months. 

Ramoley has one of the more eye-opening toolsets in the entire state, highlighted by his power/speed combination. He’s a 6.52 runner in the 60 with twitch and strength throughout his 6-foot-1, 211-pound frame, and he also has premium bat-strength with a peak EV of 108 mph in-event. 

From 7/17/25: “Kentucky commit. Currently ranked No. 5 in Illinois' rising senior class, Ramoley would continue to show a dynamic toolset that makes him a name to follow as he continues to add more polish to his present toolset. Standing in a physical 6-foot-1, 211-pound frame with strength and foot speed, the Brother Rice product showed a strong right-handed bat with advanced bat speed and developing feel for the barrel. Defensively showed developing reads and routes, with aforementioned foot speed that offers promise to the defensive profile.”

Humes has consistently been one of the better in-game performers our staff has become familiar with over the last couple years. He controls his levers well despite being 6-foot-6, 185-pounds. His bread and butter is his fastball/changeup, working the fastball up to 90 mph while pulling the string on his changeup whenever he wants, giving hitters a tough and deceptive look. He will also show a tight slider with quality action to round out his three-pitch mix. 

From 8/5/25: “RHP Henry Humes (Homewood, 2026) is set to rise in our rankings following a dominant appearance on the mound Wednesday night, Humes put together an eye-opening two-inning performance, striking out three and not allowing a single hit or walk. The right-hander worked with a three-pitch mix, the fastball sitting 88-90 mph, playing well out of the slot with 18.1 inches of horizontal movement. The slider was upper 70s, a gyro profile with slight sweep, 2200 RPMs. The changeup was mid-70s, killing spin, with a drop off getting -4.7 inches of IVB. The lanky, 6-foot-6, 185-pound frame with tons of room to fill out, worked out of a staggered setup, with the arm working long and loose from a lower ¾ slot. Humes, through his outing, showed complete dominance, showing a clear feel for his three-pitch mix, not afraid to go to his slider or changeup for out pitches.”

Purdue 

Though the Boilermakers only grabbed one prospect from Illinois, they are getting one of the top defensive catchers in the midwest in Brandon Thomsen (St. Viator). He’s a premium glove at a premium position, often stealing strikes with a strong arm (T84 mph) and quick release to go along with it (1.76 pop-time). There’s also present power in his right-handed bat with more on the way, already sending balls easily over 100 mph in-event. 

From 8/5/25: “C Brandon Thomsen (Saint Viator, 2026; Purdue commit) is one of the top defensive backstops in the region, and he continued to show those qualities at the State Games. Presenting a strong 6-foot-2, 199-pound frame, he led the event in pop time posting times as low as 1.78 seconds and also led the event in catcher velocity (84 mph). A quality receiver to pair, he has a soft glove and a loose wrist that allow him to help steal pitches on the corners. A right-handed hitter with barrel strength, Thomsen averaged 97.6 mph off the bat with wood during BP (T102.3 mph) while also reaching a max distance of 388 feet (avg. 308 feet). Another impressive stat from Thomsen’s workout is that he posted a 6.77 60 time, cutting nearly two-tenths off his time since we last saw him in March. During gameplay, he finished with two extra-base hits, three RBI, and a stolen base.”

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