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.

We’ve spent some time highlighting the names from Illinois that signed to play baseball at the Division I level, breaking these names up by conference. Today, we are finishing up with the rest of our Division I commitments from around the state. 

DARTMOUTH

Hanover will be receiving a high-level two-way prospect in SS/RHP Billy Main (Hinsdale Central), who has consistently proven to have one of the top infield arms in the state. The athletic 6-foot, 176-pound shortstop works with some pull-side power at the plate, posting a max exit velocity of 93 mph with an 87 mph average in-event. Defensively, he displays natural actions up the middle and a strong arm that reaches 93 mph across the diamond. On the mound, the right-hander features a lively, high-spin fastball that sits in the upper-80s (T91.4 mph) and produces a 20.8-inch IVB max. He pairs it with a sharp horizontal slider and a deceptive changeup that tunnels effectively off his fastball.

From 2/13/25: “RHP/INF Billy Main (Hinsdale Central, 2026) put together one of the more complete ‘pens of the day at a well-proportioned 6-foot, 176-pounds with present muscle throughout the frame. Main worked primarily out of the stretch, showing a repeatable delivery with athleticism out of his balance point. His arm plays with short action out of an athletic and whippy ¾ slot with arm-speed out front. Main’s arsenal was headlined by an 87-89 mph (T89.7) fastball with carry (avg. 17” IVB) through the zone, playing clean out of the hand with a firm finish. His offspeed showed plenty of intrigue, notably his changeup that tunneled well off the fastball, maintaining fastball arm-speed and playing with arm-side fade located to both sides of the plate. Rounding out his repertoire was a 9/3-shaped slider at 71-75 mph with depth, thrown for strikes (67%). On the other side of the ball, Main is a strong right-handed hitter and impressive athlete, reaching up to 94 mph for his max EV, 90 mph across the infield, and recording a 6.96 in the 60-yard dash.”

HOLY CROSS

The reigning Patriot League champions will be welcoming a trio of Illinois products this fall, adding RHP Blake Heyer (Montini Catholic), RHP Nick Linares (Walter Payton College Prep), and SS Jacob Jelinek (St. Ignatius) to their incoming class. 

Heyer, a sturdy 6-foot-1, 206-pound right-hander with noticeable strength throughout, is fresh off an impressive Illinois State Games performance where he showcased plenty of overall polish and pitchability. Currently ranked No. 100 in the state, he has consistently displayed control of his four-pitch arsenal in front of our staff. His upper-80s fastball (T89 mph) features a lively ride through the zone with an IVB max of 19.4”. He also utilizes a sharp curveball/slider combination with spin rates in the 2,300-2,400 rpm range, along with a fading splitter which he can effectively kill spin on.

From 8/5/25: “RHP Blake Heyer (Montini Catholic, 2026) turned in an impressive performance at the State Games, striking out four and only scattering one hit in his two innings of work. Presenting a durable 6-foot-1, 206-pound frame with present strength, he showed three different offerings throughout the outing. His fastball got swings and misses in the zone at 85-88 mph (T89) with life and ride through the zone, while going to a sharp slider often at 72-75 mph, and rounding out his arsenal with a 71 mph curveball, playing with an 11/5 shape.”

Linares, a trim 6-foot-1, 206-pound right-hander, is another arm who will provide valuable depth to the Crusaders’ pitching staff. Linares jumped onto the scene after a strong showing at our Preseason All-State: Upperclass Showcase, showcasing a lively upper-80s to low-90s fastball with arm-side depth. He also features a 12/6 curveball that has displayed swing-and-miss potential, along with a heavy, fading changeup with a 21.9” HM max. 

From 3/7/25: “RHP Nick Linares (Payton College Prep, 2026) stands in a well-built, 6-foot-1, 206-pound frame. He showed an intentful delivery on the mound with a fastball up to 90 mph, but sitting mostly 88-89 mph throughout. He then turned to a curveball that played with 12/6 shape, playing with depth down in the zone, and a low-70s change-up that flashed heavy fade and depth at times. Linares is an uncommitted arm to follow.”

Last but not least of the group, Jelinek features some strong hitting and fielding tools that can be valuable assets for the Crusaders. At a long-levered 6-foot-2, 182 pounds with plenty of room to fill out, the middle infielder projects to keep trending upward as he matures physically. The right-hander has flashed loud power to all fields, posting a 99 mph max exit velocity with a 90.6 mph average in-event. Defensively, he’s shown athletic footwork, natural actions, and a lively arm that has reached 88 mph across the infield.

From 2/13/25: “An uncommitted name to know is INF Jacob Jelinek (St. Ignatius, 2026). Listed at 6-foot-2, 181-pounds, Jelinek has a lean build with a high waist and room to add more strength. He took a loud round of BP from the right side, showing some whip in the barrel with a flat path, utilizing a rhythm with some confidence as he got going, favoring his pull-side with a max EV of 99 mph, averaging 90 mph throughout his round with a max distance of 368’. His arm strength will allow him to stay on the left side of the infield (T88 mph), and he also has fluid actions/hands to pair. His footwork looks to be athletic as well, showing some timing and feel for the position while moving well laterally to both sides.”

KENNESAW STATE

The Owls are set to add a physical, two-way talent in 3B/RHP Jason Phillips (Plano), whose power bat and lively arm make him a notable addition on both sides of the ball. The third baseman is fresh off an impressive spring and summer campaign, posting a .474 batting average and a 1.367 OPS. Possessing a sturdy 6-foot-1, 226-pound frame with noticeable strength throughout, the right-hander showcases substantial whole field power, registering a max EV of 103 mph in-event with an average EV of 92.2 mph. On the mound, the right-hander works with an upper-80s to low-90s fastball that features a true sinker profile, and we’ve even heard rumblings of him getting near the mid-90s. He pairs it with a sharp, high-spin slider that has reached spin rates north of 2,700 rpm, as well as a changeup with firm running action.

From 3/7/25: “INF/RHP Jason Phillips (Plano, 2026) continues to impress as a physical two-way prospect in the state. He took an ulta-loud round of BP, reaching up to 103 mph for his EV while averaging 92 mph, showcasing a direct and quick swing with easy bat-speed (81.5 mph avg.), creating loud contact up the middle and to his pull-side. On the mound, the right-hander has a loose and whippy ¾ arm, creating a fastball with natural sink in the 86-88 mph range, topping at 89 mph. He paired the fastball with a slider that showed short 10/4 shape, flashing sharp action and depth at 77-79 mph (T2745 rpm). His final offering was a changeup at 77-80 mph, playing with hard running action to his arm-side.”

LAFAYETTE

LHP Sean McNair (Deerfield) is one of the more intriguing arms in the state’s class that will be joining the Leopards in the fall. At a compact 5-foot-8, 175-pound frame with strength throughout, the left-hander shows a strong feel for his three-pitch arsenal, consistently generating whiffs in front of our staff. His mid-to-upper-80s fastball (T89 mph) possesses notable arm-side run with a -23.7-inch HM max. He also employs a sweeping slider with up to 17.4” of horizontal movement, and a deceptive splitter with heavy arm-side sink. 

From 8/5/25: “LHP Sean McNair showed a strong three-pitch mix while striking out three batters. Stretch only, repeatable tall-and-fall delivery with intent. Short, compact arm-action from a low ¾ slot. Went to the fastball often with heavy ASR at 84-86 mph (avg. -19.5 HM). Added a splitter off of that at 77-78 mph with depth (avg. 3.9 IVB). Mixed in a slider with sweep at 74-76 mph (avg. 14 HM). Lafayette commit.”

MASSACHUSSETTS-AMHERST

Standing in at a projectable 6-foot-3, 197-pound frame, RHP Ronan Owens (Lane Tech) brings promising arm talent to the Minutemen pitching staff. Currently ranked No. 83 in the state, the right-hander is coming off a strong performance at the Illinois State Games and an impressive spring campaign that earned him Jackie Robinson North All-Conference honors. The right-hander demonstrates good feel for spin with his upper-80s fastball (T91 mph), posting spin rates north of 2,300 rpm. He also utilizes a sharp curveball/slider combination that both feature spin rates in the 2,300-2,400 rpm range, and rounds out his arsenal with an upper-70s changeup that flashes downward fade. 

From 3/7/25: “RHP Ronan Owens (Lane Tech, 2026) works out of a well-proportioned, 6-foot-3, 198-pound frame. Working out of a stretch-only delivery, Owens showed a short arm action with a fastball up to 90 mph, but sitting mostly 88-89 mph with quality spin (avg. 2370 rpm). He threw two breaking balls, both playing with similar 11/5 shape and generating around the same average spin rates and movement metrics. He rounded out his mix with an upper-70s changeup that looks to still be developing. Owens remains an uncommitted arm-to-follow closely this spring.”

PEPPERDINE

RHP Ryan Wollschlager (St. Laurence) gives the Waves a crafty right-handed arm, showcasing a strong feel for spin with his fastball/curveball combination. At a long-levered 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame with plenty of room to fill in strength, he is a projectable right-hander who has sat in the mid-80s with spin rates ranging from 2,200 to 2,300+ rpm. He complements his fastball with a low-70s 12/6 curveball that shows notable depth. Wollschlager is an arm to keep an eye on for the Vikings in the spring as he continues to develop.

RICHMOND

The Spiders will be adding quality defense behind the plate with C Nick Sichel (New Trier), who is set to join the program next fall. The strong 5-foot-11, 185-pound backstop possesses one of the top arms behind the dish in the state, showing an 82 mph velocity from the catcher position and a pop time ranging from 1.87 to 1.91 seconds. The right-handed hitter has also displayed power potential with a 97.2 mph max EV and 88 mph average EV in-event.

From 3/7/25: “C Nick Sichel (New Trier, 2026; Richmond commit) is yet another strong right-handed hitting catcher from the day. He worked all over the barrel up the middle of the field with a peak EV of 97 mph, averaging 87 mph throughout with strong hands. Behind the plate, he was down to a 1.87 for his pop-time with a peak velocity of 82 mph, playing with life out of the hand.”

WRIGHT STATE

Rounding out the list of schools, the Raiders brought in a pair of high-level recruits in SS Johnny Nelson (Oak Park-River Forest) and RHP Tre Cole (Champaign Central).

Nelson, a well-proportioned 6-foot-1, 188-pound two-way player, has consistently been a steady performer in front of our staff on both sides of the ball. Currently ranked No. 32 in the state, the right-handed hitter showcases easy strength to all fields, posting a 95 mph max EV with an average of 89 mph in-event. His versatility carries over into defense where he features smooth, natural actions up the middle with a lively arm that has reached up to 93 mph across the infield.

From 5/2/25: “Wright State commit, currently ranked No. 30 in the state. 6-foot-1, 188-pound frame, looks to have added lean strength, sloped shoulders with a trim waist, present muscle throughout, also a QB1. Started at third base and hit out of the two-hole, finished 1-for-2 with a lineout and a walk. Right-handed hitter, continues to clean up his operation and approach, showed minimal swing/miss and attacked in the zone, twitchy hands, stays through the zone with a flatter path. Impressive defender, quick first step and covers ground to all angles, confident hands, made a highly impressive play to his backhand during BP deep in the five-hole, proceeded to make a strong ‘Jeter’ jump throw across the diamond with accuracy and carry. Premium athlete, extreme versatility, played in the outfield at the Future Games for Team Illinois and fit right in.”

Cole, the No. 44 ranked player in the state, was one of the summer’s breakout performers, earning a spot on Team Heartland at the Senior Future Games and Team ProCase at the Illinois State Games, where he continued to impress. The projectable 6-foot-2, 189-pound right-hander continues to trend upward, with his fastball velocity steadily climbing as well. His fastball works in the upper-80s to low-90s (T94 mph) with ride and run through the zone. He also spins a sharp mid-70s slider with a gyro profile and flashes a low-80s changeup that shows heavy fade, producing up to 20 inches of horizontal movement.

From 8/5/25: “RHP Tre Cole (Champaign Central, 2026) was catching eyes on the mound. Cole showcased an electric fastball Wednesday night, striking out two over his two innings of work. The right-hander would show a two-pitch mix with the fastball ramping up to 93 mph, sitting 88-91 mph, playing with lots of ride and run through the zone. The slider was 75-77 mph, with a sharp gyro profile. While struggling with command early in his outing, Cole showed the ability to adjust and settle in, not afraid to attack hitters. The high-waisted, 6-foot-2, 189-pound frame showed why he has some of the highest upside in the Illinois 2026 class.”