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, starting today with the Southeastern Conference. 

Kentucky

Kentucky has been making a splash in Illinois as of late, and they are getting one of the top southpaws in the Midwest in Samuel Finn (Plainfield North). Finn’s rise over the past year has been incredibly fun to watch, and he’s risen all the way to No. 14 in the state as a result of his quick growth. He has a durable starter’s build at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, though he still has room to add strength. The arm-talent is impossible to ignore with a high-spinning fastball into the low-90s and curveball/slider combination that garners ugly swings from opposing hitters - also spinning at an above-average clip.

From 7/17/25: “Had an impressive outing against GRB Rays Illinois Yellow throwing two innings, while collecting four strikeouts and allowing zero runs. Finn stands at an intriguing 6-foot-3, 200 pounds with more room for added strength. On the mound he has a medium leg lift, quick tempo, and a compact high ¾ slot. His fastball was sitting 88-89 mph and paired with a 75-77 mph curveball. Finn is a name to know in the 2026 class.”

Missouri

One of the more common SEC teams we see attack the state of Illinois, Missouri landed one of the top middle infielders not just in the state but also the Midwest. A standout at the Future Games back in 2024, Jenkins is a high-ceiling athlete with much more to come in his high-waisted 6-foot-1, 195-pound frame. The glove looks to be able to stick on the dirt long-term, and his bat has routinely stood out with a natural feel to elevate the baseball with loud results. There’s also surely more power to tap into as he goes throughout the ranks, making him a highly intriguing prospect to dream on. 

From 3/28/25: “INF Kamrin Jenkins, Oswego, 2026 Missouri commit. Currently ranked No. 4 in the state and No. 238 nationally. Strong and mature 6-foot, 183-pound frame. The former Prep Baseball Future Games participant really looked the part at the plate on Thursday. Batting second as the Designated Hitter, Jenkins had a mature and confident approach at the plate; showing a true understanding of the zone with minimal swing and miss. Right-handed hitter, he has a calm and hitterish look about him in the box, a fluid load with a short leg kick trigger, swinging a direct path that creates extension through contact. Finished the day 2-for-2 with a home run, three walks, two RBI, three stolen bases, and four runs scored.”

Tennessee 

The reigning national champions are becoming quite a common player on the Illinois scene, and they are getting one of the best pure hitters in the entire country in INF Landon Thome (Nazareth). A recent All-American Game participant and Future Games standout, our No. 1 player in the state has done nothing but hit at every stop - most notably earning First Team All-State honors from us after he collected a .442 average with 13 doubles, six triples, eight home runs, 25 RBIs, 46 runs scored and 24 walks this past spring- also swiping 23 bags. His tools continue to trend up, and the bat will only become more dangerous as he continues to mature and add strength. 

From 5/17/25: “Tennessee Commit. Athletic 6-foot, 185-pound frame. The No. 1 player in the Illinois junior class would show well across the Saturday doubleheader, going 2-for-6 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, three runs scored, and a walk. The left-handed bat has a quiet presence in the box, with an athletic upright setup, utilizing a longer stride to get on time. Thome shows confidence and poise in the box, with evident pull-side pop. Defensively, the shortstop showed confident defensive actions with decisive footwork and hands.”

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