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Junior Future Games: Team Illinois Takeaways

July 30, 2026
By: Nick DiBenedetto
Area Scout & Content

With the 2026 Junior Future Games behind us, our staff is taking a look at all of the names from the Team Illinois roster, and highlighting their performances at the event.

Team Illinois finished the week 1-2, taking down Massachusetts and falling to Arizona and Utah on Sunday. We've already released game recaps and statistical analysis stories from the event, which can be found below:

Within this Takeaways piece, our staff made mention of each player's workout day, along with their in-game performance.

Position Players

+ OF Caden Busch (Joliet Catholic, 2030) measured 5-foot-2, 132 pounds, and put together a quality performance in both the showcase and gameplay. In the showcase portion of the event, Busch reached 81 mph EVs, working line drives and fly balls throughout his round. The defense stood out for the young outfielder, as the right-hander reached 84 mph from the outfield with clean, athletic actions. That translated to gameplay, where Busch made multiple athletic catches, including a sliding grab on a tough play in shallow center field. The RHH reached base three times over the weekend, drawing one walk and getting hit by a pitch twice. An intriguing athlete to follow as he heads into his first year at Joliet Catholic.

+ OF/RHP Griffin Cunningham (Brother Rice, 2030) showed himself to be a projectable two-way prospect with an already intriguing set of tools. The RHH turned in one of the top showcase performances, running a 7.00-second 60-yard dash to begin the event. During batting practice, Cunningham posted a peak exit velocity of 91.8 mph, averaged 80 mph, and recorded a max distance of 334 feet. Defensively, he showed range to both sides with an 82 mph arm from the outfield. In gameplay, Cunningham reached base twice via walks, coming around to score both times. He also showed aggressiveness on the bases, scoring from second on a single to left field and swiping a bag. A name to follow as he heads into Brother Rice.

+ INF/RHP Braden Murray (Cary-Grove, 2030) impressed with an all-around performance at LakePoint. Murray measures an athletic 6-foot, 154 pounds and features a smooth left-handed swing. He peaked at 89 mph EV, working line drives and fly balls throughout his batting practice round. Defensively, he showed soft hands, a clean transfer, and an arm that topped out at 77 mph across the diamond. In gameplay, Murray recorded a single to left field to drive in a run in Game 1, was hit by a pitch, and swiped a bag. The smooth left-handed swing projects well as he heads into the high school level. On the mound, Murray worked with a fastball in the upper 70s, pairing it with a tight-spinning slider and a fading changeup. He settled in nicely after the first inning of Game 1 and should continue to make strides on the mound as he adds strength. An intriguing addition to the Cary-Grove program this upcoming season.

+ INF Noah Fountain (Brother Rice, 2030) is a physical 5-foot-10, 184-pound infielder with advanced actions for his age. Fountain was arguably one of the biggest winners on Team Illinois at the event. The RHH was consistently on the barrel, creating hard contact throughout the week, highlighted by a triple in the final game against Utah. He showed a feel to hit with present bat speed while using the whole field. The defense also stood out, as Fountain flashed range to both sides at shortstop and made difficult plays look routine. The arm strength is another standout tool, allowing him to make accurate throws from deep in the hole. An advanced prospect for his age as he heads into his first year at Brother Rice.

Noah Fountain - (07/26/2026)

+ INF/RHP Liam Gilley (Providence Catholic, 2030) showed well throughout the week, highlighted by his performance on the mound in Game 3 against Utah. Gilley worked with a three-pitch mix, featuring a fastball in the upper 70s, a curveball in the low-to-mid 60s, and a changeup in the mid 60s. He threw two innings, allowing three hits and two runs. At the plate, the RHH reached base once via a walk. In the showcase, Gilley posted an 84 mph peak exit velocity and reached 79 mph across the diamond. With added strength, Gilley has the tools to continue making strides over the next few years and is a name to follow throughout his high school career.

+ C Ahmi Hale (Glenwood, 2030) was another winner from the event. The 5-foot-7, 145-pound backstop showed well on both sides of the ball, especially at the plate. In the showcase, Hale posted a peak exit velocity of 89 mph with an average of 82 mph. He also ran a 7.11-second 60-yard dash and recorded pop times ranging from 1.94-2.09 seconds with a 70 mph arm from the chute. In gameplay, Hale consistently found the barrel, reaching base four times on two hits, including a double, while also drawing a walk and being hit by a pitch. His feel to hit stood out throughout the week, showing a mature approach with some sneaky pull-side power, highlighted by a drive off the top of the wall in Game 1. A name to keep an eye on as he heads to Glenwood this fall.

Ahmi Hale - (07/26/2026)

+ C/RHP Torrey Langston (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2030) stood out throughout the week for Team Illinois. The backstop possesses an impressive, athletic 6-foot, 163-pound frame with strength throughout. At the plate, Langston hits from a crouched setup and shows feel for the barrel. The RHH reached base twice during the week, drawing a walk and lining a hard single back up the middle. Behind the plate, his arm strength was a standout tool, throwing out two runners over three games. His throws consistently carried on a line and were on the bag. Langston is a strong prospect to follow as he heads to Homewood-Flossmoor this fall.

Torrey Langston - (07/29/2026)

+ INF/RHP Christopher Morrison (Providence Catholic, 2030) INF/RHP Christopher Morrison (Providence Catholic, 2030) showed himself to be a gamer throughout the week. A twitchy athlete with a confident presence on the field, Morrison played with energy and aggressiveness, particularly on the bases, while also showing a mature feel for the game on the mound. At the plate, he reached base in four of his six plate appearances, drawing three walks and getting hit by a pitch. Morrison also turned in an impressive relief outing in Game 2 against Arizona, tossing three scoreless innings while allowing two hits and two walks, striking out three. He controlled the running game by picking off two runners and consistently kept hitters off balance by varying his looks and timing. Morrison worked with a three-pitch mix, featuring a fastball up to 81 mph, a low-70s curveball with feel, and a lower-spinning changeup in the low 70s. An intriguing prospect to keep an eye on as he heads to Providence Catholic this year.

+ INF Van Ozment (Crystal Lake Central, 2030) looked the part at LakePoint. The LHH measured 6-foot-2, 174-pounds with plenty of room to add strength. In the showcase, Ozment posted a peak exit velocity of 90.6 mph with a max distance of 312 feet while reaching 74 mph across the infield. In gameplay, the left-hander delivered the biggest hit of the week for Team Illinois, driving in the winning run in the bottom of the final inning against Massachusetts with a single to right field. He also reached base in each of the next two games, drawing a walk and getting hit by a pitch. Ozment looks to be one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2030 class and is a name to follow in the Fox Valley Conference over the next few years.

+ 1B Jaden Payton (St. Viator, 2030) was another offensive standout for Team Illinois. In the showcase, Payton posted a 94 mph peak exit velocity, averaged 82 mph, and recorded a max distance of 332 feet. He also turned in impressive Blast metrics, averaging 70 mph bat speed. The LHH measured a strong 5-foot-10, 176-pounds with present strength throughout the frame. Payton was one of the top-performing bats in gameplay, finishing with two hits, two walks, two RBIs, and a run scored. In Game 1, he led off the bottom of the final inning with a triple to put Team Illinois in position for the walk-off win. In Game 3, Payton lined a double to left-center for his second extra-base hit of the week. He showed the ability to drive the ball to all fields with authority while maintaining a patient approach at the plate. Payton projects as a middle-of-the-order bat at the high school level.

Jaden Payton - (07/24/2026)

+ RHP/UTIL Brocktyn Roberts (Armstrong, 2030) may have been one of the most intriguing prospects in the group. The lanky 5-foot-11, 159-pound two-way prospect has plenty of room to add strength, and his tools should continue to trend upward as he fills out. Roberts impressed on the mound in Game 2, working with a firm fastball in the low 80s that reached 85 mph. He also flashed a low-70s curveball with swing-and-miss potential. At the plate, Roberts posted a peak exit velocity of 93 mph during batting practice with an average of 86 mph. He showed impressive arm strength during the defensive workout, reaching 83 mph across the infield and 88 mph from the outfield. Roberts also ran Team Illinois' fastest 60-yard dash at 6.79 seconds. A high-upside central Illinois two-way prospect to follow as he heads to Armstrong.

+ OF/LHP Colton Stillwell (Benet Academy, 2030) stood out as a true two-way prospect throughout the event. The 6-foot, 140-pound left-hander has plenty of room to add strength and showed a well-rounded skill set on both sides of the ball. During batting practice, Stillwell worked line drives throughout his round, posting a peak exit velocity of 83 mph. He also reached 82 mph from the outfield and ran a 7.43-second 60-yard dash. In gameplay, the LHH showed feel for the barrel and the ability to drive the ball to all fields, tripling into the left-center gap in Game 1 before lining a single up the middle on the final day. He finished the week with two runs scored and two RBIs. On the mound, Stillwell turned in an intriguing look, striking out three over 1.1 innings while working with a three-pitch mix. His fastball sat 77-80 mph, complemented by a mid-60s curveball and a fading low-70s changeup. Stillwell works with a clean delivery from a three-quarter slot and shows feel for all three pitches. As he continues to add strength, the velocity should continue to climb, making him one of the more intriguing left-handed prospects in the 2030 class.

+ UTIL Aidan Hannion (St. Laurence, 2030) emerged from the event as a name to follow. The 5-foot-6, 144-pound RHH showed the versatility to play all over the field, looking comfortable at multiple positions. During the workout, Hannion consistently worked line drives and hard ground balls, posting a peak exit velocity of 85 mph, an average exit velocity of 76 mph, and an average bat speed of 66 mph. He also ran a 7.30-second 60-yard dash, reached 75 mph across the infield, and topped out at 80 mph from the outfield. A versatile prospect to follow as he heads to St. Laurence this fall.

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