The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2026 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

High School: Sacred Heart-Griffin Cyclones
Preseason Rank: No. 21
Head Coach: Nick Naumovich
Classification: 3A
Conference: Central State Eight
2025 Record (Finish): 26-8-1 (2A State Champions)
Key Players Lost: Andy Antonacci, Tommy Lauterbach

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ROSTER PREVIEW

No. of Returning Positional Starters: 7
No. of Returning Starting Pitchers: 4
No. of Returning Relief Pitchers: 4
Team Strengths: Maturity, athleticism, team speed, pitching depth. 5/7 of the returning starters have been playing varsity since sophomore year.

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DATA CENTER

TEAM RANKS:

This data is sourced from the 2026 Illinois winter showcase circuit and the 2025 Illinois State Games, compiled by Prep Baseball. We took the top-five metrics recorded by players from each high school in the following categories. Here is where Sacred Heart-Griffin's top-five performers landed across each category.

+ Max Exit Velocity: 95.7 mph
+ Avg Exit Velocity: 90.1 mph
+ 60-Yard Dash: 6.90s

INDIVIDUAL STAND-OUTS (DATA MENU):

• Austin Rutter (2027) - MIF - 5-foot-9, 170-pounds
  
  • Avg EV: 90.5 mph (T-No. 202 in IL, T-No. 88 in 2027 class)
  • 60-yd. dash: 6.88s (T-No. 134 in IL, T-No. 58 in 2027 class)
• Drew Ward (2026) - OF/2B - 6-foot, 180-pounds
  • Bat speed: 72.9 mph (T-No. 158 in IL, T-No. 61 in 2026 class)
  • Vert. jump: 25.7 in (T-No. 154 in IL, No. 50 in 2026 class)
• Ty Springer (2026) - OF/1B - 6-0, 190 lbs
  Shows a high-ceiling swing, pairing 79 mph bat speed with 29g rotational acceleration.
  • Bat speed: 79.3 mph (No. 7 in IL, No. 6 in 2026 class)
  • Rot. accel.: 29.0g (T-No. 4 in IL, T-No. 2 in 2026 class)
  • 60-yd. dash: 6.79s (T-No. 85 in IL, T-No. 31 in 2026 class)

• Will Pennell (2026) - RHP/3B - 6-3, 191 lbs
  • SL spin: 2727.0 rpm (T-No. 13 in IL, No. 9 in 2026 class)

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X-FACTOR

RHP Will Pennell (2026; Lincoln Land CC commit) is set to step into the ace role for the Cyclones this spring following the graduation of RHP Andy Antonacci (Heartland CC), who was one of their top arms last spring. Pennell is no stranger to the big moment, having taken the ball in the Class 2A State Championship game last June, tossing 4.2 innings of shutout ball with five strikeouts in SHG's win. Last spring he went 7-2 across 46 innings with a 2.59 ERA, proving he can handle a workload and produce results. The athletic right-hander is a loose, easy mover on the mound who pairs his low-80s fastball (T85 mph) with a sharp slider sitting 71-75 mph and a changeup at 77-80 mph. If Pennell can build on his state title performance and carry that momentum into the ace role, the Cyclones' ceiling gets considerably higher in 2026.

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TEAM OUTLOOK

After capturing the 2A state championship with a 26-8-1 record, the Cyclones find themselves bumped up to 3A classification while returning seven of nine starters and four starting pitchers. "There is a tremendous amount of energy in the program right now with high expectations for the 2026 season," Coach Naumovich says. "With a bump back to 3A we look to make a serious run in the postseason, returning 7 of 9 starters."

The offensive foundation centers around a trio of committed seniors who have been varsity contributors since their sophomore seasons. OF Ty Springer (2026; Lincoln Land JC) hit .361 with six doubles, four triples and 19 RBI a season ago, while OF Drew Ward (2026; Illinois Wesleyan) was equally productive, batting .313 with six doubles and 22 RBI while also contributing on the mound. SS/C/P Carson Butler (2026; Heartland) hit .341 with six doubles, four triples and 22 RBI, anchoring both the infield and the pitching rotation.

The real litmus test comes with the expanded roles for a junior class that must evolve from contributors to leaders. SS/2B Austin Rutter (2027) figures prominently in that transition, hitting .317 with five doubles, two triples and 25 RBI last spring. C Michael Groesch (2027) takes over primary catching duties after hitting .354 with five doubles and 13 RBI, while INF/OF/P Ethan Cour (2027) and P/OF Chase Beckham (2027) provide depth on both sides of the ball. The pitching staff, anchored by RHP Will Pennell (2026; Lincoln Land JC) and his 7-2 record and 2.59 ERA across 46 innings, should give the Cyclones the depth needed for a postseason run.

Sacred Heart-Griffin's championship pedigree and returning talent create a strong foundation heading into 2026. Their early-season slate featuring No. 23 Oak Park-River Forest, QND, Champaign Central, Hersey and Edwardsville will serve as an immediate measuring stick for championship aspirations in 3A.

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BOTTOM LINE

The ceiling is another state championship run with one of Illinois' more experienced rosters, but the floor depends entirely on whether the junior class can shoulder leadership responsibilities in their expanded roles.

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Find more information on the 2026 Sacred Heart-Griffin program below:

+ Follow them on social media: @SHGBaseball25
+ Visit the Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 homepage

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