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: Oak Park-River Forest Huskies
Preseason Rank: No. 23
Head Coach: Kevin Campbell
Classification: 4A
Conference: West Suburban Conference (Silver)
2025 Record (Finish): 27-11 (first in conference, co-champions)

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ROSTER PREVIEW

Key Players Lost: Ethan Moore, Brady Green, Timmy Leark, George Holland, Peter Farren, Dan Kane, Joseph Leshnock
No. of Returning Positional Starters: 3
No. of Returning Starting Pitchers: 3
No. of Returning Relief Pitchers: 5
Team Strengths: Pitching

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DATA CENTER

TEAM RANKS:

This data is taken from the 2026 winter showcase circuit in Illinois as well as the 2025 Illinois State Games. We took the top-five metrics that players from each high school in the state recorded in the following stat categories. Here's how Oak Park River Forest ranked among them, as well as inside the West Suburban (Silver):

+ Max EV: 102.0 mph, No. 3 in Illinois (No. 1 in conference)
+ Average EV: 94.8 mph, No. 2 in Illinois (No. 1 in conference)
+ Max Fastball Velocity: 85.2 mph, No. 30 in Illinois (No. 1 in conference)
+ 60-yd. Dash: 6.9 seconds, No. 14 in Illinois (No. 1 in conference)

INDIVIDUAL STAND-OUTS:

• Connor Krumrei has a special tool kit, grading out as one of only three players in the Illinois database to record both a 108-plus mph max exit velocity and a sub-6.55s time in the 60-yard dash. The physical 6-foot, 211.6-pound right-handed hitter shows some of the top raw power in the state, pairing bat-speed (73.2 mph avg.) with premier rotational acceleration (24 Gs avg.). His 6.55-second 60-yard dash ranks No. 9 overall in the state (No. 6 in the 2027 class), and helps create a sought after power/speed combination. He matches that speed with elite batted-ball metrics, boasting a 108 mph max EV and a 99.1 mph average EV, which both rank No. 3 in the state's 2027 class. Additionally, he recorded a 27.2-inch peak vertical jump (No. 35 in the 2027 class).

(Connor Krumrei; Illinois State Games, 8/5/25)

• Junior Xavier Martin (6-foot, 190 pounds) provides another physical right-handed bat, pairing 71.9 mph bat speed with 25.0g rotational acceleration (both top 20% in state). He matched Krumrei's sheer force with a 108 mph max EV (No. 3 in the 2027 class) and paced him slightly with a 99.7 mph average EV (No. 2 in the 2027 class).
• Another junior, Brandon Beasley (6-foot, 203 pounds) rounds out an extremely physical trio of advanced bats. He boasts a fluid left-handed swing with proven in-game results, pairing 71.6 mph bat speed with 21.0g rotational acceleration (also each top 20% in the state) as yet another efficient and powerful hitter in this lineup. He was a big winner at the Preseason All-State: Upperclass this past winter, logging a 102 mph max EV (No. 25 in the 2027 class) and a 96.5 mph average EV (No. 13 in the 2027 class).
• The pitching staff features arm talent and advanced metrics from Cameron Barnes (2026), Darren Law (2026), and Grayson Waters (2027). Barnes leads the velo department with an 89 mph max fastball (top 14% in Illinois). On the breaking ball side, Law spins it at an elite level, ripping off a 2,976 rpm avg. curveball at last summer's State Games that is currently ranked as the second-best spinning curveball in the state overall. Waters adds to the impressive spin profile with a 2,427 rpm avg. curveball (No. 19 in the 2027 class).
• Backing up Krumrei's elite speed in the 60-yard dash are a cluster of athletic 2027 prospects: Matt Davis (6.92s; No. 67 in the 2027 class), Martin (6.90s; No. 60), Liam Brown (7.03s; No. 94), and Beasley (7.03s; No. 94).

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X-FACTOR

INF Johnny Nelson (2026; Wright State commit) is no stranger to the varsity level, having been with the group for going on three years now. He's a top returner that brings back a notable amount of experience that should help rally a younger group coming in, boasting a .333 average with 10 doubles and 23 RBIs last spring. He's also a high-level defender up the middle of the infield that will help fill the absence of Ethan Moore (Tennessee) and Brady Green (Bucknell). There's no shortage of talent with Nelson on both sides of the ball, and the Huskies will be relying on him more than ever before to help lead the group both with the bat and on the defensive side. The right-handed hitter is a premier athlete that was a standout at the Future Games a couple years ago, pairing a 6.93 60-time with loud tools across the board (T93 mph INF; 95 mph peak EV). 

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NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Outfielders Connor Krumrei (2027) and Brandon Beasley (2027; Illinois State commit) are a couple newcomers to the varsity level, though they are no strangers to our staff. With the Huskies losing a trio of longtime varsity starters this past year in Moore, Green and Timmy Leark (Maryville) - coach Campbell will have to look to some new faces to help fill out the lineup, and we think these two should help fill that role nicely. The aforementioned raw tools that Krumrei possesses makes him an exciting option as one that could help bolster the middle of their lineup and change the game with one swing, also adding his blazing speed to help cause havoc on the basepaths. Beasley is another exciting bat with a long track record of in-game performance, looking to be a polished left-handed option to help bolster the lineup with minimal swing/miss and power to go along with it. 

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TEAM OUTLOOK

Oak Park-River Forest enters the 2026 season looking to build off a strong 2025 campaign that saw them finish 27-11, earn a share of the West Suburban Conference title, and capture a regional championship. The Huskies will lean heavily on a veteran pitching staff while looking to fill vacancies in the field. Head coach Kevin Campbell noted, "We will be returning four guys on the mound that saw big time innings season last year. Although we are not returning a lot of experience in the field this year, we are very excited about the guys that will replace what we lost. There should be a lot pop and speed in the lineup this year."

The rotation features a pair of talented senior arms in RHP Cam Barnes (2026; EIU) and LHP Dino Pantazopolous (2026; Claremont-Mudd-Scripps). Barnes served as a top-two arm for the Huskies last year, while Pantazopolous proved his mettle by limiting multiple ranked opponents in his starts. They will be bolstered by senior right-handers RHP Darren Law (2026; Lewis University) and RHP Tucker Henry (2026). Law came on strong late last season as a bullpen weapon and will compete for a starting spot, alongside Henry, who was a go-to reliever in conference play. Junior LHP Grayson Waters (2027) provides a dependable left-handed option who will also be in the mix for valuable innings.

Up the middle, the defense is anchored Nelson, a three-year starter who Campbell considers one of the premier defenders in the state. Likely joining him in the infield will be INF Julian Garcia-Bariel (2026; Viterbo University), bringing athleticism and quickness to dirt. Sophomore 2B Ian Moore (2028) is expected to step right in as well, looking to be a talented switch-hitting option. Behind the plate, Oliver Puntillo (2026) aims to lock down catching duties full-time after splitting reps last season and figures to hit in the middle of the order.

The outfield will feature excellent speed, highlighted by Zach Goldberg (2026). Described by his coach as a "Swiss Army Knife," Goldberg possesses quick-twitch athleticism and a strong arm in center field. Flanking him will be a pair of juniors, as Beasley and Krumrei are likely to patrol left and right field. Junior Xavier Martin (2027) should provide power as a right-handed bat, while Sam Kalina (2027) will offer additional versatility and depth for the Huskies.

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BOTTOM LINE

Though a younger and slightly revamped team, coach Campbell should feel good about the new faces he has stepping onto the field. Their lineup has a key returner at shortstop with Nelson, and names like Krumrei, Beasley and Martin will help add some thump to the lineup. They will be sound defensively, and their pitching has some key returners as well with Barnes and Pantazopolous. Right-handers Tucker Henry and Darren Law will look to take another step forward this year, and adding southpaw Grayson Waters gives the Huskies five talented options to go to at the top of their rotation - which could pay dividends come playoff time. 

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Find more information on the 2026 Oak Park and River Forest program below:

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

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