One of Illinois' premier events returns in January as our staff heads to Rhino Sports Academy in Shorewood for our annual Preseason ProCase. Last year, over 15 scouts made their way to the Chicagoland area as some of the top talent in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin participated in our high-level event. We are a little over a month away from the 2026 ProCase and already have 16 players from the Illinois and Wisconsin ranks. Today, let's take a look at seven players who have been added to the roster and will make their way to Shorewood on January 27th.

New Additions

Anthony Chavez 1B / OF / Mount Carmel, IL / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 20 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 395 / POS: 11 Illinois Commit From 7/22/25: “2025 Senior Future Games: 1B Anthony Chavez (Mount Carmel, 2026) came into this week as one of the top uncommitted left-handed bats in the state and has done nothing but elevate that status. He took one of the loudest rounds of the day with a 103.8 mph peak EV, working on the barrel routinely with five balls hammered over 102 mph. His BLAST metrics were off the charts, averaging 23.7 mph for his hand-speed and 81.3 mph for his bat-speed, also averaging 27.5 G for his rotational acceleration. The hit tool is very evident, but he also features a smooth glove at first base with feel for the position and natural actions. A 6.88 runner in the 60 to pair, Chavez will be a name to circle and follow throughout the rest of the week.”

Frank Costabile OF / RHP / Stevenson, IL / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 27 / POS: 4 Illinois-Chicago Commit From 8/05/25: “RHP/OF Frank Costabile (Stevenson, 2026) is one of the toolsiest players in the entire state. He creates loud contact from his flat and twitchy right-handed swing, peaking at 101 mph in the workout with a 96 mph average. High-level BLAST metrics with an average of 74 mph for his bat-speed and 24 mph for his hand-speed. Plus arm from the outfield, topping at 99 mph. Recorded a 6.77 in the 60, explosive first step and powerful runner. On the mound, his fastball reached 91 mph and carried life through the zone. His most impressive offering, however, was a sharp 79–81 mph slider that spun up to 2,985 RPM and generated consistent swing-and-miss results throughout his outing.”

Caleb Cox RHP / 1B / Springfield Lutheran, IL / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 30 / POS: 7 Northern Illinois Commit From 2/19/25: “One of the biggest and most impressive takeaways from this event is RHP Caleb Cox (Lutheran HS, 2026). The right-hander displayed a lengthy 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame with a ton of projectability. On the mound, he topped 91 mph while averaging 89 mph. He complimented his firm fastball with a slider that shows heavy horizontal movement and a fading changeup that he has a feel for. He utilizes his long levers down the mound, showing looseness and athleticism throughout. Cox is definitely a name to watch this year, and we only expect his stock to rise moving forward.”

Samuel Finn LHP / Plainfield North, IL / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 285 / POS: 25 Kentucky Commit From 7/30/25: “Currently ranked No. 58 in Illinois' 2026 class. Presenting an imposing 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame with strength present throughout, Finn was another winner on the mound for Team Heartland. The left-hander utilized a high-spin two-pitch mix with consistent feel for the zone. His fastball played firm at 88.5-90.9 mph (T 91.4 mph), with a 2,494 rpm max spin rate and a 2,363 rpm average spin rate. He also showed a sharp 11/5 curveball at 75-78 mph with a 2,997 rpm max spin rate and a 2,799 rpm average. Finn didn’t allow a single hit or run through his two innings of work, striking out two with two walks allowed.”

Joey Ireland SS / 2B / Mount Carmel, IL / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 23 / POS: 7 Illinois Commit From 7/17/24: “Illinois commit. An athletic, 6-foot, 164-pound frame, Ireland could not be stopped with the bat through his first two games this weekend. The right-handed hitter went 5-for-6 with two singles, a double, and two triples. Ireland showed rhythm and maturity in the box with quick hands that stay compact and through the ball. He keeps the barrel through the zone, able to drive the ball to all parts of the field. The righty also showed his ability to run the bases, swiping a handful of bags, beating throws with ease. At shortstop, he is a rangy defender with soft and quick hands. He has a good mental clock, knowing the time he has and not rushing any part of his movements. A handful of plays were made with ease and showed a strong arm that works with different angles.”

Caleb Liggon SS / OF / Vel Phillips Memorial, WI / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 13 / POS: 4 Bradley Commit From 7/31/25: “Senior Future Games 2025: Currently ranked No. 15 in Wisconsin’s 2026 class. Exhibiting an agile, long-levered 6-foot-4, 186-pound frame with present athleticism, Liggon was another major winner in the workout. The right-hander ran a 6.42 sec 60-yard dash with one of the highest max run speeds of the day at 22.4 mph. He continued his strong performance into BP, consistently staying on the barrel throughout his round. Liggon had six balls barreled over 96 mph, a 99.1 mph max exit velocity, a 94.8 mph average exit velocity, a 91% hard hit percentage, and a 366-foot max distance. Liggon also showed clean actions in the fielding workout, utilizing a steady glove with a strong arm across the diamond at 86 mph. He continued his strong performance into gameplay, going 2-for-3 at the plate in his last game. He finished with two doubles, two runs scored, and a stolen base.”

Gavin Michaels SS / 2B / Normal Community, IL / 2026 Rankings  StateRank: 11 / POS: 5 OverallRank: 270 / POS: 70 Cincinnati Commit From 3/07/25: “INF Gavin Michaels (Normal Community, 2026; Cincinnati commit) was one of the day’s biggest winners and has made some big jumps over the offseason. He took one of the best rounds of BP, working all over the barrel with an athletic and compact stroke, showing some feel for loud contact up the middle (T102 mph; 96 mph avg.) with line-drive contact. He also continues to look like a quality defender on the dirt, showing bounce in his step with a high motor, steady hands and clean release, reaching up to 90 mph across. 6.57 runner in the 60, down .10 seconds from the summer.”

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