On Sunday, October 19th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Underclass Showcase at The Max in McCook, IL. This event wrapped up our fall circuit, and we went out in a big way with one of the more talented open events top-to-bottom we hosted all year.

Today, we are concluding our post-event content with a look at every single pitcher from the day, with a Top-5 ranking of who our staff thought showed the best in their ‘pen.

LHP Colton Carpenter (Normal University, 2028) gave a strong look with a loose arm and deceptive lower slot, working around the 80 mph mark with natural sinking action to the fastball.

RHP Ben McNair (Deerfield, 2029) looks to be a freshman to follow in the coming years, showing plenty of arm-strength with a fastball up to 81 mph and feel for a sharp curveball.

Top Pitchers

1. Blake Harris, El Paso-Gridley (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: RHP/1B
Body: 6-6, 209.8-pounds. Long-levered, strong build, physical.
Delivery: Side-steps into a high leg-lift, powerful with intent, holds a pre-bend in the back knee down the mound, works in-line, shoulders work uphill, front foot lands square.
Arm Action: RH. Full arm circle with a reach in the back, higher 3/4 slot.
FB: T88, 85-87 mph. Life through the zone, explosive. T2223, 2089 average rpm.
CB: 69-72 mph. Developing feel, flashed sharp 10/4 action. T2186, 2104 average rpm.
CH: 76-79 mph. Flashed feel for strikes, slight arm-side run. T1682, 1474 average rpm.
CUT: 71-74 mph. Short lateral break.

2. Jenner Smith, Hersey (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-2, 173.1-pounds. Highly projectable, high waisted with broad shoulders.
Delivery: Clean and controlled, tall/fall, works in-line, creates some tilt and angle downhill.
Arm Action: RH. Clean arm circle, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T84, 80-84 mph. Slight arm-side run, carry traits at times. T2223, 2088 average rpm.
CB: 67-68 mph. Quality 11/5 shape, tight action with some feel. T2382, 2302 average rpm.
SL: 71-72 mph. Short lateral shape. T2246, 1848 average rpm.
CH: 72-73 mph. Straight action, flashed strikes. T1648, 1565 average rpm.

3. JD Farkas, Hersey (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-8, 175-pounds. Compact, athletic build with some present strength, proportionate.
Delivery: Compact and clean delivery, high leg-lift, works in-line, tall/fall.
Arm Action: LH. Clean arm circle, uninterrupted, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T84, 80-84 mph. Four seam plays with slight arm-side run, some feel around the zone. Sinker showed less carry and more horizontal movement, advanced feel in the zone. T1961, 1820 average rpm.
CB: 66-70 mph. Advanced feel, strikes, sweeping action with sharp bite. T2243, 2125 average rpm.
CH: 69-72 mph. Flashed feel, sells with arm-speed, fading action. T1565, 1434 average rpm.

4. Jacob Hite, St. Laurence (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 6-0, 174.2-pounds. Lean, projectable frame with a high waist.
Delivery: Up-tempo, high-leg kick, clean lower-half, slight drop/drive operation, works in-line, front foot lands square.
Arm Action: RH. Clean, quick arm, compact circle, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T82, 79-81 mph. Life through the zone with some carry, feel in the zone. T2068, 2018 average rpm.
CB: 66-71 mph. Some feel around the zone, tight 10/4 shape. T2177, 2133 average rpm.
CH: 73-75 mph. Controlled around the zone, plays with arm-side life. T2191, 2106 average rpm.

5. Keegan Crabtree, Lincoln-Way East (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: SS/2B
Body: 6-1, 155-pounds. Athletic, trim build, projects.
Delivery: Easy mover, simple and controlled, high leg-lift, slight drop/drive with a pre-bend works in-line.
Arm Action: RH. Long arm loose arm swing, higher over the top slot.
FB: T82, 79-81 mph. Carry traits with life through the zone. T2102, 2006 average rpm.
CB: 66-69 mph. Some depth with 11/5 shape, sharp. T2159, 2080 average rpm.
CH: 70-72 mph. Mostly straight action. T1189, 1024 average rpm.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Tyson Adrianopoli, New Trier (IL), 2029 |
Positional Profile: OF/RHP
Body: 5-11, 148-pounds. Wiry, projectable build.
Delivery: Controlled gather into a medium leg-lift, drop/drive with intent, works in-line, front foot lands square.
Arm Action: RH. Long arm swing, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T77, 74-77 mph. Plays with life, some arm-side run, feel at the bottom of the zone. T2129, 2004 average rpm.
CB: 62-65 mph. Feel for the pitch, sharp 11/5 action with depth. T2116, 2066 average rpm.
CH: 65-70 mph. Arm-side fade, flashed strikes. T1727, 1635 average rpm.

Chase Bautista, Vernon Hills (IL), 2029 |
Positional Profile: C/RHP
Body: 5-8, 145-pounds. Trim, wiry build, wide shoulders.
Delivery: Controlled, medium leg-lift, tall/fall and in-line down the mound, front foot lands closed.
Arm Action: RH. Medium, compact arm circle, high 3/4 slot from a tight window.
FB: T75, 73-75 mph. Showed some feel in the zone, mostly straight actions. T1808, 1664 average rpm.
CB: 64-65 mph. Short 11/5 shape. T1856, 1754 average rpm.
SL: 64-66 mph. Shorter lateral shape, 10/4, flashed strikes. T1793, 1634 average rpm.

Nolan Blackburn, Lincoln-Way West (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: OF/LHP
Body: 5-10, 160-pounds. Wiry, athletic build.
Delivery: Up-tempo, shorter leg-lift into balance point, drop/drive, works in-line.
Arm Action: LH. Deceptive, lower 3/4 slot, longer action from the glove.
FB: T75, 74-75 mph. Natural run to the arm-side. T1949, 1869 average rpm.
CB: 63-65 mph. Shorter 1/7 shape with feel in the zone. T2041, 1955 average rpm.
CH: 66-67 mph. Comes out of the hand clean, arm-side fade and dive with feel. T1119, 1044 average rpm.

Bryce Bohnhoff, Dieterich (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: SS/3B
Body: 6-3, 175-pounds. Long-levered, room too add strength.
Delivery: Short side-step, controlled leg-lift, tall/fall, works in-line, front foot lands square.
Arm Action: RH. Full arm circle, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T79, 76-78 mph. Mostly straight action through the zone. T1884, 1794 average rpm.
CB: 61-64 mph. Gradual sweeping action, 10/4 shape. T1651, 1536 average rpm.

Colton Carpenter, Normal University (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-11, 151-pounds. Wiry, proportionate frame.
Delivery: Slightly up-tempo, high leg-lift into a coil, jumps down the mound in-line with extension.
Arm Action: LH. Full arm circle, loose, 3/4 slot.
FB: T80, 78-80 mph. Some feel in the zone, plays with arm-side run. T1920, 1835 average rpm.
CB: 65-67 mph. Tight with sharp action and feel, 1/7 shape. T1612, 1526 average rpm.
SL: 64-67 mph. Short 10/4 shape, flashed strikes. T2242, 1960 average rpm.
CH: 69-69 mph. Heavy arm-side run. T1939, 1857 average rpm.

Evan Gao, Fremd (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 5-7, 120-pounds.
Delivery: Loose and clean delivery, high leg-kick, builds momentum into a slight drop/drive lower-half, works in-line.
Arm Action: RH. Clean arm, 3/4 slot, longer and loose action.
FB: T69, 68-69 mph. Sinker plays with arm-side run, some feel arm-side. T1822, 1743 average rpm.
SL: 62-63 mph. Flashed 10/4 shape. T2090, 2084 average rpm.
CH: 64-67 mph. Heavy arm-side run, flashed strikes. T1797, 1709 average rpm.
SPLT: 64-66 mph. Flashed above-average tumble and dive.

Luke Kolasa, Brother Rice (IL), 2028 |
Positional Profile: RHP/1B
Body: 6-1, 254-pounds.
Delivery: Simple delivery, high leg-lift, tall/fall, works in-line, front foot lands closed, shoulders work even down the mound.
Arm Action: RH. Whippy and loose arm, 3/4 slot.
FB: T77, 75-77 mph. Flashed strikes, heavy natural arm-side life. T1958, 1831 average rpm.
SL: 58-60 mph. Heavy sweeping action, flashed strikes. T1808, 1736 average rpm.
CH: 70-71 mph. Some feel in the zone, arm-side run. T1390, 1317 average rpm.

Ben McNair, Deerfield (IL), 2029 |
Positional Profile: RHP/OF
Body: 5-11, 155-pounds. High-waisted, room to add strength.
Delivery: Quick gather with a medium stride into balance point, slight drop/drive lower-half, works in-line.
Arm Action: RH. Short arm with a higher back elbow from the glove, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T81, 77-80 mph. Life out of the hand, mostly straight action, feel around the zone. T2076, 2014 average rpm.
SL: 68-70 mph. Some feel glove side, 10/4 shape, quality shape and action. T1876, 1823 average rpm.
SPLT: 73-75 mph. Thrown with fastball intent, kept mostly down in the zone, slight run arm-side.

Ben Sutphen, New Trier (IL), 2029 |
Positional Profile: 1B/RHP
Body: 6-3, 170-pounds. Wiry and athletic build, room to add strength.
Delivery: Athletic mover, controlled leg-lift into balance point, drop/drive lower-half, works in-line and gets down the mound efficiently.
Arm Action: RH. Longer arm swing, high 3/4 slot.
FB: T81, 76-80 mph. Natural cut, some feel glove-side. T2069, 1923 average rpm.
SL: 65-68 mph. Gradual 10/4 shape, flashed depth. T1848, 1726 average rpm.
CH: 73-75 mph. Thrown with fastball intent, slight arm-side run, flashed heavy at times with feel. T1493, 1416 average rpm.

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