2025 Future Games, Most Valuable Pitcher: Kaden Wasniewski (IL)

August 4, 2025
By Andy Sroka
National Managing Editor, Scouting

We’re just over a week removed from the 2025 Future Games, still analyzing this year’s event, and now we’re ready to reveal our Most Valuable Pitcher award winner: RHP/INF Kaden Wasniewski (McHenry HS, IL, 2027). Wasniewski was the buzz of the night when he pitched against Indiana on July 25 under the lights in front of a huge audience of college coaches, and it’s helped him maintain momentum as one of the top prospects from the Midwest’s Class of 2027.

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Here’s more on Wasniewski and his two-way talent that really bloomed on the mound down in Georgia at the Future Games.

Kaden Wasniewski 3B / RHP / McHenry, IL / 2027

From the IHSA Scout Blog (6/19): "Uncommitted, currently ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 50 nationally. Athletic 5-foot-11, 182-pound frame with room to add strength. Came out of the pen in relief. Wasniewski threw an inning and two-thirds during the 4A State Finals. The right-hander operates from a simple delivery with a small leg lift into a drop/drive approach. Compact, clean, quick arm action from a high ¾ slot. His fastball sat 87-88 while topping out at 90 with life through the zone. Mixed in a slider that sat 74-76 with sharp actions. Also, flashed a low-80s changeup. A high-follow 2027 arm that was a major key for a McHenry team that was the 4A runner-up."

Wasniewski was one of the top two-way players on any roster at this year’s Future Games, and he was tasked with taking the ball for Team Illinois in their opening game, under the lights, against a talented Team Indiana featuring many high-profile left-handed hitters. And so, he swiftly retired the side in order in each of his two innings of work, punching out four batters on just 27 pitches, 18 of which were strikes.

The line speaks for itself, but it doesn’t fully reflect Wasniewski’s impressive arsenal either.

In front of a legitimate crowd of head coaches and recruiting coordinators from the most prominent programs in the country, Wasniewski sat 92-94 mph (94.9 max) on a heater that spins over 2,600 rpm with nearly 19 inches of IVB. That fastball is a real weapon on its own, one that could get next-level outs as is, but Wasniewski’s secondaries are what help set him apart from his peers. He lands his sharp, biting slider, 79-82 mph, in the zone or just off the plate, keeping right-handed hitters out of whack when thrown alongside that carry four-seamer he owns. Because he was opposite so many lefties on this night, Wasniewski opted for his changeup, 83-86 mph, more often, which garnered some ugly whiffs too.

The stuff plus the dominance over two innings made him one of the most obvious candidates to win the MV-Pitcher award following the three days of gameplay, and it’s ultimately where the award found itself.

“In terms of pure explosiveness at the event, Wasniewski was in rare form as he dominated his two-inning stint against a stout Indiana lineup,” said Shooter Hunt, Prep Baseball VP of Scouting. “He’s an ultra-competitive two-way player, works with a quiet confidence on the mound. The stuff was downright mean and he bullied some talented hitters with it.”

The McHenry High School prospect is one of the top ‘27s in Illinois, and he was one of the best players on a high school team that made it all the way to the 4A state championship game where they finished runners-up. Wasniewski is a special athlete with 6.54 speed and a fast right-handed bat, hitting .330 this spring with 14 extra-base hits in 112 at-bats for the Warriors. He missed some time on the mound with a minor injury, but still wound up K’ing 37 batters in 25 innings. Fully back in time for the summer, Wasniewski’s stuff is climbing higher than ever, and it’s producing similarly impressive results on the bright stages that summer ball brings.

His lockdown opening at the Future Games set the tone for a lopsided win in Team Illinois’ game one matchup with Indiana in what was one of the best all-around showings in Illinois’ Future Games history, according to Drew Locascio, the state’s longtime director.

Prep Baseball has been awarding the Most Valuable Pitcher at the Future Games honor since just 2022, but this is the first time that a player from Illinois has won either of the event’s individual awards since Ryne Roper (Harrisburg HS, 2013) at the inaugural Future Games back in 2011.

PREVIOUS WINNERS

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

2024: Rob Czarniecki (IN)
2023: Danny Wallace (NE)
2022: Xander Schmitt (MO)
2021: Camden Kozeal (NE)
2020*: Justin Thomas (GA), Gable Mitchell (IA), Thomas White (MA)
2019: Sam Petersen (IA)
2018: Aaron Downs (IA)
2017: Mac Horvath (MN)
2016: Dillon Lifrieri (CT)
2015: Sam Carlson (MN)
2014: Duncan Pence (TN)
2013: Nolan Watson (IN)
2012: Colby Fitch (MO)
2011: Ryne Roper (IL)

MOST VALUABLE PITCHER

2024: Cade Allen (TN)
2023: Eston Simpson (GA)
2022: Mitch Haythorn (CO)