Luca
Fiore

University of Illinois - Chicago commit. Currently ranked No. 110 in Illinois. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound left handed pitcher got the ball to start for Nazareth. The southpaw worked quickly on the mound with a low 3/4 arm slot. Fiore used his fastball on both sides of the plate to get ahead of the opposing batters with arm side run, sitting at 83-85 mph and topping at 86 mph. Backing up the fastball was a sweeping curveball. Generating swing and misses on a 2/8 shape plane, the curveball sat 69-72 mph. The third pitch used was the changeup, playing with some sinking action coming in around 74-78 mph. Fiore tossed five innings with six strikeouts and allowed one run on two hits and two walks.

Verbally committed to Illinois-Chicago.

LHP Luca Fiore (Nazareth), no stranger to our staff, continues to show above-average stuff and spin on the mound. The top uncommitted left-handed pitcher in the state sat comfortably in the mid-80s with all kinds of horizontal movement and an average of 2108 rpm. Fiore separates himself thanks to his low-70s breaking ball that spins at an average of 2405 rpm with feel and sweeping, horizontal action. Fiore rounded out his above-average three-pitch mix with a changeup thrown with arm speed, fade and sink action and feel at the bottom of the zone.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-10, 175-pounds. Loose-levered.
Delivery: Fluid, drop and drive delivery, works with rhythm and on-line down the mound.
Arm Action: LH. Short, compact arm action, works quick out of a 3/4 slot.
FB: T86, 84-85 mph. Controlled the zone, clean out of the hand, late arm-side-run. T2207, 2108 average rpm.
SL: 69-71 mph. Tight, sharp spin, late horizontal action. T2470, 2405 average rpm.
CH: 73-74 mph. Maintains arm speed, plays with horizontal fade and sink, above-average feel at the bottom of the zone. T1657, 1586 average rpm.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-10, 176-pounds.
Delivery: Methodical windup, medium leg lift, closed downhill into closed footstrike.
Arm Action: LH. Full arm loop, lower 3/4 slot.
FB: T86, 81-86 mph. Run through the zone, ability to spot up, flashed heavy sinking action. T2310, 2008 average rpm.
SL: 71-75 mph. Sweeping action to the glove side, tighter to armside. T2318, 2122 average rpm.
CH: 71-77 mph. Maintains arm speed, depth to the pitch with some fade. T2250, 1713 average rpm.

Uncommitted. Currently ranked No. 20 in the Illinois 2024 class. Compact, 5-foot-8, 140-pound frame, room to fill out with some already present athleticism. Came out of the ‘pen for the Roadrunners and showcased a loose/fluid arm; working with a clean arm-circle out of the glove into a low ¾ slot. He works athletically down the mound, coiling slightly into balance point with his leg-lift and moving into a slight drop/drive lower-half, remaining in-line to the plate with his stride but creating some deception with his lead shoulder remaining closed into foot-plant. The southpaw’s fastball worked in the 82-84 mph range, featuring life out of the hand with running and sinking action to his arm-side, occasionally missing to the same side due to lack of extension through release at times. Fiore showed to have feel for a sweeping slider; playing off a 2/8 plane with sharp action, flipping in for strikes and back-dooring hitters, 71-72 mph. 

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-8, 140-pounds.
Delivery: Drop and drive delivery, repeatable, smooth rhythm, feet work quick, lands square, works in line with target, athletic finish, starts closed out of stretch.
Arm Action: LH. Advanced quick arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
FB: T83, 80-83 mph. 4-seam, mostly straight, thrown on both sides of plate. T2278, 2144 average rpm.
CB: 62-65 mph. 1/7 shape, sharp action, has depth, strikes. T2414, 2414 average rpm.
SL: 63-70 mph. Late sweeping action, feel, distinctly different from curveball. T2488, 2325 average rpm.
CH: 70-72 mph. Advanced fading action, thrown for strikes at bottom of zone. T1865, 1814 average rpm.

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-7, 115-pounds. Lean, high-waisted build.
Defense: Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Arm: LH. OF - 74 mph. Fluid footwork, steady hands, clean transfer, plays through the baseball.
Hit: LH. Balanced setup, loads quick, short stride.  Quick bat, uphill path, pull-side approach.
Power: 71 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 8.00 runner in the 60. 

Delivery: Works quick, tall/fall delivery, shoulders stay level, linear to target, upright finish.
Arm Action: LH. Short arm action, 3/4 slot.
FB: T74, 71-73 mph. Straight with occasional arm-side run.
CB: 61-64 mph. 1/7 shape with late break. Feel.
CH: 64-66 mph. Near fastball arm speed. Showed arm-side sink. 

Positional Profile: LHP/OF
Body: 5-7, 115-pounds. Lean, high-waisted build.
Defense: Short arm action, high 3/4 slot.
Arm: LH. OF - 74 mph. Fluid footwork, steady hands, clean transfer, plays through the baseball.
Hit: LH. Balanced setup, loads quick, short stride.  Quick bat, uphill path, pull-side approach.
Power: 71 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 8.00 runner in the 60. 

Delivery: Works quick, tall/fall delivery, shoulders stay level, linear to target, upright finish.
Arm Action: LH. Short arm action, 3/4 slot.
FB: T74, 71-73 mph. Straight with occasional arm-side run.
CB: 61-64 mph. 1/7 shape with late break. Feel.
CH: 64-66 mph. Near fastball arm speed. Showed arm-side sink.