Matt
Sauser

Florida State signee. Currently ranked No. 18 overall in the state’s senior class. Stands at an athletic and projectable 6-foot-3, 185-pounds. Started on the mound and threw 5 â…“ innings, allowed three hits, no earned runs, walked two and struck out 11. Athletic mover down the mound with a clean arm with noticeable acceleration out front. Showed three different pitches in the outing with a mostly straight fastball that sat 86-89 mph, touching 90. Spun two different breaking balls that sat in the mid-to-upper 70s. To right-handed hitters, he threw a curveball that showed more 11/5 shape, and he threw a backdoor slider to left-handed hitters that showed more 10/4 shape. Amongst the top arms in the Illinois’ 2023 group with future upside on the mound. 

Florida State commit. Sauser added a hit with two runs scored. On the season Sauser is hitting 7-for-16 (.438 avg.) with three RBIs. On the mound he has thrown three innings with four strikeouts and no runs.

Florida State commit, currently slotted at No. 18 overall in the Illinois’ 2023 rankings. Stands at a lean 6-foot-3, 185-pounds with long levers and room to further fill out physically. Side step starts delivery, front hip turns inward as lead leg lifts, tight knee tuck at balance point, high front side. Lands onto an open toe, finishes towards the first base side through release. Long arm swing that works down out the glove and finishes from a high ¾ slot. Fastball touched 90, sitting at 86-89 mph while flashing heavy arm-side action. Spun a tight 76-77 mph slider with slight break off a 10/4 plane. Also showed a changeup at 81-82 mph, though used it sparingly. 

Iowa commit, currently ranked No. 11 in the Illinois 2023 class. Long-limbed, 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame, high waist with room to fill out physically. Sauser got the start against Springfield and was missing barrels left and right; going six innings while only surrendering two hits, punching out 14 and walking two. The right-hander’s arm plays with a clean arm circle out of the glove, moving with a loose/quick path into a high ¾ slot. Down the mound, Sauser works with a controlled and fluid pace; moving with a high/flexible leg-lift into a slightly coiled balance point, dropping into his back knee before gliding down the mound into a square landing foot. His fastball worked mostly 90-91 mph early on, settling in more 89-90 mph later in his outing; jumping out of the hand with running action and sink, actively trying to pitch on the outer-half to righties often. Sauser showed a knack for spinning the breaking ball, going to a sharp 10/4 breaker that plays from a similar fastball window, biting late through the zone with finish and tight spin. He also flashed an 11/5 curveball a couple of times, playing at 76 mph with sharp downer action and depth. His final offering was a sinking changeup, thrown out of a similar fastball window and kept down for the most part. High-level 2023 arm with plenty of upside. 

Decommitted from Iowa.

Positional Profile: RHP/SS
Body: 6-2, 160-pounds. Long frame.
Delivery: Tall and fall delivery, fluid feet in windup, quick, smooth tempo, lands square, works efficiently in line with target, athletic finish.
Arm Action: RH. Advanced quick, loose arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
FB: T89, 87-89 mph. Arm side run, heaviness to it, consistent strikes. T2114, 2042 average rpm.
CB: 72-75 mph. Big 11/5 shape, gradual sweeping action. T2324, 2256 average rpm.
SL: 78-78 mph. Advanced aggressive pitch, short, tight action, 10/4 shape. T2337, 2127 average rpm.
CH: 81-83 mph. Sink/fade action. T1402, 1386 average rpm.

6-foot-2, 157-pound, long, loose-bodied, right-handed pitcher. Has seen his stock rise thanks to his eye-opening bullpen at the Joliet Open a couple of weeks ago. At the event Sauser showed an 82-85 mph fastball that averaged a spin rate of nearly 2,500 rpm. His curveball spun just as efficiently, averaging roughly 2,600 rpm with tight 11/5 shape – a true separator for his age. On Saturday, Sauser was the starting pitcher during the combined no-hitter for Chicago Elite. During this outing he sat mostly 80-81 mph, touching 83 but showed the same easy, controlled athletic delivery we had recently seen. Curveball has sharp spin, late bite and flashes down action. Changeup played at 74-75 mph.
Final Line: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB

Chicago Elite produced one of the more noteworthy headlines when three of their 2023 right-handed arms; Matt Sauser (Normal University), DJ Helwig (St. Laurence) and Pambo Nicoloudes (Naperville Central), combined to throw a no-hitter in their only game on Saturday. 

Positional Profile: RHP; Debuted on the first edition of the state 2023 rankings following this performance.
Body: 6-2, 157-pounds. Wiry, athletic frame; projects well.
Delivery: Rhythmic tall/fall type delivery, athletic sit into back leg before riding downhill, level shoulders, lands square to target, strong lead leg block. Gets in tempo and maintains it, repeats well.
Arm Action: RH. Long and loose arm action, high 3/4 slot; live arm speed.
FB: T85, 83-85 mph. Clean out the hand with natural jump; spun at 2,495 rpm while averaging 16.4 inches of induced vertical break. Straight action, consistent strikes.
CB: 70-72 mph. Consistent sharp spin off an 11/5 plane with depth; a legitimate swing-and-miss pitch. Thrown with conviction for strikes, averaged 2,591 rpm. One of the best breaking balls in Illinois' 2023 class.
CH: 75-78 mph. Near fastball arm speed, flashed cut and run.

Sauser has an upside, 5-foot-11, 150-pound frame, clean easy arm that works from a ¾ to high ¾ slot and filled up the strike zone in his outing. Sauser sat comfortably at 78-80 mph, touching 81 and mixed in a low-70’s sweeping breaking ball.

Positional Profile: SS/RHP 
Body: 5-foot-8, 125-pounds. Lanky, athletic build.
Defense: Steady hands, clean exchange.
Arm: RH. INF - 73 mph. Short and loose arm action, ability to throw from multiple arm slots, showed carry across the diamond.
Hit: LHH. Tall and open setup, long stride. Long path.
Power: 72 mph exit velocity from the tee.
Run: 8.32 runner in the 60. 
Delivery: Tall and fall delivery, smooth rhythm, level shoulders, lands open.
Arm Action: RH. High 3/4 slot, long and loose action.
FB: T74, 70-73 mph. Straight, showed control.
CB: 51-54 mph. 12/6 shape.
CH: 62-64 mph. Occasional sink.