The Prep Baseball Report Prospect Identification Showcase on October 7^th saw a lot of promising talent take to the field at The MAX in McCook, IL. With several young talents showcasing their abilities, two unsigned seniors stood out amongst their peers. Stewart Nelson, a middle infielder from Lyons Township, and Brian Jestice, a right handed pitcher from Fremd were the clear favorites at the event.

Here’s a look at our top ten players at the event:

1. Stewart Nelson, Lyons Township HS, MIF, Class of 2013
Nelson is one of the better middle infielders in his class. At 5-foot-11, 165-pounds Nelson exhibits solid footwork resulting in good range going both to his left and right. Nelson ran a showcase best 6.64 in the 60 and translates it well to the baseball field. Nelson’s hands are smooth and clean, efficiently getting the baseball to first base with accuracy. His arm showed good carry giving him the ability to play the left side of the infield. He also displayed the ability to deliver the ball accurately and quickly when on the move. Nelson projects as a typical two-hole type hitter, showing excellent bat control and the ability to stay inside and drive the ball to the opposite field. Nelson’s swing consistently produces line drives to the right side. Overall, Nelson is a versatile infielder that is an excellent runner with excellent bat control.

2. Brian Jestice, Fremd HS, RHP, Class of 2013
Jestice has a good strong pitchers frame that is still maturing. At 6-foot-2, 215-pounds Jestice showed well on the mound. Jestice works out of an easy balanced delivery from a high ¾ arm slot. He has a smooth rhythm to his delivery completing it in an athletic position. Jestice featured a fastball that sat in the 85-87 mph range while flashing an 89 that was down in the zone with hard late arm side action. His curveball was 65-66 mph showing some late sharp action on an 11/5 plane, Jestice also showed good arm speed with this pitch. Jestice showed good control of a change up (75-78 mph) that was thrown with fastball arm action. His change showed consistent sink and looks to be a pitch he can throw with consistency to get back into counts.

3. Bobby Pennington, Maine South HS, RHP/OF, Class of 2014
Pennington possesses a prototypical pitchers frame at 6-foot-3, 175-pounds. Pennington showed a good late moving fastball at 83-85 mph while flashing 86. His fastball showed late sharp arm side run when it was down. Pennington showcased an excellent curveball, at 67-68 mph it featured late sharp break, working on an 11/5 plane. Also possessing the ability to command the zone with it, this is the best we’ve seen Pennington’s curveball. His change up also showed action in the zone, throwing it with good arm speed and exhibiting arm side run.

4. Connor Hogan, Lincoln-Way West HS, INF, Class of 2013
Hogan is an athletic 5-foot-10, 165-pound infielder. Hogan showcased the ability to play multiple positions on the infield with the arm strength to play the left side (80 mph). His arm played well showing good carry and accuracy when both in position, and on the move. Offensively, Hogan stays inside the ball well showing good bat control and consistently finding the barrel. Hogan also showed good bat speed with an exit speed of 84-85 mph off the tee.

5. Samuel Heilenbach, Lyons Township HS, C/RHP, Class of 2014
Heilenbach is a big bodied 6-foot-1, 190-pound two-way player. Heilenbach is a strong catcher that has consistently shown pop in his swing. He showed strong hands at the plate exhibiting a balanced approach with the ability to drive the baseball, with power, to both gaps. Behind the dish Heilenbach showed a good arm (76 mph) and pop times of 2.04-2.07. On the mound he threw his fastball from a high ¾ arm slot showing slight cut at times but consistently working downhill in the zone. His curveball showed some signs of 12/6 action at 64-67 mph. His change up showed well; he was able to throw a sinking change up at 72-73 mph with good arm action.

6. Liam Carter, Highland Park HS, RHP, Class of 2014
Carter is an extremely projectable right handed pitcher that works with a long lanky 6-foot-7 frame. As Carter continues to grow into his body he should see tremendous growth over the next few years. Currently his fastball sat at 82-84 mph working out of a high ¾ to over the top window. With such a long frame and long lever Carter does a nice job of staying in line and working downhill towards his target. His fastball showed run and sink on a downhill plane. Carter showed a curveball with upside, at 69-71 mph it showed occasional sharp break on an 11/5 plane. Carter’s change up showed good action at 71-73 mph.

7. Joey Morris, Stevenson HS, C, Class of 2014
Morris is a strong, athletic catcher; standing 5-foot-11 and weighing 175-pounds, he has the makings of a good catcher’s body. Morris displayed soft hands receiving the ball well. He showed good arm strength (74 mph) resulting in consistent pop times ranging from 2.15-2.25. Swinging from the left side, Morris has a quiet balanced approach using aggressive hands to stay on top and work through the baseball, spraying line drives to all fields.

8. Brett King, Lincoln-Way North HS, LHP, Class of 2014
 King is a left handed pitcher with an extremely quick arm. He throws from a high ¾ arm slot with a short, quick arm action that gets on hitters quicker than the 78-80 mph he showed. King delivers the baseball out of a simple compact delivery, without a lot of moving parts; King displayed the ability to command the zone well with three pitches. King’s curveball is an 11/5 breaker that was thrown for strikes at 68-69 mph. He finishes the pitch well accelerating his arm completely through release point. The change up that King showed possessed good deception as his quick arm action leads to late pitch recognition for hitters. It also showed good run and sink at 67-70 mph. King also showed a knuckle ball at 66-69 mph.

9. Glenn Kubek, De La Salle HS, C, Class of 2014
Kubek is a strong left handed hitting catcher that showed good power potential. At 6-foot-4, 190-pounds Kubek has an above average body and strength. At the plate he showed as a pull hitting left handed hitter with pop. Defensively, Kubek showed well throwing pop times of 2.02-2.18, while exhibiting loose athletic actions.

10. Jack Holden, Schaumburg HS, LHP/OF, Class of 2014
Holden is an athletic left handed pitcher standing 6-foot-2, 180-pounds. Holden throws from a ¾ arm slot out of a repeatable delivery that finished in a balanced position. His fastball sat between 79-80 mph showcasing the ability to command the zone with some late cut action. His breaking ball was 62-65 mph featuring sweeping action in the zone. He showed the ability to throw it for strikes with good arm speed. Holden also showed a change up that demonstrated some cutting action at 66-69 mph.

Best of the Rest (Listed Alphabetically)

Eduardo Amparan, Elmwood HS, OF, Class of 2014
Amparan is an athletic 5-foot-10, 163-pound outfielder. Amparan showed a solid arm from the outfield at 80 mph from an over the top slot that stayed on line with carry and accuracy to his target. He showed fluid footwork and a clean exchange proving he has athletic abilities in the outfield. Amparan also ran a 7.23 in the 60.

LJ Austin, Stevenson HS, RHP/3B, Class of 2014
Austin is a lanky 6-foot-5, 145 pound two-way player. Austin ran a 7.52 60 and threw it 72 mph across the infield. On the mound he showed a 72-73 mph fastball as well as a curveball that he threw for strikes at 60-62 mph. His change up showed solid deception, throwing it with a loose arm action and similar arm speed to his fastball.

Zach Baird, South Elgin HS, SS/RHP, Class of 2015
Baird is a 5-foot-10, 140-pound two-way player. Baird’s swing produced an exit speed of 80 mph off of the tee. Defensively, his fielding actions were mechanically sound, consistently fielding the baseball out in front of him. His arm showed some carry and accuracy at 77 mph across the diamond. On the mound he throws from a high ¾ arm slot showing some run on his 75-76 mph fastball. Baird’s curveball was thrown with good arm speed and registered at 57-59 mph. He showed the ability to throw his change up for strikes at 63-68 mph.

Arron Buck, Guilford HS, C/3B, Class of 2013
Buck is a well-built catcher at 5-foot-10 and 175-pounds. Buck showed the ability to get out of his crouch quickly and deliver accurate throws to second base. His pop times ranged from 2.08-2.11 showing arm strength at 72 mph.  At the plate Buck has a balanced stance and uses a short stride to get to the baseball. He showed an exit speed of 78 mph off of the tee.

Austin Butler, Hinsdale Central HS, RHP, Class of 2014
Butler is a right handed pitcher that possesses a prototypical pitchers frame.  At a projectable 6-foot-3, 160-pounds, Butler’s delivery appeared smooth and in line. He showed clean arm action from a high ¾ arm slot, generating an 80-82 mph fastball with slight run. His curveball was thrown for strikes at 69-73 mph while he also exhibited a slider at 75-77 mph that showed occasional sharp action. His change up displayed arm side run at 72-75 mph.

David Camacho, Elk Grove HS, RHP, Class of 2013
Camacho is a right handed pitcher that throws from a low ¾ arm slot. His delivery is sound and balanced and is quick to the plate out of the stretch. Camacho is a strike thrower. His fastball sat at 77-79 mph with some run and sink. Camacho’s curveball showed 11/5 action, thrown with good arm speed. His change up is another pitch he showed good feel for. At 74-75 mph Camacho showed fastball arm speed on a change up with sink.

Craig Dankovich, Providence Catholic HS, MIF, Class of 2014
Dankovich is a solid defensive middle infielder with good hands and body control. At 5-foot-9, 150-pounds he displayed a loose arm action with quick footwork. His exchange is quick and clean exhibiting the ability to get rid of the baseball with ease. Offensively, Dankovich hits from a balanced setup keeping good weight distribution throughout the finish. His short bat path that stays inside the ball well and results in line drives to all fields.

Hunter Fiorito, Aurora Christian HS, MIF/OF, Class of 2015
Fiorito showed as a 5-foot-10, 170-pound middle infielder. Fiorito ran a 7.25 in the 60 yard dash. At the plate he generated exit speeds up to 85 mph from the tee showing good balance throughout.

Chris Grazioli, Lockport HS, MIF/RHP, Class of 2014
Grazioli is a strong 5-foot-9, 155-pound two-way player. Grazioli displayed an 80 mph arm across the diamond showing some carry. Offensively he hits from an open stance with a short stride, displaying the ability to hit line drives. On the mound Grazioli threw a 76-78 mph fastball from a high ¾ arm action. He showed good splits on his off-speed pitches with a breaking ball at 62-66 mph and a change up at 70-72 mph.

Mitchell Goll, Stevenson HS, 1B/LHP, Class of 2014
Goll is a tall lanky two-way player at 6-foot-2, 160-pounds. Goll has shown good upside on the mound, throwing from a high ¾ arm slot Goll has shown the ability to command the bottom of the zone with a sneaky quick fastball at 78-80 mph. He uses the length of his arms well in creating extension out in front, resulting in that late jumping action through the hitting zone.  His curveball has shown gradual 11/5 break that keeps hitters off balance coming in at 61-63 mph. Goll also throws a change up with sinking action at 65-68 mph. Offensively, Goll showed a knack for finding the barrel with some pop.

Ryan Hickman, Sacred Heart Griffin HS, OF, Class of 2013
Hickman is a 6-foot, 195-pounder that ran an 8.13 60. His exit speed from the tee was 73-74 mph. He showed good balance at the plate showing line drive tendencies.

Dereck Ioos, Libertyville HS, SS/RHP, Class of 2013
Ioos is a 6-foot, 160-pound two-way player that showed some athletic capabilities. Ioos ran a 7.13 in the 60 yard dash. Offensively, Ioos hits from an open stance with a short stride, his exit speeds were 81-84 mph off the tee. On the mound Ioos featured a 73-79 mph fastball with slight run. Throwing from a full windup delivery his ¾ arm slot produced a slider at 64-66 mph. His curveball was 63-66 mph and a splitter at 63-66 mph.

Mike Jentel, Sandburg HS, C/3B, Class of 2014
Jentel possesses a good frame at 6-foot-1, 180-pounds. At third base Jentel uses very efficient actions. His footwork is solid, putting him in good fielding positions and giving him the ability to transfer the ball cleanly and efficiently to first base. Behind the plate his pop times were consistently between 2.16-2.36. Offensively Jentel showed bat exit speeds of 76-78 mph off of the tee.

Luke Johnson, Lake Forest HS, MIF, Class of 2014
Johnson is a 5-foot-11, 165-pound middle infielder. Johnson displayed a good arm across the diamond at 80 mph with good accuracy. His hands work well displaying the ability to make all the routine plays. Offensively, Johnson is a line drive hitter swinging from a tall athletic stance. His load is short and quick, and stays inside the ball well. Johnson also ran a 7.48 60.

Josh Kaplan, Glenbrook North HS, MIF, Class of 2013
Kaplan is a 5-foot-9, 165-pound middle infielder. Kaplan is a line drive hitter that uses a balanced setup. He threw it 69 mph across the infield and ran a 7.70 60.

George Karkazis, Lake Forest HS, C, Class of 2015
Karkazis is a 5-foot-9, 160-pound left handed hitting catcher. He showed pop times ranging from 2.14-2.41 using a strong arm at 72 mph with a long arm action. He has a good setup behind the plate. Offensively, he swings the bat hard showing some pop. Karkazis showed one of the better bat exit speeds at the event registering 80-85 mph off the tee.

Austin Kline, Montini HS, SS, Class of 2014
Kline is a 5-foot-11, 185-pound switch hitting shortstop. Kline showed good athleticism and body control in the field with fluid footwork. His arm worked well across the diamond exhibiting a clean exchange and accuracy to his target. At the plate Kline displayed good bat speed from the right side using a level path to the baseball.

Max Larsen, Lyons Township HS, OF, Class of 2014
Larsen is 5-foot-8, 160-pound left-handed outfielder. Larsen showed experienced outfield actions playing through the ball well with athletic footwork. His arm worked like a true outfielder showing long over the top actions at 78 mph. Offensively Larsen displayed an easy, smooth left-handed stroke. Larsen hits slightly off of his front foot while keeping his hands back well, showing the ability to consistently spray line drives to both sides of the field. Larsen also ran a 7.15 60.

Blake Lucey, Quincy Notre Dame, C/1B, Class of 2014
Lucey is a 5-foot-10, 190-pound catcher that ran a 7.66 60. His pop times stayed between 2.19-2.28 throwing it 73 mph out of the crouch. He hits from a crouched setup that crowds the plate and cover the outside corner well.

Chris Mathieu, Warren HS, OF/RHP, Class of 2015
Mathieu is a 6-foot, 165-pound athletic, two-way player. Mathieu showed good foot speed displayed by his 7.06 60 time. Offensively, he exhibited solid bat speed resulting in hard hit line drives. His arm strength was 75 mph from the outfield.

Zaccaria Miller, York HS, RHP, Class of 2014
Miller is a 5-foot-11, 220-pound right handed pitcher. Miller operates with easy effort from a high ¾ arm action. His fastball ranged from 71-76 mph while also showing a cut fastball at 67-69 mph. His change up showed some fastball arm action at 64-67 mph.

Jerome Minick, Oswego HS, LHP/1B, Class of 2014
Minick is a solid strike throwing left handed pitcher. At 6-foot-1, 175-pounds, Minick showed the ability on the mound to have solid control of all three of his pitches. His fastball showed some sink sitting at 73-75 mph. Minick’s change up showed as his best secondary pitch throwing it with fastball arm speed and featuring sink in the zone at 63-65 mph. His curveball (55-57 mph) is another pitch he controlled well, working on an 11/5 plane. Minick also showed some fluid actions at first base and ran a 7.59 60.

Mike Neill, Fenwick HS, C/OF, Class of 2015
Neill is a switch hitting catcher standing 6-foot and weighing in at 165-pounds. Neill’s pop times ranged from 2.03-2.3. From the outfield he threw 76 mph. Offensively, Neill showed a line drive swing from the left side. His exit speeds were 81-83 mph from the right side while he was 69-74 mph from the left. Neill also ran a 7.50 60.

Dan Neises, Lake Zurich HS, MIF, Class of 2014
Neises is a 5-foot-8, 160-pound left handed hitting middle infielder.  Neises ran a 7.59 60 and threw it 74 mph across the diamond. He shows athletic fielding actions and some range. At the plate Neises hits with a balanced setup from the left side. He showed good rhythm at the plate.

Jordan Ohel, Stevenson HS, 3B/RHP, Class of 2015
Ohel is a 5-foot-9, 165-pound two-way player. Defensively, Ohel throws with an over the top arm action at 68 mph. Offensively, Ohel exhibited 68-74 mph exit speed off the tee. On the mound he threw a 72-73 mph fastball from an over the top slot. Ohel also showed a slider (57-65 mph) and a change up at 63-66 mph.

Jack Polte, York HS, C, Class of 2014
Polte is a stout 6-foot-2, 205-pound catcher. Polte showed pop times of 2.18-2.25 with a velocity of 71 mph. Offensively, Polte is a strong hitter; he uses a short stride producing exit velocities up to 83 mph off of the tee.

Michael Rizzo, Hinsdale South HS, 1B/LHP, Class of 2013
Rizzo is a 6-foot, 140-pound two-way player. The left handed first baseman showed a consistency to hit line drives using a flat bat path. Rizzo ran a 7.50 in the 60. On the mound, Rizzo’s fastball sat between 66-68 mph. He also showed a curveball (58-61 mph), change up (60-61 mph), and a splitter (60 mph).

Jacob Robbins, Lincoln-Way West HS, 3B/OF, Class of 2014
Robbins is a 6-foot, 175-pound left handed hitting infielder. Defensively, Robbins’ mechanics are sound, fielding the baseball out in front and showing accurate throws to first base. His footwork is quick in the field, and ran a 7.09 60. At the plate Robbins consistently hit the ball to the opposite field using a flat bat path to produce line drives to the left side.

Jeremy Schoessling, Batavia HS, MIF, Class of 2014
Schoessling is a 6-foot-0, 165-pound middle infielder that displayed loose hands and an aggressive approach to the baseball, also showing a quick release. Offensively, Schoessling hit from a balanced setup showing a knack for making solid contact. Schoessling also ran a 7.41 in the 60.

Michael Sechrist, De LaSalle HS, OF, Class of 2013
Sechrist displayed a loose over the top arm action from the outfield reading 80 mph on the gun. He showed good footwork and athletic fielding actions. Sechrist ran a 7.13 in the 60. Offensively he showed some bat speed displayed by his 82-84 mph exit speed from the tee.

Alec Semersky, Libertyville HS, RHP/OF, Class of 2013
Semersky is a unique right handed pitcher throwing from a submarine arm slot. He uses a long arm action out of his 6-foot-3 frame generating a 61-63 mph fastball with some sink. He also showed a sweeping breaking ball at 56-57 mph and a change up at 60 mph. Semersky showed some athleticism running a 7.06 60.

Ryan Sinacore, Crystal Lake South HS, MIF/C/RHP, Class of 2015
Sinacore is a 5-foot-4, 120-pound two-way player that showed the ability to play the infield, catch, and pitch. In the infield Sinacore showed arm strength of 66 mph across the infield. Behind the plate he showed a 2.38-2.59 pop time.

Wayne Sliwiski, Lincoln-Way Central HS, OF/3B, Class of 2014
Sliwiski is a 6-foot, 160-pound multi-positional player that moves well in the outfield. His arm worked well delivering on target throws at 76 mph. Offensively, Sliwiski hits with a leg kick and showed exit speeds at 62-70 mph off of the tee.

Jack Spangler, Richwoods HS, OF/SS, Class of 2013
Spangler is a multi-positional player that worked from both the outfield and the infield. At 6-foot-1, 150-pounds Spangler ran a 7.15 60 and threw it 74 mph from the outfield. He showed a long arm action with consistency to its target. Spangler showed exit speeds from the tee at 74-78 mph

Mike Stellmack, Naperville Central HS, RHP/MIF, Class of 2013
Stellmack is a 6-foot, 155-pound two-way player. On the mound Stellmack pitched exclusively from the stretch operating out of a ¾ arm slot. His fastball showed heavy tendencies and was consistently in the strike zone at 73-75 mph. Stellmack also showcased a sweeping breaking ball at 65-66 mph and a change up at 69-70 mph with good arm action. Offensively Stellmack hits from an open stance with a line drive, gap to gap approach. Stellmack also ran a 7.07 in the 60.

Chayancze Stirbis, Plainfield East HS, MIF, Class of 2013
Stirbis is an athletic 5-foot-5, 150-pound middle infielder. Stirbis showed good backhand actions in the infield displaying a 73 mph across the diamond. At the plate he showed as a line drive, gap to gap style hitter, hitting from an opened stance and using the whole field.

Kevin Stonewall, Chicago High HS, SS/OF, Class of 2013
Stonewall is an athletically built 6-foot, 170-pound multi-positional player. Stonewall is a quick twitch athlete that showed a long, over the top outfield arm at 81 mph with carry to its target. Stonewall hits from a wide crouched stance. With a no stride approach he showed some abilities to be a line drive hitter. Stonewall ran a 7.38 60.

Connor Trier, Huntley HS, C, Class of 2014
Trier is a 5-foot-11, 150-pound catcher that showed pop times ranging from 2.19-2.39 and throwing 73 mph from behind the plate. Trier hits with a leg kick and a low handed setup. He ran a 7.63 60.

Malcolm White, Lyons Township HS, RHP/3B, Class of 2014
White is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound two-way player. White has good hands and a quick exchange at third base. Offensively, he barreled the ball up well creating line drives with good bat speed and a path that stayed inside the baseball. On the mound, White throws from a high ¾ arm slot. His fastball sat between 78-81 mph producing a slightly heavy sinking fastball, also showing occasional run to his arm side. His curveball showed more 11/5 tilt with occasional 12/6 action. His change up registered at 65-67 mph with arm side run.

Kyle Yang, Lyons Township HS, OF/RHP, Class of 2015
Yang is a 5-foot-8, 140-pound two-way player. Yang throws from a high ¾ arm action sitting at 75 mph with slight action in the zone. His curveball showed 11/5 tilt at 57 mph also showcasing a change up at 66-67 mph which he was able to throw for strikes with some arm side run. Yang also ran a 7.60 60.