2021 PBR First Team All-State
July 15, 2021
The Illinois 2021 Prep Baseball Report First Team All-State squad features a talented group of prospects that helped their respective teams to successful seasons. Our All-State teams pull from the entire state, all classifications.
The players below, we believed, were the most dominant at their respective positions. Some positions were more loaded than others, especially catchers, middle infielders and pitchers this year. We took into account several different metrics: overall performance, statistics, and strength of schedule/competition.
The All-State teams are geared more towards statistical performance, otherwise they’d just be a direct reflection of our PBR Player Rankings, which rank players on pure ability/prospect status only. We’ve also strongly considered the defensive play of several players, something that gets thrown out the window at times during all-area or all-conference debates.
Over the next few days we will also unveil our second and third teams.
Without further ado, a look at the 2021 First Team All-State selections:
PITCHERS
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Eric Orloff LHP / Glenbrook North, IL / 2021
Arizona commit. 6-foot-3, 215-pound, left-hander is ranked No. 8 in the 2021 class and has long been known for his ability to miss barrels and collect outs. This season was no different as Orloff capped off an impressive high school career, leading Glenbrook North, as their ace, to a 23 win season. On the year Orloff struck out 99 batters in 48 innings (more than two hitters per inning) and only gave up 22 hits. Orloff ended the season with a 1.15 ERA and 0.80 WHIP. |
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Crayton Burnett RHP / SS / St. Joseph-Ogden, IL / 2021
Illinois commit, served as the team ace since his sophomore season and capped off his impressive high school career with a dominating senior season. The 6-foot, 170-pound, right-handed pitcher has a loose, highly-athletic arm and has some of the best pitchability in the state. Burnett, who went 10-1 on the year, threw a total of 69.2 innings and walked a total of four batters. In those same amount of innings, Burnett struck out 133 (1.92 batters per inning) and gave up seven earned runs on the season (four in one game), good for a 0.703 ERA. His strikeout to walk ratio was a remarkable 33/1. On the season, Burnettm tossed six shutouts, one no-hitter and also added four home runs and 33 RBI on the offensive side. Burnett’s special season ended with a loss in the 2A Super-Sectional for St. Joseph-Ogden, who went 33-3 on the year. |
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Owen MurphyRHP / 3B / Riverside-Brookfield, IL / 2022
Notre Dame commit. Murphy, the only junior to make the list, was also named the 2021 PBR Player of the Year, thanks to his accomplishments on the mound and with the bat in a limited number of games this spring (team covid close contact). CLICK HERE for the Player of the Year story. On top of the gaudy overall numbers, Murphy had a few standout performances worth noting; He struck out 21 in a seven inning game against St. Ignatius. He also twirled a complete game against Chicago Christian (24-4 on the year) with 15 strikeouts, two hits and one walk. In the season, he only had one start that ended with less than a double digit amount of strikeouts. On the season, Murphy, who is also the quarterback of the football team, struck out 97 in 42.1 innings pitched while walking only five. Batters hit .108 off Murphy on the year. Murphy’s overall athleticism, pitchability, repertoire and upsidelive arm make him one of the more intriguing prospects in the 2022 class in Illinois. From an offensive side of the ball, Murphy hit nine home runs in only 23 games while batting .453. He also added six doubles, four triples and 32 RBI in those 23 games while walking 12 times and stealing nine bases. The only junior to make the PBR First-Team All-State was arguably the most dominant player in the state in 2021. |
cATCHER
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Ty Batusich C / Joliet West, IL / 2021
Western Kentucky commit. The senior left-handed hitting catcher was one of the most feared bats in the state and despite walking 36 times on the season (only seven strikeouts), Batusich put up eye-popping numbers. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound, wide-shouldered, middle-of-the-order bat hit .547 on the season with an astronomical .692 on base percentage. He also slugged 1.120 thanks to nine home runs, 10 doubles and three triples. Batusich also stole 10/12 bags on the season. The dynamic left-handed bat helped lead Joliet West to a 20-11 season as well as a trip to the Sectional Final before falling to O’Fallon, who finished 3rd in Class 4A. |
FIRST BASEMAN
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Colin Brueggemann 1B / RHP / Freeburg, IL / 2021
Johnson County CC commit. Brueggemann was one of the more impressive looking prospects we saw all spring, standing at 6-foot-6, 220-pounds. Despite his extra-long frame, Brueggemann has feel and control of his levers, played a nimble, athletic first base and put up huge offensive numbers. Brueggemann helped lead Freeburg to the 2A state title and a final record of 36-3. The left-handed hitter delivered 12 home runs to go along with 17 doubles and 53 RBI’s, which according to numbers that were submitted to us, led the state. The power-hitting first baseman also struck out a mere six times on the spring, hit .461 with a .510 on base percentage and seven stolen bases. Brueggemann, who was named the St. Louis Post Dispatch Player of the Year, also went 9-0 with 47 strikeouts and a 2.12 ERA in 46.1 innings of work. Brueggemann should be a left-handed hitter to follow at the next level as he possessed some of the easiest power in the class with a knack for the barrel. |
MIDDLE INFIELDERS
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Ryan Moerman SS / Lockport , IL / 2021
Illinois commit. Moermann, started on varsity at shortstop since his freshman season at a 4A school and has long been one of the top prospects in the state. Moerman led the state in home runs with 15 this spring, which also set a single season record at Lockport. He was selected as the Southwest Suburban Blue Player of the Year. The senior right-handed hitter also collected 11 doubles, scored 52 runs, drove in 40 and stole 16/18 bases. Moerman’s abilities go far beyond the field as he is a natural leader and one of the best overall baseball player’s in the state. |
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Nicholas DeMarco SS / RHP / St. Charles North, IL / 2021
Notre Dame commit. DeMarco, like Moerman, has long been one of the top prospects in the state, starting on varsity as a freshman for the North Stars. DeMarco, who is one of the top two-way prospects in the state, made his statement in his final spring season with his bat. DeMarco tallied 11 home runs on the year, scored 56 runs and drove in 37. DeMarco also walked 40 times and was hit by a pitch 19 times, leading to an eye-popping on base percentage of .659. To go along with 25 stolen bases, DeMarco hit five doubles, a triple and played a lock down shortstop. To top things off, DeMarco went 6-1 on the mound, picked up four saves, and struck out 68 in 43 innings pitched with an ERA of 1.30. |
THIRD BASEMAN
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Maxton Polad 3B / Lincoln Way East , IL / 2021
Southeastern CC commit. 6-foot-2, 195-pound, senior, right-handed hitter emerged this spring as one of the top middle-of-the-order bats in the state. Polad anchored a talented Lincoln-Way East lineup that went on to go 27-3 on the season. Polad left the yard 11 times, drove in 34 and scored 45 runs. On the season, Polad hit .373 but his on base percentage came in at .550 largely due to collecting 27 walks on the year. Polad slugged .916 with two triples and eight doubles to go along with the double digit home runs. |
OUTFIELDERS
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Eddie King OF / Marian Catholic, IL / 2021
Louisville commit. King is another senior on this list who has been a varsity starter since their freshman year. King, a toolsy, 6-foot-2, 180-pound, right-handed hitter has some of the best raw bat speed in the class and the speed to play center field. King used his speed to steal 26/29 bases as well as score 46 runs on the season. King also stole home on three separate occasions. His power was also on display as he collected seven home runs, 11 doubles and three triples. King hit .434 on the year and walked 23 times which helped lead to a .543 OBP. One of King’s most impressive weeks came at the end of May when he earned a shoutout in our PBR Illinois Diamond Notes. Read Below: A staple of consistency for Marian Catholic throughout the spring, King went 12-for-20 across a five-game span last weekend for the Spartans. He doubled four times and also added three home runs, driving in 10 runs total. King also scored 10 times and swiped three bags, doing a bit of everything for Marian Catholic, something the Spartans are used to seeing. |
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Matt Scolan OF / Downers Grove South, IL / 2021
Wisconsin-Whitewater commit. Scolan, a left/left senior, helped lead Downers Grove South to one of their better seasons in recent memory, finishing 27-4 and No. 18 in the season ending Power 25. Scolan notched 17 doubles on the season which was towards the top when it comes to the leaders across the state. Scolan also tallied eight home runs, 42 runs scored and 38 RBI’s to go along with a stout .495 batting average and .595 on base percentage. Scolan also led all of the “All-State” outfielders with a 1.033 slugging percentage. |
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Donovan McIntyre OF / Marian Catholic, IL / 2021
Kent State commit. Mcintyre, who made some of the most impressive gains of any senior in the state over the last couple of year’s, capped off a stellar senior season, being selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 11th round (Pick No. 326). McIntyre, who is bound to shoot up the 2021 rankings when the final update is made, is a long, athletic, left/left outfielder with top-end speed that plays up on the diamond. McIntrye, who patrolled the outfield this spring with fellow first-teamer Eddie King, stole 36/38 bases on the year. McIntyre set the table at the top of the order, walking 21 times, hitting .430 with a .528 on base percentage. On top of the top-of-the-order profile, McIntyre flashed some power, delivering three home runs, three triples and eight doubles. |
UTILITY
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Jackson Kent LHP / OF / Lake Park, IL / 2021
Wisconsin-Milwaukee commit. Kent, was another senior on the list who cemented himself as one of the top prospects in the ‘21 class. Kent was the bonafide ace of the Lake Park staff and helped lead them to a second-place finish in Class 4A and a record of 33-5 on the season. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound, left/left prospect took the ball in every big game for the Lancers throughout the spring and led them to a DuKane Conference title. One of Kent’s most impressive performances of the spring, a win over St. Charles North led to him being selected as the PBR Illinois Player Of The Week in May. In the start Kent struck out 18, which set a Lake Park school record. In total, Kent earned 31 swing and misses, did not walk a batter and struck out seven in a row at one point. Kent worked behind a fastball that climbed as high as 92 mph this spring, sitting comfortably at 87-90 with feel for a three-pitch mix. On the season, Kent went 8-0, striking out 82 in 45.2 inning pitched with an ERA of 1.68. Hitters batted .159 against Kent. On top of the impressive numbers on the mound, Kent also was a dangerous middle of the order bat for the Lancers. The physical left-handed hitter, hit .402 with four home runs and nine doubles. He knocked in 34 and scored 23 runs. He also only struck out seven times in 82 at-bats. |
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