Prep Baseball Report

Class of 2023 Showcase: Preview Story


By: Diego Solares
Staff Writer, Associate Scout

On Sunday, October 10, the PBR Illinois staff will head back to The MAX Sports Complex in McCook, Illinois, to host another fall event on our calendar - the Class of 2023 Showcase. This annual event serves as a further identifier for the state’s current junior class as we prepare to enter the off-season.

You can find more information on this event and how to register by clicking HERE. For a complete look at the current, up-to-date roster of prospects for this event, click HERE.

ROSTER PREVIEW

There’s roughly 60 players set to make the trip to the MAX this Sunday and it’s, as expected, a talented bunch. Here’s a few quick nuggets of information on a few names that pop on this roster:

+ INF Graham Mastros (New Trier) solidified his status as one of the state’s most potent right-handed hitters throughout this summer as the ball simply sounds different off his barrel. He’s an especially physical 6-foot-2, 225-pound presence in the batter’s box that profiles as a middle-of-the-order type masher in the long run.

+ Ranked inside the state’s top-65 prospects for his class OF Luke Stulga (St. Laurence) is set to attend this event on Sunday for a much needed up-to-date look. We last saw him in the IHSA playoffs with the Vikings and the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Stulga is a high-ceiling athlete with plenty of projection left to come.

+ A winner from the recent PBR Midwest Fall Championships, we’re set to see INF Sohrab Rezaei (University of Chicago Laboratory Schools) for the first time in a showcase setting since 2019. Below is a quick nugget on him from Grand Park, where he impressed one of our scouts:

“A standout performer from Sunday’s event, Rezaei made a handful of quality plays in the field for Top Tier Americans in their final game of the day. Rezaei’s glove profiles as an asset up the middle with the foot speed, hands, and instincts to stick there in the long run. He showed strong body control on a run through play and also helped turn an impressive double play in a crucial moment for Top Tier. Offensively, Rezaei worked a deep count in his first at-bat of the game, fouling off multiple pitches and spoiling secondaries before eventually finding his way on base. He also poked a few balls the other way, showcasing bat speed and high bat-to-ball skills with little swing-and-miss.” 

+ INF Easton Steck (Galesburg) showed well at this year’s Illinois State Games and the Central Illinois product is set to make his PBR debut this Sunday. He’s an athletic 6-foot-1, 175-pound prospect with even more physical projection left to come in the frame as he continues to mature. Steck’s most valuable asset is his glove, as he looks the part of a potential asset up-the-middle defender on the infield.

+ We’ve become quite familiar with OF Gianni Royer (Lake Forest), as our scouts have seen him several times throughout the fall. He’s an impressive athlete in his own right that comfortably roams around the outfield and can serve as a spark plug atop a lineup, too. Sunday will actually be the first time we’ll see Royer at an Illinois’ event, so we’re eager for him to work out in front of our staff.

+ LHP/1B Patrick Gardner (Lemont), 1B Blake Binkowski (Lincoln-Way East), and 3B Alex Day (Andrew) are all physical presences on the diamond with strong, sturdy frames that we’ll see on Sunday, too.

ITINERARY

CHECK IN TIMES

Position Players: 8:30-8:45 AM

Pitcher Onlys: Noon

CHECK IN PROCESS

In an effort to continue and develop a simplified, contactless check-in process, upon arrival, players will scan a QR Code with their smart phone camera that will lead them to a Google Form. On that Form, players will enter their name (matching the spelling on their PBR profile) and hit submit. Upon submission, players will be prompted to click a link that will direct them to their jersey color and number, located next to their registered name. From there, players will be instructed to the area where they’ll pick up their designated jersey color and number.

MORE EVENT DETAILS 

Click here to learn more about our tech partners that have enhanced our players showcase experience. Partners like TrackMan and Blast Motion have helped both our in-event evaluation process, as well the compilation of our post-event scouting reports – and they're also a tool for our players to learn more about their measured and collected data, that can be applied to improve upon their game.

Finally, masks are strongly encouraged during non-baseball activity. We will facilitate a contact-less check-in. Hand sanitizer stations will be accessible. Wear baseball clothes; assigned and numbered PBR jerseys will be provided.

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