Prep Baseball Report

Illinois 2019 Signing Period: D-II, D-III & NAIA Commits


By Adam Panayotovich
Area Scout

Last week we started our IL 2019 class breakdown by dissecting all seniors headed to the Division-I ranks. Today we will take a look at those players within the state who are going on to play at the D-II, D-III and NAIA levels, respectively. Most of the analysis keeps in mind the conferences in each Division to catch onto any trends that may have developed. The national signing periods for these three levels of competition vary so we'll touch on that as well.

The NCAA and Division-I/Division-II baseball recently altered the National Letter of Intent signing period which now opens November 14th, 2018 and closes August 1st, 2019. Division-III and NAIA on the other hand do not have a ‘signing period’ per se, which is intended to even the playing field for Colleges/Universities of all levels. That being said, keep a watch on our twitter page @PBRIllinois as we will continue to track player commitments year round.

It is important to note that we broke down all of the in-state D-II programs in length last Wednesday. You can find out who’s headed to any the four in-state programs with in-depth notes here. This specific post is reserved for all of the 2019 Illinois prospects moving on to play D-II, D-III or NAIA baseball both in and out-of-state.

That all being said, we've been sorting out and organizing all the commitments that have crossed our desks and providing them for you in one place. We do not mention in-detail every player, but make sure to check out the very bottom of this each divisions post for an interactive chart of every Illinois 2019 recruit marching to play at their respective level next fall.

 

 

 

 

Great lakes valley conference

GLVC
  • Of the thirty-six total Illinois players headed to play Division-II collegiate baseball next fall, twenty-three of them are headed to the The Great Lakes Valley Conference. Aforementioned, we broke down four of the conferences fifteen Universities that reside in the borders of Illinois (Illinois-Springfield, Quincy, Lewis & McKendree).
  • Southern Indiana locked up Michael Conner (Moline) who’s a powerful corner infielder with strong hands that looks to damage the baseball to the pull side.
  • Drury University signed Patrick McCabe (Morris) who is a sure handed middle infielder that plays well on the move and repeats his compact stroke at the plate.
  • Maryville is getting two of the States ranked players in Nicholas Hofmann (Elk Grove) and Nick Guerra (Morton). Hofmann is a fleet-footed, (6.71 60-yard dash) confident middle infielder that has line drive ability to the middle of the diamond. Guerra, coming off his prep 3A State Championship, has an athletic, strong frame and has a chance to be an impact left-handed bat from the time he steps on campus.

THE OTHERS

  • Michael Hoes (Downers Grove South) is headed to the Conference Carolinas and Belmont Abbey College. Hoes hits with rhythm, generates present bat speed and has the arm strength to make him a weapon at whatever position he fills moving forward.
  • Tony Fleischauer (Joliet Catholic) is the second highest ranked player headed to the D-II ranks. The athletic infielder will attend Grand Valley State in the GLIAC. A left-handed hitter, Fleischauer hits with moxy at the plate, has barrel control with plate awareness and can damage the baseball to all fields. Also headed to the GLIAC and Purdue-Northwest is Joe Buikema (Notre Dame). A right-handed pitcher, Buikema sits his fastball in the low to mid 80’s with a breaking ball that has swing and miss potential.
  • The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) is getting two projectable infielders next fall in Justice Page (Lindblom; Clark Atlanta University commit) and Wendell Smith (Marist; Morehouse College commit). Both hit from the right side of the plate and generate above-average bat speed that will play at the next level. 

DIVISION-II COMMITS

Name   School   Pos.   Commitment   Conference
Jake Ambuel Carlinville OF McKendree University GLVC
Will Aubel Okawville INF Bellarmine University GLVC
Charlie Bennett Bremen C Purdue University-Northwest GLIAC
Jaren Brucher Geneseo RHP Central Missouri MIAA
Joe Buikema Notre Dame RHP Purdue University-Northwest GLIAC
Michael Campo Lincoln-Way Central INF Purdue University-Northwest GLIAC
Angelo Cantelo Marian Catholic C Lewis University GLVC
Wesley Collins O'Fallon OF Drury University GLVC
Johnny Colombo Lane Tech INF Illinois-Springfield GLVC
Michael Conner Moline CIF Southern Indiana GLVC
Tom Conzemius Deerfield LHP/OF Quincy University GLVC
Joe Copeland Edwardsville OF McKendree University GLVC
Robert Farrell Joliet Central RHP Missouri Western State MIAA
Tony Fleischauer Joliet Catholic INF Grand Valley State GLIAC
Jacob Goss Plainfield North LHP Illinois-Springfield GLVC
Samuel Grushkin Seneca RHP Upper Iowa University NSIC
Nick Guerra Morton INF/RHP Maryville University GLVC
Anthony Guy Lane Tech INF Tusculum College SAC
Brennan Haddix Granite City INF/RHP Quincy University GLVC
Cameron Hibbets Granite City LHP/OF McKendree University GLVC
Michael Hoes Downers Grove South INF Belmont Abbey College Conference Carolinas
Nicholas Hofmann Elk Grove INF Maryville University GLVC
Jake Huisman Glenbard East RHP Lewis University GLVC
Jacob Karaba Neuqua Valley RHP Lewis University GLVC
Patrick Keaty South Elgin INF Lewis University GLVC
Brady Krile Eureka INF/RHP Missouri-St. Louis GLVC
Will Lanxon Belleville West INF Lindenwood University (MO) MIAA
Patrick McCabe Morris INF Drury University GLVC
Bradley Miller Oak Forest C Illinois-Springfield GLVC
Anthony Noble Plainfield Central  OF Purdue University-Northwest GLIAC
Justice Page Lindblom INF Clark Atlanta University SIAC
Nathan Righi Pekin RHP/INF Illinois-Springfield GLVC
Noah Riley Columbia RHP Drury University GLVC
Jake Schwartz Lake Zurich RHP Lewis University GLVC
Wendell Smith Marist INF/RHP Morehouse College SIAC
Mike Sullivan Wheaton North RHP Maryville University GLVC
Garrett Weiner Marquette Catholic OF Missouri University S&T GLVC
Tyler Yakiminsky Mundelein INF Illinois-Springfield GLVC

 

 

 

 

NORTHERN ATHLETIC COLLEGIATE CONFERENCE 

NACC

  • Five of the eleven schools in the NACC are represented by at least one player in the IL 2019 class. This conference is deep rooted in the state seeing that only one of their five schools with an Illinois commit fall outside the states borders (Marian University, WI).
  • Concordia has a pair of left-handed hurlers headed to campus next fall in Rahul Champaneri (Mundelein) and Chandler Kerr (Marian Catholic) who both could make an impact upon arrival. Champaneri has shown composure in an in-game setting with a three pitch repertoire that sees a fastball that sits in the low/mid 80’s and feel for a changeup. Kerr’s fastball sits a few ticks behind his future teammates at the moment, but at a projectable 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Kerr has the frame and arm speed to make an impact his freshman season.
  • Aurora (30-15) and Benedictine (23-18) are each bringing in five players from their home state, as of today, that will look to bring an impact to their respective above .500 records last year.
  • The lone Illinois player headed outside the state in the NACC is Luke Fiantago (Prairie Ridge; Marian (WI) commit). An athletic infielder who made a jump into the top-250 in July, Fiantago has natural infield actions and a direct bat path with bat speed. 
  • Also, Dominican is bringing in three players all from the southwest suburbs of the Chicago next fall.

College Conferences of Illinois and Wisconsin

CCIW

  • Dominic Listi (Prairie Ridge) and Ian Steinorth (York) are two of the five IL players headed to North Central College after this years senior campaign. Listi is a strong and athletic left-handed hitting outfielder that can go get it defensively, who could also make an impact on the mound his freshman year. Steinorth’s IL rank sits in the mid-100’s for multiple reasons; a 6.83 60-yard dash, a live body with quick twitch ability, smooth defensive actions and bat speed at the plate. North Central is bringing in four other IL prospects to build on a conference best 20-4 championship record last year.
  • Augustana (25-16)  is bringing in five players from their home state. Spencer Hasselroth (Rock Island), a 6-foot-2, 180-pound projectable framed right-hander can sit his fastball in the mid 80’s and showed signs of a plus breaking ball in the works. Joseph Marcucci (Rolling Meadows) is a strong left-handed hitting prospect that will look to stick at his prime position defensively behind the plate. Two left-handed pitchers will also head to Rock Island in Jake Reusch (Mercer County) and Zach Gooding (Hinsdale Central).

Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

  • UW-Oshkosh is bringing in ten players from the state looking to improve on their 2018 conference-second best record at 18-6. LHP Cameron Mulvihill (Evanston) projects well at 6-foot-2 and has the make-up and tools to be one of the better left-handed pitchers in the state this spring, boding well for his perspective collegiate career. 6-foot-2, 170-pound, Brian Adams (Sandburg), has a lean, athletic frame, runs a sub-7 60-yard dash and can swing the bat from both sides of the dish.
  • Oshkosh is also bringing in two outfielders in Marcus Keller (Wauconda) and Colin Olkiewicz (Minooka). Keller is a long-limbed projectable right/right prospect who has the chance to make an impact either on the mound or at the plate for the Titans next fall. Olkiewicz has a strong right-handed bat with excellent feel for the barrel to be a top of the order threat in the coming years. He also can fit defensively at any spot in the outfield grass while running a sub-7 60-yard dash to boot.
  • Wisconsin-LaCrosse (24-13) is bringing in two players who should make an impact on their roster upon arrival next fall. Jack Moran (Loyola) has natural actions in the infield dirt and a strong arm which should allow him to stay on the left-side of the diamond. Sawyer Phillips (Antioch) stands at 6-foot-1, 170-pounds with a strong lower half and enough arm strength to improve on his mid 80’s fastball by his first collegiate year.

THE OTHERS

  • The University of Chicago commit Hayden Brotz (Stevenson) has present lower half strength and an aggressive, powerful swing with middle of the order potential.
  • Justin McGuigan (Plainfield South) is headed to Minnesota to play at Concordia. He is a strong, compact catcher that ran a 6.86 at his last PBR event in February. We have seen McGuigan’s pop time crack the sub-2 second mark and showed a repeatable swing that can produce line drive contact.
  • Two IL prospects headed to the New England Small College Athletic Conference are Andrew Gatland (Lyons Township) to Middlebury College and Ethan Harrast (Hinsdale Central) to Hamilton College. Gatland is a long and lean, projectable right-handed pitcher, has a loose easy arm action and a fastball in the low 80’s. He also checks the athletic column box with a PBR event best 6.80 60-yard dash in July last year. Harrast can play the middle of the field at the next level and has rhythmic actions on both sides of the ball.
  • The North Coast Athletic Conference’s Denison and Oberlin College both dug into the Prairie State to receive commitments SS/RHP Patrick Neenan (Loyola) and OF Nicholas Palermo (St. Ignatius), respectively. Neenan has a clean arm action and an upside fastball sitting in the low to mid 80’s. Palermo has the speed (6.80 60-yard dash) to chase the ball down in the outfield with ease and competes at the plate.
  • There are five total Illinois prospects headed to the University Athletic Conference (UAA), two of which are headed to Case Western Reserve University in Nicholas Talarico (Marmion) and Cooper Schmidt (Cary-Grove). Talarico has a strong frame and it translates to his offensive approach as he has the potential to be a middle of the order, right-handed bat moving forward. Schmidt a RHP, has a low-effort, repeatable delivery that can play in college. 
  • Emory University is getting a pitcher in Aaron Mishoulam (Oak Park-River Forest) who should immediately see playing time as the 6-foot-5 righty already has a fastball that sits comfortably in the mid to high 80’s. He has plenty of room to fill into his frame, present arm speed and a loose arm action that makes the sky the limit for Mishoulam.

DIVISION-III COMMITS

Name   School   Pos.   Commitment   Conference
Brian Adams Sandburg INF Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Jono Berry Rock Island Alleman OF Aurora University NACC
Justin Binz Mundelein OF Hope College MIAC
Charlie Bischoff Plainfield Central INF Illinois Weslyan CCIW
Daniel Brannigan Lemont 1B/RHP Dominican University (IL) NACC
Jackson Broom Huntley CIF/RHP Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Hayden Brotz Stevenson CIF/RHP University of Chicago MWC
Alex Buchanan Kaneland RHP North Central College CCIW
Alex Cameron Morris OF Benedictine University (IL) NACC
Anthony Caruso Streamwood  CIF Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Rahul Champaneri Mundelein LHP Concordia University-Chicago NACC
Marshall Chapman Rich Central INF Benedictine University (IL) NACC
Kyle Coates Elgin RHP Washington University (MO) UAA
Matthew Cusumano Sycamore C/INF North Central College CCIW
Jake Devine Mundelein RHP Augustana College (IL) NACC
Jared Dorfman Mundelein OF Illinois College MWC
Austin Doty South Elgin OF Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Ryan Doubek Marist OF Benedictine University (IL) NACC
Luke Fiantago Prairie Ridge INF Marian University (WI) NACC
John Gallet Lockport LHP Wisconsin-Whitewater WIAC
Justin Gasper Lockport RHP Dominican University (IL) NACC
Andrew Gatland Lyons Township RHP Middlebury College NESCAC
Dolan Glasgow Benet INF Benedictine University (IL) NACC
Zach Gooding Hinsdale Central LHP Augustana College (IL) NACC
Nathan Hardin Plainfield North C Hanover College HCAC
Ethan Harrast Hinsdale Central INF Hamilton College NESCAC
Carson Harvey Plainfield South LHP Dominican University (IL) NACC
Spencer Hasselroth Rock Island RHP Augustana College (IL) NACC
Alec Hranicka Lincoln-Way East C St. Mary's University (MN) MIAC
Frank Kalemba Jones College Prep RHP/3B North Park University CCIW
Chris Karasinski Glenbrook North INF/C Denison University NCAC
Marcus Keller Wauconda  RHP/OF Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Chandler Kerr Marian Catholic LHP/1B Concordia University-Chicago NACC
Alexander Kriz Richmond Burton C/INF Loras College ARC
Griffin Lapp Plainfield South INF Concordia University-St. Paul MIAC
Eric Lundell Marmion RHP Concordia University-St. Paul MIAC
Joseph Marcucci Rolling Meadows C Augustana College (IL) NACC
Daniel Marion West Aurora OF North Park University CCIW
Tyler Marson Grayslake Central RHP Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Garry Maynard Oswego INF/RHP Concordia University-Chicago NACC
Michael McCormack Hinsdale South  RHP Benedictine University (IL) NACC
Justin McGuigan Plainfield South C Concordia (MN) MIAC
Joseph McKermitt Loyola LHP North Central College CCIW
Aaron Mishoulam Oak Park-River Forest RHP Emory University UAA
Jackson Mladic Lockport OF Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Garrett Moran Glenbrook South RHP Trinity University (TX) SCAC
Jack Moran Loyola INF Wisconsin-LaCrosse WIAC
Jonathan Mroz Hampshire C Aurora University NACC
Cameron Mulvihill Evanston LHP Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Patrick Neenan Loyola INF/RHP Denison University NCAC
Jack Nilles Willowbrook RHP North Park University CCIW
Bradley Novak Wheaton Warrenville South INF North Central College CCIW
Colin Olkiewicz Minooka OF  Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Nicolas Palermo St. Ignatius OF Oberlin College NCAC
Elijah Paplanus Huntley RHP/INF MSOE NACC
Davis Pasco Huntley RHP/OF Loras College ARC
Ryan Pawlak Plainfield South 1B/OF Wisconsin-Oshkosh WIAC
Henry Pelinski New Trier OF/LHP Emory University UAA
Sawyer Phillips Antioch RHP Wisconsin-LaCrosse WIAC
Danny Pocklington Buffalo Grove LHP Grinnell College MWC
Steven Proutsos Plainfield East RHP/INF Dominican University (IL) NACC
Jake Reusch Mercer County LHP/OF Augustana College (IL) CCIW
Austin Richardson Plainfield South LHP Illinois Institute of Tech. WIAC
Sean Rivera Plainfield East  INF Aurora University NACC
Brandon Ruehle Plainfield East 1B/RHP Aurora University NACC
Bryson Schmidt Plano RHP Augustana College (IL) NACC
Cooper Schmidt Cary-Grove RHP Case Western UAA
Jordan Smevoll Marian Catholic LHP Webster University SLIAC
Ian Steinorth York INF North Central College CCIW
Zach Stoner Minooka INF Benedictine NACC
Nicholas Talarico Marmion INF Case Western UAA
Josh Tarlin Huntley INF Aurora NACC
Joe Unger Schaumburg C Dubuque ARC
Bryce Vincent Jacobs INF Concordia University-Chicago NACC
Nic Vitiritti Mount Carmel RHP Carthage CCIW
Trey Vorwald Manteno OF/C MacMurray College SLIAC
Ethan Watrous North Shore Country Day RHP Cornell College MWC
Ben Wielgos Plainfield Central INF St. John's University (MN) MIAC

 

 





Thirteen total players are headed to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics from the state of Illinois. Now those numbers are sure to rise as the season approaches, however there is already an impressive group of players headed to the NAIA ranks.

ALL PLAYERS

  • The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference is bringing in the most players from the state Illinois in six. Highest rank of them all is Robert Jackman Jr. (Lincoln-Way West). Jackman Jr. stands at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds and emerged at the Top Prospect - Chicago this past summer when he ran his fastball up to 90 mph.
  • Christopher Conrad (Plainfield Central) and Evan Orzech (Homeschool) are both headed to St. Xavier University in Chicago, Illinois. Conrad is a 6-foot-2 long and lanky RHP, has a long arm action and a fastball that sits in the low 80’s. Orzech is a left-handed hitting catcher that has feel for the position defensively.
  • A pair of athletic brothers are both headed to St. Francis University next fall in Nolan Weis (Lockport) and John Weis (Lockport). Nolan has the smaller frame, profiles more as a middle infielder with a compact stroke at the plate. John is wide-shouldered, profiles more at the corners, and looks to lift with a power approach.
  • MJ Stavola (Aurora Central) signed to play at Indiana Weslyan in the Crossroads league last month. Stavola is a scrappy player who has feel for the game on all sides of the ball. A top of the order threat for the 1A State Champion Eagles, Stavola is a tough out with barrel control in the zone. He has present arm speed as he was recently up to 91 mph from the outfield last month and has touched 84 on the mound as a Junior in-game.
  • LHP Max Engstrom (St. Laurence) will join Stavola at Indiana Weslyan. The deceptive, deliberate type, Engstrom has the makeup to be a left-handed bullpen weapon in college.
  • Dylan Janke (Huntley) is headed to IU-Kokomo and has an arm that may project more on the mound than behind the plate. Utilizing an over the top slot, Janke sits his cutting-like fastball in the mid 80’s and showed the ability to spin the breaker.

NAIA COMMITS

Name   School   Pos.   Commitment   Conference
Tylor Anderson  Joliet West OF Goshen College Crossroads League
Christopher Conrad Plainfield Central RHP St. Xavier University CCAC
Max Engstrom St. Lawrence LHP Indiana Wesleyan University Crossroads League
Hunter Haines Mascoutah OF Hannibal-LaGrange College AMC
Ben Harris Prairie Ridge RHP Judson CCAC
Brandon Houtz Warren OF Concordia University (MI) WHAC
Tyler Kallum Bollingbrook INF/RHP St. Xavier University CCAC
Robert Jackman Jr. Lincoln-Way West RHP Olivet Nazarene CCAC
Dylan Janke Huntley C/RHP IU-Kokomo RSC
Evan Orzech Homeschool C St. Xavier University CCAC
MJ Stavola Aurora Christian OF/LHP Indiana Wesleyan Crossroads League
Nolan Weis Lockport INF/RHP St. Francis (IL) CCAC
John Weis Lockport INF/RHP St. Francis (IL) CCAC
Grant Young Harvest Christian INF Cornerstone University WHAC

 

Remember to keep an eye out at @PBRIllinois for up to date commitments from players all over the state.

 

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