On Oct. 18, PBR Illinois staff welcomed participating juniors to this open event in the Chicagoland area: the Class of 2022 Showcase. Over 130 players in the state’s 2022 class ventured to The MAX complex in McCook to perform in front of our staff, helping us gain a greater understanding of Illinois’ junior class – and all but four of the players who performed at this event are uncommitted.

We started our showcase analysis on Tuesday by sharing our notes, collaborating with each other to produce a collection of the event’s highlight-worthy performances inside of our Quick Hits post. Today, we’re diving into the measured data collected to assess the event’s statistical winners, with the help of our TrackMan and Blast Motion technologies.

TOP 60-YARD DASH

There were nine sub-7.00 times recorded in the 60-yard dash on Sunday, led by two 6.70 marks produced by INF Michael Gladden (St. Ignatius) and OF Bryce Goodwine (Hononegah). Goodwine earned some attention from our staff with a solid all-around day attending his first-ever PBR showcase, which began at this station. He’s since become a follow switch-hit outfielder who uses his speed to look the part of a true center field defender.

From Jacobs, OF/C Keegan Connors will be seen on a few leaderboards from this showcase, even beyond this one. He’s an intriguing athlete, underscored by that 6.70 time, and he impressed us having performed markedly better across the board when compared to his stats gathered at an event just four months prior.

There were some physical frames that clocked in above-average times, like 1B Daniel Pacella (Mundelein; Kentucky commit). He ran a 6.87 in strong 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame while also making the loudest contact of the day from the left side of the plate, as we’ll soon learn.

From Luther Prep in Wisconsin, SS/3B Kyle Schupmann was one of the day’s most impressive, well-rounded performers. He started his day with a 6.96 here.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY and Spin Rate

Mount Carmel opposite-handed twins Julien (Oklahoma) and Elias Hachem were right behind one another for the top spot in this category. From the left side, Julien’s huge fastball velocity captures your attention, sitting exclusively at 88-89 mph, topping 89.4 more specifically. It features swing-and-miss spin, up to 2,531 rpm, released at an average extension of 6.34 feet – and each of those highs were all event bests.

As for Elias, he’s already improved since his performance at the PBR Future Games, showing more of a viable breaking ball in addition to an 87-88 fastball that topped 88.5 mph. He’s a power arm right-hander and among the top uncommitted juniors in the state after making a marked improvement in a short period of time.

And another southpaw demonstrated premium velocity on Sunday: LHP Dylan Warda (Brother Rice). At a max velocity of 87.7 mph, per TrackMan, Warda’s fastball sat firmly in the 87-88 range which made for a trio of arms that managed to separate themselves from the rest of the arms in attendance.

Mitchelle is probably too good a position player to split time on the mound long-term – but it’s nice to know that he can, need be. He topped 87.1 mph, sitting 86-87 in his ‘pen.

At a strong, physical 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, RHP Jameson Sheehan (Cary-Grove) lives in the mid-80s with high spin, averaging nearly 2,400 rpm, only behind Julien Hachem. His straight four-seamer flashed some carry in the zone from a steep, over-the-top slot.

OF/LHP Chase Adams (Normal University) can also spin it a bit, and his fastball topped 86.7 mph at an average spin rate of 2,252 rpm. He showed some two-way abilities on Sunday, running a 7.05 with a fast left-handed bat that also produced a top exit speed of 96.0 mph.

MAX EXIT VELOCITY (Batting Practice) & average bat speed

Pacella’s athleticism, as referenced above, is made even more exciting by his prodigious power potential. He recorded the day’s top exit velocity at the station (102 mph) and he doubled down during batting practice by averaging the hardest exit velocity (96.4) with a 101.5 high.

Schupmann really began to separate himself from his peers here during batting practice. He left a long-lasting impression by smashing barrel after barrel into the left-center gap. His right-handed bat is simple and fast, and he gets to some impressive strength to produce an average exit of 91.6 mph in BP, with a 97.4 high. No other prospect average more than 286 feet on his batted balls, except for the Luther Prep prospect who peppered his pull gap at an average distance of 316 feet and his top batted ball travelled 366, the second farthest of the day.

Standing at an imposing 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, C/1B Victor Izquierdo (Lockport) swings with a vicious intent that helped him clobber the day’s farthest-hit ball – again and again. He was the only one to hit a ball 370 feet or more, and he did it three times during his round at a max exit speed of 102.1 mph.

With a 97 mph high at the station, INF/RHP Christian Mitchelle (Plainfield East) matched that mark and then some in BP, where he topped 98.6 at an average of 87.7, among the day’s most consistently hard exit scores. His overall performance was one of our favorites, as he ran a 6.91 while also taking a staunch round of infield defense.

OF Ryan Snell (Benet Academy) averaged the fourth-hardest exit speed (89.7), trailing only Pacella, Izquierdo, and Schupmann. It’s a projectable right-handed swing in an upside 6-foot-2, 194-pound frame.

From Thornwood, 1B Horacio Cabrales Jr., an Illinois State commit, wields some substantial raw power from the right side in a 6-foot-3, 245-pound build. He was up to 96 mph at the station and 98.0 mph during BP – and his best batted ball travelled 351 feet.

MAX INFIELD VELOCITY

Who else but Schupmann and Mitchelle to pace this group. The two infielders matched an 89 mph high across in very similar, physical, athletic 6-foot frames. These two juniors used this event to really propel themselves as follows in this class – Mitchelle in Illinois and Schupmann in Wisconsin. Look for the two to make a splash in our next rankings updates.

SS/RHP Matthew Karbowski (Hampshire) is an interesting two-way prospect, so it’s natural to see him near the top of this leaderboard. He’s a wiry athlete with a simple right-handed swing that is prone to repeatable on-plane contact.

From Naperville North, SS/2B Patrick Graham is a 7.02 runner who put together some interesting measurables on Sunday, from station to station. Before producing an 88 mph high to first, Graham recorded a 92.7 mph high exit speed in batting practice, and an average of 83.5.

Yorkville’s INF/C Owen Ross generated some exciting statistical scores everywhere he participated Sunday, including his 86 mph high across in the diamond. He’s a 6-foot-2, 190-pound right/right prospect who showed a high ceiling in the batter’s box, on the infield dirt, and behind the plate.

MAX OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Connors’ positive performance continued on in the outfield where he topped 90 mph with the aforementioned Snell. Connors’ improved arm strength was among the more notable takeaways of the day, as it’s considerably enhanced his prospect stock, in addition to his improved 60-yard dash time. He also took one of the better round of catcher defense, but his speed, athleticism, and arm strength look like a more natural fit in the outfield grass.

Snell also, clearly, has been putting in the work throughout 2020, besting previously set stats at a February showcase. He ran a 7.17 and we talked about his upside righty bat earlier, and his 90 mph high to home was also a highlight here.

At 5-foot-11, 175 pounds, OF Nick Daugherty (Brother Rice) re-established himself as a junior to keep an eye on. He just looks like a steady, reliable prospect as a 7.06 runner with arm strength and a fast right-handed bat that produced frequent on-plane line-drive contact.

York’s Zach Bormann topped 88 mph to home in a muscular 6-foot-1, 195-pound physique. He averaged an exit speed of 81.9 mph in his round of batting practice, and hit one ball 331 feet for a personal high.

MAX CATCHER VELOCITY

At his first-ever PBR event, Jake Merda (St. Laurence) recorded the day’s top velocity from the chute, at 80 mph. There’s some added upside, clearly, to tease out as Merda continues to develop at the position, making his actions on the catch-and-throw more efficient to better utilize his arm strength.

Connors was popping some of the most consistent, on-target throws of this group, and his added arm strength showed especially well here, as he reached 79 mph.

Lyons Township’s Jack McNamara has some left-handed bat strength, so his prospect stock is arrow-up as he also demonstrated solid catch-and-throw skills, too. He averaged pops in the low 2.00s, with a 2.01 low specifically, with throws that topped 78 mph. Offensively, McNamara generated notable bat speed (75.1 mph on average) that helped produce average exit speed of 83.9 mph.

TOP CATCHER POP TIMES

Tristan Kerr (Lake Forest) was the event’s quickest out of the chute, on average, with pops ranging from 2.00 to 2.06. He repeated his catch-and-throw easily with accuracy and carry, topping 77 mph to the bag on a line. Kerr also showed off some bat speed in the right-handed batter’s box while also recording a top exit speed of 97.7 mph with a best batted ball that travelled over 356 feet. Kerr definitely emerged as a backstop to check back in on next winter coming out of this event.

Another Mount Carmel prospect, Colin Horneman, showed well as a wiry athlete that made for a memorable session of catcher defense. He’s a 7.13 runner who was also consistently on target while also popping in the low-2.00s with clean exchanges and efficient actions.

It’s worth noting as well that Izquierdo actually moves around behind the plate with some twitch and efficiency, popping a 2.01 low. It underscores his athleticism, which is impressive for a player of his stature. Even if he can’t catch long-term, he looks like he can be able to provide real value as a first baseman – as, naturally, his size makes for a big target.

For a complete look at the stat leaderboards from Sunday's showcase, click here.

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