On Aug. 8 and 9, PBR Illinois hosted the second annual Illinois State Games at Rantoul Family Sports Complex in Rantoul, competing in an event featuring the top players in the state, spanning grad classes 2024 through 2027.

For everything you need to know about the event, like stat leaders, historical context, commits, and more, click HERE. To see a full list of the players that attended, click HERE.

Shortly after the event, our staff published a full data dive at this event, where we analyzed several standouts from Tuesday's workout day, as well as the arms who took the mound in Rantoul. You can find both of those here: Position Players | Pitchers.

Last week, our staff highlighted over 70 players from the 2024 class that stood out at the event, which you can find by clicking HERE.

Today we turn our attention to the 2025 class, which featured another loaded crop of prospects who impressed over this two-day event. Below you’ll find scout notes and videos on an abundance of juniors from the event, broken down by the teams they were assigned.

PROCASE TEAM

+ Building on an already impressive summer circuit at the event was uncommitted C Zach Bava (Naperville North, 2025). Bava is a left-handed hitter with high bat-to-ball skills that has continuously hit in front of our staff all summer long. During the workout portion of the event, Bava had a max exit velocity of 96 mph, paired with a max distance of 350 feet. Bava additionally showed well behind the dish on the workout day with a max velocity of 78 mph down to second, with a quick pop time range of 1.95-2.03 seconds. Bava is a high-motor backstop to continue to monitor in the 2025 class.

Zach Bava

TEAM 1 - ROYAL BLUE

+ RHP Charlie Taczy (Cary Grove, 2025) brings plenty of intrigue on the mound attached to a lean, highly projectable 6-foot, 145-pound frame. An easy, fluid mover downhill, Taczy’s fastball played in the low-80s from a clean ¾ arm action, peaking at 2394 RPM. His bread-and-butter pitch is a 72-74 mph slider with heavy horizontal action at times (22.3”) that averaged 2465 RPM, peaking at 2630 RPM. Taczy also flashed a changeup at 75-78 mph that reached 23 inches of run at max, averaging 19 inches while playing from a slightly lower arm angle than his fastball.

+ RHP Andrew Tay (St. Thomas More, 2025) is a loose-bodied, projectable athlete that toed the rubber in Rantoul at 6-foot-2, 180-pounds with a quick arm to pair. Tay ran his fastball up to 84 mph, pitching in the low-80s, and he spun a tight, short wrinkle slider at 74-77 mph. 

+ Incoming junior INF Luke Yolich (Whitney Young, 2025) was on the barrel during gameplay and batting practice at the event. Currently ranked No. 52 in the 2025 class. The right-handed hitting Yolich has a wide, open setup that sits into the backside paired with a short, direct and flat path that induces barreled baseballs to all fields. He showed more notable bat strength than we’d seen from him previously in this look, reaching a peak exit velocity of 94.7 mph, while averaging 88.6 mph per batted ball. Defensively, Yolich is confident on the dirt with quick, sure-handed glove work that played well on the move, too. 

TEAM 2 - WHITE

+ Left/left OF/LHP Hayden Bernreuter (Triad, 2025) showed well on both sides of the ball at this event. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound junior flashed noticeable raw power in BP, swatting his furthest ball 363 feet with a 97.1 mph max exit velocity to pair. That juiced showed in game, as Bernreuter launched a no-doubt home run in his Wednesday morning contest. He hopped on the mound as well, running his fastball up to 85 mph, while pitching in the low-80s, and spinning a 69-70 mph slider with depth off it. 

Hayden Bernreuter

+ Fresh off representing Team Illinois at the PBR Future Games, INF Brady Green (Oak Park-River Forest, 2025) showed well again at this event. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound strong-bodied Green continued to swing a physical right-handed barrel, averaging 91.3 mph per batted ball, while reaching 98.8 mph at peak to pair with a 350 ft. max batted distance. Green almost exclusively elevated the baseball (80%) and stayed on his barrel throughout (70%), too. He ran a personal best 6.94 60, topped at 84 mph across the infield, and doubled during the event’s gameplay portion. 

+ LHP Zack Ziroli (Downers Grove North, 2025) was recently a winner at the Northwest Suburban Open this summer, and gave another intriguing look at the Illinois State Games. Ziroli is an athletic 6-foot, 175-pound southpaw that moves well around the mound with an easy, fluid arm action. His fastball primarily worked in the low-80s with carry up in the zone (T2455 RPM), and he spun a tight curveball in the high-60s with late bite to get swings and misses around the zone (T2715 RPM). 

TEAM 3 - GOLD

+ LHP Lucas Grant (Joliet Catholic, 2025) flashed a dynamic arsenal in our brief look. Compact, 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame, still has room for added strength. Easy mover down the mound, simple tall/fall lower-half, works in-line. Fastball cruised at 82-84 mph, topping out at 85.5 mph with above-average spin (2300-2400+ RPM) and over 20” of run at times. Flipped in a short, lateral slider at 70-76 mph. Flashed a fading changeup with a similar profile to his fastball, 73-74 mph. A southpaw with three pitches to follow headed into his junior year. 

Lucas Grant

+ Showing some of the louder tools throughout the event was OF Timmy Leark (Oak Park River Forest, 2025). Twitchy, athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound frame with room for added strength. Ran a 6.88 second 60 yard dash during the workout portion. Simple and repeatable swing that works explosively through the ball. Was on the barrel during BP (80% sweet spot) with a peak exit velocity of 93.6 mph. Translated a strong workout into gameplay, barreling a loud double to the pull-side gap. Strong arm that topped at 89 mph from the outfield. Has the tools to stick in centerfield and will only get better as he physically matures.

Timmy Leark

+ MIF Cole Lockwood (Libertyville, 2025) was another junior that came away from this event a winner. Lockwood controlled the barrel from an easy, simple right-handed swing, and he showed feel to spray line drives to all fields during his round of BP. That feel to hit showed in game, as Lockwood finished the event 4-for-6 with four singles, no strikeouts, and two runs scored. He’s also a 6.90 runner in the 60 with steady, sure-handed actions on the infield that play well on the move. 

Showing well on the workout day was OF Luke McClure (Champaign Central, 2025). McClure was a 6.59 runner in the 60-yard dash at the event, which was good for third best at the State Games. A L/L outfielder, McClure also showed well with the bat during the workout with a flat bat path and a middle of the field approach, posting a peak exit velocity of 91.5 mph in his round.  

OF Chase Petersen (Glenbrook North, 2025) is a physical 5-foot-10, 180-pound athlete with tools across the board. He consistently got off fast, aggressive hacks throughout his round of BP, averaging 92 mph per batted ball, while peaking at 100 mph, and sending his furthest barrel 356 feet. Aside from his inherent juice, Petersen darted to a 6.83 60 time and showed natural arm strength from the outfield, peaking at 88 mph on his firmest bullet. 

TEAM 4 - LIGHT BLUE 

+ MIF Drew Church (Montini Catholic, 2025) showed well on both sides of the ball throughout the event, and projects well playing up the middle of the field. Church has plenty of upside within a high-waisted 6-foot-3, 165-pound frame. At the plate, he uses a loose, simple right-handed swing that will continue to progress with added strength. Defensively, Church showed tools that will allow him to stick up the middle. Displayed above average arm strength across the infield (87 mph), along with savvy glove work and rhythmic feet. 

Drew Church

+ OF Ryan Dabe (Huntley, 2025) had one of the more impressive showings on the workout day. Strong, 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, athletic with room to add on more strength in the coming years. The right-handed hitter was all over the barrel in his round of BP, averaging 93.3 mph with a max exit velocity of 100.3 mph, also reaching up to 371’ for his max distance. Speed continues to trend in the right direction, trimming .22 seconds off his time from this past winter with a 7.07 in the 60. Strong arm in the outfield, plays with carry through his target, reaching up to 86 mph but has been up to 90 mph in the past. 

+ Showing an intriguing two-way look throughout the event was MIF/RHP Kannon Kamp (Father McGivney, 2025). The soon-to-be junior has been trending up in 2023 after hitting .407 for Father McGivney this past spring. Kamp continued that success into the summer, showing well in front of our staff at Creekside and now at the State Games. The left-handed hitter has a hitterish look in the box with a fluid swing that consistently finds barrels. During gameplay, Kamp used his all-fields approach to shoot a double the other way with two strikes. On the mound, Kamp showed a loose and whippy arm that generated natural arm-side run on a low-80s fastball. Playing off his heater, Kamp used a low-70s changeup with depth as an out-pitch. He’s a name-to-know prospect from southern Illinois in the 2025 class. 

Kannon Kamp

+ CIF Rhett Ozment (Crystal Lake Central, 2025) has a physical 6-foot-1, 205-pound frame with strength throughout that shows in the right-handed batter’s box. Ozment showed natural juice from a direct and controlled swing in BP, elevating his furthest ball an estimated 355 feet, per TrackMan. He had a strong showing in game too, picking up three hits and drawing a pair of walks. 

+ C Brandon Stinson (Kenwood Academy, 2025) is a ceiling backstop that impressed in many ways throughout the event. The wiry, athletic catcher stands at 6-foot-1, 177-pounds with long levers. Stinson is a mobile defender behind the dish, registering a top pop time of 2.00 with a 76 mph arm out of the chute. He also provides quality receiving and blocking actions. At the plate, Stinson exhibited advanced bat-to-ball skills, starting from a wide stance and a flat bat path. In BP, he worked his peak exit velocity into the low-90s, with a max distance of 351 feet. In game, the right-handed hitter took several quality at-bats, including two loud barrels up the middle of the field. 

Brandon Stinson

TEAM 5 - MAROON 

+ C Eli Craft (Monticello, 2025) has continued to really impress our staff this summer after seeing brief looks this spring. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound right-handed hitter may have some of the best catch and receive traits in the state’s 2025 class. Athletic and agile, Craft moves well behind the dish and has a high motor with leadership traits. He has an aggressive swing that remains in control with uphill tendencies, and as he continues to add strength, his power tool will naturally tick up. During gameplay, Craft turned around on an 86 mph fastball and sent it down the left field line for a single. 

+ INF Lucas Krebs (Edwardsville, 2025) impressed during the Illinois State Games workout day. Krebs barreled balls in the upper-80s during his round of BP with his hardest hit ball being recorded at 93.8 mph. While still developing consistency from the right side, Krebs owns noticeable bat speed, and he’s a fast, athletic mover out of his load. Perhaps the most impressive trait he showed at the event was his defense; sure-handed with fluid actions, Krebs paired that with a strong arm that produced an 88 mph ball across the diamond. We’ve also seen him play an adequate left field at times, starting there for the state champion Edwardsville Tigers this spring. He also ran a 7.12 60-yard dash, slightly quicker than his last recorded time in February. Krebs is an upside athlete in the 2025 class with college bloodlines to pair. 

+ OF Kyle Prebil (Sycamore, 2025) is a physical 6-foot-2, 195-pounds. The right-handed hitter has clear strength throughout his frame, showing it off in BP, where he squared his hardest ball up at 96.5 mph. Though the results may not have showed in game, Prebil’s showed some of the fastest bat speed of the entire event throughout his at-bats and is a clear middle-of-the-order follow. His size, strength, and loud contact are sure to draw attention moving forward.

+ MIF/RHP Davis Weeks (Dunlap, 2025) was an impressive two-way standout throughout the week. Athletic, 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame, still has room for added strength. Fired three innings on the mound while not allowing a single earned run, striking out three against no walks. The right-hander has an athletic delivery; controlled tempo with a slight coil into balance point, works in-line down the mound, showed the ability to repeat. His fastball worked in the 82-85 mph range with slight running action and finish through the zone. Went to an 11/5 curveball at 64-68 mph and a 10/4 slider at 69-72 mph with some feel for the zone. Went to a straight change at 73-76 mph to change up pace. On the other side of the ball, Weeks gives an athletic look from the right-handed batter’s box, reaching up to 93.5 mph for his max exit velocity and also taking 90 mph up the middle for a single in gameplay.

Davis Weeks

TEAM 6 - KELLY GREEN 

+ A left-handed hitter to know: INF Dominic Bonilla (Hope Academy, 2025). The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Illinois State commit showed athletic hands at the plate from the left side, staying on plane and on his barrel throughout his round of BP. Bonilla comfortably used the whole field and squared his hardest ball up at 95.6 mph, per TrackMan. He scored three times over three games, picking up a hit and walking twice. 

+ MIF/RHP Henrik Conniff (New Trier, 2025) is an intriguing two-way prospect in the state of Illinois. A right-handed hitter, Conniff has a stock setup at the plate with a leg lift trigger, before moving into a short and direct bat path that barrels the baseball (max exit velocity of 92 mph). Conniff was a 6.96 runner in the 60. On the mound, Conniff was also an intriguing name-to-know following our premier event of the summer. Conniff is an athletic mover on the bump and pairs it with a quick, loose arm that created some noteworthy metrics. During his appearance, Conniff ran his fastball up to 86.7 mph and sat exclusively 84-86 mph throughout; playing with above average spin (2,539 RPM max) and carry (15.9’ max IVB). While he is still fully harnessing feel for both a slider and changeup, they both project as out-pitches in the near future. He spun in a handful of tight sliders that averaged nearly 2,500 RPM and flashed feel for a changeup with some depth, too.

Henrik Conniff

+ Tommy Kramkowski (Belleville East, 2025) put together a standout performance during the first day of action down in Rantoul. Listed at an upside 6-foot-2, 175-pounds, Kramkowski is a simple mover on the bump and pairs it with a loose, whippy arm that maxed at 86 mph on his hardest bullet to the plate, while sitting in the low-to-mid-80s throughout. Kramkowski also featured three, well-above average offspeed offerings that were able to consistently keep hitters off-balance. Kramkowski spun in two different breaking balls, the first being a more traditional curveball in the low-70s that played with tight 11/5 action and depth. The second was a tight slider in the mid-70s and featured short horizontal action, too. He rounded out his four-pitch mix with a deceptive changeup with fade to his arm side, in the upper-70s. Kramkowski would finish his illustrious outing with two strikeouts, while holding the opposition hitless in his three innings of work, and he certainly left Rantoul with an arrow-up next to his name.

Tommy Kramkowski

+ INF Aidan Nohava (Brother Rice, 2025) caught our eye on day one with an impressive round of BP. Nohava is athletic at the plate with a fast, intentful right-handed swing, squaring his hardest ball up at 97.3 mph with a peak distance of 355 feet, per TrackMan. The 6-foot, 190-pound junior found the barrel twice in game on Wednesday, too. 

+ OF/RHP Jacob Parr (Lemont, 2025) gave an impressive look as a two-way prospect at the Illinois State Games. On the bump, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound right-hander worked a fluid, stretch-only delivery paired with a short ¾ slot with quickness out front. Parr showed a three-pitch mix with a heavy-sinking fastball that topped out at 82.8 mph. Parr rounded out his mix with a slider that he was able to land it for strikes, and a changeup that flashed running action. Offensively, Parr stayed flat through the zone and used the whole field in BP, and he picked up a pair of hits in-game, too. 

+ RHP Brady Rosenkranz (Stevenson, 2025; Missouri) continues to make strides in the right direction on the mound. Rosenkranz toes the rubber at a hulking 6-foot-6, 200-pounds and moves downhill well for his size, staying in line to target with a firm finish onto a stable lead leg. In this look, Rosenkranz ran his fastball up to 87 mph, pitching at 83-86 mph. He spun a developing curveball/slider mix off his heater and showed a firm low-80s changeup too that moved horizontally at 17.4 inches at peak. 

+ One of the top prospects in the state’s 2025 class, OF/RHP Tanner Thomas (Arcola; Louisville commit) has tools and athleticism packed within a strong, compact 6-foot, 180-pound frame. Thomas, who’s a 6.74 runner in the 60, sprayed line drives to all fields in BP, showing athleticism, balance, and polish throughout. He did so from a short, simple right-handed stroke that owns barrel feel (67%) and flashed juice (95.7 mph, 347 ft.), too. Aside from his offensive efforts, Thomas peaked at 92 mph from the outfield, tying for the event’s highest mark. He hopped on the mound on Wednesday night in the rain, running his fastball up to 87.1 mph, while pitching at 84-86 mph. Thomas spun a low-to-mid-70s breaking ball with tight spin off an 11/5 plane and his changeup flashed out-pitch potential, playing in the upper-70s with low spin and natural arm-side run (T16.1 HM”). 

TEAM 7 - BLACK

+ Taking one of the finer rounds of BP on Tuesday, MIF Aadden Guerrero (St. Laurence, 2025) showed a rhythmic swing that was consistently sending line drives (71%) to all fields. He had a well-connected upper and lower-half that transitioned well into gameplay. His athletic hands were apparent both at the plate and in the infield where he had natural up-the-middle tendencies with the ability to range to both sides. A strong arm to pair, Guerrero fired his best ball across the diamond at 84 mph. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect also ran a 6.98 60 time to begin the event. A big winner in Rantoul, Guerrero is a prospect to follow moving forward.

Aadden Guerrero

+ RHP Carter Schaffner (Yorkville, 2025) is a live armed right-hander who featured some of the highest upside of the entire event. Listed at a lean 6-foot-4, 175-pounds, Schaffner reached marks of 88.6 mph with his electric fastball that played with over 16.6’ of IVB at its max and also over 17’ of HM, too. He also featured a slider with tight horizontal movement that was thrown with intent as well. Schaffner’s a ceiling arm in the state’s 2025 class that’s just starting to scratch his surface on the hill. 

+ RHP Connar Temple (Batavia, 2025) is a 6-foot-1, 160-pound right-hander who certainly turned some heads during his outing at the State Games. On the mound, Temple is a simple mover with a loose, easy arm that looks capable of adding more velocity as he continues to add more strength to his upside frame. Temple ran his fastball up to 86.1 mph, while sitting in the 83-85 mph range throughout and also played with heavy sinking action at times. As for his offspeeds, he featured a slider with tight horizontal action, while flashing sweep at times and was spun at 2,376 RPM on average, too. He rounded out his three-pitch mix with a changeup in the 79-81 mph range that he killed spin on and featured fade with occasional depth.

TEAM 8 - BROWN 

+ C Alex Kiefer (Mount Vernon, 2025) flashed as a switch-hitter in front of our staff during the Illinois State Games. Kiefer shows a stock setup on both sides of the plate, with a minimal stride from the left side, and a high leg kick from the right side. Kiefer’s bat path from the left is direct and slightly uphill, while his path from the right side is direct and flat. Kiefer had a max exit velocity of 93 mph. Kiefer was also impressive behind the dish defensively, showing athletic footwork, a strong arm (78 mph from the crouch), and quickness out of the crouch (2.03-2.06 pop time).

+ OF/1B Karim Patterson (Latin School of Chicago, 2025) is a left-handed hitting outfielder that exhibited real power potential at the plate. Patterson took a loud round of BP, which led to him being towards the top of the leaderboard in multiple categories. He was all over the barrel, using a slightly uphill swing to generate a peak distance of 379 feet. To pair, Patterson also had one of the highest peak exit velocities at 99.3 mph. Patterson also showed off an above-average arm in the outfield, touching 85 mph. 

+ CIF AJ Putty (Huntley, 2025) keeps showing a highly physical right-handed swing, something the 6-foot-4, 210-pound junior showed at the PBR Future Games a few weeks ago, too. Putty’s bat strength shows rather quickly in BP, as he generates easy power from the right side, averaging 88 mph per barrel while peaking at 97.3 mph, too. His furthest batted ball traveled 377 feet, which was one of the highest marks of the entire event. His power showed in game, as Putty scorched a ball deep into the left-center gap on Wednesday morning that just missed a home run by a few feet. 

TEAM 9 - RED 

+ Hitterish at the plate, MIF Drew Kleinheider (Father McGivney) owns one of the purest, more polished right-handed swings in the Illinois’ 2025 class. Kleinheider kept a long, flat barrel through the hitting zone throughout his round, finding it regularly (89%) as a result and peppering line drives to all fields with ease. He showed more bat strength than we’d seen from him in the past, posting an average exit velocity of 87.8 mph, to go along with a 93.1 mph max as well. Kleinheider trimmed his 60 time down .16 seconds from the winter, running a 7.13 at this event, and he’s a fluid, sure-handed up the middle defender that’ll stick on the dirt at the next level. 

TEAM 10 - NAVY 

+ OF Brady Schallmoser (Downers Grove North, 2025) continues to look the part as a polished left-handed bat in the state. Showed well in his round of BP, averaging 85.4 mph for his exit velocity with a max EV of 96.2 mph and max distance of 342’. Finished the week 2-for-5 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Looks to be trending upwards defensively with improved actions and footwork.

+ OF Justin Rausch (New Trier, 2025) is a left/left athlete that showed well at the Illinois State Games. The 5-foot-10, 177-pound junior stays level through the baseball with some leverage out front and balance through finish. Rausch sprayed line drives throughout his round of BP and showed a feel to hit in game, picking up three hits in six at-bats.

TEAM 11 - GREY 

+ CIF Jimmy Downs (Kenwood, 2025) has some of the loudest power in the 2025 class, and put it on display multiple times throughout the event. Downs stands at a strong 5-foot-11, 200-pounds with a thick lower half. The right-handed hitter took arguably the loudest round of BP during the workout session. He uses a simple swing that gets on plane early, reaching a peak exit velocity of 100.6 mph while averaging 92.5 mph. Also showed one of the better arms across the infield, topping at 87 mph. Downs translated his loud workout into gameplay, launching a no-doubt home run during his first game of the event. A physical corner-infielder that produces loud contact almost every time we see him. Currently slotted at No. 39 in the state’s 2025 class.

Jimmy Downs

+ C Jake Johnson (Burlington Central, 2025) stands in at a physical 6-foot-4, 205-pounds with power upside at the plate. Johnson controls his levers well, staying short/uphill to contact from the right side with barrel feel (78%) and more juice to come. Johnson’s arm strength behind the plate is noteworthy, as he peaked at 78 mph from the chute, while popping in the 1.95-to-2.07 range in his workout. 

+ At 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, OF Gavin Powels (Downers Grove South, 2025) is a highly physical athlete that took one of the loudest rounds of BP in Rantoul, regardless of class. Powell peppered balls consistently throughout his round, staying in the low-90s regularly, and barreling his hardest ball up at 102.1 mph, which was the second-highest mark of the event. His furthest ball traveled 366 feet, too. He also ran a 6.96 60 and was up to 84 mph from the outfield. 

TEAM 12 - PURPLE 

+ C Lawson Alwan (Peoria Notre Dame, 2025) had a smooth left-handed swing with easy bat speed that produced a peak exit velocity of 95.4 mph, and a projected max distance of 357 ft. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound backstop also ran a 7.02 in the 60-yard dash. Behind the dish, Alwan’s pop times ranged from 2.09-2.13 with his hardest bullet down to second at 73 mph. During gameplay, Alwan tripled, plated a pair, and scored once himself, too. 

+ LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Chatham-Glenwood, 2025) appears to just be scratching the surface of his ceiling on the hill. A multi-sport athlete at Glenwood, golf and basketball, Appenzeller’s 6-foot-5, 175-pound long, loose-levered frame is sure to draw eyes each time he toes the rubber. He’s athletic down the mound with a loose ¾ arm action, pitching in the low-80s with his fastball and consistently working east-to-west. Off that, Appenzeller showed feel to spin a sweeping slider in the low-70s and he created natural arm-side run on a mid-70s changeup, too. He’s a name-to-know southpaw as his junior year is set to start. 

+ RHP Ethan Kieser (Normal University, 2025) is a fluid, lean-levered athlete with projection to come on a 6-foot-1, 165-pound frame that showed upside on the mound at this event. A clean mover downhill, Kieser pitched in the low-80s with his fastball, touching 83 mph, and he spun a low-70s slider off it around the zone. 

+ OF Nolan Maciejewski (Tinley Park, 2025) profiles as a true table-setter, top-of-the-order type of bat. The left-handed hitter can really handle the barrel, staying short and direct through the zone while peppering line drives to all fields in his round of BP. During the gameplay portion of the event, Maciejewski doubled and drove in four runs. He’s also a fluid mover in the outfield that ran a 6.96 60. 

+ Just last month, C/1B Carson Stevens (Neuqua Valley, 2025) impressed our staff with loud contact during his round of BP at the Northwest Suburban Open, earning an invite to this event as a result. Stevens generated loud contact consistently throughout his round, blasting his furthest ball 101.4 mph, and sending multiple out of the park, too. Behind the plate, his best pop was 2.01 with his hardest bullet being recorded at 74 mph. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound strong-framed catcher is sure to draw eyes with his strength and noticeable power.

+ OF Wilson Wemhoff (Hampshire, 2025) had one of the liveliest arms from the outfield during Tuesday’s workout at the Illinois State Games, and he translated that arm strength to the mound, too. A steady defender with a long and loose arm, Wemhoff sent a ball 90 mph on his best throw to home. His round of BP produced a max exit velocity of 94.7 mph, but sat consistently in mid-80s from the right side of the plate. He barreled his farthest ball a distance of 352 ft. The 5-foot-10, 185-pound prospect ran a 7.11 60 time, too. Wemhoff hopped on the mound Wednesday night and pitched at 84-86, touching 87 mph, with his fastball, that showed noticeable carry (20.8”) at peak. 

TEAM 13 - YELLOW 

+ 1B Demir Heidelberg (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2025) is sure to catch eyes with his 6-foot-3, 175-pound athletic and projectable frame. A 6.88 runner, Heidelberg has athletic traits for a CIF and it shows with his hands and loose arm actions on his throws across the diamond. His round of BP was impressive, too, where he peppered the baseball with upper-80s exit velocities and a peak of 96.9 mph. He had one of the quickest bat speeds at the event with an average speed of 76.2 mph which helped him send his farthest ball 330 ft. Heidelberg’s combination of power, speed, and athleticism at the first base position will surely draw college coaches attention.

+ 1B Griffin Kelly (Buffalo Grove, 2025) showed off some juice from his left-handed bat, both in BP and in gameplay. In his workout, the left-handed hitter reached up to 90.1 mph for his max exit velocity with a max distance of 344’. Relaxed setup with a calm demeanor in the box, fluid load that works into a flat path. Used the whole field in-game, delivering two hard line-drives to the opposite field as well as nearly leaving the yard to his pull-side for a stand-up double. 

Griffin Kelly

+ C Carter Lennington (Minooka, 2025) was no stranger to hard contact throughout his two day showing. Lanky and projectable, 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame. The right-handed hitter put his bat-strength on display multiple times, initially in his round of BP where he averaged 89.5 mph for his exit velocity with a max EV of 93.1 mph, reaching up to 340’ for his max distance. In gameplay, he delivered hard, lifted contact to his pull-side with easy jump off the barrel. Has some rhythm in his load, utilizing a toe-tap before firing into an uphill path with intent to lift. 

Carter Lennington

+ RHP Tyler Powell (Edwardsville, 2025) is a right-hander to keep an eye on from the ‘25 class. Explosive delivery, loose and athletic with more in the tank. Worked his fastball in the 85-86 mph range, topping out at 87 mph with slight arm-side run. Went to a downer curveball at 68-71 mph and short 10/4 slider around 78 mph. Also flashed a changeup at 78-80 mph with slight fade to the arm-side. Over 2.2 innings of work, Powell allowed just one run on one hit. 

Tyler Powell

+ RHP Gavin Rosengren (Batavia, 2025) was dominant over his 1.2 innings of work, allowing just one hit and no runs to pair with two walks and four strikeouts. Controlled tempo on the mound into a medium leg-lift, tall/fall down the mound and works mostly in-line. His arm works long out of the glove, working into a ¾ release. His fastball sat in the 83-86 mph range, topping out at 87 mph with life through the zone. Showed feel for both a curveball and slider in the mid-70s, both displaying late bite and depth at times.

Gavin Rosengren

+ INF James Spellman (Notre Dame College Prep, 2025) gave an upside look throughout workouts with a loud round of BP. Highly projectable, 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame with room for added strength. The left-handed hitter reached up to 97.4 mph for his max exit velocity in BP with a max distance of 356’. Steady defender up the middle with reliable hands and a clean transfer, reached up to 83 mph across the diamond. 

+ RHP Joseph Stewart (Mattoon, 2025) gave an upside look in front of our scouting staff. Listed at 6-foot-1, 205-pounds. Loose, easy mover, works in-line and gains ground easily down the mound. The right-hander struck out one and walked one over 1.1 innings of work, not allowing an earned run. His fastball worked in the 83-86 mph range, topping out at 87 mph with some carry and over 13” of run at times. Slider worked in the 70-84 mph range with short 10/4 shape. Flashed a straight changeup at 79-80 mph to fill out his arsenal. 

Joseph Stewart

+ LHP Connor DeWeerdt (Zeigler, 2025) gave an intriguing look in his two inning stint on the mound. Listed at a long-levered 6-foot-6, 175-pounds with all sorts of room to fill out. The southpaw worked his fastball up to 81 mph, sitting 78-80 mph with over 15” of run at times. Changeup looked to be his better off-speed offering in this look, playing in the 72-73 mph range with over 14” of run. Flashed a 1/7 curveball with developing spin, 67-69 mph. 

Connor DeWeerdt

TEAM 14 - PINK 

+ Coming off an impressive performance at the PBR Future Games, OF/LHP Joey Arend’s (St. Charles East, 2025) advanced skill-set was on full display in Rantoul. Arend’s 6-foot, 160-pound frame has clear athleticism as he began the event running a 6.81 60 time. Fluid and smooth from the left side of the plate, Arend is consistently working in rhythm and on-time. He barreled his hardest hit ball 95 mph, per TrackMan. Arend found the barrel in game a few times too, including a missile up the middle on Wednesday night that jumped off his bat with authority. His athleticism continued to show in the outfield with his fluid footwork and strong arm to pair (85 mph). On the mound, Arend has a loose and quick arm, and his fastball plays with sink (15.6” HM avg.) at 83-85 mph. He also spins a curveball with some depth and sweep at 69-72 mph from a 1/7 angle, and he’s able to limit lift on a 73-77 mph changeup while generating well advanced arm-side run (19.1” HM) on average. Arend wrapped up this year’s summer circuit as a name that’s certainly trending up in the Illinois’ 2025 class.  

Joey Arend

+ C Noah Brandt (Somonoauk, 2025) is a smooth swinging left-handed hitter that, on average, produced upper-80s exit velocities with a peak of 96.7 mph. Brandt stays balanced and in rhythm with an aggressive swing that remains in control. The athletic 5-foot-10, 160-pound prospect had some of the quickest pop times of the event that ranged from 1.90-1.97, and he fired his best ball to second at 78 mph. His impressive workout translated to game play where he looked the part behind the dish and recorded three hits with three RBIs and double to his name. 

Noah Brandt

+ RHP Bobby Eidell (IMG Academy, FL, 2025) is a 5-foot-10, 170-pound right-hander who made for a quality look in his PBR showcase debut. During his outing, Eidell sat in the 82-84 mph range (T84.9 mph) with his fastball, spinning it at 2400+ RPM, per TrackMan. His innate ability to spin the baseball carried over to his slider also, as it averaged over 2,500 RPM and peaked at 2,748 RPM, while playing with tight horizontal action. 

+ C/INF Derek Kubek (Oswego East, 2025) was a winner during the workout portion of the event, showcasing well in the box and behind the dish. At the plate, Kubek worked from a quiet, easy setup into an easy, loose swing from the left side that worked through an uphill path to a balanced finish. Defensively, he displayed position versatility during gameplay when he started the final game behind the plate before later moving to shortstop. Behind the plate, Kubek was quick out of the crouch (2.01-2.09 pop time) and had a quick, accurate arm with a max velocity of 76 mph.

Derek Kubek

TEAM 15 - ORANGE

+ RHP Braxdon Decker (Highland, 2025) caught our attention on the mound in his PBR event debut. The 6-foot-2, 160-pound multi-sport athlete from southern Illinois is a lanky mover on the mound with a loose, whippy arm and low-effort delivery to pair. His fastball is plenty unique - it peaked at nearly 2500 RPM while also moving 22 inches horizontally at max and played in the low-to-mid-80s, touching 87 mph. Decker showed plenty of confidence in his low-70s slider, landing it for strikes in hitters’ counts, and spinning it at 2482 RPM at peak. Decker appears to just be scratching his surface on the mound and is a name to follow headed into the fall of his junior year. 

Braxdon Decker

+ Fresh off an outing for Team Illinois at the PBR Future Games, RHP Keegan Luxem (Hersey, 2025) continued to display a high upside on the bump. Luxem stands at an imposing 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame with more strength to come. The right-hander features an effortless delivery that is well-balanced and sequenced. In gameplay, he came out firing with a heavy dose of power fastballs that worked in the mid-80s, T87.2 with significant spin (2371 RPM). Luxem used his heater to get swings and misses up in the zone, partly due to his event best 24.5” of max IVB. He often went to a slider that played in the upper-70s at times with short break and depth to miss barrels. Also flashed feel for a low-80s changeup and a high spin curveball (2444 RPM). 

Keegan Luxem

+ OF Mason Marshall (Chatham-Glenwood, 2025) showed well in front of our staff in Rantoul after an impressive first look at the St. Louis Open in June. Marshall’s athleticism is noteworthy - he’s a key contributor to Glenwood’s basketball team, moves freely in the outfield, and ran a 6.89 60 at this event. The 5-foot-19, 168-pound right-handed hitter stays short and simple to the baseball, backspinning baseballs off his barrel while consistently utilizing the middle-in part of the field. 

+ C Benjamin Mitchell (Harvest Christian, 2025) is a physical 6-foot-1, 200-pound backstop that swung a highly physical right-handed barrel in BP on the workout day. Mitchell, who was one of the day’s final hitters, ambushed baseballs at 93.9 mph on average, scorching his hardest barrel at 101 mph, which was one of the day’s highest marks. That strength showed behind the plate too, as Mitchell peaked at 77 mph from the chute while popping in the 1.95-to-2.03 range. Mitchell was on the barrel a few times over his 10 plate appearances and he threw a few runners out, too. 

+ A former member of Team Illinois at the 2022 PBR Future Games, RHP/SS Jackson Natanek (Brother Rice, 2025) was a major winner at this year’s Illinois State Games. A legitimate two-way prospect, Natenek really stood out on the mound in this look. Athletic with quick levers, his fastball was up to 87.8 mph, sitting mostly 84-87 mph, and spinning it at a max of 2590 RPM. He threw a true sinker, too, at 86.1 mph with 18.3” of horizontal movement and 5.1” of induced vertical break. Pairing that with his slider that spun at 2826 RPM, on average, with an average horizontal movement of 13.3”, Natanek’s sequence of sinker/slider has out-pitch potential. During his two innings of work, he struck out three, allowed one hit and no runs. Positionally he continues to prove he is one of the steadier middle infielders in the state and took a number of competitive swings and at-bats throughout the two days.

Jackson Natanek

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