Prep Baseball Report

Lockport Preseason I.D.: Statistical Analysis


By Illinois Staff

On Monday, Feb. 17, the PBR Illinois team made its annual trip to the Bo Dome to host the Lockport Preseason I.D., the largest showcase on our calendar. Two-hundred prospects met us there, representing every high school level and all of whom are uncommitted.

Earlier today, we published the day’s highlights inside of our Quick Hits post. We scanned our notes from the event to shine a spotlight on the best talent from the showcase.

In this post below, we’re taking a look at the day’s leaderboards. We’re picking apart the data we measured in Lockport on Monday and compiling notable details for you to see. Keep an eye out in the coming weeks when we publish videos into player profiles and begin to roll out our position-by-position analysis. But for now, here’s a look at the more statistical side of things.

MAX FASTBALL VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Max FB
1 Cam Demos IL Downers Grove North 2021 RHP 91 mph
2 Evan Clark FL IMG Academy 2021 LHP 89 mph
^ Cain Headrick IL Providence Catholic 2021 C 89 mph
3 Tommy Boba IL Wheaton Warrenville South 2022 RHP 88 mph
4 Danny Durkin IL Sandburg 2021 1B 87 mph
5 Kyle Hussey IL Providence Catholic 2021 SS 85 mph
6 Luke Brown IL Plainfield North 2023 LHP 84 mph
7 Matthew Maloney IL Lincoln-Way Central 2021 RHP 83 mph
^ Michael Bernas IL Brother Rice 2021 LHP 83 mph
^ Matt Santarelli IL Lockport 2021 SS 83 mph
8 Noah Klein IL Loyola Academy 2021 RHP 82 mph
^ Jack DiSano IL Glenbrook South 2022 3B 82 mph
^ Brendan McQuillan IL Brother Rice 2021 RHP 82 mph
^ Lucas Pajeau IL Lockport 2022 OF 82 mph

Uncommitted senior RHP Cameron Demos (Downers Grove North) was among the day’s biggest winners after topping 91 mph from the rubber, the lone prospect to breach the 90 mph mark in Lockport. With added muscle, he’s looking more and more like a senior to know this late in the recruiting process. Junior LHP Evan Clark (Fenwick) was another one of the day’s big winners after he clocked an 89 mph high from the left side, sitting 85-87. We’ve known Providence Catholic junior Cain Headrick to possess a strong arm from the crouch, but he was also impressive from the mound on Monday where he sat 86-88 mph and touched 89. From Wheaton Warrenville South, RHP Tommy Boba led the sophomores with an 88 mph high, which was particularly notable considering it was just last October that Boba topped 83.

You don’t have to go too far down the list to see the freshman with the firmest fastball on the list: LHP Luke Brown (Plainfield North). Like Boba, we saw Brown just last October as well, and he’s up four ticks since.

TOP 60-YARD DASH

Rank Name State School Class Pos 60-yard
1 Mark Brannigan IL Marist 2021 OF 6.68
2 Dominic Coda IL Joliet Catholic 2022 OF 6.72
3 Jake Mackowiak IL Lincoln-Way Central 2022 OF 6.76
^ Austin Murray IL Lemont 2021 SS 6.76
4 Alexander Janke IL Huntley 2021 OF 6.78
5 Jack Day IL Andrew 2022 SS 6.80
^ Ryan Mrozek IL Providence Catholic 2022 SS 6.80
6 Joey Robinson IL Lyons Township 2021 OF 6.84
^ Robert (Hunter) Woods IL Moline 2021 OF 6.84
^ Joe Zaccone IL Stagg 2021 SS 6.84
7 Matt Santarelli IL Lockport 2021 SS 6.88
8 Grant Palmer IL Neuqua Valley 2021 2B 6.89
9 Kyle Hussey IL Providence Catholic 2021 SS 6.90
^ Danny Durkin IL Sandburg 2021 1B 6.90

Twitchy Marist junior Mark Brannigan came out on top of this leaderboard with his laser-timed 6.68 mark in the 60. His all-around, stand-out performance on Monday earned him some extra looks due his way this spring. Lean right/right sophomore Dominic Coda (Joliet Catholic) came in second on this chart with a 6.72 time, just ahead of classmate Jake Mackowiak (Lincoln-Way Central) and his 6.76 mark. There were 21 prospects who recorded sub-7.00 times in this category, proving to be an athletic group.

TOP EXIT VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos Exit Velo
1 Matthew Merk IL Lockport 2022 C 100
2 Joshua Kendall IL Andrew 2021 SS 99
3 Austin Murray IL Lemont 2021 SS 94
4 Albert Moreno IL Providence Catholic 2023 3B 92
5 Lucas Coyl IL Joliet West 2021 OF 91
^ Evan Evola IL Ottawa Township 2021 1B 91
^ Matt Santarelli IL Lockport 2021 SS 91
^ Tristan Head FL The Benjamin School 2023 SS 91
6 Harrison Scroggins IL Lincoln-Way West 2022 C 90
^ Jack DiSano IL Glenbrook South 2022 3B 90
^ Beau Polickey IL Brother Rice 2022 SS 90
^ Brian Huttner IL Chicago Christian 2021 1B 90
^ Gino Gazzillo IL Mount Carmel 2021 C 90
^ Lucas Pajeau IL Lockport 2022 OF 90
^ Trent Lawrence IL York 2021 3B 90

The only prospect to crack the 100 mph threshold was local sophomore Matthew Merk (Lockport), who really had a noteworthy day all around. He has a short, clean arm from behind the plate, had a low pop time of 2.00 and ran a 7.07, too. At No. 2 on this board, junior Josh Kendall (Andrew) was just a tick behind Merk’s mark. A pop-up 2021 who made some noise on Monday was INF Austin Murray (Lemont). He topped 94 mph from the tee and ran a 6.76. Providence Catholic freshman Alberto Moreno is a strong 6-foot corner infielder who paced the 2023s in attendance with his 92 mph high.

TOP INFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos INF Velo
1 Tristan Head FL The Benjamin School 2023 SS 88
^ Matt Santarelli IL Lockport 2021 SS 88
2 Kyle Hussey IL Providence Catholic 2021 SS 85
3 Randy Seymour IL Lincoln-Way East 2022 SS 84
^ Ryan Tomaras IL Lemont 2021 3B 84
4 Jack DiSano IL Glenbrook South 2022 3B 83
5 Mark Tor IL Lockport 2022 SS 82
6 Matthew Merk IL Lockport 2022 C 81
^ Albert Moreno IL Providence Catholic 2023 3B 81
^ Jacob Peterson IL Lincoln-Way East 2022 SS 81
^ Trent Lawrence IL York 2021 3B 81

There was a two-way tie atop this chart, with junior Matt Santarelli (Lockport) and sophomore Tristan Head (Nazareth Academy) both topping 88 mph across the infield. Both performed admirably across the board on Monday and are worth keeping an eye on in 2020. Kyle Hussey (Providence Catholic) performed well on the mound and it worked in the infield, where he topped 85 mph.

TOP OUTFIELD VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos OF Velo
1 Mark Brannigan IL Marist 2021 OF 91
^ Lucas Pajeau IL Lockport 2022 OF 91
2 Evan Clark FL IMG Academy 2021 LHP 89
3 Ryan Snell IL Benet 2022 OF 88
^ Cain Headrick IL Providence Catholic 2021 C 88
4 Zach Bormann IL York 2022 RHP 86
5 Jake Collins IL Lockport 2022 OF 84
^ Noah Klein IL Loyola Academy 2021 RHP 84
^ Tyler Jewett IL Oswego East 2022 LHP 84

Brannigan was tied atop this chart, too, with a 91 mph high to home. Sophomore Lucas Pajeau (Lockport) kept up, tying the Marist junior. At this same event last year, Pajeau topped 79 mph to home – he was 91 from the outfield this year and sat 80-81 mph from the mound, touching 82. Headrick took outfield reps this year, where his speed and athleticism might fit best, and the arm strength presumably played well here also. Another sophomore, Ryan Snell (Benet Academy), recorded a solid round of BP, creating hard contact, and that same kind of strength reappeared in the outfield, where he topped 88 mph on his throws home.

TOP CATCHER VELOCITY

Rank Name State School Class Pos C Velo
1 Jack Snyder IL Manteno 2021 C 80
2 Logan Barnett IL Pontiac 2023 RHP 77
^ Jonny Crowel IL Marist 2021 C 77
^ Matthew Merk IL Lockport 2022 C 77
3 Jake LaVine IL Metea Valley 2023 C 76
4 Brian Daker IL Hinsdale Central 2021 C 75
^ Julian Sumner IL Lyons Township 2023 C 75
^ Gino Gazzillo IL Mount Carmel 2021 C 75
^ John-Michael Scumaci IL Sandburg 2021 C 75

We’d not yet seen Jack Snyder (Manteno, 2021) before, but he broke out as a follow in this junior class ahead of the spring. His 80 mph high from out of the chute was three ticks better than the next backstop and his pops were consistently quick and accurate to second. A 6-foot-4 freshman, Logan Barnett (Pontiac), is packed with arm strength. He topped 77 mph from behind the plate and was also up to 81 mph on the mound, attached to a follow frame. Marist’s Jonny Crowell is among the top catchers in the state for his well-rounded profile, and he shared Barnett’s high of 77 mph from the crouch, same as the aforementioned Merk. Another 2023, Jake LaVine (Metea Valley), broke through inside this group of catchers with pops in the low 2.00s and an arm that topped at 76 mph.

TOP POP TIMES

Rank Name State School Class Pos Pop Time
1 Jack Snyder IL Manteno 2021 C 1.90-2.01
2 Julian Sumner IL Lyons Township 2023 C 1.97-2.08
3 Andrew Mack IL Minooka 2023 C 1.98-2.05
4 Tyler Stack IL Oswego 2023 C 1.99-2.12
5 Quinn Duffy IL Marist 2023 C 2.00-2.07
6 Matthew Merk IL Lockport 2022 C 2.00-2.11
7 Brian Daker IL Hinsdale Central 2021 C 2.05-2.10
8 Jonny Crowel IL Marist 2021 C 2.05-2.20

Snyder’s big day from behind the plate allowed him to separate himself from the rest of this group. His right-handed bat also flashed strength and twitch, which should propel him onto the prospect radar. Freshman Julian Sumner (Lyons Township) is a talented 2023 to know ahead of his first season of high school ball. In Lockport, he averaged among the lowest pop times and he carries bat strength at the plate, especially for his age. Three other 2023s pushed themselves into the “follow” category with their work from behind the dish: Andrew Mack (Minooka), Tyler Stack (Oswego), and Quinn Duffy (Marist).

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