The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next several weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2020 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, leading into a countdown through the official PBR Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2020 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Plainfield South
Preseason Rank: On The Bubble
2019 Record: 28-7
Conference: Southwest Prairie
IHSA Class: 4A
Head Coach: Phil Bodine
Playoff Run: Super-sectionals appearance
2019 Final Rank: No. 14
Returning Starters: 2
Returning Pitchers: 1

OUTLOOK

The Cougars took the Southwest Prairie by storm last season, finishing with 28 total wins en route to the conference title. This year, however, Coach Bodine’s team returns just two starters and are a talented, yet untested bunch. 

SS Tylor Phommachanhom (2021; Dayton commit) is a top-50 prospect in his class and one of the state’s top middle infield prospects. He’s a penciled in to play shortstop for Plainfield South this season and will be the spark at the top of their lineup every game. Senior 3B Zach Pawlak (2020; uncommitted) also returns from last year’s squad, slotting in as the everyday third baseman for the Cougars.  

Junior right-hander Will Morris (2021; uncommitted) is a prospect on the rise in this junior class. He touched 87 mph on the bump with his fastball a few weeks ago and there’s more left in his 6-foot-5 frame. Morris could rise to the top of the Cougars’ rotation. Senior Brady Shelton (2020; uncommitted) is a top returning arm who throws from a unique ¾ arm slot that makes any at-bat against him an uncomfortable one. 

A couple names who could provide some depth to the staff are junior LHPs Jackson Krieger and Jack Bruington. Both showed well at this winter's Aurora Preseason I.D. and have the stuff to impact a varsity squad. Krieger is a lanky and loose-armed lefty with a running, downhill fastball that’s tough to pick up – and he was up to 82 mph at that aforementioned showcase. Bruington showed even more velo, touching 84 mph, from a quick high ¾ slot.  

Plainfield South is a well-known threat and challenger inside the Southwest Prairie, but the Cougars’ spring looks a little more rugged when you factor in just how many new faces there will be inside of their everyday lineup. Outside of a handful of regulars, they’ll trout out plenty of talented young players with little-to-no varsity experience under their belts.

Still, South might be at its best when they’re preemptively counted out, a mistake we won’t be making.

VIDEO SPOTLIGHT

Tylor Phommachanhom (2/17/19)

Make sure to follow @PBRIllinois on Twitter for the most up-to-date coverage throughout the 2020 season.

Find more information on the 2020 Cougars below:

+ Full Schedule
+ Team Twitter

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