The Underclass Invitational is one of Illinois’ most highly anticipated events on the PBR Illinois showcase calendar. The invitation-only event for the state’s top 2022 and 2023 prospects will be held this Sunday, Feb. 16, at The MAX in McCook, Ill. Over 110 of Illinois’ best freshman and sophomores will represent themselves at the sold-out event this weekend.

Reflecting on the 2019 event roster, there are already 29 players committed, 27 of which are headed to a Division-I destination. Some of the top performers from last year’s showcase wound up earning invitations to the summer’s PBR Future Games event, too, like C Ty Batusich (Joliet West; Western Kentucky commit), LHP Eric Orloff (Glenbrook North; uncommitted), RHP Tom Egan (Mount Carmel; uncommitted), and OF Cameron Hill (Brother Rice; Purdue), among others. 

For a look at the most up-to-date roster of this Sunday’s Underclass Invitational roster, click here.

With the recruiting process beginning earlier and earlier for high schoolers these days, we expect there to be 13 already-committed prospects headed our way this weekend, including the Nos. 2 and 3 sophomores in the state: C/3B Zander Buchan (Maine South; South Carolina) and OF/RHP Alex Stanwich (Lincoln-Way East; Tennessee). Buchan is a strong, stocky 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, with an advanced bat that he swings from both sides of the plate – and he is one of the top defensive catchers in the class as well. Stanwich was one of the few 2022s from Illinois invited to the 2019 PBR Future Games where he excelled for Team Select. His performance in Georgia electrified those in attendance where he broke the illustrious event’s all-time exit velocity record with a 106 mph high off the tee. He has advanced tools across the board, as he ran a 6.82 in the 60 and also topped 93 mph from the outfield. The dynamic two-way prospect was also up to 88 mph from the mound at LakePoint. He committed to Tennessee in the days following the Future Games.

Alex Stanwich (7/31/19)

Marist’s Nate Voss, a Michigan commit, is another top-five-ranked 2022 coming to The MAX on Sunday. Voss was invited to the 2019 Future Games but the Wolverines locked him up before he could make it to Georgia. Voss is a high-level defender behind the plate with clean and easy catch and throw ability. At the plate, he has loose, strong hands from the right-side of the plate with advanced bat strength for his age.

Sophomore RHP Alex Alberico (Providence Catholic) was another one of the few 2022s from Illinois invited to the Future Games and he represents one of the top uncommitted names on the state’s 2022 board. Alberico has run his fastball up to 90 mph in the past and last August, at LakePoint, put together an impressive showing in his first one-inning stint. The 6-foot, 195-pound, strong-armed right-hander sat 86-88 mph and showed a feel for a three-pitch mix. 

Alex Alberico (7/31/19)

Two sophomore uncommitted RHP’s to look out for on Sunday are Nicholas Kolze (Romeoville) and Abram Wills (Coal City). Kolze is a big, brawny 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-hander who went right after hitters with an 89 mph at the PBR Fall Championship this past September. Wills burst onto the scene at last year’s Underclass Invitational when, as only a freshman, he sat 82-84 mph, touching 86 with feel for a changeup and the makings of a wipe-out breaking ball.

2022 SS Christian Holmes (De La Salle) should be one of the smoothest infielders, defensively, at The MAX on Sunday and he also swings a direct, repeatable right-handed bat with bat speed. Fellow middle infielder Estevan Moreno (Montini Catholic; uncommitted) will be there as well, and he, too, is an advanced defender on the dirt and we remember him best from this past summer at a PBR Wisconsin-hosted tournament. There, Moreno slugged three homers on a Sunday to help lift his travel team to a tourney title and earned All-Tournament Team honors.

Turning our attention to the freshmen invited to the Sunday’s showcase, we’re looking forward to seeing  four of the state’s five nationally ranked 2023s: C T.J. Schuyler (Antioch; Indiana), OF Dillon Head (Homewood-Flossmoor; Michigan), C Bryce Nevils (Brother Rice; uncommitted), and SS Ryan Jefferson (Providence Catholic; uncommitted). Schuyler announced himself onto the national scene after a big fall that led to an early commitment to the Hoosiers; he’s an athletic receiver with a fluid, upside right-handed swing. Head’s a live-wired, left/left athlete, who floats around the outfield, covers a ton of ground in center field and has smooth left-handed swing with a top-of-the-order profile. Nevils has a well-rounded skillset with a young look and a high-waisted 6-foot frame with plenty of physical development to come. And finally, Jefferson’s defense at shortstop is highly-advanced for his age and he also swings an upside, left-handed bat with loose hands and feel for the barrel.

Dillon Head (7/31/19)

However, these aren’t the only freshmen follows to note ahead of Sunday. Keep an eye on the performances of C/RHP Nicholas Lacson (Barrington; uncommitted), C Ryan and OF Brayden Bakes (Huntley; uncommitted), C/RHP Cooper Cohn (McHenry; uncommitted), and LHP Brady Louck (Plainfield East; uncommitted), among many others.

ITINERARY

• Check-in for Pitchers, Catchers, two-way players: 8:15 to 8:30 a.m.
  
  • Bullpen Sessions (15-pitch session, mechanical analysis)
  • Catcher Evaluations (evaluating receiving/blocking skills)
• Check-in for Position Players only: 11:15-11:30 a.m.
  
  • Offensive Evaluations (exit velo, mechanical analysis, batting practice)
  • Defensive Evaluations (arm strength, mobility, positional reps)
• Catchers will stay for both sessions.

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