Unsigned Senior Showcase: Preview
September 30, 2021
On Sunday, October 3, the PBR Illinois staff will head back to The MAX Sports Complex in McCook, Illinois, to host the annual Unsigned Senior Showcase. This event is open to all uncommitted prospects in the state’s 2022 class that are still looking for a place to call home at the collegiate level.
You can find all the information for this event, as well as how to register, by clicking HERE. For a look at the complete roster of players set to make the trip to the MAX this Sunday, click HERE.
EVENT HISTORY
This is the 20th unsigned senior showcase in our state’s history, as this event has dated all the way back to 2012 with multiple different iterations of it, held in both the fall and winter. There have been 918 commitments dating all the way back to this event’s inauguration, including 62 from this same fall event last year.
A multitude of intriguing names popped at last year’s showcase, including OF Tyler McClure (Champaign Centennial; Kaskaskia JC), LHP Lane Funneman (Pana; Southwestern Illinois JC), MIF Will Henson (Lane Tech; Lindenwood), and RHP Peyton Olejnik (Hannover Central, IN; Triton JC). For a complete look at last year’s roster, and to see which players committed where, click HERE.
ROSTER PREVIEW
There’s over 50 players registered to attend our event on Sunday and this roster is shaping up to be a quality one, just like we’ve seen in years past. Here are a few highlight worthy names we’re eager to see:
+ C/RHP Jacob Filip (Lakes Community) is a potential two-way follow that jumped on our radar earlier this winter after strong showings at the McHenry Preseason I.D. and Preseason All State events. He’s a fluid left-handed hitter with advanced bat strength on the barrel, average exit speed of 91+ mph at both events, and he’s a 6.98 runner in the 60-yard dash, too. Filip’s strength translates to the mound as well, where we’ve seen him up to 89 mph with his fastball, typically working anywhere from 84-88 mph.
+ We haven’t seen C/INF Braeden Gonzalez (U.S. Performance) in action since last year’s Top Tier Scout Day, but the 5-foot-11, 190-pound uncommitted Gonzalez was amongst the top backstops in attendance that day. He’s ranked inside the state’s 2022 class and we’ll get a much needed up-to-date look on him this Sunday.
+ OF Luke Leombruni (Boylan Catholic) came away as a clear winner from this year’s Chicagoland Open, making a strong first impression at his PBR event debut. A left/left prospect, Leombruni is an extremely twitchy athlete with 6.64 speed, wiry barrel strength, and upper-echelon Blast Motion metrics, according to our new “Performance Tiers”. He’s ranked inside the state’s top-160 prospects for his class and is expected to be amongst the top players in attendance on Sunday.
+ 1B Carson Beal (Normal University) earned some playing time on a loaded Pioneers’ roster this spring and the physical 5-foot-11, 190-pound left-handed hitter showed well at this year’s Central Illinois Open, too. The barrel strength attached to Beal’s left-handed stroke is his greatest asset, as he posted some of the hardest exit velocities in BP from that particular event, and looks like a potential middle-of-the-order type bat.
+ RHP Evan Eberle (Oak Park-River Forest) figures to be one of the top arms in attendance this weekend. An athletic 6-foot-1, 170-pound right-hander, Eberle was up to 87 mph in June at our Top Prospect - Chicago event, sitting at 83-86 mph throughout his pen with natural downhill action created from a high average release height (6.18 ft.). Eberle also spun a curveball that flashed sharp, biting action at 66-69 mph and located his changeup around the zone, too.
ITINERARY
Check-in Times
Position Players: 8:30-8:45 AM
Pitcher Onlys: Noon
CHECK IN PROCESS
In an effort to continue and develop a simplified, contactless check-in process, upon arrival, players will scan a QR Code with their smart phone camera that will lead them to a Google Form. On that Form, players will enter their name (matching the spelling on their PBR profile) and hit submit. Upon submission, players will be prompted to click a link that will direct them to their jersey color and number, located next to their registered name. From there, players will be instructed to the area where they’ll pick up their designated jersey color and number.
MORE EVENT DETAILS
Click here to learn more about our tech partners that have enhanced our players showcase experience. Partners like TrackMan and Blast Motion have helped both our in-event evaluation process, as well the compilation of our post-event scouting reports – and they're also a tool for our players to learn more about their measured and collected data, that can be applied to improve upon their game.
Finally, masks are strongly encouraged during non-baseball activity. We will facilitate a contact-less check-in. Hand sanitizer stations will be accessible. Wear baseball clothes; assigned and numbered PBR jerseys will be provided.
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