By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Illinois’ Preseason All-State Showcase on Feb. 17 solidified the fact that Illinois’ Class of 2014 is one of the best the state has seen in recent years. This current crop of juniors is extremely deep in talent, and includes a remarkable amount of high-level prospects.

The Preseason All-State Showcase featured 110 Class of 2014 prospects from all corners of Illinois. Several players saw their stock soar after the event, while others established themselves as prospects to pay close attention to this spring and summer.

 The event also helped crystallize the Class of 2014 rankings heading into the spring season.  Many prospects climbed the rankings – including some new names in the top 20 – while several previously unranked players moved into Illinois’ top 150 list.

RHP Brad Bass (Lincoln-Way Central HS) still holds the No. 1 spot in the class. But not by much. The upper crust of the 2014 class are all national prospects. OF/LHP Darius Day (Simeon HS) jumped up to No. 2 after his electrifying showing at the Preseason All-State Showcase. RHP Jake Godfrey (Providence Catholic HS) can also be easily considered the No. 1 prospect in the class, along with LHP Jake Latz (Lemont HS).

A pair of catchers – Mitch Trees (Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin HS) and Michael Papierski (Lemont HS) – are also high-level national prospects. SS Rahman Williams (Morgan Park HS) leap-frogged to the No. 7 spot, as the switch-hitter proved at the Preseason All-State Showcase to be a national-level middle infielder. RHP Tanner Houck (Collinsville HS) also moved into the top 10, joining fixtures RHP/INF Mike Kornacker (St. Laurence HS) and RHP Bryan Pall (Sandburg HS).

Other  significant risers in the 2014 class include: RHP Brian Hobbie (Glenwood HS), OF Mizraim Fuentes (Clemente HS), RHP/3B Luke Morgan (Lincoln-Way West HS), RHP Mitch Vogrin (Minooka HS), C/OF Mark Skonieczny (Huntley HS), RHP Gabe Jelley (Zeigler-Royalton HS), RHP/OF Andrew Owen (Loyola HS) and RHP Alex Hitney (St. Laurence HS), SS Kevin Sullivan (Brother Rice HS) and MIF/OF Joe Becht (Downers Grove South HS), to name a few.

Several new names emerged as well, including RHP/OF Jeff Hahs (O’Fallon HS), RHP/IB Anthony Santos (York HS), RHP Justin Hoffman (Carbondale HS), among many others.

Here’s a look at the top 10 Class of 2014 rankings:

Rank	Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
1	Brad Bass	IL	Lincoln-Way Central	2014	RHP	Notre Dame
2	Darius Day	IL	Simeon	2014	OF
3	Jake Godfrey	IL	Providence Catholic	2014	RHP	Notre Dame
4	Jake Latz	IL	Lemont	2014	LHP	LSU
5	Mitch Trees	IL	Sacred Heart Griffin	2014	C	Louisville
6	Michael Papierski	IL	Lemont	2014	C	LSU
7	Rahman Williams	IL	Morgan Park	2014	SS
8	Tanner Houck	IL	Collinsville	2014	RHP	Missouri
9	Mike Kornacker	IL	St. Laurence	2014	RHP	Purdue
10	Bryan Pall	IL	Sandburg	2014	RHP	Michigan

CLICK HERE to view the Illinois top 150 2014 rankings