Week 4 Games
May 17, 2021
The Illinois Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the season. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the Illinois Scout Blog is loaded with information …
Downers Grove South vs. Morton - 5/6/21
By Peter Hamot
Area Scout
Lucas Costello, LHP, Downers Grove South, 2022
Uncomitted. Highly projectable 6-foot 145-pound wiry frame. Clean, quick arm action from a ¾ arm slot. Smooth delivery, gets a good load over the rubber and is quick down the mound. Uses his entire body well but doesn’t appear to be max effort. Strides in-line with the plate. Featured a fastball that sat 80-81 mph with tail and carry through the zone. Curveball was his go-to secondary pitch this game sitting at 70-74 mph with sharp slurvy action, used it against both right-handers and left-handers in any count. Flashed a changeup at 76 mph with the same arm action as his fastball.
Joe Consenza, 1B, Downers Grove South, 2021
College of Dupage CC commit. Broad Shouldered 6-foot 195-pound build, strong lower-body. Proved to be a catalyst in the middle of the Mustang’s lineup going 2-for-2 with 2 RBIs. Offensively; starts in an open, athletic stance, subtle leg-kick, hangs foot. Creates above-average bat speed through the zone, hands work loose, quick and to the ball. Easy pop off the bat with power potential to all fields. Defensively his frame fits the position. Smooth hands that work through the ball. Showed the ability to consistently handle short-hops well. Ability to keep the ball in front to both sides. Fluid footwork and feel for around the bag. Looks to project at first-base at the next level.
Brother Rice vs. Manteno - 5/5/21
By Peter Hamot
Area Scout
Cole Van Assen, RHP, Brother Rice, 2023
Uncommitted, ranked No. 30 in the Illinois’ 2023 class. Athletic, 6-foot-3 170-pound frame, plenty of room for continued development. Looks to be one of the more polished right-handed arms in the Illinois 2023 class. Started on the mound for Brother Rice going four scoreless innings with four strikeouts. Clean arm action plays from a ¾ slot. Repeatable, fluid delivery. Leg-lift is athletic and gets to a good/strong balance point. Body stays under control going down the mound. Strides in-line with the plate, repeats. Fastball worked at 83-85 mph with sink and feel for the corners of the zone. Curveball was his go-to secondary pitch; sat 71-74 mph with sharp slurvy shape, showed the ability to throw it in any count. Featured a changeup at 77 mph with the same arm action as his fastball and kept down in the zone. Follow right-handed arm in the Illinois’ 2023 class.
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Cole Van Assen
Jack Lausch, OF, Brother Rice, 2022
Uncommitted, ranked No. 7 in the Illinois 2022 class. Top uncommitted player in the state. Highly-athletic, 6-foot-2, 185 pound left-handed hitting outfielder. One of the best athletes in the state; also a high-level QB1 prospect in football. Offensively has a professional approach; mature presence in the box, starts in an athletic stance, toe-tap into a short stride to keep himself in rhythm. Lighting-quick hands, short path, hands work on top of the baseball. Ball jumps off his bat with backspin. Showed power to the pull-side with a towering homerun. Above average zone-awareness and pitch recognition. Aggressive on the basepaths, always looking to take the extra base with quality jumps and reads off the pitcher. Defensively, profiles in center field. Quick first step, proper angles and routes, covered a lot of ground and was able to consistently cut off balls in the gap. Arm played above average in IO with strong/accurate throws to all bases. High-level 2022 prospect.
Hinsdale Central vs York - 5/3/21
By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director
Ben Oosterbaan, RHP, Hinsdale Central, 2023
Uncommitted, 6-foot-2, 145-pound, long-limbed, high-waisted, right-handed pitcher with plenty of room for continued physical development. Started on the mound and impressed in his four innings of work. Did not allow a hit or a run while striking out eight and walking one. Even-keeled, low-pulse demeanor on the mound, seems to be in total control on the mound and attacks with a plan. Methodical, controlled delivery, high-front side, hides the baseball on the back-side, highly-repeatable. Clean, uninterrupted arm action, high ¾ slot. Utilized a fastball/breaking ball throughout. Fastball comes out of the hand clean and easy, late arm-side-run, located down in the zone and repeated quality strikes to the glove side; sat anywhere from 82-86 mph throughout. Pitches with low effort at 82-84 and had 86 in his back pocket whenever he wanted. Looked to be manipulating his breaking ball early on in the outing but as the start went on, it was evident he was mixing in a curveball and a slider. Both breaking balls tunnel well off the fastball. Curveball has 11/5 shape, feel for the zone, occasional bite, 70-73 mph. Slider, 74-75 mph, has a shorter, more horizontal 10/4 shape; ability to show in the zone and end up out of the zone with two strikes; quality go-to two strikeout/swing-and-miss offering. High-follow polished 2023 arm on the rise.
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Ben Oosterbaan
Luke Adams, 3B/RHP, Hinsdale Central, 2022
Michigan State commit. Ranked No. 20 in the Illinois’ 2022 class. 6-foot-4, 211-pound, wide-shouldered, well-proportioned, physical build. Made his presence felt all over the diamond. Plays the game hard, thinks two out of the box and runs the bases extremely well for someone his size; highly-competitive overall demeanor on the field. Finished 3-for-4 with a home run, double, two stolen bases, two RBI’s and three runs scored. Swings with aggression, present bat strength and bat speed. Stays flat and through the zone a long time. Backspins the baseball with authority to all fields. Was consistently on time and on the barrel; ball comes off the bat differently than others his age. Middle-of-the-order bat with feel to hit and power potential to all fields. Defensively, has the ability to play multiple defense spots but primary third baseman. Strong arm, steady actions and sneaky range. Also, got on the mound and went right after hitters with a lively fastball that sat 86-87 mph. Went to a 68 mph curveball as his secondary offering. High-level 2022 prospect.
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Luke Adams
Brian Daker, C, Hinsdale Central, 2021
Unsigned senior, currently ranked No. 278 in the Illinois’ 2021 class. 5-foot-10, 170-pound, well-proportioned, right-handed hitting catcher. Hit in the two-hole for Hinsdale Central. Finished 2-for-4 with a double, and a run scored. Athletic, balanced setup in the box; confident look and aggressive to pitches in the zone. Aggressive swing, occasionally gets long but flashes bat strength and natural lift in swing. Doubles hard to left field in his final at-bat of the day. Defensively, natural catcher actions behind the plate, sure-hands, active blocker and arm played accurately. Follow unsigned senior catcher.
6-foot-1, 175-pound, athletic, strong, two-way prospect. Plays shortstop and hits left-handed but started this game on the mound. Has shown high-level spin rates (T2857 rpm), specifically on his hard-biting curveball at past events. Tough day in regards to results but Hansmann still warrants follow status moving forward. Athletic arm action, clean and loose from a high ¾ slot. Fastball plays mostly straight, inconsistent command, topped at 86 mph, sat 83-84. Curveball, varying shapes, and sharpness. Flashed a couple with plus action off a 10/4 plane; sat 71-74 mph. Also showed a low-spinning changeup down in the zone with fade at 80-81 mph. Follow 2022 arm.