In our fourth edition of the season’s Weekly Diamond Notes, a collection of submissions for the PBR Illinois Player of the Week honor, we have 12 prospects who fell just short of the POTW award. Ultimately, Alton’s OF/LHP Riley Phillips (uncommitted; 2020) earned the award after going 10-for-17 with three doubles, two triples, three home-runs, 14 RBI and scored nine runs. Phillips also struck out seven in three hitless innings on the mound.

There were a number of impressive performances that were in the mix for the award and deserve recognition. Here’s a look at some of the most notable.

WEEKLY DIAMOND NOTES

+ Connor Aten, RHP/OF, Galesburg, 2020
Bradley commit. Aten, who also is a talented position player, did his best work last week on the mound in a matchup against United Township. Aten took a perfect game into the sixth inning. He ended up going seven innings, striking out 14, allowing one hit, no walks and faced 23 batter. Galesburg has now won 17 straight games and is knocking on the door of the Illinois Power 25.

+ Justin Blazek, INF Neuqua Valley, 2019
Last week the Wildcats went 3-1 in four games and Blazek led the way, going 7-for-14 with two doubles, two home-runs, seven RBI and four runs scored. In a 10-0 win last Friday, Blazek went 3-for-3 with a home-run, two runs and three RBI.

+ Nolan Clifford, INF, Neuqua Valley, 2020
Creighton commit. Clifford, like Blazek, had a big week at the plate for Neuqua. Clifford, a left-handed hitter, went 7-for-15 on the week with a double a grand slam, five RBI and three runs scored. Clifford also got on the mound and picked up the win against No. 19 St. Charles North, striking out three in two innings in relief.

+ Timmy Ellinger, CIF, Harlem, 2019
Highland CC commit. The left-handed hitter went 9-for-11 (.818 BA) in three games last week with four doubles, a home-run, eight RBI, five runs and walked twice.

+ Jalen Greer, SS, St. Rita, 2019
Missouri commit. Greer, one of the top prospects in the state, has been putting up PLayer of the Year type of numbers so far this spring and has narrowly missed out on the Player of the Week honors multiple times. This past week St. Rita went 3-1 and Greer went 10-for-18 (.555 BA) with three home runs, eight RBI, eight runs scored and one stolen base. Greer hit two home-runs in the sixth inning alone against Loyola. At the start of the sixth inning, St. Rita trailed 2-1 but with help from Greer, they poured on 16 runs in the frame.

+ Nick Kosmetatos, INF/RHP, St. Francis, 2019
Butler commit. Did his damage last week on the mound and with the bat. At the plate, the right-handed hitter went 5-for-11 with a home runs, two doubles and seven RBI. On the mound, he threw seven shutout innings, scattering five hits, striking out 11 and walking one.

+ Josh Ohl, SS, Edwardsville, 2019
SIU-Edwardsville commit. In five games last week, Edwardsville went 4-1 and Ohl was a big reason why. The right-handed hitter went 12-for-19 (.632 BA), with three doubles, a triple and 10 RBI. On Tuesday, against Collinsville, Ohl went 3-for-3 with three doubles and five RBI. On Saturday, against Portage Central (MI), Ohl was a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBI. On the season Ohl is hitting .464.

+ Tyler Schlaffer, RHP, Homewood-Flossmoor, 2019
UIC commit. One of the top right-handed pitchers in the state. Started on the mound last Friday and got the win against No. 8 Lincoln-Way East. Schlaffer, who has been up to 93 mph this spring, went six innings, scattered two hits, one run, none earned, struck out 12 and walked two. On the season Schlaffer has 35 strikeouts in 20.2 innings pitched.

+ Tyler Snep, C, Lake Zurich, 2019
Iowa commit. In four games last week the strong-bodied, left-handed hitter went 9-for-16 with three home-runs, a double, eight RBI, four runs scored, walked once and did not strikeout. Last Tuesday, in an extra-inning win against Lake Forest, Snep with 3-for-5 with two home-runs including a go-ahead round-tripper in the top of the eighth inning.   

+ Tyler Statler, RHP, Hononegah, 2019
Southeast Missouri State commit. Statler, one of the top power arms in the state, was the PBR Player of the Week winner for his performance in the last week of March. Statler was back at it last week, picking up two wins over No. 14 Plainfield South and Rockford Guilford. In his two outings Statler went 12 innings, scattered four hits, struck out 20 and walked five. On the season he has not allowed an earned run, has struck out 50 in 24 innings pitched and has a .053 batting average against.

+ Cooper Willman, SS/RHP, Sterling, 2020
The No. 167 ranked junior in the state, made his impact felt last week on the mound and at the plate. At the plate, the right-handed hitter hit .563 with two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, three hit-by-pitches, two walks and stole two bases. On the mound, Willman threw five innings against Geneseo on April 8. He scattered two hits, no earned runs and struck out nine.

+ Tommy Windt, INF/RHP, Sandburg, 2019
South Suburban JC commit. In three games last week, in which Sandburg 2-1, Windt went 7-for-10 with three doubles, three home-runs, 11 RBI and four runs scores. Windt also got the win on the mound last Friday. In four innings pitched Windt struck out six. In the same game, Windt went 3-for-3 with a double, home-run and six RBI.

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