As the year comes to a close, it is time to hit the refresh button on the class of 2027 rankings one final time. This 2027 group has been incredibly fun to follow so far, with the talent running deep throughout the whole class. With that being said, we are extending the rankings to 50 in this update, and you can read up on all the notable movement and newcomers, below. 

For a look at the entire Illinois 2027 rankings, click HERE.

The Top-10

Holding down the No. 1 position in the state is OF Sebastian Wilson (IMG; Tennessee commit). Wilson recently announced that he will be transferring to IMG Academy to continue his prep career, so we will eventually shift him from the Illinois rankings into Florida’s down the line. In the meantime, Illinois’ top player swings one of the loudest left-handed bats in the class with a 101 mph max EV and 400’ max distance this past fall in-event. He also trimmed down his 60 time to a 6.58 while appearing to have added even more strength to his 6-foot, 196–pound frame. 

Two of the top arms in the country follow right after Wilson, with RHPs Kaden Wasniewski (McHenry) and Brady Buenik (Libertyville) filling out the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. 

Wasniewski is a premium athlete, backed by his 6.54 in the 60, and he has no trouble at all transferring his athleticism over to the mound. The right-hander will run his fastball into the low-90s, topping out at 92 mph with over 2,400 rpm on average (T2554 rpm). He fills out his arsenal with a swing and miss slider that will play over 2,300 rpm with nearly 20 inches of horizontal break, and he’ll also flash a changeup in the low-80s with arm-side fade. 

Buenik stands out physically at 6-foot-3, 205-pounds, and he has the arm talent to match his intimidating presence. The big right-hander is a dynamic mover down the mound with flexibility and control of his limbs, pairing with a quick and clean arm that works from a ¾ window. His fastball will work up to 91 mph, though we think that number will continue to rise very quickly, and he’ll go to a slider/changeup combination to keep hitters off-balance. 

SS/RHP Trevor McClure (Mount Vernon) is jumping into the Top-5 in this update. He has an athletic and projectable frame, listed at 6-foot, 166-pounds, and we think he has one of the higher ceilings in the state. On the mound, the right-hander will work in the 85-88 mph range with his fastball with a clean and athletic delivery, though the separator for him is his ability to spin; cruising between 2,400-2,500 rpm on both his curveball and slider with feel to land both offerings for strikes. On the other side of the ball, he has an athletic right-handed swing with some strength, and he’s a fluid defender on the infield with soft hands. 

RHP/CIF Brady Cunningham (Brother Rice) is rising up to No. 9 in this update after a strong look at him this past fall. There’s already present strength in his 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame, and he moves extremely well for his size on the mound with a quick arm and the ability to repeat his delivery. He attacks hitters with his fastball, topping out at 88 mph while collecting plenty of swing and miss on the offering in the zone - and he’ll also show both a curveball and a changeup confidently for strikes. We like the bat a lot too, as we’ve seen big power from the right side with a simple operation and patient approach. 

Filling out the Top-10 at No. 10 we have SS/RHP Kash VanHouten (Canton), who is rising three spots since the last update. It's hard to think of a time where VanHouten has not shown well in front of our staff. He’s routinely on the barrel with hard contact and an ability to control the strike zone, and he’s also a well above-average defender up the middle of the infield. He even provides an upside look on the mound with a fastball up to 90 mph (T2509 rpm) and sharp slider.

Outside the Top-10 

RHP Matt Ritchie (St. Charles North) is seeing a slight bump up to No. 24 in this update. The 6-foot-2, 165-pound right-hander has a ceiling you can dream on, and his fluid movement patterns indicate more velocity in the near future. He already has a strong arm with a fastball in the low-80s, and he has shown an innate ability to fill up the zone with all three of his pitches. 

MIF Julio Ayala (Montini) is making his rankings debut at No. 28 after an extremely impressive showing this past fall at the Underclass Showcase. The left-handed hitter has a fluid and easy swing that stays balanced and through the zone, and there’s some present strength in the barrel with a max EV of 93 mph. Defensively, he has the actions and the arm-strength (T87 mph) to stick on the left side of the infield in the long run. 

Another fall winner making their rankings debut is MIF/C Luca Agne (Plainfield North), and he’s been a consistent winner in front of our staff over the past year. A little undersized at the moment, Agne makes up for it with his motor and how hard he plays the game. He has an athletic right-handed swing that creates extension out front with some pop (T91 mph EV), and he has advanced actions both on the infield and behind the plate. 

Jumping in at No. 36 is OF Carson Hamblin (Lake Zurich), a highly athletic left-handed hitting outfielder. He’s a 6.68 runner in the 60, and his speed allows him to cover all sorts of ground in the outfield. At the plate, the left-handed hitter has an athletic operation that uses the ground through impact, staying through the zone with a whippy barrel (T90 mph EV). 

RHP Russell Hengels (Maine South) was a fall standout at Grand Park this past September, and he slides in the rankings at No. 41 in this update. Listed at a projectable 6-foot-3, 190-pounds, Hengels has an extremely high ceiling that he is only just starting to tap into. In our look this past fall, he filled up the zone with his fastball that topped out at 85 mph, and his movement patterns show much more in the tank as well. 

Another right-hander making his debut at No. 44 is RHP Colin Giles (St. Ignatius). The 6-foot-4, 177-pound right-hander has all sorts of upside in his wiry frame, but the separator for him is his ability to spin the baseball. His fastball is already firm, working in the low-80s (T83 mph), but it averages over 2,400 rpm and can reach over 2,500 rpm at its best. His curveball shows similar high-spin characteristics, playing over 2,600 rpm on average and reaching nearly 2,800 rpm. 

OF/LHP Matthew Crownhart (Homeschool) is a two-way prospect that showed well this past fall at the St. Louis ID, and he comes in at No. 46 in this update. The left-handed hitter has an upside swing that stays flat through the zone, reaching up to 90 mph for his max EV with looseness throughout. On the other side of the ball, the southpaw will work his fastball in the 80-81 mph range with natural sink. There’s a lot to like about the way he moves down the mound, boasting easy and simple movement patterns with a loose ¾ release. 

RHP James Wasson (Nazareth Academy) makes his rankings debut at No. 47, and he’s another high-ceiling right-hander with a big arm. Listed at a lean and high-waisted 6-foot-5, 200-pounds, Wasson gives hitters a tough look with his low release and deceptive delivery. On top of that, his fastball can reach up to 86 mph with over 2,500 rpm - while both his curveball and slider will reach over 2,500 rpm as well. 

3B/RHP Miles Mazanowski (Lane Tech) is a physical prospect to know, and he’s sliding in the rankings at No. 48. There’s some present strength in his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame, and the strength is evident in his right-handed swing, reaching up to 98 mph for his max EV this past fall with a 91 mph average. He has plenty of arm talent as well, topping out at 84 mph with his fastball (T2418 rpm) to pair with a high-spin slider (T2755 rpm). 

INF James Obaldo (Fenwick) was a recent winner from the fall, and he slots in at No. 49 in this update. The right-handed hitter has a polished operation and approach at the plate with an upside swing to pair, staying through the zone with loose wrists while working on the barrel to the pull-side. He’s also one to watch with the glove, as he boasts natural and fluid actions on the infield with soft hands. 

Rounding out the rankings for this update at No. 50 is OF/LHP Anthony Kilimnik (Joliet Catholic). The L/L outfielder will be one to follow closely as he continues to mature physically and add strength to his frame. At the plate, the left-handed hitter has an easy and repeatable swing that has shown a polished ability to use the whole field. He’s also an ultra fluid defender in the outfield with confident hands and a strong arm. On the mound, the southpaw is a controlled mover with a clean arm, working up to 80 mph with his fastball while also showing the ability to consistently land his curveball and slider in the zone with around 2,300-2,400 rpm. 

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