The entire Prep Baseball community recently updated their class of 2025 rankings, and with that we saw the overall rankings shift as well. There are currently 19 Illinois products in the national rankings as of right now, which is one of the deepest classes in recent memory. 

Today, we are taking a look at a handful of names throughout the national rankings, looking at players towards the top of the list or that we also feel may garner some pro interest this coming spring. 

Diving in the rankings 

LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Glenwood; Tennessee commit) is the top ranked player nationally from Illinois, sitting at No. 3 in the country. This also puts him as the highest ranked player Illinois has ever had since the inception of Prep Baseball’s national rankings. It goes without saying that Appenzeller is a special talent, gifted with silky movement patterns and an uber-projectable 6-foot-5, 185-pound frame. It is easy to see that the southpaw’s best days are still ahead of him, and that's why many have already labeled him as a potential first round pick in this upcoming draft. 

From 7/19/24: “The talented 6-foot-5 southpaw was flawless across two innings that included two strikeouts. Working 89-93 with a boring arm action that delivered out of a low ¾ slot, the fastball showed more control than command in this quick glimpse with the changeup looking the part of a present and future plus offering at 84-85. Less consistent in this look was the sweeping breaking ball which backed up (somewhat) at 77-79, but still took shape, and is likely to provide an above average pitch in subsequent looks. What holds as the most important takeaway from this look at the country’s top left-handed arm was the fact that he did not appear to have his best stuff, but still dominated with clean innings and looked every bit like a future starter.”

C/OF Jaden Fauske (Nazareth) slides in the national rankings at No. 11, and he’s been slowly working his way up the rankings as he continues to prove himself on a national scale. Fauske could very well be the best hitter to come out of Illinois for quite some time. The left-handed hitter stands out physically at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds, but perhaps his approach at the plate stands out even more, routinely showing advanced awareness of the strike zone and quality swing decisions. He can cover the plate with ease while pairing it with a heavy barrel that can drive the ball to all fields, and he was recently one of the top performers in the workout at the Prep Baseball All-American Game, broken down in the chart made by Josh Schoenberg, below. 

LHP Jack Bauer (Lincoln-Way East; Virginia commit) is another former All-American, and he finds himself at No. 85 in the national rankings. The 6-foot-3, 191-pound left-hander has a young look, and there is plenty more to dream on as he continues to mature physically. Bauer will light up the radar gun with a low-90s fastball that can reach as high as 95 mph with two-seam action, but his ability to spin the breaking ball may end up being the separator. His slider will routinely play in the 79-81 mph range with wipeout action and sweeping shape, playing between 2600-2700 rpm. He also will flash a changeup that continues to improve, showing quality feel for the pitch with arm-side fading action. 

From 6/26/24: “Virginia commit. Standing in at a projectable 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame, Bauer (Lincoln-Way East, 2025) started on the mound for Top Tier Americans in Saturday’s game, throwing two innings with three strikeouts and not allowing a run. The left-handed pitcher’s three pitch mix gave hitters fits during his outing where he flashed multiple fastballs up to 94 mph and sat 91-94 mph on the day. With his offspeed, he employed a sharp slider at 78-79 mph and a changeup at 80-82 mph. While he continues to develop consistency with his command, his movement on his offspeed was the real breaking point in his performance, causing multiple hitters to freeze up. Bauer’s appearance was strong enough to earn Top Tier an 8-0 victory as he was able to showcase why he is one of the top left-handed pitchers in the country right now.”

Sliding in right after Bauer is LHP/1B Conor Essenburg (Lincoln-Way West, Kentucky commit) at No. 86 in the country. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the state that rivals Essenburg as a two-way, as he could make an impact at the next level on both sides of the ball. His velocity started ticking up tremendously this past spring, reaching up to 94 mph despite being at 88 mph in the winter. He has a thunderous right-handed swing, reaching up to 105 mph in-event, and he swings with the same amount of intent in-game while still showing a quality approach with little swing & miss in our looks. 

From 6/19/24: “Essenburg was one of the top two-way threats in the state this season and helped lead Lincoln-Way West to a 30-5 record. The Warriors quickly ascended into the Top-10 in the state and remained there for the entirety of the season. Essenburg was the clear ace of the staff and a presence in the middle of the order throughout the season. From the mound, the Kansas State commit finished the season 10-2 with a 101 strikeouts in 52 innings pitched. The southpaw broke the school’s record for single-season wins and single-season strikeouts while sporting a 1.48 ERA. Offensively, he slashed .388/.554/.673 with 14 extra-base hits, 4 home runs, and 29 RBIs. Essenburg will look to build off his record-breaking year in his 2025 senior spring.”

C Quinn Schambow (Libertyville; Oklahoma State) is the next Illinois name on the list, coming in at No. 133 nationally, and the No. 7 ranked catcher. He’s long been an advanced defender, boasting strong hands with the ability to steal strikes and a willingness to block the baseball. Perhaps his biggest tool is his arm-strength from the chute, reaching as high as 84 mph while not appearing to be using too much effort and reaching as low as 1.86 for his pop-time. He’s no slouch at the plate either, as he has shown off his power on numerous occasions with the ability to leave the yard to any part of the field. 

From 6//3/24: “C Quinn Schambow (Libertyville; Oklahoma State) is the top ranked catcher in the state and continued to show why. Defensively, he is highly-advanced with a strong arm behind the plate that is one of his biggest weapons. In-game he is ultra-aggressive throwing behind runners and shutting down the running game. On this day, he showed clean, athletic and highly repeatable actions out of the crouch. His arm was playing easy, with life and accuracy while topping at 83 mph from the crouch with his best pop time coming in at 1.92. Offensively, he has strong hands and elevates the baseball with authority to both gaps at times.” 

MIF Ethan Moore (Oak Park-River Forest; Tennessee) slots in at No. 180 nationally in this update, which is 60 spots better than he was in the previous list. It’s hard not to like athletic middle infielders, especially when they are a switch hitter, and Moore has proven to be more than capable of creating hard contact from both sides of the plate. He’s a natural defender on the infield with bounce, floating to either side of his glove with ease, and he should be able to stick up the middle at the next level. 

From 3/3/24: “Moore is a dynamic switch-hitter with feel to hit and power from both sides of the plate. From the left side, Moore has high hands with a wide base, using a lengthy stride straight toward the pitcher. It’s a very direct path with notable bat speed that enabled him to hit the ball hard, reaching 96.7 mph off the bat. In the right-handed box it’s more controlled movement, working into a strong loaded position with quality timing. Moore showcased his speed, as the Illinois native was one of just four players to run a sub-7.00 60-yard dash (6.92). Defensively, Moore showed quality actions with the feet, soft hands and quick lateral movement. His arm worked from multiple angles with accuracy, reaching 89 mph across the infielder.”

A couple high-ceiling arms that have started to gain some national attention recently are RHP Brandon Shannon (McHenry; Louisville commit) and LHP Aidan Flinn (Marist; Illinois commit).

Shannon is making his national rankings debut at No. 197, and he has quickly become one of the top arms in the midwest. He burst onto the scene at the McHenry Preseason ID in February of last year with a low-90s fastball and extremely projectable look, and he’s done nothing but improve his stock since. Sporting a high-waisted 6-foot-3, 170-pound frame, the right-hander has recently been into the mid-90s on the national circuit, and there still looks to be much more to tap into both mechanically and physically for the young right-hander. 

From 6/5/24: “Standing in at a loose-limbed 6-foot-3, 160-pounds. Shannon got the start for the Warriors in the Sectional Semifinals and continued to show why his stock has been rising over the course of the year. His fastball played in the upper 80’s consistently throughout the game; sitting 88-90 mph (T91) with life through the zone. His slider played tighter in this look at 77-79 mph, while flashing an 11/5-shaped curve to go with it, rounding out his arsenal with a splitter at 81 mph with downer bite to it. Shannon turned in a final line of: W, 6 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 6 K.”

Flinn was new to the national rankings in the previous update, and he is now up one spot to No. 228. The long-levered 6-foot-6, 205-pound southpaw has been storming up the Illinois rankings for the last year or so, and we don't expect him to slow down any time soon. He creates a tough look for opposing hitters, using his levers well down the mound with a loose, athletic delivery, creating extension out front from a lower release window. His fastball plays around the 90 mph mark, though we expect that to tick up in the near future, and he will also create ugly swings on a bullet slider. 

From 5/10/24: “Illinois commit. Currently ranked No. 140 in the state, Flinn got the start for the RedHawks and showed high upside throughout his start. He is every bit of 6-foot-6, 200-pounds with room to still grow into the frame. He is a loose and athletic mover down the mound, working in-sync with his long levers. His fastball plays with late, hard life through the zone at 88-90 mph, seemingly getting quality extension on the pitch. His go-to off-speed offering was a sweeping-type breaking ball that he was confident throwing to both sides of the plate; back-dooring right-handed hitters or throwing it at their back foot. To complement his repertoire, he pounded the zone with both pitches to make for a 77% strike clip in the outing. The southpaw is a tough matchup for any lineup he opposes, and he more than held his own against the No. 1 team in the state; finishing with six strikeouts over his five innings of two-run ball.”

Joseph Chiarodo OF / RHP / Edwardsville, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 9 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 229 / POS: 39 From 4/16/24: "Alabama commit and one of the top arms in Illinois’ junior class; ranked No. 8 overall in the state. 5-foot-11, 180-pound athlete with strength throughout his frame, particularly in the lower half. Took the mound for the Tigers in a conference win over Collinsville; tossed five strong innings, striking out six with a walk and three earned runs. Power mover, sits into his back hip and works downhill in a drop/drive pattern with noticeable athleticism, repeats. Strong front side, stays closed up front and finishes onto a firm lead leg through release. Bulldog-like demeanor on the mound, highly competitive and in control. Short arm draw out the glove, travels to release on a short, compact arm circle that finishes out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball touched 93 in the first, sat 90-92 mph early, settled at 88-90 mph. Jumps out the hand with life on the corners, strikes often and pitches off it. Slider was the best it has ever been over our numerous looks. Stays on fastball tunnel with sharp, late swing-and-miss break at 80-84 mph. Able to land it for strikes too, though mostly used for whiffs in this look. Depth and more vertical action to a 74-76 mph curveball, tight spin and strike feel. Starting to show more comfort and feel for a changeup at 81-83 mph, favored it to left-handed hitters. High level athlete that has four-pitch feel and polish who consistently performs each time we see him."

Enzo Infelise C / 3B / Providence Catholic, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 10 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 318 / POS: 25 From 8/21/24: "All C/INF Enzo Infelise (Providence Catholic; Oklahoma commit) has done since we first saw him is hit. The 6-foot-2, 229-pound right-handed hitter has easy strength in his bat, juicing a no-doubt home run over the left field wall during game play. He continues to show well above-average bat-to-ball skills, making it hard for pitchers to get a strike past him. He had one of the more impressive rounds of batting practice during the event’s showcase, barreling balls for an average exit velocity of 94.4 mph (T102.4 mph), while sending his farthest hit ball 356 feet, per TrackMan. Infelise’s average bat speed was 74.4 mph, including an average hand speed of 22 mph. Defensively from the crouch, he recorded an 81 mph catcher velocity while recording a pop time range of 1.87-1.95, also tallying 88 mph across the diamond during infield defense."

CJ Deckinga 3B / OF / Minooka, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 11 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 320 / POS: 21 From 3/29/24: "Michigan State commit, currently ranked No. 5 in the state and No. 181 in the country. Listed at an uber-projectable 6-foot-4, 173-pounds with lean strength and plenty of room to add on strength. The right-handed hitter finished the day 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored hitting out of the four-hole. His double was a frozen rope to his pull-side over the left fielder’s head, plating two runs on the same play. Wide base at the plate with a quick lift and place stride, pre-pitch waggle in the hands for rhythm, stays short to the ball and long through the zone, power projects as he fills out. Steady, natural actions at third base, appears comfortable on the move. Strong arm that plays with carry and life. High-ceiling name to know in the state."

Trey Meyers OF / 1B / New Trier Township High School Winnetka, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 12 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 334 / POS: 60 From 2/24/24: "OF Trey Meyers (New Trier; Indiana commit) stands out physically with his 6-foot-5, 214-pound frame, and he has some eye-opening upside still left in the tank. He uses his levers to create easy power and bat-speed (70.6 mph avg), and his power projects as he continues to fill out. In this look, he had a clear intent to keep the ball on a line, working up to 93.9 mph for his max EV. He moves extremely well for his size, cruising to a 6.58 in the 60 with a max run speed of 21.1 mph, also recording a 29.8” vertical. Fluid footwork in the outfield with steady hands, plays through the ball with intent. Moves well into a crow hop, topping out at 89 mph with life out of the hand. High-upside name to know."

Austin Musso RHP / 3B / Mascoutah, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 13 / POS: 2 OverallRank: 337 / POS: 109 From 4/29/24: "Kansas commit, ranked No. 10 overall in the state’s 2025 class. 6-foot-2, 195-pound strong, well-proportioned athlete with present strength throughout and room for more. Have seen him multiple times this spring and this was our best look to date in a highly anticipated Mississippi Valley Conference matchup against Triad. Tossed a complete game shutout, allowing two weak infield hits with one walk and six strikeouts. Has a 0.41 ERA with 49 strikeouts and 15 walks over 34 innings pitched this spring, holding opponents to a .136 batting average against. Works with tempo and pace, gets onto his backside and rides the slide to footstrike. Clean, in-line mover down the mound, consistently maintained his direction to the plate throughout. Long arm swing with scap retraction on the backside, accelerates out front and finishes out of a fast high ¾ arm slot. Fastball touched 91 early, pitched at 88-90 mph with true command of the plate, spotting it on either corner when he wanted. High spin with easy life and jump out the hand, holds plane with carry. Tight spin on slider, works it to right-handed hitters for swing-and-miss on occasion to the glove-side corner of the plate, 77-80 mph. Will also flip in a high arching, gradually spun curveball at 69-73 mph with big depth for strikes. High pitchability arm that consistently dominantes each time he takes the mound."

Luke Mensik RHP / SS / Lincoln-Way Central , IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 14 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 340 / POS: 111 From 8/1/24: "SS Jack Wheeler (Morris Community, 2025) RHP Luke Mensik (Lincoln-Way Central, 2025) Displaying an athletic and proportionate 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, Mensik was shoving for Sparks. The righty came in to relief in the middle of the third inning and pitched 2.2 innings striking out four batters and not allowing any walks. Mensik has a long stride fully extending over his left leg. He short arms his delivery and throws out of a high 3/4 arm slot with a tight window. Mensik throws an 87-90 mph fastball with natural cut. He complements his fastball with a 76-79 mph slider that has an impressive 2400-2600 rpm spin to it."

Brandon Menser RHP / 3B / Sesser Valier , IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 15 / POS: 4 OverallRank: 342 / POS: 113 From 8/21/24: "RHP Brandon Menser (Sesser Valier) is a high-level uncommitted arm in Illinois' now senior class. He stands in a hard-to-miss 6-foot-3, 176-pound frame with long levers and all kinds of projection still to come. He earned Illinois State Games Most Valuable Pitcher honors after tossing two innings on the mound with four strikeouts and no hits, runs or walks allowed. His fastball played with heavy carry through the zone (avg. 19.4” IVB), sitting 87-89 mph and topping out at 91 mph with quality spin to pair (avg. 2486 rpm). He mixed in a curveball with 12/6 action, sitting 74-79 mph with an average of 2680 rpm as well as an average of -15.4 inches of induced vertical break. He rounded out his polished three-pitch mix with an 80 mph changeup with slight fading action to the arm-side. A must-know prospect that is trending up in Illinois."

Andrew Winslow RHP / Triad, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 17 / POS: 5 OverallRank: 345 / POS: 115 From 3/16/24: "Oklahoma State commit and one of the top arms in Illinois, regardless of class. Long, lanky, and lean-limbed 6-foot-6, 195-pound athlete, averaged 14.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Knights’ basketball team this winter. Quick up-tempo drop/drive type delivery, hunched at balance point, stays closed to front footstrike. Strides in-line to target, finishes through release and controls his levers well for age. Long loose and continuous arm path that comes out of a ¾ window. Fastball touched 91 mph in the first, sat 88-90 mph throughout, touching 90 mph again in the fourth inning. Starting to hold velocity more; at this time last year, peaked at 88 mph early while settling at 84-85 mph. Flashed late run at times, stayed off the barrel and induced ground balls at a high rate, including two inning-ending double plays. Wasn’t around the strike zone as often as we’ve seen in the past in this look, but did execute when necessary. Showed a true lane changing sinker at 86-88 mph with heavy horizontal movement, covering the entire plate at times. Sharp swing-and-miss sweep on a 75-78 mph slider, grabbed several uncomfortable whiffs out of the zone against right-handed hitters. Worked around a changeup at 83-85 mph that favored the glove-side corner in this look. Didn’t have his best stuff but still possesses one of the highest ceilings on the mound in the entire state, regardless of class."

Connor Blue RHP / 1B / O'Fallon, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 18 / POS: 6 OverallRank: 409 / POS: 133 From 5/23/24: "Cincinnati commit, 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame that holds lean strength throughout. Ranked No. 17 overall in the state’s junior class and No. 491 overall nationally. Tossed six innings of one run ball for the Panthers in a regional win, scattering three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Simple, stretch-only operation, leans into his backside and rides it downhill, lead leg swings to front footstrike. Strong glove arm, drifts towards the first base side through release. Clean and continuous path on the backside, gets into scap retraction and fires out of a high ¾ slot. Fastball played at 90-91 mph in the first inning, pitched anywhere from 86-89 mph as he went on, but did reach back for 89 mph in each of the final two frames of his outing. Showed a low-70s curveball as his main secondary offering, sharp spin at times. Served as more of a change-of-pace in this look, kept hitters off balance and stayed off the barrel; did induce three ground ball double plays with his breaking ball. One of the top arms in the state’s soon-to-be senior class."

Joe DuSell OF / LHP / St. Edward, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 19 / POS: 3 OverallRank: 410 / POS: 71 From 8/1/24: "OF/LHP Joe DuSell (St. Edward, 2025) Physical, 6-foot, 207-pound frame, showed plus stuff during AHQ-Schmidt’s Saturday night pool-play game. The left-hander struck out six, four looking and two swinging, and surrendered one walk over two and two-thirds innings of work. Utilized a three pitch mix, relying heavily on his fastball and slider combination, both of which produced swings and misses. Displayed a ¾ arm slot, uphill shoulder tilt, quick arm action, in-line stride, and a forceful back leg push off. Fastball was firm with armside run and sat from 88-90 mph; backed by a hard biting slider that was thrown for strikes at 75-77 mph, and the occasional hard changeup at 81-83 mph. A quality showing for the uncommitted DuSell, Illinois’ No. 92 overall ranked prospect. Also a left-handed hitter, DuSell swings a heavy barrel with easy bat-speed, showing the ability to control the zone and drive the ball to all parts of the field with authority."

Joe Olson LHP / St. Laurence, IL / 2025 Rankings  StateRank: 20 / POS: 5 OverallRank: 482 / POS: 58 From 8/1/24: "LHP Joe Olson (St. Laurence, 2025) Imposing, 6-foot-1, 210-pound frame, was in control on the mound during the Sparks’ 11-1 win Saturday night. The left-hander went four innings of one run ball, striking out six swinging and walking one en route to a dominant outing and win. He was a fluid mover that competed in the strike zone and worked from the first base side of the rubber. Executed a three pitch mix from the windup and stretch on a consistent basis. Displayed feel for tunneling his breaking ball and fastball from his ¾ arm slot, hiding the ball well behind his back hip. Also demonstrated a long arm swing, high leg kick, whippy arm action, well timed shoulder-hip separation, and a slight first base side stride. Fastball showed carry and sat from 87-90 mph. Curveball was a swing and miss putaway pitch at 75-79 mph. Changeup was thrown on occasion versus righties at 80-82 mph. An impressive performance from the Louisville commit, Illinois’ No. 12 overall ranked prospect."

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