On Nov. 13th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed their National Letters of Intent to lock in their official commitments to their respective schools, with hundreds of these signings hailing from Illinois.

Over the next few weeks, we will spend some time highlighting the names from Illinois that signed their NLI to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, continuing with the Missouri Valley today. 

Belmont

This is the second time in two years that the Bruins will be signing a right-hander with big spin metrics, as they were able to land Hank Liss (Evanston, 2023) last year. RHP Cole Kenyon (Lake Zurich) is a promising young arm that will be headed to Nashville next fall, and he has one of the best breaking balls in the entire state, ripping off his slider routinely between 2800-2900 rpm. He also has plenty of arm-strength, having reached up to 89 mph in previous looks. 

From 8/21/24: “There’s a lot to like about RHP Cole Kenyon (Lake Zurich), standing in at an athletic 6-foot-2, 163-pound frame with upside. He tossed 1 ⅔ innings, striking out three, walking two and allowing no runs or hits in his stint. His fastball sat in the mid-80s and topped out at 88.6 mph with quality spin (avg. 2361 rpm) He also showed an impressive slider that had the highest average and max spin rates from the entire event, being recorded at 2855 rpm and 2932 rpm, respectively, while also playing with big horizontal movement (-18.3” avg. HM). He remains a must-know uncommitted arm in Illinois.”

The Braves got busy in-state this year, signing four players that are all ranked in the Top-70.

RHP Ryan Schaffnit (Morton) looks to be a strong addition to the pitching staff for Bradley, as he gave a loud showing at the State Games to finish off his summer. The big 6-foot-6, 213-pound right-hander will run his fastball up to 90 mph and also go to a bullet slider at 78-79 mph as a put-away. 

From 8/21/24: “RHP Ryan Schaffnit (Morton; Bradley commit) opened some eyes in his two inning stint. He takes the mound at a physically imposing 6-foot-6, 213-pounds and moves well for his size, showing little perceived effort with the ability to repeat his operation. His arm works short in the back before firing through with a higher ¾ release. The fastball came out easy with life through the zone, 87-89 mph (T90), setting up a sharp slider with late lateral break at 78-79 mph with feel to land to his glove side. His final offering was a changeup around 75-79 mph, displaying gradual running action to his arm-side.”

Another talented right-hander set to suit up for the Braves is RHP Calen Scheider (Hampshire). A Senior Future Games participant this past summer, the athletic right-hander has a quick arm and athletic movement patterns to pair. His fastball will work in the upper-80s and grab 90 mph on his best bullets, also going to a sharp 10/4 slider and killing spin on a running changeup to round out his mix. He also has shown well as a position player over the years with a quality catch/throw operation and athletic right-handed stroke. 

From 8/14/24: “RHP/C Calen Scheider (Hampshire, 2025) is an intriguing two-way still on the market in Illinois. The right-hander was down a couple ticks velocity wise in this look just with it being the end of the summer, but he’s an arm we are very fond of; having touched 90 mph in the past with a quick arm and above-average off-speed. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has a simple, compact operation with some looseness and quick hands. His aforementioned arm strength is one of his biggest weapons behind the plate, helping him limit the run game with a sub-2.00 pop-time and top velocity of 82 mph from the chute.” 

The Braves grabbed a couple left-handed bats in this class, headlined by 1B Davis Collie (Sycamore) and MIF TJ Jakubowski (Huntley).

Collie is a physical 6-foot-2, 204-pound slugger that routinely works on the barrel in front of our staff. We have seen him in-event work exit velocities up to 99 mph with well above-average bat-speed (77 mph avg.), and he also has been an in-game performer with loud contact to the whole field. 

From 8/1/24: “1B Davis Collie (Sycamore, 2025) Bradley commit. Collie stands in a physical 6-foot-2, 204-pound frame with athleticism and strength throughout. A left-handed hitter, Collie was on the barrel throughout the game, delivering a single up the middle in his first at-bat and a double to the left-center gap in his third, driving in two runs in the process. He continued to carry his hitting pace into Sunday, sending a three run home run to help lift Sparks North to an 11-4 victory. He also showed well defensively, proving to be a steady glove with clean footwork.” 

Jakubowski is a bit of a different profile, listed at a highly projectable 6-foot, 150-pounds. He has advanced glovework and actions for his age, and his left-handed swing has plenty of upside to dream on. 

From 6/5/24: “Jakubowski was on the barrel from the left side in this one, tallying two hits towards the top of the Red Raiders lineup. He has a mature approach that looks to keep things simple with an all fields approach. Defensively he continues to show athleticism and range to both his left and his right, which should allow him to stay on the middle infield moving forward.” 

Evansville

Evansville is coming off a historic 2024 campaign where they went 39-26 overall to go along with a deep Super Regional run and Missouri Valley Conference Title. 

INF Ximi Baftiri (Morris) will be joining the squad next fall, and there’s a lot to like in the 6-foot, 185-pound infielder. He’s been a consistent performer with the bat in front of our staff, showing his ability to go to the gaps while also showcasing some power to his pull-side. 

From 6/5/24: “Stands in an athletic 6-foot, 185-pound frame with seemingly more to come. Started at shortstop and batted seventh. Baftiri stood out in IO, showing quality actions up the middle with fluid footwork, soft hands and a clean glove-to-hand transfer - ranges to both sides with athleticism. Right-handed hitter at the plate, hands are short to the ball, showed strong hands and created easy bat speed; finished the day 1-for-2 with one RBI, one run scored. An uncommitted follow in the state’s junior class.” 

Illinois-Chicago

The Flames typically dominate the Chicagoland area on a recruiting scale, and this year is no different, signing five of the state’s best. With two 30+ win seasons in the last four years, Coach McDermott will certainly be looking to add to that number in the not-so-distant future. 

Right-handed arms seemed to be a common trend for the Flames when looking in-state, signing Charlie Taczy (Cary-Grove), Lucas Acevedo (Lincoln-Way West), Sean Cody (Richards) and Keegan Luxem (Hersey).

Taczy has long been a staff favorite with his loose levers and dynamic arsenal. His fastball plays with heavy sinking action in the mid-80s, and his slider is a true weapon with sharp bite and over 2800 rpm at times. Listed at a highly projectable 6-foot, 150-pounds, Taczy likely still has much more in the tank. 

From 8/21/24: “Illinois-Chicago commit, RHP Charlie Taczy (Cary-Grove) is an intriguing arm in the state’s 2025 class. An athletic, upside frame at 6-foot, 150-pounds, Taczy is a loose and easy mover down the mound. His arm is long and loose out of a low ¾ slot, showing a fastball that sat in the mid-80s, and topping out at 86.2 mph with high spin (avg. 2441 rpm). He also showed two impressive off-speed pitches in his slider and change-up - the slider sitting in the upper-70s with above-average spin (avg. 2775 rpm) and an average of -17.8 inches of horizontal movement, while his change-up sits 80-81 mph with an average of 19.3 inches of horizontal movement. Rounding out his four-pitch mix, Taczy threw an upper-70s sinker with arm-side run, averaging 20.6 inches of horizontal movement. He finished his two-inning stint with five strikeouts, two hits and one run allowed.”

Acevedo provides a polished look with three pitches he can land for strikes. We’ve seen his fastball up to 90 mph with a sharp slider and feel for a changeup. On the other side of the ball, Acevedo is an above-average athlete and defender with a fluid right-handed stroke to pair. 

From 8/21/24: "INF/RHP Lucas Acevedo (Lincoln-Way West; Illinois-Chicago commit) showed well at the plate and on the bump for the ProCase team. Offensively, the right-handed hitter swatted two backside doubles, while having an overall athletic look to his game. The 5-foot-10, 159-pound two-way prospect also had a strong showing during the workout - running a 6.88 60 and tossing an 88 mph bullet from across the infield. On the bump, Acevedo ran his fastball up to 89 mph with over 15” of arm-side run to it on average, while also spinning it at an average rate of 2311 rpm."

Another impressive athlete the Flames will have at their disposal, Cody is a talented right-hander who we saw up to 91 mph at the State Games. Cody also provides some intrigue on the other side of the ball with rangy actions on the infield and some pop from the right side of the plate (T101 mph EV). 

From 8/21/24: “Illinois-Chicago commit, RHP/MIF Sean Cody (Richards) is a name our staff has continued to hear about over the past six months. Standing in an athletic 5-foot-11, 173-pound frame with lean strength to pair, Cody showed well on the mound in his two-inning stint. He’s an athletic mover with a long arm path and quickness out front, running his fastball up to 90 mph, but sitting mostly upper-80s. His curveball sat 70-73 mph with 11/5 shape, and he showed a change-up that sat 73-78 mph. He finished his two-inning stint with three strikeouts, one walk and one hit allowed. He recorded some impressive metrics at the plate during the showcase, posting a max exit velocity of 100.7 mph and an average exit velocity of 95.6 mph (third highest at the event), while sending his farthest hit ball 365 feet. His bat speed metrics were equally as impressive, posting an average bat speed of 75.4 mph. A 6.88 runner, Cody showed well up the middle with his glove, paired with a strong arm that was up to 87 mph across the diamond.” 

The final right-hander of the bunch, Luxem is a power arm that has been quickly improving his stock, with reports of him reaching up to 90 mph on the national circuit this fall. His 6-foot-5, 215-pound frame has some present strength throughout, but we think there is plenty still to be tapped into. 

LHP Aidan Terronez (Sherrard) is the final signee from the state headed to the Flames, and we had a chance to see him this past summer.

From 6/26/24: “6-foot-1, 170-pounds, lean and projectable frame. The southpaw impressed with a fastball up to 87 mph, cruising around 83-86 mph with the ability to pound the zone. He was also able to land his curveball and changeup for strikes, with the CB playing in the low-70s with 1/7 shape and the CH coming in at 76-78 mph. Easy operation with more in the tank.”

Illinois State

The Redbirds are bringing in four in-state prospects to help them build on their 30 win season in 2024.

SS/RHP Brayden Zilis (Minooka) is currently slotted at No. 33 in the state, and is a real threat on both sides of the ball. He’s a natural defender that should be able to stick on the infield moving forward, and we saw him hit at a consistent high level this past spring, eventually earning himself Prep Baseball Illinois First Team All-State honors. On the mound, the right-hander will work his fastball in the 87-89 mph range to pair with a wipeout slider at 76-78 mph (2700 rpm).

From 6/19/24: “Zilis had a breakout junior campaign for Minooka and continues to ascend as a two-way prospect in the 2025 class. At the plate, the left-handed hitter slashed .407/.489/.763 in 118 at-bats, with 7 home runs, 15 doubles, and 33 RBIs and 3 triples; scoring 43 runs and drawing 19 walks. On the mound, he led the way for the Minooka rotation going 7-1, striking out 66, walking only 18, and allowing four earned runs. He ended season with a 0.58 ERA in 48 IP.”

C Zach Bava (Naperville North) immediately follows Zilis in the rankings, sliding in at No. 34. The former Future Gamer has a strong left-handed stroke and is routinely on the barrel for loud contact in front of our staff. He stands out with his high motor behind the dish, and he can help limit the run game with a pop-time as low as 1.89 seconds. 

From 8/21/24: “C Zach Bava (Naperville North; Illinois State commit) has long been a high-motor player on both sides of the ball. The future Redbird is athletic out of the box from the left side, posting a home to first time of 4.57 seconds. Bava also stood out with his hustle on defense - not taking any plays off from behind the dish. During the workout, Bava posted a 1.93 pop time with a 77 mph max velo from the crouch, to go with a max EV of 96 mph during batting practice.”

Staying on the theme of former Future Gamers, INF/RHP Jackson Natanek (Brother Rice) will be a versatile addition to the Redbirds’ roster. He has the actions to stick up the middle of the infield at the next level, and he’s been a mainstay at the top of 4A powerhouse Brother Rice’s lineup for the last couple of years. On the mound, he’s a highly athletic and bouncy mover that can produce some premium spin metrics, topping out around 88 mph with the fastball with just under 2600 rpm, and spinning his slider just shy of 3000 rpm at 77-78 mph. 

From 5/1/24: “Illinois State commit. Currently ranked No. 36 in the state. Athletic, 5-foot-10, 180-pound frame, round shoulders with some strength throughout. Advanced defender on the dirt, soft hands with confident actions, secures the ball into his body before moving into a clean transfer with above-average glove-to-hand work. The right-handed hitter finished the day 1-for-3 with two runs scored, walking once. Works in his legs in his setup and through impact, strong hands through the zone with controlled aggression.” 

LHP Chase Reeder (Naperville Central) provides a tough look for opposing hitters with his low release height and three pitch mix. His fastball will get on hitters quickly with some life through the zone in the mid-80s, and he’ll use his curveball and changeup to mix up the pace and put hitters away. 

Indiana State 

The Sycamores have won over 40 games in each of the last two seasons, and they are going across state borders to snatch up INF/RHP Owen Roberts (Waubonsie Valley). Roberts was one of the biggest winners from the Illinois State Games this past summer, impressing on both sides of the ball. The right-hander struck out two in his two innings of work, running his fastball up to 91 mph with a quality breaking ball to pair. He also swung it well throughout the week, finding multiple barrels in gameplay and also averaging 90 mph for his EV in batting practice (T95 mph). 

From 8/21/24: “INF/RHP Owen Roberts (Waubonsie Valley), who is coming off a highly-impressive spring season where he earned Prep Baseball Second Team All-State honors, had a strong showing on both sides of the ball at this year’s event. Standing in an athletic 6-foot, 180-pound frame with lean strength throughout, Roberts showed well in his two-inning stint, striking out two, allowing one run and one hit. He’s a clean mover on the mound with a quick arm, showing a fastball that sat 89-90 mph, topping out at 90.9 mph with clear ride through the zone. He spun the curveball well, averaging 2448 rpm in the 78-81 mph range, and showed feel for a low-80s breaking ball as well. At the plate, the right-handed hitter had multiple quality barrels, including a double to deep center field, recording a 4.58 run time on the turn. A 6.96 runner, Roberts produced a max exit velocity of 95.5 mph (90 mph avg.), a 70.2 mph average bat speed, and an 89 mph infield velocity. A must-know uncommitted 2025.”

Missouri State 

The Bears have long been one of the top teams in the Missouri Valley, and they did not have to travel too far to find RHP Tommy Kramkowski (Belleville East). The 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-hander still has plenty of room to add on strength to his frame, and his movement patterns in addition to his arm-speed indicate there’s more velocity in the tank - though he’s already working in the low-90s with two high-spin breaking balls. 

From 3/20/24: “6-foot-3, 180-pound frame with plenty of projection to come, young look. Athletic and intentful mover, stacks onto his backside and rides it down the mound. Level shoulders, strong front side, glove arm tucks. Finishes in-line to target, does spin off towards the first base side through release at times. Quick arm stays short and compact on the backside, high ¾ finish, accelerates out front. Fastball touched 91 mph in the first inning, played at 87-90 mph with life and jump out the hand over a three-inning stint on a cold day. Supreme confidence in both of his breaking balls, will throw them in any count to any hitter. Spun slider at 77-79 mph with hard lateral action, comes out of the same arm window as his fastball, swing-and-miss upside. More arch and depth to his curveball, 72-73 mph, landed it for strikes more effectively in the second and third inning. Rounded out his arsenal with a fading changeup at 77-78 mph that he threw to left-handed hitters, feel for it, effective on the arm-side corner. An on-the-rise arm with three pitches that looks every bit the part of another high-end arm to follow from southern Illinois.”

Valparaiso

Valparaiso was able to lock up two Illinois products in this class, signing INF Cole Lockwood (Libertyville) and RHP Joey Kafka (Mundelein).

Lockwood, a wiry and projectable left-handed hitting middle infielder, has a quiet and simple swing that looks to use a contact based approach. He’s a natural defender on the infield, moving with ease to both sides of his glove, and he’s also an above-average runner (6.90). 

From 4/23/24: “Valparaiso commit. Currently ranked No. 104 in Illinois’ class of 2025. The lean 5-foot-9, 129-pound left-handed infielder was slotted in the leadoff spot and started at shortstop. Lockwood recorded one hit in four at-bats, also driving in a run. A quiet presence in the box with a balanced stance that uses a short stride to start his swing. Showed athletic hands and the ability to use the whole field. Defensively, Lockwood is highly athletic and quick. Can range to both sides with ease and has athletic hands for a quick glove-to-hand transfer.”

Kafka, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound right-hander, will work his fastball in the mid-80s with over 2400 rpm. To pair off the fastball, he’ll go to both a curveball and a cutter, with the CB spinning over 2600 rpm at times, and the cutter over 2500 rpm. 

From 6/3/24: “Kafka is an athletic, high-waited 6-foot-1, 190-pound righty that showed feel to spin throughout his ‘pen. Currently ranked No. 163 in the state, Kafka displayed a four-pitch mix in this look. His fastball sat 84-85 mph (avg. 2349 rpm), and led the event in max velocity (85.7) and average horizontal movement (21.2”). His curveball sat 77-78 mph, playing from a tight 10/4 shape, and led the event in both max spin rate (2637 rpm) and average spin rate (2577 rpm). His 78 mph changeup played with arm-side fade (avg. 18.5” HM) and sink (avg. 3.9” IVB) to go as a potential tertiary offering moving forward. Kafka then rounded out his arsenal with a 79-82 mph cutter that showed short glove-side action with an average spin rate of 2489 rpm (T2563).”

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