On Saturday, February 15th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff traveled to Pro Player Academy in McHenry, Illinois to host the McHenry Rising Stars ID. This event served as an open identifier into the state's 2029 and 2030 graduates, providing our staff an early look at the area's top players as they continue to progress as prospects.

These early Rising Stars events also serve as key identifiers for future invite-only events, including the Prep Baseball Junior Future Games.

Today we take breakdown the top statistical performers from the day with our “Statistical Analysis” below.

TAKEAWAYS

MIF Henry Shower (Jacobs, 2029) was a sure-fire takeaway from the event, and he’s a name we’ll have to follow closely as he matures through the high school ranks. At the plate, he showed an advanced operation with looseness and athleticism, working on the barrel repeatedly with line-drives. He also looks to be a well above-average defender on the infield, showing natural and athletic actions with bounce in his footwork and a reliable two-hand gather that works out front. 

OF Matthew Loeffel Jr. (Cary-Grove, 2029) had an impressive showing both as a position player and on the mound. At the plate, the right-handed hitter was able to use the whole field and stay through the ball on the outer-half of the plate. He’s an athletic defender in the outfield with clean actions and natural feel for the position. On the mound, the right-hander has an easy delivery with a clean arm, cruising with his fastball in the upper-70s. 

C Edmond Serifov (Antioch, 2029) is a strong right-handed hitter to make note of from the day, working on the barrel throughout his round with a balanced swing and compact finish, also showing some whip in the barrel. 

INF Austin Gertz (Prairie Ridge, 2029) stood out with his intriguing switch-hitting profile. He has a similar swing from both sides, repeating his operation with a compact finish. 

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

FASTBALL VELOCITY (MAX)

FASTBALL SPIN RATE (AVG.)

30-YARD DASH

EXIT VELOCITY (MAX)

MAX DISTANCE

TOP INFIELD VELOCITY

TOP OUTFIELD VELOCITY

TOP CATCHER VELOCITY

TOP POP TIMES

+ CLICK HERE for a look at the complete statistics from the event.

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