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O'Hare Preseason ID: Takeaways

February 13, 2025
Illinois Scouting Staff

On Sunday, February 9th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the O'Hare Preseason ID at Bo Jackson's Elite Sports in Bensenville, IL. This event is typically one of the largest and most talented that we host, and this year was no different with over 160 players in attendance. 

Today, we are continuing our post-event rollout with a look at a number of the day's standouts in a takeaways story. 

Continue reading below for scouting reports and videos on some of the top players from the day. 

Position Players 

+ INF Jacob Conover (Wheaton Warrenville South, 2026) has long been one of the better left-handed hitters in the area, and he cemented that status on Sunday even further. There’s some present lean strength in his 6-foot-1, 193-pound frame, though there appears to be room for even more in the future. The left-handed hitter was all over the barrel to his pull-side with elevated contact, also showing the ability to drive it hard up the middle with backspin, reaching up to 102 mph for his max EV, averaging 93.6 mph and reaching up to 384’ for his peak distance. Steady defender on the infield, showed some confidence in his hands, corner profile. 

+ Making his showcase debut, MIF Abraham Jose Caseres (Lyons Township, 2027) came away one of the day’s biggest winners. Recently transferring over from Venezuela, Caseres will be working towards his GED to be able to graduate in 2027. He showed easily the best infield actions of the day, and they likely place him towards the top of the state defensively, boasting ultra-athletic and natural actions with fluid footwork and confident hands. He has clear feel and timing through the ball with a lightning quick double-play turn. His arm is athletic as well, playing from multiple angles and on the move. Also a switch-hitter, he has an athletic and whippy operation from both sides. High-level follow on the infield. 

+ C Jack McDaniel (Hinsdale South, 2027) looked to be one of the more polished left-handed hitters in attendance. He impressed throughout his round with a smooth and balanced operation, staying under control throughout while using the whole field with little perceived effort, reaching up to 94 mph for his peak EV with a 370’ max distance. Behind the plate, he has steady hands and a clean transfer, working in-line out of the chute with patient actions, not rushing to create a pop-time as low as 2.12 (T71 mph).

+ Another young left-handed hitting catcher to note from the day is Hunter Lockefeer (St. Viator, 2028). He took a polished round of BP while boasting a smooth and balanced swing, showing little perceived effort to deliver the barrel through the zone and create a max EV of 93 mph (T362’), showing some ability to manipulate the barrel at times. He took his defense both as a catcher and from the outfield; starting behind the plate, Lockefeer was a confident receiver of the baseball, working to present pitches around the zone for strikes with soft hands. He works in-line down to second on his throws, staying in his legs while working with a clean transfer, 2.19 pop-time. In the outfield, he showed athletic and clean footwork, moving well to both sides of his glove and reaching up to 82 mph from a crowhop. 

+ One of the more intriguing rounds of BP on the day came from C/OF Jaythan Collazo (Oak Park-River Forest, 2028). He has some present muscle in his 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame, and you can certainly expect to see him continue to add more in the coming years. He has a loose right-handed swing with some strength and consistently looked to work up the middle of the field. Steady defender behind the plate, works in-line and gains ground to second from the chute, 2.16 pop-time. Arm plays short and from a high ¾ release, T72 mph. 

+ Still uncommitted, OF Quaylen Petty (St. Laurence, 2025) is a premier athlete with some impressive tools to pair. He ran a 6.56 this time around, but he’s been down to a 6.45 in the past. He’s an athletic and bouncy mover in the outfield, moving well to both sides of his glove with range. He also showcased one of the strongest arms in attendance, reaching up to 91 mph from a crowhop. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has a simple and short swing, staying direct to the ball while working to stay on top of the baseball, showing some feel to spray it around the yard with a max EV of 91 mph. 

+ OF Kyle LaRose (St. Charles East, 2027) will be a name to follow throughout the coming years. There’s still plenty more to come physically in his 5-foot-10, 146-pound frame, and there’s a substantial amount of upside in his left-handed swing. He works with a flatter path and loose hands through the zone, staying controlled and balanced throughout with a max EV of 90 mph. He took a quality round of defense in the outfield to pair, showing quick/athletic actions throughout with steady hands, also reaching up to 79 mph from a crowhop with a loose and clean arm. 

+ A middle-infielder to note from the day is INF Chase Nelson (Fremd, 2026). Listed at 5-foot-11, 161-pounds with more strength to come, Nelson started his day by running to a 6.85 in the 60-yard dash. He took an impressive round of BP from the right side, reaching up to 101 mph for his max EV while averaging 94 mph, also reaching up to 381’ for his max distance. He has an explosive operation at the plate, showing athletic/quick hands with controlled intent. He also showed well on the infield, playing with some leverage and smooth actions.

+ A younger infielder to note is INF Gaetano Lazzara (Lake Park, 2028). He has an easy, balanced right-handed swing that worked to stay up the middle of the field throughout his round with a peak EV of 94 mph. He was an impressive defender on the infield with athletic actions and footwork, playing low and through the ball with leverage and timing, confident hands. Arm plays with a quick release from a ¾ window. Advanced defender on the infield with an upside swing at the plate. 

+ INF Jake Cicero (Lake Park, 2027) is another Lancer that showed well on Sunday, especially at the plate. The right-handed hitter has a fluid and loose operation, working on-plane through the zone with a balanced finish and up-the-middle approach. He’s a steady defender on the infield as well, boasting sure-handed actions with fluid footwork that plays through the ball, also displaying range to both sides of his glove. Intriguing young prospect that should continue to get stronger in the coming years. 

+ INF Lon Roberts (Lyons Township, 2026) is a switch-hitting middle-infielder still on the market. He has added some noticeable strength to his 5-foot-8, 152-pound frame, and he has also improved his 60-time from a 7.94 to a 7.28 since 2024. A natural right-handed hitter, he showed a fluid and controlled swing from each side, working flat through the zone, remaining simple and repeatable from both sides, gets the foot down early and is able to adjust. He’s an above-average defender on the infield, boasting soft hands that funnel and secure the ball.

+ OF Alexander Barsky (Amundsen, 2027) will be a name to follow moving forward thanks to his loud round of BP on Sunday. He has some present strength in his compact 5-foot-6, 181-pound frame, and he was able to create well above-average bat-speed with a 73.2 mph average throughout his round (T78.3 mph). He has a flatter swing through the zone with a balanced finish, consistently staying on the barrel up the middle of the field with a max EV of 97 mph. Steady defender in the outfield with a clean arm, topping at 80 mph from a crowhop. 

+ An upside name to know from the day is INF Sam Marshall (Downers Grove North, 2027). Listed at a lean and long-levered 6-foot-2, 156-pounds, Marshall has an extremely projectable frame to continue to add to throughout the coming years. At the plate, the left-handed hitter took a polished round of BP, showing a smooth/balanced swing and controlled finish, loose wrists help create some flick through the zone, pull-side approach throughout with an 89 mph max EV. Steady defender with patient actions, moves with ease up the middle, long strides cover ground, easy arm action that can play from multiple angles, T80 mph.

+ Another one of the loudest rounds of BP came from 1B Alek Ramey (Willowbrook, 2026). There’s some present physicality in his 6-foot-3, 214-pound frame, and it was on full display throughout his round where he reached up to 101.3 mph for his peak EV. The right-handed hitter utilized a pull-side approach throughout his round with easy power, also showing some length through the zone. He moves well around the bag at first base with soft hands and fluid footwork, showing some feel for the position. 

+ One of the more interesting athletes in attendance, INF Carson Trivellini (Crystal Lake South, 2027) had a strong all-around showing. Currently ranked No. 22 in the state, the 6-foot-2, 170-pound multi-sport athlete started his day with a 6.97 in the 60-yard dash. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed a compact turn through the zone with a flatter path and balanced finish, reaching up to 95 mph for his EV, staying pull-side throughout. He’s an impressive defender on the infield with natural actions, fluid footwork and clear athleticism, boasting sure-handed actions with a quick glove-to-hand release and athletic doubleplay turn. His arm is quick and natural, playing from a high ¾ release, T82 mph. High ceiling name to know. 

+ 1B Colin Byers (Streator, 2027) is a highly-projectable L/L prospect to know from the day. He has a lean, high-waisted 6-foot-2, 172-pound frame with plenty more strength to come. At the plate, the left-handed hitter showed an athletic swing with a flatter path and some length through the zone, getting extension through impact and showing the ability to drive the ball the other way (T91 mph max EV). At first base, Byers showed quick feet and some bounce, pairing with steady hands that work out front. 

+ A toolsy, uncommitted prospect to know is MIF Nathan Olivares (Notre Dame College Prep, 2026). He’s a 6.99 runner in the 60, and he also showed some athletic actions on the infield to pair with fluid footwork. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed a longer and flat swing that was able to drive the ball to all fields, working up to 98 mph for his max EV while averaging 90 mph throughout his round. 

+ An upside infielder with a high ceiling is Reid Gerjerts (Wheeling, 2027. He has an extremely projectable and wiry 6-foot, 159-pound frame, and there appears to be more to come in his left-handed swing. He got it going later in the round, finding a groove while working line-drives to his pull-side. There’s an ease to his operation with little perceived effort, staying flat through the zone with a balanced finish, reaching up to 91 mph for his peak EV. He’s also a 7.09 runner, so we can expect that to improve in the coming years. Above-average defender on the infield with confident hands and fluid footwork, plays with some ease and timing. Quick release from a ¾ slot, can change angles on his throws. 

+ C Luka Stojakovic (Maine South, 2026) had a strong all-around day. The right-handed hitter took a clean round of BP where he favored his pull-side throughout with easy effort, reaching up to 95 mph for his peak EV (T348’). Behind the plate, he showed a quick/clean transfer while working in-line from the crouch, reaching a low as 1.98 for his pop-time (T74 mph). Quality receiver of the baseball, soft hands, moves well laterally, active/willing blocker that deadens the ball out front. 7.05 runner in the 60. 

+ OF Lucas Calderin (Glenbard East, 2026) is a right-handed hitter to know from the day, showcasing a strong and controlled right-handed swing. There’s some ease and balance to his operation, staying on-time throughout while working on the barrel to his pull-side and flashing the ability to go the other way with it (T93.5 mph EV). 

+ One of the toolsiest athletes in attendance was OF Will McGarry (Nazareth, 2027). Listed at a physical 6-foot, 194-pounds with round shoulders and strength throughout, McGarry turned in one of the fastest 60-times on the day with a 6.59. He followed it up with a loud round of BP from the right side, reaching up to 98 mph with controlled intent, creating some linear stretch before working through the zone with a flat path (72.2 mph avg. bat-speed). He also looks to be an athletic defender in the outfield with a quick first step, covering ground easily. 

+ OF/1B Greyson Alesia (Hinsdale Central, 2027) gave one of the stronger defensive looks on the day, showing versatility with quality rounds both in the outfield and at first base. In the outfield, he has long/easy strides that allow him to cover ground easily, pairing with a loose/easy arm that was up to 83 mph from a crow hop. At first base, he showed natural, confident actions around the bag with some flexibility in his hips/lower-half, pairing with soft hands and fluid footwork. Also a left-handed hitter, the 6-foot-1, 153-pound prospect has more power to come in his balanced, projectable operation at the plate. 

+ An uncommitted name to know is INF Jacob Jelinek (St. Ignatius, 2026). Listed at 6-foot-2, 181-pounds, Jelinek has a lean build with a high waist and room to add more strength. He took a loud round of BP from the right side, showing some whip in the barrel with a flat path, utilizing a rhythm with some confidence as he got going, favoring his pull-side with a max EV of 99 mph, averaging 90 mph throughout his round with a max distance of 368’. His arm strength will allow him to stay on the left side of the infield (T88 mph), and he also has fluid actions/hands to pair. His footwork looks to be athletic as well, showing some timing and feel for the position while moving well laterally to both sides. 

+ OF Matthew Donnelly (Prospect, 2027), OF Mason Bloom (New Trier, 2026), INF Andrew Korolis (Taft, 2026) and OF Joey Sacchetti (DePaul College Prep, 2026) were some of the more impressive athletes on the day - with Donnelly leading the event with a 6.50 in the 60, and Sacchetti not far behind with a 6.55. Bloom (6.68) and Korolis (6.79) also put up impressive numbers in the 60, but another thing all these players have in common is that they were all over 90 mph for their max EV, with Donnelly and Bloom both registering 98 mph, Korolis registering 96 mph, and Sacchetti 90 mph. 

+ Some physical power bats to know from the day are 3B ET Data (Lane Tech, 2027), OF Chase Golding (Deerfield, 2027), C/OF Ryan Cisneroz (Notre Dame College Prep, 2026), C/3B Emmit Collins (Marmion, 2026), 1B Jacob Ganir (Leyden, 2026), OF/3B Tommy Abbatemarco (Barrington, 2026), 3B Jackie Ryder (New Trier, 2027) and C Ryan Pall (Naperville Central, 2027) - all of whom registered and EV of at least 96 mph, with Ryder, Abbatemarco and Collins all reaching at least 100 mph. 

Two-Ways 

+ RHP/OF Justice Hernandez (New Trier, 2027) provided an ultra-intriguing look on both sides of the ball, currently ranked No. 25 in the state, the wiry 5-foot-11, 154-pound right-hander has an incredibly high ceiling, especially on the mound. He has some twitch in his operation, working with some intent and a powerful delivery down the mound to create a fastball in the 86-87 mph range. His slider continues to get better in each look, now playing at 73-75 mph with over 2,300 RPM. The splitter is still developing, but sat around 73-75 mph. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has an athletic swing to dream on with looseness throughout, and he also looks to be an athletic defender in the outfield with long strides and his aforementioned strong arm (T91 mph OF). 

+ OF/RHP Jenner Smith (Hersey, 2028) will surely be a name our staff needs to follow closely throughout the coming years on both sides of the ball. He has an extremely projectable and high-waisted 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame with long limbs. On the mound, the right-hander is a fluid/easy mover with a clean arm to pair, also boasting a four-pitch mix. His fastball played in the 79-81 mph range with ease out of the hand, setting up both a curveball (68-70 mph; T2446 RPM) and a slider (72-73 mph; T2426 RPM), though he appeared more comfortable landing the slider in the zone with sharp action and depth. His final offering was a running changeup that flashed hard arm-side action, 72-74 mph. At the plate, the right-handed hitter has a compact swing and balanced finish, looking to be an extremely interesting follow with the bat as well. 

+ RHP/INF Billy Main (Hinsdale Central, 2026) put together one of the more complete ‘pens of the day at a well-proportioned 6-foot, 176-pounds with present muscle throughout the frame. Main worked primarily out of the stretch, showing a repeatable delivery with athleticism out of his balance point. His arm plays with short action out of an athletic and whippy ¾ slot with arm-speed out front. Main’s arsenal was headlined by an 87-89 mph (T89.7) fastball with carry (avg. 17” IVB) through the zone, playing clean out of the hand with a firm finish. His offspeed showed plenty of intrigue, notably his changeup that tunneled well off the fastball, maintaining fastball arm-speed and playing with arm-side fade located to both sides of the plate. Rounding out his repertoire was a 9/3-shaped slider at 71-75 mph with depth, thrown for strikes (67%). On the other side of the ball, Main is a strong right-handed hitter and impressive athlete, reaching up to 94 mph for his max EV, 90 mph across the infield, and recording a 6.96 in the 60-yard dash. 

+ INF/RHP Seamus O’Meara (Nazareth, 2027) was another standout both on the mound and at the plate. The right-handed hitter has definite upside in his swing, showing a whippy and handsy swing while reaching up to 96 mph for his EV. On the mound, he is a clean mover with a four-pitch mix, working his fastball around the 78 mph mark. 

+ OF/RHP Jaiden Ponce (St. Ignatius, 2026) was easily one of the day’s biggest winners on both sides of the ball. Listed at 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, Ponce has some loud tools across the board, starting with a 6.94 in the 60-yard dash. At the plate, the right-handed hitter showed some controlled intent while working on the barrel to the pull-side, reaching up to 100 mph for his max EV. He also showed off some premier arm-strength from the outfield, reaching up to 93 mph from a crowhop. Ponce showed intriguing upside on the mound as well. The athletic right-hander moves with ease and has a quick arm, running his fastball up to 91 mph with quality spin. His fastball sat 84-90 mph (T90.5), averaging 2659 RPM. He showed both a breaking ball (76-83 mph, avg. 2679 RPM) and a changeup (82-87 mph), though his feel for offspeed was inconsistent in this look. Regardless, the combination of athleticism, arm speed, and fastball life makes him a follow moving forward. He’s a name to check in on this spring during high school play or at summer events.

+ LHP Aaden Colon (Jacobs, 2027) checks in at 6-foo-t5, 184-pounds with plenty of projection still to come in the frame. He worked with pace during his bullpen, showing an easy, minimal effort delivery and a clean, loose arm action out of a ¾ slot. His fastball worked up to 82.6 mph, and he also mixed in a low-70s slider.

+ RHP Will Graba (Fremd, 2026) owns a strong, 5-foot-10, 186-pound frame. It’s a quick and explosive delivery down the mound paired with a long, quick arm path. Taking a look at his metrics from year’s past, Graba’s velocity has ticked up since the same event in 2024, now sitting 85-86 mph, T87.2 mph with his fastball. He threw his curveball with fastball intent, sitting 69-72 mph with sharp actions at times, playing with 11/5 shape. He rounded out his mix with a 77-78 mph change-up with depth and fade, throwing it low and to the glove side. 

Pitchers 

+ A pair of upside follows from the sophomore class emerged from this event in RHP Jackie Ryder (New Trier, 2027) and LHP Grayson Waters (Oak Park-River Forest, 2027).

+ Ryder stands in at a high-waisted and imposing 6-foot-4, 202-pounds. He has a controlled operation on the bump, paired with a compact and loose arm from a ¾ slot. Ryder’s arsenal included a low-80’s fastball (T84.1) that played with sink (avg. 10.6” IVB), paired with a changeup that showed above-average action, playing with heavy arm-side fade for an event-high 19.1” HM, to make for a potential out-pitch moving forward.

+ Waters is a high-waisted and long-levered 6-foot-3, 170-pound southpaw to follow. His arm plays long and loose from a ¾ slot, paired with a controlled and repeatable operation down the mound. Waters’ fastball sat 80-82 mph with a heavy finish to it with arm-side run. His curveball showed to be an out-pitch moving forward; sitting 69-70 mph with a 12/6 shape, showing depth and the ability to be located at the bottom of the zone consistently while flashing feel to spin (avg. 2334 RPM). 

+ RHP Braylon McNair (Lindblom Math & Science, 2025) is an uncommitted name to follow heading into the spring. An overall athletic mover at 6-foot-3, 169-pounds, McNair showed a loose, clean arm from an over the top slot. His fastball was clean out of the hand with life, sitting 83-84 mph (T85), while leading the event in average fastball IVB at 21.8”. He also showed a potential out-pitch with his breaking ball that sat 73-74 mph from an 11/5 shape, showing hard bite at times towards the bottom of the zone with an average spin rate of 2351 RPM.

+ A young arm to follow in Illinois' 2027 class, RHP Elliot Paul (Evanston) showed advanced pitchability for his age. The 5-foot-8, 137-pound right-hander has a high waist, long levers, and plenty of room to add strength as he matures. Paul showed the ability to throw three pitches for strikes, an impressive trait for a freshman. His fastball sat 80-82 mph (T82.8), and he mixed in a slider (65-68 mph) and changeup (70-71 mph) with feel. A fluid mover on the mound, Paul’s ability to consistently land offspeed for strikes stood out. As he continues to mature physically, there’s plenty of upside to dream on. 

+ RHP Nathan Moline (St. Charles East, 2026) is an intriguing right-handed arm with a 6-foot, 156-pound frame that offers plenty of projection. A fluid mover on the mound with minimal effort, his fastball sat 83-84 mph (T84.9, avg. 2353 RPM), and he paired it with a slider that sat 70-72 mph with an average of 2428 RPM. Moline rounded out his arsenal with a changeup (76-78 mph) that featured low IVB and quality horizontal movement and fade. His current repertoire and projectable frame makes him a follow in Illinois' 2026 class.

+ LHP Dylan Ignacek (Barrington, 2026) is an arm to follow in Illinois’ 2026 class. A clean mover on the mound, Ignacek showed the ability to control his arsenal during his ‘pen. His fastball worked up to 82 mph (avg. 2340 RPM), and he spun a sharp breaking ball at 68-70 mph, with quality spin (avg. 2566 RPM) and shape that he landed for strikes throughout. He also mixed in a changeup (76-78 mph) with feel. There’s plenty of intrigue in the fluid mover with seemingly still more velocity to come. A follow moving forward.

+ RHP Sam Sehlhorst (Glenbrook South, 2027) is an extremely projectable 6-foot-5, 180-pound right-hander to follow moving forward. He has an easy, long-levered delivery that creates some angle through the zone, finishing with an athletic leg-swing. His arm works from a higher ¾ window, helping to add to the angle he creates with his delivery. His fastball worked in the 77-81 mph range with some slight run to his arm-side, and he was able to move it around the zone throughout his ‘pen. The slider is still developing at 63-68 mph, and his changeup is a quality third offering with straight action, 66-68 mph. 

+ RHP Alex Toth (Lake Zurich, 2027) is a strong-bodied, 6-foot-2, 203-pound arm that showed well throughout his bullpen. He moves well for his size with some looseness and ease, and his lower ¾ slot helps create natural sinking action to his fastball that played in the 81-83 mph range, touching 84 mph with up to 22” of run at times. He went to a slider with 10/4 shape and feel for the zone at times, locating mostly glove-side. His changeup showed a similar profile to the fastball with hard running action and natural fade, landing it in the zone 60% of the time per TrackMan, 72-74 mph.

+ RHP Michael Foley (Prospect, 2027) is an intriguing athlete from Sunday with some upside on the mound. He stood out with his athletic delivery and ability to repeat his mechanics, working into a medium balance point and in-line down the mound. His arm is clean and delivers his arsenal from a ¾ window with some arm-speed. The fastball played up to 82 mph, sitting around 79-81 mph with some carry traits. He showed a knack to spin his breaking balls with some sharp bite and slurvy action on each offering, with the curveball having slightly larger shape at 69-71 mph, and the slider playing more lateral at 69-71 mph as well. His final offering was a hard running changeup with over 17” of HM at times, averaging 1.7” IVB. Also a 6.79 runner in the 60. 

+ RHP Emerson Larson (Carmel Catholic, 2026) is a physical, 6-foot-6 intimidating presence on the bump with a power arm to make note of. There’s some ease and looseness to his operation, and his arm plays from a ¾ window. The fastball was one of the firmest on the day, sitting 88-89 mph and topping out at 90 mph with clear finish through the zone. The breaking ball is still developing with tight/bullet shape at 75-76 mph, along with the changeup that showed mostly straight action at 78-80 mph. Power arm with a big fastball that looks to play up. 

+ RHP Connor McKay (Nazareth, 2026) looked to be one of the more projectable arms in attendance. Standing in at a high-waisted and lean 6-foot-2, 174-pounds, McKay has a simple delivery with little perceived effort to pair with a loose arm and ¾ release. His fastball sat in the 85-87 mph range, running to his arm-side naturally and also showing some feel for the zone. He also showed some feel for his splitter, playing with arm-side tumble at 79-80 mph, feel low and arm-side. His slider showed some sharp bite off a 10/4 plane, thrown with arm-speed at 72-74 mph. 

For a look at the entire event page, click HERE. 

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