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Team Illinois: Day 1 Recap

August 3, 2020
By Drew Locascio
Illinois Scouting Director

Team Illinois played two games on Monday, the first day of game play, at the PBR Midwest Future Games. Team Illinois led off the event at 11am with a matchup against Team Midwest Select and played the nightcap against Team Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska. 

The first game of the day was a back-and-forth affair with Team Midwest Select pulling away late for a 10-7 victory. Despite the loss there were a number of bright spots coming out of the Team Illinois dugout worth mentioning. 

On the pitching side of things, two right-handed pitchers who helped their stock the most in game one were Ysen Useni (Crystal Lake South, 2022) and Nathan Hayes (St. Charles East, 2022). Useni threw two perfect innings, striking out four and doing so in efficient fashion. Useni pounded the zone throughout, mixed speeds and sat 85-86 mph throughout his two inning stint. Useni routinely got ahead of hitters with his fastball and went to a swing-and-miss changeup as his go-to secondary offering. Useni’s performance was among the most impressive of all the day one outings. 

Hayes, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound, right-hander also had swing-and-miss stuff working in his two innings of work with five of his six outs recorded via strikeout. Hayes did not spot the fastball as well as Useni but it was lively out of the hand, sitting 85-88 mph, touching 89 and finished through the zone. Hayes got a number of swing and misses in the zone and his 74-77 mph breaking ball has a chance to be a wipeout offering in the future. Hayes, also the starting quarterback on the St. Charles East football team, emerged as one of the top uncommitted 2022 right-handed arms in the state.

Offensively, there were a number of hitters who made loud contact throughout. INF/OF Jack Scheri (LaSalle-Peru, 2022) got things going in the second inning with a leadoff triple down the right-field line. Scheri would also reach base safely on a sharply hit infield single that he beat out running a 4.41 down-the-line. Scheri finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

INF Estevan Moreno (Montini Catholic, 2022) and OF/1B Cooper Ohlson (Lyons Township, 2022) also added two well struck triples for Team Illinois. Moreno, known for his power from the right-side of the plate, jumped on a pitch out over the plate and drove it deep into right-center field. Moreno finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Ohlson, who also features power in his right-handed swing, launched a ball almost in an identical spot as Moreno, resulting in a RBI triple. Both Moreno and Ohlson finished 1-for-2.

One of the hardest hit balls of the day came off the bat of CIF Luke Adams (Hinsdale Central, 2022). The 6-foot-3, 195-pound, physical right-handed hitter stayed on top of a ball up in the zone and lined a two-run single over the second baseman's head. Adams would later steal second and score a run. 

One of the more impressive showcase/workout days for Team Illinois came from Christian Holmes (De La Salle, 2022) and he carried it over to game play. Holmes, a smooth, athletic shortstop ran a 6.90 and also took one of the top rounds of BP on Sunday evening. In his second at-bat in game one Holmes barreled a two-run double into the left-center field gap. Holmes looks to be one of the top uncommitted position players at the event and continues to show off polish to all areas of his game.

In game two of the day Team Illinois lost a tough 5-3 contest against perennial power Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska. Three Illinois arms; LHP Shane Curtin (Lyons Township, 2022), RHP Ashton Izzi (Oswego East, 2022) and RHP Grant Pohlman (Carrollton, 2022) did not allow a run in their five innings of work. 

Curtin, a talented left-hander who has been on the rise all summer struck out two and did not allow a hit in his two innings of work. Curtin attacked both sides of the plate with a fastball that climbed as high as 86 mph and showcased two above-average off-speed offerings, including a swing-and-miss changeup that he throws to both right-handed and left-handed hitters.

Izzi has a long, lean frame and lively arm that saw him touch 90 mph a couple of times, sitting comfortably at 87-89 mph. Izzi attacked with the fastball throughout and gave up minimal hard contact. Izzi struck out one and scattered two hits in his two frames.

Pohlman, also one of the three catchers for Team Illinois, threw the final frame of the game for Team Illinois. The two-way prospect, showed off a clean arm, polished presence on the mound and spotted up his fastball to both sides of the plate. The strong-bodied right-hander ran his fastball up to 88 mph, sitting 85-87. Pohlman’s performance on the mound was one of the biggest eye openers for Team Illinois so far this week.

The Illinois offense was relatively quiet for most of the night against a tough Minnesota/Iowa/Nebraska squad but there were still a couple of well struck balls worth noting. 

6-foot-3, 195-pound, CIF Luke Adams (Hinsdale Central, 2022), once again barreled a single with authority to the right side of the diamond. Adams then promptly stole second and later scored on a Josh Outlaw (Maine West, 2022) sharp single to right field. Outlaw is a 6-foot, 160-pound, long, loose-bodied, left/left outfielder with upside to all parts of his game. 

OF Brandon Rogers (Brother Rice, 2022) ran a 6.55 60 on workout day and carried that speed over into the game. Rogers walked in his first at-bat and wasted no time stealing second and third base. He later singled up the middle and scored a run. 

UTIL Jack Scheri (LaSalle-Peru, 2022) and SS Christian Holmes (De La Salle, 2022) also chipped in with singles of their own. 

Stay tuned for more updates from Team Illinois’ final day of game play coming tomorrow. They match up against Team Wisconsin in the final game of the event at 11:00 a.m.

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