Dominic
Voegele

Voegele’s career at Columbia will be one to remember and, while the years beforehand were certainly explosive, his 2023 campaign was eye-popping in all aspects. Voegele was on a shortlist of ‘Player of the Year’ candidates, leading the Eagles to the 2A state championship with excellence on both sides of the ball. He finished 10-0 on the mound, punching out 111 batters over 67 ⅓ innings with a 1.04 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. He threw five complete games, including a no-hitter, and beat multiple high-end programs on the mound this spring, including Trinity (KY), Edwardsville, Father McGivney, and DePaul College Prep. Aside from dominating on the mound, Voegele was stellar at the plate, posting a .488/.586/.961 triple-slash with 20 doubles, 12 home runs, and 51 RBIs. He scored 57 runs of his own, swiped 23 bags, and also started at shortstop when he wasn’t on the hill. Voegele was arguably the best player on the field each time he played this spring and he did nothing but solidify himself as an elite prospect in the Illinois’ 2023 class come season’s end. 

Kansas commit. Ranked No. 9 in the state’s class of 2023. Stands at an athletic 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, with clear overall strength. Started on the mound and batted second. Repeatable, athletic delivery down the mound, loose and easy arm with clear acceleration out front. Attacked hitters with all pitches, pounding the zone with strikes with ease. Showed a three-pitch mix with a fastball that sat in the low-90s, touching 94 mph early, and again in the sixth. Slider sat 81-83 mph with a sharp 10/4 shape, spin rate range was 2500–2700 RPMs. Changeup was firm, sitting 86-88 mph. Threw a complete game with nine strikeouts, no walks and no runs allowed. At the plate shows a quick and direct swing with power. Went 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.

Kansas signee and amongst the top prospects in the state’s senior class, currently slotted at No. 9 overall. Athletic, well-proportioned 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with lean strength and room to add more as he continues to mature physically. Took the mound for the Eagles in a Sectional Championship win, striking out 12 over 6 ⅔ innings of work, while allowing three runs against a top-ranked Father McGivney squad. Athletic and rhythmic tall/fall type delivery, stays connected to the rubber, works down the mound in line to target, repeats. Long and continuous arm path that finishes from a high ¾ slot, comes out clean with easy arm speed out front. Fastball sat at 91-94 mph, didn’t throw a fastball under 92 mph until the fifth inning, and touched 95 mph on the final bullet of the sixth inning. Plays straight, did flash late arm-side life at times in this look. Continues to spin the baseball at an advanced rate, utilized both of his breaking balls effectively in this look and threw them often with confidence. Curveball played at 78-82 mph with downer spin off an 11/5 plane, landed it for strikes with more depth and shape. Slider has more swing-and-miss traits at 81-84 mph with hard lateral break. Plays well off an arm-side fastball, comfortable spinning it for strikes while also spotting it out of the zone for whiffs. Also showed a firm changeup at 86-88 mph, using it mostly to left-handed hitters. Has a 1.16 ERA over 60 ⅓ innings at the time of this report, pitching to a perfect 9-0 record with 102 strikeouts to just 15 walks. Yet another dominant look at one of the state’s top arms, regardless of class, that continues to generate professional buzz each time he toes the rubber. 

Kansas signee. Currently slotted at No. 9 overall in the Illinois’ 2023 class and No. 220 nationally. 6-foot-2, 180-pound athlete with present lean strength and room to add more. Took the mound for the Eagles in a road win over Edwardsville. Simple downhill mover, works with pace to an upright position at balance point, stays closed and in line to the plate to front footstrike. Minimal effort throughout, repeated with consistency. Long and continuous arm swing that finishes from a loose, clean high ¾ slot that accelerates out front. Fastball touched 94 a few times, held 91-93 mph throughout, played straight. Spun two breaking balls with differing actions - a curveball at 78-81 mph with bigger bend and downer spin, and a tighter, more laterally spun slider at 81-84 mph that generated more swing-and-miss. Showed a running changeup to left-handed hitters at 86-88 mph. Hit out of the two-hole for the Eagles in this look, swatting a two-run home run in his second at-bat. Is having one of the more statistically impressive seasons in the state at the time of this report; slashing .527/.626/1.110 with 10 home runs, 19 doubles, 22 stolen bases, and 40 RBIs, to go along with a 1.07 ERA over 45 ⅔ innings with 76 strikeouts. 

Kansas commit. Voegele pitched in two games last week and threw eight innings, earned one win, struck out 12, walked two, and allowed one earned run. At the plate, he went 9-for-18 (.500 BA/1.473 OPS) with a home run, triple, double, four RBIs, 13 runs scored, seven walks, and 10 stolen bases.

Season Stats (Pitching): 4-0 record, 24 IP, 0.88 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 38 K, 5 BB, 12 H

Season Stats (Hitting): (.469 BA/.567 OBP/.939 SLG), 4 HR, 2 3B, 7 2B, 15 RBI, 24 R,

Week 1: Voegele was mentioned within our Week 1 Diamond Notes after striking out eight in a no-hitter against St. Joseph-Ogden.

Kansas signee, currently ranked No. 9 overall in the Illinois’ senior class and No. 220 nationally, too. Athletic 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with lean strength and plenty of room to fill out physically. Started on the mound in an eventual win for Columbia, striking out six over four innings before departing due to a thunder delay. Simple all-around operation, tall/fall type delivery, stays closed to front footstrike, athletic finish onto a firm lead leg. Repeated consistently, exerts minimal effort throughout. Short continuous arm path that finishes from a loose high ¾ slot, clear arm speed out front. Fastball touched 94 a handful of times, sat 90-93 mph, played straight. Room to climb even more so from a velocity standpoint in the near future. Advanced ability to spin both of his breaking balls. Lateral, more horizontal spin on his slider at 80-82 mph, sharp late break, landed for strikes and grabbed whiffs. Downer spin with depth on his curveball at 77-79 mph, consistently landed it for strikes. Talents translated to the plate, drove an outer-half 96 mph fastball into the right-center gap in his first at-bat for a double. A high-level prospect with all sorts of upside that continues to impress each time we see him. 

Kansas commit. Currently ranked No. 9 overall in the Illinois’ 2023 class, slotting at No. 220 nationally. 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with lean strength and room to continue physically filling out. Started for Columbia on the mound, firing five no-hit innings, striking out eight while walking only one. Also a star on the Eagles football team in the fall - rushed for 1350 yards and 15 touchdowns, while racking up 78 total tackles and three interceptions as a defensive back. Simple tall/fall type delivery, creates momentum down the slope and stays closed to front foot strike, finishes through a firm lead leg and consistently in line. Repeated with minimal effort, advanced athleticism is clear on the mound. Compact arm path finishes from a fast high ¾ slot, arm speed out front. Fastball held 90-92 mph throughout, touching 93 mph early, with late life and sizzle at the top of the zone, strikes. Spun his usual swing-and-miss slider at 76-80 mph in all counts with sharp late bite, landing it for strikes while also spotting it beneath the zone to the glove-side for whiffs. Showed a more advanced changeup at 85-86 mph that was thrown at fastball arm speed and intent, commanding it beneath the zone with late fading action, and showing it to both right-handed and left-handed hitters in all counts. Also hit in the two-hole and started the game off with a booming home run over the left field fence. One of the premier right-handed arms in Illinois, regardless of class. 

RHP Ryan Geraghty (Mundelein; Wichita State), RHP/SS Dominic Voegele (Columbia; Kansas) and C Ryan Bakes (Huntley; South Carolina) round out the top-10 in Illinois.

Perhaps the event’s most electric pitching performance came from RHP Dominic Voegele (Columbia, 2023), who toed the rubber Wednesday afternoon. Standing at a lean 6-foot-2, 180-pounds with upside, Voegele easily pumped his fastball at 90-91 mph, touching 92 mph with more left in the tank, and commanded it to both corners of the plate. Voegele threw two breaking balls with distinct shapes, too. He tossed a more gradual 75-79 mph breaking ball at 2,600+ RPM, landing it more comfortably for strikes, while turning to a firm low-80s slider as a more swing-and-miss pitch at 2,550+ RPM. Voegele impressed at the plate throughout the event, staying up the middle from a short, quick right-handed stroke. A high level athlete who’s a multi-sport standout at Columbia, Voegele remains a top-end uncommitted prospect in Illinois. 

Positional Profile: RHP/INF
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Athletic, wide-shouldered build with plenty of room for continued physical development.
Delivery: Short side-step into a controlled leg-lift, coils into balance point before moving into a drop/drive lower-half, maintains bend in the back knee throughout stride and works in-line with the plate. In-game stats: 3 IP, 4 K, 0 BB, 0 H, 0R
Arm Action: RH. Long/loose arm swing into a high 3/4 slot.
FB: T91.7, 90-91 mph. Explodes through the zone with slight arm-side run at times. T2273, 2077 average rpm.
CB: 75-79 mph. Sharp, downer 11/5 shape, maintains hand speed. T2820, 2616 average rpm.
SL: 80-82 mph. Shorter 10/4 shape, late bite with feel for the zone. T2642, 2559 average rpm.
CH: 84-84 mph. Plays with heavy fade to the arm-side. T1569, 1569 average rpm.

Positional Profile: RHP/INF
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Athletic, wide-shouldered build with plenty of room for continued physical development.
Hits: RHH. Balanced lower half, active hands pre-pitch, bat tips to load, leg lift trigger. Short, simple, athletic stroke. Line drive approach, stayed up the middle.
Power: 94 max exit velocity, averaged 89.9 MPH. 362' max distance.
Arm: RH. INF-83 mph.Short arm action, 3/4 slot. Quick to release.
Defense: Active athletic feet, works around the baseball, swift on the move and covers ground. Steady hands that work out front, quick hand transfer to release.
Run: 6.96 runner in the 60.
Vizual Edge: 80.71 Edge Score

Positional Profile: RHP/SS Uncommitted prospect with some upside, excelled on the mound.
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Skinny frame. Long limbs.
Delivery: Methodical windup. Turns into back hip. Gets down the mound. Good extension and direction to home. Low effort.
Arm Action: RH. Long, continuous arm circle. High 3/4 release point.
FB: T91.3, 88.8-90.9 mph. Life through the zone. T2079, 1931 average rpm.
CB: 74.5-76.2 mph. Above average with sharp 11/5 action. Feel for the zone, thrown for strikes. T2651, 2433 average rpm.
SL: 76-77 mph. More horizontal break. Slurvey type movement. T2126, 2126 average rpm.
CH: 83.4-85.0 mph. Thrown at arm speed. Slight change of speed. Slight fading action. T1671, 1626 average rpm.

Hit: RHH. Crouched, open stance. Leg lift trigger to closed foot strike. Hands below ears. Preset hands. Loose, line drive swing. Flashed pullside pop.
Power: 94.5 max exit velocity, averaged 86.9 mph. 354’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 82 mph. Quick arm circle. Accuracy to bag.
Run: 6.68 runner in the 60. Long, athletic strides.

Uncommitted R/R two-way player Dominic Voegele (Columbia, IL, 2023) showed some intriguing upside to our staff including David Seifert, “The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder excelled on the bump, showing an 89-91 mph fastball and above average 74-76 curve. Also showed a feel for a mid-80s changeup. Filled the zone with his heater and breaker with a longer, continuous arm path and good direction and extension to the plate. Lower effort delivery with high three-quarter release point. Higher ceiling arm with all things considered, including his athleticism, delivery and projectable frame.”

Uncommitted. 6-foot-2, 180-pound, long, athletically-built, projectable, right-handed pitcher. Has been on the rise since his impressive performance at the Aurora Preseason ID. Continued to help his stock with his start for Columbia at the Kickoff Classic. Went four innings, scattered three hits, no runs, walked one and struck out five. Confident, relaxed look on the mound, even-keeled, low-pulse presence. Tall and fall delivery, slightly coiled at balanced point, lands square and on-line. Clean arm action, works easy and from a high ¾ to over-the-top slot. Fastball comes out of the hand clean and easy, works mostly straight, occasional tilt, controlled the zone, sat 87-88 mph, touched 89. Showed two advanced breaking balls. Went to the curveball (2444-2621 rpm) more frequently and earlier in counts, landed it for strikes, above-average feel and depth working with true 12/6 downer action. Also, showed a slider as a swing-and-miss offering with more horizontal 10/4 shape at 78 mph and 2663 rpm. Polished uncommitted arm in the 2023 class with a starter profile and more velocity to come.

Positional Profile: SS/RHP One of the top remaining unsigned seniors in the state.
Body: 6-2, 180-pounds. Long athletic frame. Strength throughout.
Delivery: Low effort, deliberate, tall and fall type delivery. Closed front side.
Arm Action: RH. Loose, quick arm action. High ¾ to over-the-top arm slot.
FB: T87.3, 84.6-86.8 mph. Intent to play at the bottom of the zone. Plays downhill.  T1834, 1744 average rpm.
CB: 70.1-71.5 mph. 12/6, downer action with depth, feel and tight spin. Swing-and-miss, out-pitch potential. T2569, 2499 average rpm.
CH: 78.6-79.9 mph. Sinking action.  T1414, 1385 average rpm.

Hit: RHH. Tall, open setup. Loose and easy at the plate. Compact swing. Line drive type of hitter. Consistently on the barrel. Uses the middle of the field. 
Power: 90.6 max exit velocity, averaged 85.2 mph. 318’ max distance.
Arm: RH. INF - 83 mph. Above-average arm strength. Flashed accuracy on throws. Short, loose arm action. Natural high 3/4 with the ability to throw from multiple arm slots.
Defense: Easy, athletic actions. Plays through the baseball.
Run: 7.39 runner in the 60. 

An arm on the rise coming out of the event was RHP/INF Dominic Voegele (Columbia, 2023). The 6-foot-2, 180-pound, athletically-built, high-waisted right-handed pitcher worked out as a position player as well, but it was on the mound where he made his statement. Voegele works with a clean, easy delivery from an over-the-top slot. His fastball plays easy and lively out of the hand at 85-87 mph but it was his true 12/6 curveball (2,499 average rpm) that turned heads. He showed advanced feel for the 70-72 mph breaker, which featured an advanced depth, measured at an average of 17.4 inches of induced vertical break, and it looks capable of becoming an out-pitch for the junior moving forward. Voegele rounded out his repertoire with a upper-70s changeup that he was able to kill the spin on and land in the zone most of the time. Voegle is a high-follow uncommitted junior with more velocity to tease out as he continues to develop.

Positional Profile: SS/RHP
Body: 6-foot-2, 175-pounds. Long, athletic frame
Delivery: Easy, tall and fall delivery, effortless, strides square, working efficiently in line with target, balanced finish.
Arm Action: R. Long arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
FB: T85, 80-84 mph. Flashes arm side run, strikes. T1788, 1548 average rpm.
CB: 67-72 mph. Small 11/5 shape, gradual action, feel for it. T2264, 2162 average rpm.
SL: 74-75 mph. Downward action, arm speed similar to fastball. T2006, 2006 average rpm.

Hit: RHH. Tall, balanced setup, slightly open, small leg lift, short stride. Short, simple swing, works inside the ball, uses middle of field, line drive approach.
Power: 93.5 max exit velocity, averaged 83.73 mph. 324’ max distance.
Arm: R. INF - 80 mph. Long arm action, high 3/4 arm slot.
Defense: Fields from center, with two hands, worked toward the target at times.
Run: 6.94 runner in the 60. Above average runner.