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Articles by Pete Hamot
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 1 Jack Bauer
Our most-viewed profile of 2025 is unsurprisingly LHP Jack Bauer (Lincoln-Way East, 2025) after his meteoric spring. Bauer took over the internet with his record-setting fastball, becoming the hardest-throwing high schooler ever to toe the rubber when he got clocked at 102.8 mph. This fastball quickly had organizations running to see him as he was pitching in front of dozens of scouts routinely, eventually having him in the discussion for a day one pick in the draft.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 2 Cameron Appenzeller
Our second most-viewed profile of 2025 belongs to southpaw Cameron Appenzeller (Glenwood, 2025). Regarded as one of the top draft prospects in the entire country, Appenzeller opted to attend Tennessee despite being selected by the Seattle Mariners with the 572nd pick, where he will have a chance again in a few years to hear his name called.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 3 Carver Cohn
If you thought we had just talked about a No. 1-ranked player in the state at McHenry, you would be correct - because they have two of them. OF Carver Cohn (2028), our top-ranked 2028 in the state, comes in as our third most-viewed profile of 2025 after an impressive campaign that helped guide his school to the state tournament - eventually earning a Second-Team All-State selection as only a freshman.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 4 Landon Thome
Our fourth most-viewed profile belongs to one of the best players in the entire country, INF Landon Thome (Nazareth, 2026). Fresh off a commitment to Florida State, Thome has done nothing but continue to elevate himself in every aspect of his game year after year, earning his position as our No. 1 player in the state. Also highly regarded from a national lens, Thome has shone at some of our marquee events over the years, most notably the Future Games and our All-American Game this past fall.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 5 Kaden Wasniewski
RHP/INF Kaden Wasniewski (McHenry, 2027) unsurprisingly kicks off our Top-5 for most-viewed profiles of 2025. He’s coming off a huge year in every sense, making the state tournament in the spring, dominating on the summer circuit, including earning Future Games MVP, and showing well at our All-American Game in the fall before landing a commitment to Louisiana State. It will be hard to top what he achieved in 2025, but if anyone can do it, it would be him.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 6 Ethan Bass
MIF Ethan Bass (Glenbrook North, 2027; Wake Forest commit) comes in as our sixth most-viewed profile of 2025. Bass has long been a top-of-the-class talent, currently sitting at No. 2 in the state and No. 24 nationally. He has represented the Class of 2026 twice at our All-American Game and is set to attend our prestigious Super 60 event in a couple of months.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 7 Jaden Fauske
Coming in at No. 7 in our most-viewed profiles countdown we have OF Jaden Fauske (Nazareth Academy, 2025). A varsity contributor for four years, Fauske will leave high school as arguably one of the best prep hitters to ever come through the state - finishing his career with a .492/.590/.744 slash line and two state titles in baseball alone.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 8 Brady Buenik
Taking over the No. 8 position for most-viewed profiles of 2025 we have Tennessee commit Brady Buenik (Libertyville, 2027). Currently the No. 2 ranked player in the state and No. 51 in the country, Buenik elevated himself to new heights over the past year and it’s been incredibly fun to watch.
Midwest Super Sophomore Games: Team Illinois Takeaways
This past weekend, our staff held the Midwest Super Sophomore Games at Nick Swisher Field on the campus of Ohio State University. This invite-only event was made up of some of the top rising sophomores from Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Canada - making for one big pool in which each team played each other once. Team Illinois ended up going a perfect 4-0 in gameplay to take the title, and you can read up on those games, HERE.
Prep Baseball Illinois: Power 25 Week 10 Recap
With 1/2A playoffs underway and 3/4A starting up this week, we won’t be updating our Power 25 until the state runs are complete. With that being said, we still want to take the time to go over some Power 25 action from this past week, along with some notable action from around the state. Power 25 Standouts + Brother Rice continues to look like the top team in the state as they now sit at 32-3 on the year.
Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 5 Libertyville
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 17, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2025 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
Illinois Signing Day: SEC Outlook
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.
John Wood CC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Wednesday, October 9th, the Prep Baseball Illinois/Wisconsin staff traveled down to Quincy, IL for the John Wood CC Scout Day. There were numerous players that showed well for themselves on the day, and you can find scouting reports plus videos on these standouts, below. Position Players So. C Jacob Lopez (Bartow, 2023)6-foot, 205-pound frame, some present strength throughout, evenly distributed.
Lewis and Clark Scout Day: Takeaways
On Tuesday, October 8th, the Prep Baseball Illinois/Wisconsin Staff traveled down to Godfrey, IL for the Lewis and Clark Scout Day. There were a number of players that showed well on the day, and you can find scouting reports along with videos on these standouts, below. TAKEAWAYS + RFr. C Andrew Bober (Marquette, 2023)Uncommitted. Standing in at 6-foot, 185-pounds with lean strength throughout his frame.
Underclass Showcase: Takeaways
On Sunday, October 20th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Underclass Showcase at The Max in McCook, IL. This event was host to just under 40 players of the 2027/2028 grad classes, and gave our staff one final look at some up-and-coming players in the state before the fall finishes up. Today, we begin our post-event content with a look at some of the standout players from the day, with scouting reports and videos, below.
South Suburban College Scout Day: Takeaways
On Thursday, October 3rd, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff traveled to South Holland for the South Suburban College Scout Day. The event was smaller in size, but there were still plenty of players that showed well for themselves. Continue reading below to see who stood out the most to our scouting staff from the day. Position Players So. OF Jason Ballard (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2023) 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, lean with long legs and a high waist.
Lake Land JC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Tuesday, October 1st, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff traveled down to Mattoon, IL for the Lake Land JC Scout Day. The Lakers are a talented group with a handful of commits sprinkled through, and there looks to be plenty more high-caliber players still on the market in their program. Today, we will be looking at some of the standout performers from the day, found below. Position Players Fr. INF Bryce Beyers (Edwardsville, 2024) 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame, durable.
Morton College Scout Day: Takeaways
On Monday, September 30th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff traveled to Cicero, IL for the Morton College Scout Day. The Panthers are looking strong once again, coming off a 2024 campaign in which they collected 37 wins. Today, we will be highlighting some of the top performers from the day with scouting reports and videos, below. Position Players So. OF Denham Kozy (Munster, 2023) 6-foot, 180-pound frame, strong and athletic build with rounded shoulders.
Harper College Scout Day: Takeaways
On Friday, September 27th, the Prep Baseball Illinois Staff traveled to Palatine for the Harper College Scout Day. There are plenty of new faces for the Hawks, as well as a handful of quality returning players, and we will be highlighting the standouts from the day, below. POSITION PLAYERS RFr. C Kevin Geake (Glenbrook North, 2023) 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, trim and athletic build with room to add strength. Above-average athlete, recording a 6.77 in the 60 yard dash.
Elgin CC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Thursday, September 26th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff traveled to Elgin, IL to host the Elgin CC Scout Day. The Spartans won a respectable 30 games last spring, and they will be looking to repeat their success this coming season with a strong crop of returners and some new faces. Continue reading below to see which players stood out to our scouting staff the most from the day.
Rock Valley JC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Tuesday, September 24th, the Prep Baseball staff made their way over to Rockford for the Rock Valley Scout Day. Coming off a 45-win season in 2024, the Golden Eagles are primed for yet another strong year, with a number of players showing well for themselves in the workout. You can find scouting reports and videos on some of the top players from the day, below. POSITION PLAYERS + So. MIF Konner Giddley (Turner, 2023)Uncommitted.
McHenry County Scout Day: Takeaways
On Sep. 3rd, Prep Baseball Illinois traveled to McHenry County College in Crystal Lake, IL., for the McHenry County College Scout Day. The event featured over 35 players, and allowed our staff to get an inside look ahead of their 2024 season. Today, we are taking a look at some of the top performers from the day, with scouting reports and videos, below.
MATC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Friday, August 30th, the Prep Baseball Wisconsin staff traveled to Milwaukee Area Tech to run the Stormers through a pro-style workout. There were around 30 prospects in attendance with a mix of both classes, and there were numerous players that showed well for themselves on the day. Today, we will be taking a look at a number of players that stood out from the day, with scouting reports and videos, below. For a look at the Statistical Analysis from the day, click HERE.
Kankakee CC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Thursday, August 29th, the Prep Baseball Illinois/Wisconsin staff traveled to Kankakee CC for a private scout day. There were over 30 players in attendance, and today we wanted to take a look at some of the standouts from the day, found below. POSITION PLAYERS + SO OF Dylan Coty (Merrillville) stood out in the workout with an athletic toolset. He started his day off by cruising to a 6.82 in the 60, pairing it with sure-handed actions and footwork in the outfield.
Bryant and Stratton JC Scout Day: Takeaways
On Wednesday, August 28th, the Prep Baseball Wisconsin staff traveled to Brant and Stratton JC for the first scout day of the fall circuit. There were just under 30 prospects in attendance with a mix of both classes, and there were numerous players that showed well for themselves on the day. Today, we will be taking a look at a number of players that stood out from the day, with scouting reports and videos, below. For a look at the Statistical Analysis from the day, click HERE.
Illinois 2026 Rankings: Newcomers
The 2026 rankings update in Illinois is long overdue after a long summer season which featured the end of the IHSA season, a number of Prep Baseball Tournaments, showcases, as well as big invite-only events like the Future Games and the Illinois State Games. There was plenty of movement throughout the rankings, as well as an expansion on the back end. + Click HERE, to view the entire 2026 rankings board. + Click HERE, to read yesterday's 2026 rankings release story.
Junior Future Games: Team Illinois Takeaways
From Wednesday, July 24, through Sunday, July 28, Prep Baseball hosted it's prestigious Future Games at the LakePoint Sports Complex in Emerson, Ga., featuring the country's best uncommitted talent. As always, Team Illinois brought a Junior Future Games team down to compete against teams all across the country, finishing the week at a 2-1 clip, later falling in bracket play to a tough Oklahoma team.
Team Illinois Junior Future Games: Game 3 Recap
Team Illinois knocked off Pennsylvania 5-3 to improve to 2-1, landing a spot in the Gold bracket. Jack Postma (Barrington, 2028) was lights out on the mound for Illinois, twirling four shutout innings while only surrendering one hit, no runs and striking out two. The bats came alive in the bottom of the third inning, as James Sobkowiak (Downers Grove South, 2028) delivered a line drive single to center, scoring Ryan Pipkins (Champaign Central, 2028) who walked earlier in the frame to make it 1-0.
Team Illinois Junior Future Games: Game 2 Recap
Team Illinois fell to Team Arizona 9-3 to move to 1-1 in pool play. Down 5-1 at the time in the bottom of the fourth inning, Peter Pignatiello (Benet, 2028) stepped in and delivered an in-the-park home run, also plating Anderson Kaufmann (Alton, 2028) who singled earlier in the frame, making it 5-3 at the time.
Team Illinois Junior Future Games: Game 1 Recap
Team Illinois scores early and often to take down Minnesota 10-5 to open up pool play. Illinois initially got on the board in the top of the first inning thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Anderson Kaufmann (Alton, 2028), plating Carver Cohn (McHenry, 2028) who led off the game with a walk. Jack Bullington (Marist, 2028) would follow up right away with a bases-loaded walk of his own, scoring Kameron Cox (Montini, 2028) who reached base via a hit-by-pitch to make it 2-0 at the time.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Mac McGarry
Nazareth Academy has sat atop our Power 25 rankings since the first update we made back in early April, and they now boast a dazzling 34-0 record heading into their playoff push. One key contributor to their success has been uncommitted right-hander Mac McGarry (2025), who has helped fill out their potent rotation all season long.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Ethan Bagwell
RHP Ethan Bagwell (Collinsville, 2024; Missouri) is one of the top pitching prospects in the state, and he further proved that this past week, firing six innings to notch the win against a strong O’Fallon club. For his efforts and stellar performance, Bagwell has been named this week’s Pitcher of the Week.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Joshua Vaughn
On Friday, May 3rd, RHP Joshua Vaughn (Illini Bluffs, 2024; Bradley commit) put together arguably the most dominant performance we have seen in some time, twirling a perfect game in a 1-0 win over Peoria Christian. For his efforts, Vaughn has been named this week’s Pitcher of the Week. Throwing a perfect game is extremely rare on its own, but Vaughn took it to the next level when he recorded every out via the strikeout, notching 21 on the game.
Week 8 Games
The Illinois Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the season. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the Illinois Scout Blog is loaded with information … CARY-GROVE VS. NO.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Conor Essenburg
Lincoln-Way West is off to a scorching 20-0 start, and one key contributor to their success has certainly been LHP Conor Essenburg (2025; Kansas State). Facing off against not just one of the top teams in the state, but one of the top offenses, Essenburg twirled a gem against No. 9 Downers Grove North in their 5-0 victory last Wednesday, earning himself this week’s Pitcher of the Week honors.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Jaden Fauske
Nazareth Academy has been atop our Power 25 since the very first update we made in early April, and they show no signs of slowing down, boasting a perfect 26-0 record with just under a month left in the regular season. One player that has been a cornerstone in their potent lineup is Jaden Fauske (2025), a 6-foot-2, 182-pound left-handed hitter that has been seeing time on varsity since his freshman year.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Kameron Yearsley
OF Kam Yearsley (Yorkville, 2024; John A. Logan) is putting together one of the more impressive seasons in the state so far, and this past week was arguably his best to date as he helped the Foxes to a dominant 4-1 record dating back to Saturday the 13th. On the week, Yearsley finished 12-for-20 with four home runs, one triple, three doubles, 20 RBIs, 11 runs scored and three walks. For his efforts, he has been named this week’s Player of the Week.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Jayden Patel
Lake Park is off to a hot 12-1 start and they currently sit at No. 9 in our recently updated Power 25 rankings. We made mention of Jayden Patel (2024; Parkland commit) in the Lancer’s preview story as the team’s “X Factor”, and he looks to have taken that prediction and ran with it. He helped the Lancers to a perfect 6-0 record this past week, finishing at an 11-for-20 clip with one home run, one triple, four doubles, 13 RBIs, eight runs scored, four walks and six stolen bases.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Austin Rathgeb
The Alton Redbirds are off to a hot 12-4 start, and OF Austin Rathgeb (2024) has been a driving force in their offense, helping them to go 4-1 this past week. He finished the five-game slate at a 9-for-13 clip, tallying two home runs, four doubles, eight RBIs, eight runs scored, five walks and a stolen base. For his efforts, Rathgeb has been named this week’s ‘Player of the Week’.
Week 4 Games
The Illinois Scout Blog provides insider information and scouting notes from the PBR Scouting Staff during the season. This running blog will feature information on underclass prospects, unsigned seniors, draft prospects, and anything else that is notable. We will provide a wide range of information, including player evaluations, velocities, pop times, home to first times, and more. Simply put, the Illinois Scout Blog is loaded with information … Bartlett vs.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Aidan Flinn
Against one of the stronger teams in the state, LHP Aidan Flinn (Marist, 2025; Illinois commit) fired six no-hit innings against Sandburg, scattering just two walks and punching out 11 along the way. The southpaw was pounding the zone, recording 61 of his 91 pitches for strikes. For his efforts, Flinn has been named this week’s Pitcher of the Week. On the season, Flinn now boasts a 1-0 record with 16 innings pitched, nine hits allowed, only four walks to 21 strikeouts, a 0.00 ERA and a .812 WHIP.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Tyler Zuber
Mt. Zion is off to a 3-1 start to the year, and this is due in part to RHP Tyler Zuber (2024; Lake Land commit). The right-hander was in full control on Wednesday of last week in their 10-0 win over Danville, firing a no-hitter over the course of six innings while punching out 16, only needing 85 pitches for this feat and only throwing 25 balls all game. For his efforts and stellar performance, Zuber has been named this week’s Pitcher of the Week.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Nate Stempowski
The Geneva Vikings are off to a 2-0 start, and SS Nate Stempowski (2024; McHenry County commit) has been a driving force in their success, finishing this past week at a 7-for-8 clip with a home run, triple, three doubles and seven RBIs. For his stellar performance, Stempowski has been named this week’s Player of the Week. Tuesday, March 19th was arguably the highlight of Stempowski’s week, as he hit for the cycle in an 18-3 win over South Elgin that only lasted four innings.
IHSA Teams to Watch: Glenbrook North
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 11, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
IHSA Teams to Watch: York
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 11, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
IHSA Teams to Watch: Highland Park
The Illinois high school baseball season kicked off on March 11, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Since then, we’ve published our team previews ahead of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
IHSA Teams to Watch: Glenwood
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 11, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: RHP Brady Bengtson
Normal Community is off to a hot start this spring, already boasting a 4-0 record heading into the second week of IHSA action. There’s no shortage of arms in the Ironmen’s stable, which is a major factor to why we have them slotted at No. 20 in our initial Power 25 rankings, and RHP Brady Bengtson (2024) showed this past weekend just how deep Normal’s staff really is. In two games this past week, Bengtson combined for seven innings with 14 strikeouts, only walking one and allowing just one hit.
Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 7 St. Laurence
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 11, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 12 Stevenson
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 11, opening day for regular season action under IHSA regulations. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2024 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down through the official Prep Baseball Illinois Preseason Power 25 Rankings. Perennially, we’ve submitted a preseason questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state.
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