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Articles by Peter Hamot
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Jacsen Tucker
Coming off a helium 2025 campaign that was highlighted by an electric showing at the Future Games and an eventual commitment to Oklahoma State in the fall, Jacsen Tucker has quickly gotten off to a hot start in the spring season.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Caleb Hornbrook
The Pioneers are off to a scorching start, finishing last week at a perfect 3-0 clip, sitting at 4-0 on the year now. Lake Land commit Caleb Hornbrook (2026) was a huge part of their success, finishing the week at an eye-opening 9-for-10 clip with a home run, triple, two doubles, 11 RBIs, a run scored and two walks. For his efforts and outstanding performance, he has been named the first Player of the Week for the 2026 season.
Preseason Power 25 Countdown: No. 3 Libertyville
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, 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 2026 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. 4 Brother Rice
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, 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 2026 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 Edwardsville
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, 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 2026 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. 9 Providence Catholic
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, 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 2026 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. 11 New Trier
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, 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 2026 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. 23 Oak Park-River Forest
The Illinois high school baseball season kicks off on March 16, 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 2026 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.
Super 60: Illinois Takeaways
This past Sunday, our entire company traveled to McCook, IL for the nation's best winter pre-draft showcase, the Super 60. This event started over 20 years ago with just Illinois and a couple neighboring states, and has since evolved into a culmination of the nation's best high school seniors all performing in front of 100+ MLB scouts. This year there were four Illinois products that participated, and we wanted to take the time to talk about each of their workouts, found below.
Q&A With Kentucky commit Sam Finn
LHP Sam Finn (Plainfield North, 2026) has quickly turned himself into one of the top players in the entire state, entering this year as a true draft follow with one of the more electric arsenals in the midwest. Standing in at a strong-bodied 6-foot-3, 220-pounds, Finn has a power arm to match his physical frame - reaching into the low-90s with more velocity still likely on the way and wipeout off-speeds to pair.
Q&A With Northern Illinois Commit Cole Latimer
OF Cole Latimer (DeKalb, 2026) is one of the premier two-sport athletes in the state, boasting tremendous ability both on the baseball field and on the gridiron as a quarterback. He was a key piece for a talented DeKalb squad a year ago, helping lead them into our Power 25 as one of the top teams in the state. Now in his final year, he will surely be looking to help lead the Barbs to another successful year before he heads off to Northern Illinois.
Q&A With SIU-E Commit Omar Avalos Jr.
OF Omar Avalos Jr. (Father McGivney, 2027) had a memorable 2025 campaign - starting in the spring where he helped lead his high school squad to a second place finish in the state. He carried it into the summer with a strong showing at the Future Games for Team Select, followed by another impressive look at the Illinois State Games, committing to Southern Illinois - Edwardsville not long after. It’s easy to like the type of player that Avalos is, a sparkplug that never takes a play off.
Q&A With Millikin Commit Tommy Abbatemarco
Outfielder Tommy Abbatemarco (Barrington, 2026) is coming off an eventful summer, highlighted by an eventual commitment to Millikin University. No stranger to our staff, we have seen Abbatemarco develop throughout the years, as he now sits as the No. 179 ranked player in the state of Illinois. There’s no shortage of strength or power with Abbatemarco, standing in at a broad-shouldered 6-foot, 190-pounds with a strong lower-half.
Q&A With Illinois Commit Anthony Chavez
OF/1B Anthony Chavez (Mount Carmel, 2026) has long been a staff favorite, consistently proving to be one of the top left-handed bats in the entire state. He initially broke out as a sophomore and helped anchor a talented Mount Carmel lineup, and he’s done nothing but continue to hit since then. The left-handed hitter has big power in his bat and there’s still more to come, peaking upwards of 107 mph for his EV while still holding room to add strength to his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame.
Q&A With Northern Illinois Commit Devin De Loach
When thinking of players that took full advantage of the State Games and the opportunity it presents, LHP Devin De Loach (Crystal Lake South, 2026) is one of the first that comes to mind. The big southpaw dominated opposing hitters with a tough and deceptive look, pounding the zone with an upper-80s carry fastball while pairing with a tight slider to keep hitters off balance, coming away as one of the event’s biggest winners.
Top-10 Stories of 2025: No. 3 Illinois Future Games Commitments
This past year’s Future Games team was without a doubt one, if not the most talented we’ve ever had, and the commitments coming through directly reflect that. Since the conclusion of the event, there are already 19 players committed from Illinois - also taking into account the players we had on Team Select.
Top-10 Stories of 2025: No. 8 Wasniewski Wins Future Games MV-Pitcher, Impresses at All-American Game
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more electric player in the state than RHP/3B Kaden Wasniewski (McHenry, 2027), and his 2025 campaign was one of the more fun to follow in recent memory as he dominated at every stop, particularly at the Future Games where he was named the event’s Most Valuable Pitcher. Having an Illinois player earn this honor is nothing to scoff at, looking at how much the event has grown and the overall level of talent in attendance.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 9 Brandon Shannon
Coming in at our No. 9 most-viewed profile we have RHP Brandon Shannon (McHenry, 2025; Louisville commit). Shannon impressed at every single stop throughout 2025, starting at the Super 60 where he featured a mid-90s fastball, curveball/slider mix, and a dancing splitter with one of the more eclectic showings on the day.
Top-10 Stories of 2025: No. 9 Quinn Schambow Wins Illinois Player of the Year
Picking Player of the Year is never an easy task, but we felt it was only right that Quinn Schambow, the best Illinois defensive catcher in recent memory, was most deserving after he helped lead Libertyville to their first state title in school history. To say that Shchambow had a memorable year would be an understatement.
Most-Viewed Profiles of 2025: No. 10 Conor Essenburg
Starting our Top-10 most-viewed profile countdown we have 1B/LHP Conor Essenburg (Lincoln-Way West) in the No. 10 spot. Essenburg was one of the more talked about names in the state, and for good reason, finishing as the No. 4 player in Illinois and No. 86 nationally.
Q&A With Notre Dame Commit Quinn Rooney
LHP/1B Quinn Rooney (Benet Academy, 2027) is coming off a helium summer, shooting up our rankings as a result as he now sits at No. 11 in the state. A standout performer for his varsity squad as an underclassman, Rooney continued his momentum into the summer where he eventually earned an invite to represent Team Select at the Future Games, committing to Notre Dame not long after. Listed at 6-foot-6, 198-pounds, Rooney provides significant upside as both a pitcher and a position player.
Illinois 2025 Winners: 2028 Position Players
With the end of the year right around the corner, we wanted to spend some time to highlight players we saw throughout the year that stood out to our staff - whether it be from an event, a tournament, or a game in the spring. Today, we are continuing our rollout with a look at some of the position player winners from the class of 2028. Position Player Winners Rankings StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 OverallRank: 13 / POS: 5 From 6/19/25: "Currently ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 18 nationally.
Q&A With Northwestern Commit Henry Humes
RHP Henry Humes (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2026) is primed for a big spring ahead, coming off a successful summer and fall circuit that resulted in a commitment to Northwestern. The big right-hander is one of the top arms in the state, currently ranked No. 29 overall, and he’s long been a polished, mature arm. The ceiling and floor combination makes Humes highly intriguing as someone that could make an early impact at the collegiate level, but also continue to elevate himself drastically.
Illinois 2025 Winners: 2028 Pitchers
With the end of the year right around the corner, we wanted to spend some time to highlight players we saw throughout the year that stood out to our staff - whether it be from an event, a tournament, or a game in the spring. Today, we are beginning our rollout with a look at some of the winners on the mound from the class of 2028.
Q&A With Grand Valley State Commit Andrew Satunas
C Andrew Satunas (Lockport, 2026) has been consistently making strides throughout his prep career, and he’s one of the more talented catchers in a strong Illinois 2026 crop. Currently ranked No. 72 in the state, Satunas has risen roughly 50 spots in the rankings over the past year, and it’s a testament to the hard work he has put in, on and off the field.
Q&A With Texas A&M Commit Brady Cunningham
CIF/RHP Brady Cunningham (Brother Rice, 2027) has been one of the top players in the state the second he set foot in his high school, and he has done nothing but continue to elevate himself throughout the years to further cement that status.
Q&A With Kentucky Commit Traxton Roberts
RHP Traxton Roberts (Armstrong, 2027) had a meteoric summer, shining on some of the biggest stages along the way. He was one of the biggest winners from Team Illinois at the Future Games, striking out four through two scoreless frames. He then carried his success right into the Illinois State Games where he earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors after striking out all six batters he faced.
Illinois Class of 2029: Names to Know
With our initial 2029 rankings dropping Monday, we wanted to take some time to highlight even more names that didn't crack our initial top-5. There are just over 30 names mentioned below, all deserving of a mention and should all be closely monitored throughout the coming years as prospects.
Illinois Signing Day: Ohio Valley Outlook
On Nov. 12th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed to lock in their 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 to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, continuing today with the Ohio Valley.
Illinois Signing Day: Missouri Valley Outlook
On Nov. 12th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed to lock in their 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 to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, continuing today with the Missouri Valley.
Illinois Signing Day: BIG 10 Outlook
On Nov. 12th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed to lock in their 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 to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, continuing today with the BIG 10. For a look at the SEC outlook, click HERE.
Illinois Signing Day: Southeastern Conference
On Nov. 12th, thousands of high school baseball players across the country signed to lock in their 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 to play baseball at the Division I level. We’ll do so by breaking these names up by conference, starting today with the Southeastern Conference.
Underclass Showcase: Takeaways
On Sunday, October 19th, we wrapped up our fall showcase circuit with the Underclass Showcase at The Max in McCook, IL. This event was host to around 30 players from the classes of 2028/2029, and was pound-for-pound one of the more talented open events we hosted all year.
2025 All-American Game Preview: Illinois & Wisconsin
September in South Beach is the site of the nation’s top amateur baseball game again. After a successful 2024 edition, the Prep Baseball All-American Game is set to return to Miami in 2025. The third annual event is headed back to loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, with the country’s top high school juniors and seniors facing off in the premier scouting showcases across amateur baseball. The game itself will take place on Saturday, Sept.
Midwest Super Sophomore Games: Game Recaps
From August 1st to August 3rd, Prep Baseball Ohio is hosting the second annual Midwest Super Sophomore Games, with this year’s edition being held at Bill Davis Stadium on Ohio State University’s campus. The event features one team from each of the following states: Canada, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The event consists of a four-game round robin with the champion being the team who has the best record after the four games are completed.
Team Illinois Game Two And Three Recaps
Game Two Team Illinois fell to Team Missouri 8-2 in game two, evening up their record at 1-1 on the week. Illinois got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning on an error by the catcher, plating C Tristan Steger (St. Laurence, 2027) who reached on a walk earlier in the frame.
Team Select Game Two Recap
After falling 10-5 in the first game, Team Select bounced back and battled a tough North Carolina squad, finishing in a 5-5 tie. After giving up a two-spot in the first inning, Select got the scoring started with INF Bode Schenewerk (MO, Jefferson City, 2027) singling and later coming around on a passed ball to make it 2-1. A four spot in the fourth inning would give Select a 5-4 lead.
Team Select Game One Recap
Team Select fell 10-5 to a tough South Carolina squad to open things up here at the Future Games in Emerson, Georgia. Despite the loss, there were still plenty of bright spots for the Select boys as they started the scoring in the top of the third inning. C/OF Luke McAtee (MO, De Smet Jesuit, 2027) led the inning off with a loud double, later coming around to score on a passed ball to make it 4-1 at the time.
Team Illinois Game One Recap
Gameplay officially kicked off last night against Team Indiana, and the Illinois squad delivered arguably the most dominant performance of recent memory with a 10-0 win. The bats exploded right from the get-go, as INF/OF Andrew Talbert (Byron, 2027) sent a 93 mph fastball into left for a single in the first at-bat of the game to set the tone. UTL Andrew Talbert (Byron, 2027) ambushes a 93 mph FB to the left side for a single. Premium athlete, 4.44 on a turn to first.
Team Illinois and Team Select Workout: Quick Hits
The Future Games officially kicked off yesterday for our 16U group with the workout portion, and the boys got the week off to a good start with strong showings. Today, we are taking the time to highlight each and every member of Team Illinois, as well as our Illinois players on Team Select in this Quick Hits piece from the workout. Be sure to follow on our socials for updates from the event as the week goes on. Illinois squares off with Team Indiana tonight to kick things off at 8:30 PM ET.
Illinois Rising Stars Game: Quick Hits
On June 11th, the Prep Baseball Illinois staff hosted the Illinois Rising Stars Game at Lee Pfund Field in Wheaton, IL. 39 players participated in a pro-style workout, gathering unrivaled access to data through our state-of-the-art tech partners, as well as in-depth scouting analysis from our Prep Baseball Illinois staff. The group was then split up into four teams and participated in gameplay, to further showcase their talents.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Shea Glotzbach
Lemont has been one of the top teams in the state all spring long, currently finding themselves at No. 13 in the Power 25. Much of that success has been at the hands of Missouri-St. Louis commit Shea Glotzbach (Lemont, 2025), taking on the role of the ace of the staff while also holding down a spot in the middle of their lineup.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Jack Wheeler
Senior and Illinois commit Jack Wheeler has been a key piece for Morris ever since he was an underclassman, and he has also played a key role in their success over the last few seasons.
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Lucas Grant
Joliet Catholic has one of the best pitching staffs in the entire state, and that is especially due in part to having Purdue commit Lucas Grant (2025) at the front of that rotation. The Hill got off to a slower start to the year, but they’ve been on a bit of a roll as of late, winning six of their last seven.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Josh Fleming
York has consistently been one of the top teams in the state over the last couple of years and they haven’t missed a beat despite graduating recent draft pick and former ace of the staff, Ryan Sloan. The Dukes currently sit at 15-3 on the year and No. 19 in our Power 25, much in part to the contributions of INF Josh Fleming (2025; Grand Valley State commit), who tore it up this past week.
Illinois 2027 Rankings Updated
With a full winter of Preseason ID events behind us, along with a few weeks of IHSA action, it is time for a much needed update to our class of 2027 rankings. Much of the names at the top remain the same, and there’s also plenty of new faces in the mix now with players making big jumps this offseason. Continue reading below for a look at some of the notable movement throughout this update..
Prep Baseball Illinois Pitcher of the Week: Zane Caves
Minooka is one of the top teams in the state, now sitting at No. 4 in our recently updated Power 25 as they are 16-2 on the year. They went 3-1 this past week with a couple big wins, but none bigger than their 7-0 win over No. 1 at the time Lincoln-Way West. On the mound for Minooka that day was Michigan State commit LHP Zane Caves (2026) who fired a complete game gem. For his efforts and outstanding performance, Caves has been named this week’s Pitcher of the Week.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Brady Cunningham
Brother Rice is one of the more dominant teams in the state from an offensive standpoint, outscoring their opponents by an eye-opening 134-45 margin. They went a perfect 5-0 this past week and now sit at 12-1 on the year, along with No. 3 in our Power 25 rankings.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Conor Essenburg
Kentucky commit Conor Essenburg (Lincoln-Way West, 2025) has long been one of the top two-way players in the state, earning First-Team All-State honors last year as a utility player after he hit .388 with 12 doubles, two triples, four home runs and 29 RBIs - also firing 52 innings with 101 strikeouts and a 1.48 ERA. He has gotten off to an even better start this spring, helping his team to a perfect 8-0 record as the Warriors now find themselves at No. 1 in our Power 25.
Prep Baseball Illinois Player of the Week: Landon Thome
Landon Thome (Nazareth Academy; 2026; Tennessee) is off to a great start for the undefeated No. 8 Roadrunners, who boast a perfect 8-0 record to start the year. He helped them to a 4-0 clip this past week, finishing the stretch going 7-for-9 with two home runs, two triples, two doubles, five RBIs, seven runs scored and four stolen bases. For his efforts, Thome has been named this week’s Player of the Week.
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