With winter training fully underway across the state, and the new year coming soon, our staff is going to dedicate some time to highlight a multitude of players that stood out to us throughout 2025. 

 

This upcoming season, both spring and summer, will be integral for the state’s 2027 class. The age increase in college baseball, coupled with the growing popularity of junior college and the transfer portal, has directly impacted the high school recruiting scene, perhaps no group more than the 2025, 2026, and 2027 classes. 

 

While colleges certainly are in tune with who’s who in this current junior class, their attention is now dispersed through multiple other channels – JUCO, transfer portal, college summer leagues, and the high school athlete. It’s never been harder for a high school athlete to reach the collegiate ranks, making it that much more important for each individual player to stand out, in one way or another. 

 

We will continue to do our best, at ScoutConnect, to highlight as many players as possible throughout Illinois and Missouri. Last week, we highlighted 25 sophomores to know in Illinois, which you can find HERE, and 25 sophomores to know in Missouri, found HERE. 

 

Additionally, earlier this week, our staff highlighted 20 uncommitted arms to know in the Illinois’ 2027 class, which you can find HERE. 

 

We’re wrapping things up in the Illinois’ 2027 class today with this position players story, which highlights 32 name to know uncommitted juniors in the state that we saw this year, whether it be at showcases, tournaments, or throughout the high school season. For all information regarding ScoutConnect events, click HERE. 

 

Listed alphabetically, continue reading below to gain some more insight on these names. 

 

Auggie Bugger, OF, Triad
Bugger has shown well at multiple of our tournaments throughout this past summer and fall, and he did so again up-close at our Fall Showcase – IL event this past October. The left-handed hitting outfielder has a natural feel to elevate the baseball to the pull-side, backspinning line drives to right-center field on repeat over his two rounds of BP. He pairs that with above-average bat strength for his age; Bugger’s hardest ball came off his bat at 93.9 mph, averaging 86.7 mph per batted ball, and he also had the second-furthest average batted distance on the day (253.3 ft.). Expect Bugger to play a role on a Knights’ team that’s already shaping up to be amongst the area’s best yet again. 

 

Auggie Bugger

 

Austin Rutter, INF, Sacred-Heart Griffin
Rutter came away from this year as one of our staff’s favorite left-handed hitters and should be a popular name in college circles. He made a name for himself as a productive offensive performer for 2A state champion Sacred-Heart Griffin this past season as a sophomore, and parlayed that momentum into a strong summer season. It’s one of the cleaner, more advanced left-handed swings on this list, as he consistently works on the barrel with added impact to come with more strength. Additionally, Rutter ran a 6.67 60 at one of our events this past summer and has clean, sure-handed actions on the infield. 

 

Austin Rutter

 

Avery Strader, INF, Mater Dei
Strader is a long, athletic 6-foot-1, 175-pound uncommitted junior that consistently got better as the year went on. It’s a short, compact right-handed swing that stays inside the baseball and can spray line drives to all fields. Defensively, Strader has the ability to move around the infield and play at multiple spots, likely sticking on the left side at the next level. 

 

Avery Strader

 

Ayden Peterson, CIF, Wesclin
Peterson was one of the more physical 2027 bats in attendance at our Winter Showcase – IL last February. The 5-foot-10, 210-pound right-handed hitter was among the leaders for his class at that event in average exit velocity (89.1 mph), peak exit velocity (96.8 mph), and average bat speed (73 mph).

 

Ayden Peterson

 

Beau Breyman, C, Freeburg
There’s no lack of familiarity with Breyman from our staff’s standpoint and we’re comfortable claiming he’s one of the top talents in southern Illinois for this 2027 class. He’s shown well at every stop we’ve seen him, most recently at the SC Fall Games in September at SIUE. At that event, Breyman produced four of his 10 batted balls in BP at 94+ mph, with his three highest marks checking in at 95.3, 95.6, and 96.2 mph respectively, per TrackMan. His calling card behind the plate also stands out, as his catch/throw is amongst the best in the area, regardless of class. It’s a short, quick release that consistently plays on the bag with 78 mph arm strength and a top pop time of 2.00 seconds at that event, though we’ve seen him better in the past. 

 

Beau Breyman

 

Ben Tillman, C/INF, Collinsville
A starter behind the plate for the Kahoks since his freshman year, Tillman showed well in our looks this past year, most notably in the fall. He’s a scrappy, high-energy competitor that can provide versatility defensively with the ability to move around the diamond. Offensively, it’s a shorter, uphill right-handed swing that has favored the pull-side in our looks, but has also shown the ability to shorten up with two strikes and work the other way. 

 

Ben Tillman

 

Brody Hasquin, CIF/RHP, Triad
A two-way for the Knights, who is also a notable quarterback recruit on the gridiron, Hasquin is a physical right-handed hitter that showed our staff easy juice at times throughout the year. He’s an experienced varsity arm for Triad, pitching in key spots throughout last year in a relief role, with a low-80s fastball and tight, hard slider. 

 

Brody Lindemann, C/CIF, Belleville East
An everyday regular in the middle of the Lancers’ lineup this most recent spring, Lindemann had a strong sophomore campaign, slashing .348/.434/.457 in 92 at-bats. He’s a 6-foot-1, 180-pound backstop with plenty of room to continue tacking on strength to his frame. Offensively, it’s a short barrel through the zone that works on an uphill plane and has the potential to hit for consistent extra-base impact as he gets more physical. 

 

Brody Lindemann

 

Brody Phillips, INF, Arcola
One of the more dynamic athletes on this list, Phillips had a huge spring for an Arcola club that spent a majority of the season within our top-10 rankings. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound utility type from central Illinois can really run, has above-average bat speed, and has a flat path that on top of the baseball gap-to-gap. 

 

Cole Basak, MIF, Monticello
Basak really intrigued us when we saw him at one of our summer showcases as a name-to-know with upside, even if it’s a few years down the road when he’s fully developed physically. He swung an athletic right-handed barrel that worked inside the baseball and elevated gap-to-gap throughout his round of BP. Basak’s athleticism showed on the infield with a quick first step, the ability to cover ground while staying in rhythm, and sure-handed glovework. 

 

Cole Basak

 

Dane Johnson, INF, Freeburg
All Johnson did when we saw him this past year was hit, and hit at every stop, for that matter. He was on the barrel in multiple tournament, and high school looks, getting on top of the baseball to backspin through the middle/pull side of the field. Johnson also flashed above-average bat strength, particularly to the pull-side, where we saw him elevate extra-base hits comfortably into the left-center gap. 

 

Dane Johnson

 

Dawson Deatherage, OF, Triad
A notable football recruit, as in multiple all-conference selections and an all-state honorable mention, Deatherage’s offensive potential from the left side proved true over multiple in-game tournament looks this past summer. He was all over the barrel at our 16U Summer Series in late June and his strength from the gridiron translates to the diamond, as the ball really carries off his bat when he finds the sweet spot. 

 

Dawson Deatherage

 

Gabe James, INF, Mascoutah
James emerged from the Summer Games in June as a big all-around winner after a strong showing as one of the day’s younger players in attendance. He’s a pretty impressive athlete, boasting a 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame that holds lean strength and has already tacked on more this winter. At that event, James ran a 6.81 60-yard dash with long, athletic strides that suggest that number will only continue to decrease as he gets older. He was on the barrel to the pull-side in BP, elevating that way consistently – 87 mph average EV, 91 mph max EV, 240 ft. average distance, 348 ft. peak distance. James’ present strength, athleticism, and future projection offer an intriguing ceiling for the uncommitted junior out of Mascoutah. 

 

Gabe James

 

Gibson Warren, INF, Rochester
Warren saw playing time on a quality Rochester squad as a sophomore and was a top performer from our Summer Showcase – Central Illinois event this past July. At that event, he showed a quiet, simple, and repeatable left-handed swing that sprayed line drives through the middle of the field with minimal effort. That level of fluidity and low-pulse showed on the infield, where he played in rhythm and paired that with clean, confident glovework. 

 

Gibson Warren

 

Gino Dinges, OF/LHP, St. Bede
Dinges popped on our radar this fall at our Upperclass Invite tournament, showing well on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he took excellent at-bats, competing consistently with quality swing decisions and making for a tough at-bat on the regular. He holds inherent strength inside his barrel with a shorter, more compact path to contact that we saw go backside for a double. On the mound, he’s a low-80s southpaw with a clean arm that has feel to spin a big, bendy breaking ball with depth. 

 

Gino Dinges

 

Hudson Lovell, C, Morton 
Lovell holds clear strength inside a muscle-bound, compact frame, and looks to be a key piece for a Morton club that should be amongst the top teams in central Illinois this spring. His in-game bat strength matches his physical stature, as we saw Lovell carry the baseball off his right-handed barrel a few times this fall at one of our tournaments. 

 

Hudson Lovell

 

Hunter Barber, OF, Pawnee
Barber showed well over multiple looks by our staff this past season, starting in the winter and spanning throughout the summer. He packs strength throughout a compact, athletic frame and ran a 6.74 60 at our Summer Showcase – Central Illinois event. Offensively, Barber swings a strong, handsy right-handed barrel that sprayed line drives throughout his round of BP at that event, and he also performed in-game for us, earning 16U Summer Series All-Tournament team honors.

 

Hunter Barber

 

Jack Reynolds, OF, Mater Dei 
Reynolds is a lean, athletic left/left athlete with a short, compact left-handed swing that showed the ability to spray the baseball to all fields in our looks this past summer. He’s also an above-average runner in straight line speed (6.97 60) and in the outfield. 

 

Jack Reynolds

 

Jack Rolves, MIF, Father McGivney
Rolves is one of the more polished up-the-middle defenders in the Metro East for the 2027 class. It’s a clean, fluid glove on the left side of the infield with athletic feet and the ability to play in rhythm on the move. Offensively, Rolves has shown a longer, more leveraged barrel path in BP to our staff that we project will hit for more impact as he starts to stack on strength on a lean, wiry frame. 

 

Jack Rolves

 

Jaxson Vaughan, 1B, Triad
Another physical left-handed slugger for the Knights, Vaughan had a strong sophomore campaign and figures to be a key piece of Triad’s offense this upcoming season. He’s a strong, middle-of-the-order piece that has shown our staff above-average bat-to-ball in game and is starting to hit for more slug consistently. We saw Vaughan plenty this summer, including at the SC Fall Games in September, where he elevated off the barrel throughout in BP; 97.5 mph peak exit velocity, 88.1 mph average, 330 ft. peak batted distance. 

 

 

Jude Parnham, INF, Morton
Parnham took an impressive round of BP at our Summer Showcase – Central Illinois event in mid-July. He didn’t get cheated, working with some barrel length through the zone on an uphill plane that was on the barrel gap-to-gap repeatedly. Parnham’s average bat speed (71 mph), average hand speed (22.6 mph), and 60 time (7.03) are all strong baselines for his age, and numbers that are likely to climb as he continues to get stronger. We saw him again later in the year at one of our fall tournaments, where he had a successful weekend at the plate. On the infield, Parnham has clean, sure-handed actions with the potential to stick on the dirt at the next level. 

 

Jude Parnham

 

Keegan Seipp, 1B, Triad
Seipp is easily one of the more physical bats in the state’s junior class, if not sitting at the top of that list. He’s always had the sheer strength, but Seipp started to actually get to it in-game with consistency throughout this year, especially to the pull-side. The level of left-handed strength he possesses is an outlier and likely pegs him as a true middle-of-the-order thumper at the next level. He had a monster year offensively for a Triad club that made a run to the state playoffs, and figures to be an integral part of their offense again in 2026. 

 

Keegan Seipp

 

Liam Decker, INF/RHP, O’Fallon
Decker came away from this fall’s showcase in Illinois as an arrow-up uncommitted junior whose progress will be fun to monitor after the off-season. Decker, whose lean, athletic levers offer plenty of room to continue adding strength, kicked his day off with a strong pair of BP rounds. He swings an athletic right-handed bat that travels with length through the hitting zone on a level plane, allowing him to backspin line drives to the pull-side. Decker’s hardest ball came off his bat at 92.2 mph – a number that will almost certainly keep climbing as he adds strength in the coming months. Decker led all infielders in max throwing velocity across the diamond (T88 mph) and he showed that arm strength on the mound, pitching at 84-85, touching 86 mph with his fastball at peak. Decker’s upside as an arm is highly intriguing – it’s an athletic, up-tempo delivery that works with quick pace and has arm speed to pair. He matched his fastball with a curveball in the low-70s that has big shape and depth, landing it for strikes in the upper-third of the strike zone. A strong winter could have Decker emerging as a major prospect winner in the Metro East heading into his junior season at O’Fallon. 

 

Liam Decker

 

Lucas Harriss, MIF/RHP, Wesclin
Harriss is another southern Illinois prospect that caught our staff’s eye this past summer at one of our tournaments, and did so again this fall at our Fall Showcase – IL event in October. At the plate, Harris showed barrel feel and a clean left-handed stroke with the propensity to work middle/away, spraying line drives mostly to the opposite field across his two rounds. It’s easy to project more impact coming as he gets stronger, and his ability to repeatedly find barrels should allow that to translate more effectively into in-game production. On the mound, which is where he really stood out this past summer, Harriss has a simple, in-line delivery that he repeats well and a short, clean arm swing to pair. He doesn’t have above-average velocity right now, but his fastball was in the zone consistently, and the radar gun readings will jump as his physical maturity continues. Aside from his heater, Harriss landed a tight, top-to-bottom breaking ball for strikes and consistently spotted a 71-72 mph changeup on the arm-side corner of the plate (9.6 VB / 15.8 HB) as well.

 

Lucas Harriss

 

Maddux Hunt, MIF, Triad
Hunt is a strong, compact right-handed hitter that plays multiple sports and can move around the diamond defensively. His glove is his calling card, as he’s a sure-handed, reliable glove that can provide value at all three infield positions. At the plate, Hunt works on top of the baseball with some length to contact from the right side. 

 

Maddux Hunt

 

Mikey Groesch, C, Sacred-Heart Griffin
Groesch was another sophomore that played a key role in the Cyclones taking home the 2A state championship this past spring. Packed with physicality in a muscled-up frame, with a football background, Groesch swings a strong right-handed barrel that has shown our staff above-average impact in BP and in-game. He’s a worker behind the plate, especially from a blocking standpoint, and has above-average arm strength to pair. 

 

Mikey Groesch

 

Nolan Vojak, C, Edwardsville
Another local product in the Metro East that has consistently shown well in front of our staff. Vojak holds present strength in an athletic, compact frame that should continue to keep adding muscle mass into the future. He was consistently on the barrel to left-center field, spraying line drives that way, and repeating a short, compact right-handed swing with leverage through contact. Defensively, Vojak was on the bag often in his workout behind the plate, working clean and quick to a short ¾ release, popping a 2.01 on his quickest bullet. 

 

Nolan Vojak

 

Parker Wells, OF, Belleville West
This upcoming season could serve as somewhat of a breakout for Wells, who should factor into the everyday mix for West’s varsity club and was a consistent performer throughout our summer circuit. It’s a short, and fast, right-handed swing that was on the barrel often when we saw him, favoring the pull-side with advanced strength that way at times, too. 

 

Parker Wells

 

Rhett Lambert, INF, Centralia
Plenty to project on with Lambert, both physically and on the diamond. He’s a long, wiry, and athletic right-handed hitter that showed well in a showcase setting last winter, spraying line drives back up the middle from a short, compact right-handed stroke. We saw him perform in the summer too, setting the table at the top of the lineup for his travel club while playing a clean up-the-middle defense. As Lambert continues to get stronger, he’ll boost all areas of his game, and he’s a name from the state’s southern part that should be added to college radars, if he’s not already there. 

 

Rhett Lambert

 

Ryker Perigo, MIF, Mt. Vernon
Perigo showed well at our Summer Showcase – Southern Illinois event in June this past year. A switch-hitter, Perigo repeats a similar path from both sides of the plate, working short to the baseball on a level plane through the zone as he stayed through the middle of the field throughout. Added strength will allow him to hit for more impact consistently – something that’s sure to come soon – and he also ran a 6.85 60 at that event. 

 

Ryker Perigo

 

Sam Ferris, C, Rochester
Ferris is one of the more advanced offensive right-handed bats on this list, showing notable bat speed (72.6 mph), bat strength (98 mph EV), and elevating off the barrel with easy juice in our looks. He had an impressive spring for the Rockets, hitting .375 as a sophomore with 13 extra-base hits, including four home runs. 

 

Sam Ferris

 

Trey Conrod, C/OF, Waterloo
We’ve become plenty familiar with Conrod throughout 2025, starting with an in-game look at Murphysboro during the high school season and adding looks throughout the summer, and fall, circuit as we went on. He’s vaulted into one of the top prospects in the Metro East for us in the 2027 class thanks to his ability to blend in-game performance with a physical, tooled-up skill set. At the plate, Conrod’s hands stay short to the baseball with an uphill path that barrel line drives gap-to-gap. He’s a 6.82 runner, has a 91 mph arm from the outfield, and also showed 80 mph arm strength from behind the plate with a 1.95 pop time. 

 

Trey Conrod

 

Zachary Snow, MIF, Carterville
Snow caught our attention this past spring in a few looks at Carterville as a sophomore that was a regular on varsity for the 2A program out of southern Illinois. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound multi-sport athlete (basketball) attended our Summer Showcase – Southern Illinois event, where he backspun line drives back up the middle of the field from a long, level path. 

 

Zachary Snow