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High School  | General | 2/21/2017

Regional HS Preview: Midwest

Vincent Cervino
Photo: Perfect Game



For all of Perfect Game's regional previews as part of the 2017 high school baseball preview content, the Dream Team is available for free. The region top tools can be viewed with an Insider subscription. To learn more about Perfect Game's subscription packages and to sign up today please visit this link.




2017 Perfect Game High School Preview Index

Midwest Region: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin

The Midwest isn’t traditionally thought of as a hot bed for baseball talent but the 2017 and 2018 classes beg to differ. Led by Perfect Game All-American and the No. 2 prospect for the 2017 class, Jordon Adell, the Midwest is enjoying a multi-year run as home of some of the most exciting baseball in the country.

As has been the case with some other regions, the 2018 class is very deep and the Midwest is no different. Jarred Kelenic, Alek Thomas and Spencer Schwellenbach highlight an extremely deep class full of talented players who are ultra-athletic.

Brother Rice (Ill.) and Ballard (Ky.) are represented on the Preseason Top 50 team rankings and more are sure to join as the season progresses. As is often the case, a number of schools are looking to reload after losing talent to graduation and college.

Each state is represented on this list with Indiana sharing the lead with the most players (4) and Michigan (4), Kentucky (3), Illinois (4), Ohio (1) and Wisconsin (1) all registering in. Of those players, three were Perfect Game All-Americans and those three all came from the state of Kentucky: Adell, Joe Boyle and Ben Jordan.


Midwest Region Dream Team

C – Zach Britton, Sr., Batesville HS, Batesville (Ind.)
Besides sharing his name with a professional baseball player, Britton is a strong prospect in his own right. The calling card with Britton is his bat, and, more specifically, his power from the lefthand side of the plate. He impressed in Jupiter showing the ability to drive balls with good gap power and had the fourth longest home run of the entire tournament at 389.2 estimated feet.

1B – Bobby Miller, Sr., McHenry HS, McHenry (Ill.)
Miller is a physical specimen, listed at an impressive 6-foot-5 and 190-pounds, and uses that to get big power in his swing from the left side. He has some good hitting tools with quick hands and gets good leverage in his swing; the frame indicates a power profile in the future. At first he is a very big target with good footwork and excellent arm strength. That arm strength plays well on the mound where he is up to 94 mph. Miller as a primary pitcher works in a slider that flashes high-level potential.

MIF – Spencer Schwellenbach, Jr., Heritage HS, Saginaw (Mich.)
In any other region Schwellenbach would almost certainly be in the utility role as he shows high-level athleticism and ability from both the shortstop position and on the mound. He’s a very smooth defender in the middle infield where his plus arm plays well. The stroke is a simple line drive swing with good separation and created leverage throughout. On the mound, Schwellenbach has been up to 91 mph and has a very quick arm with a three-pitch arsenal. A high-level player on both sides of the ball, he should be a key part of his high school’s success this season.

MIF – Zion Pettigrew, Sr., Mount Carmel HS, Chicago (Ill.)
Pettigrew fits the mold as a player who has a solid overall profile and excels in nearly every aspect of the game. He has the tools and intelligence to stick at shortstop at the next level with above average arm strength, up to 88 mph across the diamond. At the plate he shows quickness in both his bat and hands and can hit the ball to all fields. Mount Carmel is a high school to watch for and Pettigrew is part of the reason they are expecting big things.

3B – K.C. Simonich, Sr., Lemont Township, Lemont (Ill.)
Simonich adds positional flexibility as he is athletic enough to play a corner outfield spot and will see time at first base, but he will slide in at third base for the Midwest Dream Team. He has a smooth swing from the left side and the barrel of the bat will stay in the hitting zone for a long time. His arm strength plays well all over the field as Perfect Game has recorded him as high as 85 mph on the mound.

OF – Jordon Adell, Sr., Ballard HS, Louisville (Ky.)
Adell would likely be the No. 1 ranked player in any other class, but that still doesn’t take away from his abilities or the likelihood that he will be taken early in the first round in June. He was one of the best hitters in the state last season with a line of .449-11-44. Adell would likely have his choice of whether he would be a pitcher of a position player at the next level as he has outstanding tools in both areas. With outstanding speed, raw power, defensive tools and overall ability Adell is a rare talent who has stardom in his future.

OF – Jarred Kelenic, Jr., Waukesha West HS, Waukesha (Wis.)
One of the more athletic and physical players in the entire country, Kelenic impresses in nearly every facet of the game. He is outstanding on both defense and in the batter’s box with very good athleticism (at worst a 6.7 runner). He is an outstanding player overall with seemingly limitless potential including extraordinary physical projection on his frame. Kelenic looks to be the next big name to come out of the Midwest and is the top player in the state of Wisconsin.

OF – Alek Thomas, Jr., Mount Carmel HS, Chicago (Ill.)
The recent TCU signee is another uber-athletic 2018 outfielder with the tools and ability to stick in center field. Athleticism plays a large part in Thomas’ game as he is a 6.6 runner with fast, precise actions in the outfield. Thomas also has a very loose, fluid swing from the left side of the plate with the ability to generate loud contact and sound mechanics. Thomas is another impressive piece for a talented Mount Carmel team as he looks to build on his 2016 campaign when he hit .394 with 10 home runs, seven doubles, five triples and 45 RBI.

UT – Sam Weatherly, Howell HS, Howell (Mich.)
Howell High School looks to be competitive in the state of Michigan and the presence of staff ace Sam Weatherly is a big reason why. Weatherly locates extremely well and uses a three-pitch arsenal. The fastball sits comfortably in the upper-80s with life and he mixes in a changeup and slider effectively. He is deceptive and has an advanced approach on the mound, something that will undoubtedly prove effective over the course of the season.

P – Joe Boyle, Sr., North Oldham HS, Goshen (Ky.)
Boyle possesses a large, ideal pitcher’s frame at a very physical 6-foot-6, 225-pounds. Boyle repeats his mechanics very well and has a very hard fastball that he can locate up to 96 mph. The Perfect Game All-American is still maturing as a player and there’s a good chance that he continues to get better on the mound as he refines his delivery and improves his breaking ball. Regardless, Boyle remains one of the top arms in the region for 2017.

P – Austin Becker, Jr., Big Walnut HS, Sunbury (Ohio)
The projectable righthander is one of the most impressive underclassmen in the nation and he has the stuff to back it up. Becker stands at a tall 6-foot-6, 185-pounds and showed off an explosive fastball that reached as high as 96 mph and a curveball that consistently flashes plus. It’s easy to project Becker being in the upper-90s and perhaps up to triple digits one day. With a strong two-pitch mix already, Becker heads into the 2017 season poised for a big junior campaign.

P – Ben Jordan, Sr., West Carter County HS, Olive Hill (Ky.)
It is never easy to repeat your mechanics when you are 6-foot-9, 225-pounds, but Jordan does so well for someone his size. The Perfect Game All-American has a fastball that sits in the low-90s to go along with a slider. Jordan’s delivery is pretty easy and he generates excellent extension toward the plate to increase the perceived velocity as it approaches the hitter. Jordan projects very well and has the tools to be a high draft pick come June.

P – Brendan Murphy, Sr., Mundelein HS, Mundelein (Ill.)
One of the more polished pitchers in the class, Murphy shows an impressive three-pitch mix highlighted by a deceptive changeup. The pitch shows similar arm speed to his fastball and has nice, downward tilt. The pitch plays off the fastball very well as the fastball sits in the upper-80s, topping out at 90 mph, and Murphy can command the pitch effectively to both sides of the plate. Murphy sequences extremely well and will work in a slider as the third pitch in his repertoire.

P – Jeff Criswell, Portage Central HS, Portage (Mich.)
Criswell is another piece of a very talented 2017 class for the University of Michigan. He has been up to 92 mph in the past with a fastball that sits in the upper-80s to low-90s with good life to the pitch. Criswell has the makings of being extremely productive at the next level and in the meantime Portage Central High School will be counting on him for production in 2017.


Midwest Region Top Tools

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