| Zach Badgley |
Sr. |
McHenry |
P/1B |
Numbers tell righty can bring it: 10 wins, 107 strikeouts and 1.36 ERA. Will attend Northern Illinois. |
| Alex Beckmann |
Sr. |
Batavia |
2B |
Hit better than .500 the last two seasons for the Bulldogs. Scored 42 runs in '07. Future NIU Huskie. |
| Greg Bennett |
Sr. |
Providence |
IF |
Comes off big year with .410 average and 30 RBIs. Will play some outfield after catching in 2007. |
| Zach Borenstein |
Sr. |
Buffalo Grove |
SS |
Returns from Elite Eight season that included big numbers: .479 avg., 56 hits, 42 runs, 8 HRs. EIU-bound. |
| Greg Billo |
Sr. |
Sandburg |
P |
Went 14-0 as junior (five spring wins, nine summer). Will lead 2007 summer champs. |
| Nick Brown |
Sr. |
Wheaton South |
P/3B |
What's left for an encore? DuPage Valley MVP hit .472 and struck out 82. Iowa recruit tops 90 m.p.h. |
| Tony Bucciferro |
Sr. |
Minooka |
P |
21-1 in his varsity career. Back with a vengeance after injury ended '07 season. Michigan St. signee. |
| Angelo Burrage |
Jr. |
St. Rita |
1B/OF |
Sweet swinger an offensive force with .402 avg., 19 extra-base hits and 29 RBIs for Elite Eight team. |
| Dave Compitello |
Jr. |
Schaumburg |
SS |
Rock-solid defender up the middle for the Saxons. Posted a .462 batting average last spring. |
| Jared Culver |
Sr. |
Downers South |
1B |
Imposing first baseman hit .436 with 33 RBIs for the Mustangs last season. Has impressive power. |
| Ron Czarnecki |
Jr. |
Oak Forest |
2B |
Coach's son hit .424 and knocked in 24 runs as the Bengals' leadoff man in 2007. |
| Dominick D'Agata |
Sr. |
Schaumburg |
C |
Cut down baserunners with a chilling 60 percent efficiency for the Saxons in 2007. Purdue-bound. |
| Adam Davis |
Sr. |
Driscoll |
C |
Tribune All-Stater batted .526 with 51 hits and 45 RBIs. Stolen-base kill rate at 60 percent. Future Illini. |
| Joey DeBernardis |
Sr. |
Lake Zurich |
P/IF |
Four-year varsity member hit .400 with 10 HRs, had 1.01 ERA in 2007. Headed to Penn State. |
| Steve Easter |
Sr. |
Walther Lutheran |
P/3B |
Intimidating mound presence. Won nine games, K'd 91 for Class A third-place Broncos. D-I attention. |
| Sean Flanagan |
Sr. |
Downers North |
SS/P |
Silky smooth shortstop tough at plate (.373, 34 runs, 37 RBIs) and on mound (5-0). Future Iowa Hawkeye. |
| Joe Frahm |
Sr. |
Young |
SS |
Sure-handed shortstop will lead the defense for 2007 city champs. Hit .364 last season. |
| Drew Golz |
Sr. |
Oak Park |
P/1B/OF |
Lefty won nine games with 1.77 ERA in '07. Third-year starter will play soccer and baseball at Air Force. |
| Zach Hirsch |
Jr. |
St. Charles North |
P |
Another great arm for the North Stars, lefty went 8-0 with a 0.93 ERA last season. |
| Danny Jimenez |
Sr. |
St. Charles North |
P |
Left-hander has great stuff, including a fastball in the 90-m.p.h. neighborhood. Poised for a huge '08. |
| Phil Kaiser |
Sr. |
Nazareth |
P/3B |
Eastern Kentucky recruit hit .480 with 49 RBIs and posted five wins and a 1.98 ERA for Roadrunners. |
| Braden Kapteyn |
Sr. |
Illiana Christian |
SS/P |
The 6-4, 200-pounder hit .468 in '07—even though his conference used wood bats. Headed for Kentucky. |
| Julian Kenner |
Sr. |
Young |
C |
Backstop hit .430 for the city champs. The plan is to go back-to-back. Signed with Long Island. |
| Ian Krol |
Jr. |
Neuqua Valley |
P |
Mound leader for the 2007 AA champs is back for more. Lefty earned quarterfinal win and title-game save. |
| John Lorenz |
Sr. |
Lincoln-Way East |
SS/P |
Physical presence (6-3, 195) hit .425 with nine homers and 40 RBIs for the Griffins last season. |
| Anthony Maldonado |
Jr. |
Oak Park |
SS |
Returning starter for one of area's top programs. Displays poise and power. |
| Nick Martini |
Sr. |
Prairie Ridge |
OF |
In an injury-shortened season, Kansas State recruit still hit .435 with 14 doubles and near .800 SP. |
| Kevin McDonald |
Jr. |
Shepard |
1B/OF |
Has size (6-3, 200), speed (nine stolen bases), glove (no errors) and stick (.415 average, 29 RBIs). |
| Mike McQuillan |
Sr. |
Brother Rice |
2B |
Four-year starter, three-year all-conference performer heads squad that finished fourth in '07. Iowa-bound. |
| Will Neal |
Sr. |
New Trier |
1B |
Power hitter had a breakout year with eight home runs and 42 RBIs for the Class AA state runner-up. |
| Ben Palmer |
Sr. |
Westminster Chr. |
P |
Won 10 games, struck out 128 batters in 822/3 innings for Class A quarterfinalist. Dallas Baptist signee.
|
| Justin Ringo |
Jr. |
Stagg |
C |
Makes it happen at the plate: .420 batting average, 10 home runs, 35 RBIs and 33 runs scored. |
| Jimmy Risi |
Sr. |
Highland Park |
1B/P |
On target to rewrite the Giants' record book. Hit .458 last season. Kansas State signee. |
| Bryan Roberts |
Sr. |
Benet |
P/C |
Right-handed power pitcher struck out 88 hitters in 592/3 innings last season. Headed to Illinois. |
| Reid Rooney |
Sr. |
Fenwick |
SS/P |
Central Michigan signee will be counted on to lead the Friars' offense. Hit .385 last season. |
| John Ruettiger |
Sr. |
Joliet Catholic |
OF/P |
Speedster batted .423 last season. Had 28 runs and 28 RBIs from leadoff spot. Will attend Arizona State. |
| Matt Schmidt |
Sr. |
Grayslake Central |
SS |
Hit .327, led team in stolen bases (15) and scored 23 runs before season-ending injury. Going to Yale. |
| Doug Schumacher |
Sr. |
Brother Rice |
OF |
Sterling defensive player equally impressive at the plate: .376 average, 10 home runs, 41 RBIs, 37 runs scored. |
| David Schwabe |
Sr. |
Driscoll |
SS/P |
U. of St. Francis recruit hit .491 and was 25-for-25 in stolen bases for the always-tough Highlanders. |
| Barrett Serrato |
Sr. |
West Chicago |
SS |
Three-year varsity starter has been mainstay for Wildcats. Hit .354 in '07. A future Purdue Boilermaker. |
| Chris Serritella |
Sr. |
Loyola |
1B |
Hit a robust .472 with 11 home runs for the Ramblers in 2007. Signed with Southern Illinois. |
| Jordan Sivertsen |
Sr. |
Carmel |
OF/P |
Future Saluki contributed 44 RBIs and 40 runs last year; 90-plus heater will get wins after year off mound. |
| Kyle Stroup |
Sr. |
Grant |
P/1B |
6-6, 240-pounder has 90-plus heater and pro attention. Won 6 games and hit .414 for Bulldogs. NIU recruit. |
| Jon Surber |
So. |
Lisle |
P/3B |
The 6-2, 175-pound right-hander went 6-3 and posted a 1.73 ERA as a full-time varsity pitcher. |
| T.J. Swank |
Sr. |
Prairie Ridge |
P/1B |
Confounds foes on the hill (submarine delivery) and at the plate (.449 avg.). Coastal Carolina-bound. |
| Jake Thornton |
Sr. |
St. Charles North |
OF |
Tribune All-Stater hit .467 with 32 stolen bases. On base 56 percent of plate appearances. ISU signee. |
| Jon Weaver |
Sr. |
Leyden |
P |
His 9-0 record last season included a no-hitter in sectional play. Headed to Heartland Community College. |
| Tanner Witt |
Jr. |
Lake Zurich |
SS/P |
Posted a .385 batting average as a sophomore. Will get some innings on the mound for the Bears. |
| Austin Wright |
Sr. |
Conant |
P/OF |
Lefty was only Chicago invitee to AFLAC game last summer. Fireballer will attend Arkansas. |
| Tony Zych |
Sr. |
St. Rita |
P/SS |
Second-team Tribune All-Stater can throw (nine wins) and hit (.405). Will slug for Louisville. |
