Top players

As many of you know, I cover high school and college baseball for the Peoria Journal Star. This year, we're going to have our inaugural all-state baseball teams. It will be divided up into four classes, just like the IHSA.

We'll have 15 players on each team: one at each position, plus six at-large spots.

Feel free to post players I should be keeping an eye on from around the state.

I'll keep my eyes open for ya. One preseason fave has to be Rochester's Sr JP Kain. JP has signed with SCI and is one of the best pure hitters I have seen in person. Ben, you know I'm not being a homer here. This kid can hit. He came in second at Silver Cross in the last Hitting Derby as a soph. I'll post stats on him from the previous year and keep you up to date as the season goes on. JP will share time behind the plate and play some infield. He will prob be moved to the infield in college. The kid is fast too which most people overlook. He is maybe 5'9" which limited his D1 looks. If this kid were 6'2" we'd be watching him on TV in a few years.

Ty marvels at JP's mechanics at the plate which tells me a lot.

JP's stats last season: 11 HR, 56RBI, 49 R, 12 2B, 4 3B, 15 BB's, 10 HBP, 9 K, in 99AB's, .566 AVG