Pitching will be a strength in the North Suburban Conference, where top contenders Libertyville, Mundelein and Stevenson have proven starters. Behind the plate, Oklahoma State recruit Quinn Schambow gives the Wildcats an edge.
TOP 10 TEAMS
1. Libertyville (26-10-2): The defending North Suburban Conference co-champion is loaded with top-end talent, starting with the state’s top catcher, pro prospect Quinn Schambow (Oklahoma State). He’s joined in the infield by senior shortstop Cole Lockwood (Valparaiso) and junior third baseman Chase Lockwood, who had a 0.66 ERA in 52 1/3 innings on the mound. With senior pitchers Joshua Holst and Anthony Fry (Illinois Wesleyan), the Wildcats have an unrivaled trio. Also in line for innings are seniors Charlie Gretz (St. Norbert) and Judson Graeb (Buena Vista).
2. Mundelein (21-10): The Mustangs, who shared the NSC title with Libertyville last season, have outstanding pitching too. Senior Caden Earing (St. Louis), who was shut down early in 2024, is back in form. Seniors Joey Kafka (Valparaiso) and Sean Sanderson (Southeastern Community College) are well-tested, as is 6-foot-5 senior Baris Brua (Wisconsin-Oshkosh). Junior pitcher Will Bemrich has also made a favorable impression. Junior second baseman Johnny Weiss spearheads the offense, along with senior left fielder Jake Junia and senior shortstop Nick Szalony.
3. Stevenson (25-14): Pitching depth also will carry the Patriots, who are led by seniors Yuni Hamideh (Kirkwood Community College) and Brady Rosenkranz (Missouri). Junior pitcher Drew Clark is sidelined after Tommy John surgery, but classmates Frank Costabile and Ryan Harris are among those ready to step up. Costabile will ignite the offense again alongside senior catcher Matteo Nolasco (Milwaukee School of Engineering) and junior infielder Aidan Crawley.
4. Grayslake Central (24-11): The Rams will reply on pitching and defense in their quest to win the Northern Lake County Conference title for a fifth straight year. Cal Hanson (Parkland) is the top hitter and will lead the rotation alongside senior Colton Ohm (College of Lake County), who also plays in center field. Other prominent pitchers are seniors Braden Carlson and Nathan Fuko and 6-5 junior Luke Eckenstahler. Offensive mainstays include senior third baseman Ian McGowan and junior first baseman Beckham Stone. The middle infield features junior second baseman Carson Woods and sophomore shortstop Charlie Surowiec.
5. Deerfield (13-24): The Warriors hope to build on their first-ever appearance in the sectional finals. Senior pitcher Mac Jones was a workhorse down the stretch and returns as the ace. Junior infielder Easton Newman (Northern Illinois) will pace the offense, along with senior infielder Mason Hirsch, junior shortstop Ethan Katz and sophomore outfielder Chase Golding. Two juniors, Sean McNair and Will Swender, will join Jones on the pitching staff.
6. Wauconda (22-11): The Bulldogs bring back plenty of players after winning a share of the NLCC title last season. A trio of strong hitters — senior outfielder Ryan Fostiak, senior first baseman Carson Koehler and junior third baseman Jackson Rudolph — will power a lineup that should score runs consistently. Seniors Jackson Murphy and Pat Shannon (Knox) are expected to be a strong duo in the rotation, with senior Logan Connolly and Rudolph likely slotting in behind them.
7. Antioch (14-19): With 13 seniors and the entire starting lineup back, the Sequoits hope to challenge for the NLCC title too. Senior Nathan Yeager (College of Lake County) does a bit of everything; he’s a top hitter, a strong outfielder and the team’s ace. Three other seniors — Carson Young (Bethel), Tyler Johnson and Ben Clausen — also will get a lot of innings. Fourth-year catcher Mason Willis will handle a deep staff and be a middle-of-the-order bat. Other key contributors are senior center fielder Jackson Mozina and senior infielder Evan Schmidt (Wisconsin-La Crosse).
8. Grant (20-13): Senior shortstop Ryne Dzierzynski (Parkside) is a formidable hitter and one of the Bulldogs’ top pitchers. Senior first baseman Adrian Medina (North Park) is another middle-of-the-order bat. Seniors Jake Chrzastowski (Benedictine), Cole Sparkman (Carroll) and Kyle Stigler are other key pitchers. Multiple juniors are expected to contribute more after getting valuable experience last season.
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9. Warren (12-16): With just four seniors, the Blue Devils are young but could compete in the NSC. Juniors Braylan McCarthy and Peyton Balanag combined on a one-hitter and struck out 11 in a season-opening win against Carmel. Junior shortstop Colin Dreckmann is a two-way standout, and senior first baseman Zach Ausburn will be deployed in the middle of the lineup after playing in the Class 4A state championship game in basketball.
10. Lakes (19-13): Senior Owen Klosinski (Wisconsin-Stevens Point) brings a lot to the table for the Eagles as a pitcher and a hitter. Junior Carson Norris also will start on the mound and will play in the infield when he’s not pitching. Infielder Ethan Jablonski was an all-conference pick as a sophomore last year. Some of Jablonski’s classmates will need to step into productive roles.
25 PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Stephen Cole, Lake Forest, senior, infielder
- Frank Costabile, Stevenson, junior, outfielder
- Colin Dreckmann, Warren, junior, shortstop
- Ryne Dzierzynski, Grant, senior, shortstop/pitcher
- Caden Earing, Mundelein, senior, pitcher
- Ryan Fostiak, Wauconda, senior, outfielder
- Yuni Hamideh, Stevenson, senior, pitcher
- Cal Hanson, Grayslake Central, senior, first baseman/pitcher
- Joshua Holst, Libertyville, senior, pitcher
- Carson Hubert, Carmel, senior, catcher
- Mitchell Hughes, Grayslake North, senior, shortstop
- Joey Kafka, Mundelein, senior, pitcher
- Owen Klosinski, Lakes, senior, pitcher/outfielder
- Chase Lockwood, Libertyville, junior, third baseman/pitcher
- Cole Lockwood, Libertyville, senior, shortstop
- Andrew Mitchell, Zion-Benton, junior, pitcher
- Easton Newman, Deerfield, junior, infielder
- Colton Ohm, Grayslake Central, senior, pitcher/outfielder
- Brady Rosenkranz, Stevenson, senior, pitcher
- Sean Sanderson, Mundelein, senior, pitcher
- Quinn Schambow, Libertyville, senior, catcher
- Owen Strahl, Lake Zurich, senior, outfielder
- Johnny Weiss, Mundelein, junior, second baseman
- Mason Willis, Antioch, senior, catcher
- Nathan Yeager, Antioch, senior, outfielder/pitcher
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.