Baseball

Michael Hilker, who was the 2022 Record Newspapers baseball Player of the Year at Yorkville, was drafted on Monday by the Minnesota Twins in the 20th round and 599th overall selection of the Major League Baseball draft.

The Illinois Valley Senior League baseball team lost to Ohio in a Central Region Tournament elimination game Tuesday.

The Joliet Slammers will partner with Pabst beer to drop 2,600 packaged hot dogs to fans at the July 22 game. Tickets will be at a special price.

The Beecher Muskies picked up three wins over the last week, improving their record to 18-6 and extending their winning streak to five games.

Lincoln-Way Central's Luke Mensik was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 17th round of the 2025 MLB Draft, and Joliet West alum Jimmy Anderson was taken in the 19th round by the Baltimore Orioles.

La Salle-Peru alumnus Julius Sanchez was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round of the MLB Draft on Monday. He was the 535th overall pick.

The Tampa Bays Rays selected Ethan Storm in the 13th round of the MLB Draft on Monday in what the Sycamore grad called a full-circle moment to play with one of his favorite clubs growing up.

Crystal Lake's Windy City Hit Dogs enjoyed plenty of winning – and fun – during their 13U run at the McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championships tournament.

Windy City Hit Dog’s — Offdenkamp’s competes in the semi-final baseball game against the Barrington Broncos Red in a Under 13 McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championship baseball tournament on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the Mickey Sund Baseball Complex in Crystal Lake's Lippold Park.

Infielder Jack Wheeler of Morris was taken in the sixth round by the Texas Rangers in the MLB Draft Monday.

Conor Essenburg, the back-to-back Herald-News Baseball Player of the Year, has been selected in the fifth round of the MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves.

The Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp had a 5-1 week coming off the Prospect League All-Star break, including a doubleheader sweep of the Burlington Bees on Sunday.

Jaden Fauske, who helped lead Nazareth to back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023 and was a two-time Suburban Life Player of the Year, was drafted by the Chicago White with the 44th pick of Sunday’s first round of the Major League Baseball Draft.

The Illinois Valley District 20 team lost to Iowa in its first game of the Central Region Senior Baseball Tournament on Saturday, July 12, 2025 at Washington Park in Peru.

The Central Region Senior Baseball Tournament held their Opening Ceremony on Friday, July 11, 2025 at Washington Park in Peru. Check out photos by MaKade Rios.

Marquette's Keaton Davis has signed on to continue his education at Spoon River College and his baseball career with the Snappers.

A Business After Hours hosted by the Village of Bradley at the 315 Sports Park will be held Wednesday.

Here is a look at the top baseball players from the Sauk Valley area for the 2025 season.

Setting the tone as the leadoff hitter and shut-down closer for a fourth-place state finisher has earned Newman junior Garret Matznick the title of 2025 Sauk Valley Media Baseball Player of the Year.

McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championships fans will have an improved experience this summer after the renovations of the Mickey Sund Baseball Complex at Crystal Lake’s Lippold Park. Games began Friday morning.

Photos: MCYSA Summer International Championship baseball tournament starts in Crystal Lake Play starts in the opening round of he McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championship baseball tournament on Friday, July 11, 2025, at the Mickey Sund Baseball Complex in Crystal Lake's Lippold Park.

The Streator 11-Year-Old All-Stars wrapped up the Little League District 20 championship at their age level with a 15-0 blanking of the rival Ottawa 11-Year-Old All-Stars.

Ron Lear has been part of Plainfield North High School since it opened, but he has retired after 20 years at the school.

In the wake of a major injury, Ethan Storm has transformed his trajectory, now balancing aspirations between the MLB Draft and a commitment to Oklahoma. As interest from several teams grows, the Sycamore grad prepares for a pivotal week.

Former White Sox first-rounder Kris Honel left the game of baseball behind for several years after retiring in 2012. But the Bourbonnais native and former Providence Catholic star has been revitalized on and off the field after joining the Beecher Muskies last year.

The McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championships returns Friday to Crystal Lake and surrounding communities. The one-of-a-kind youth baseball tournament is entering its 32nd year.

The Illinois Valley Baseball League Senior League Team, made up of players from La Salle, Peru, Oglesby and Utica, will represent District 20 in the Central Region Tournament, which begins Friday in Peru.

Recent Streator High School graduate Jake Hagie has committed to continue his education and baseball career at Illinois Valley Community College.

Will Jack Bauer go in the first round? Will CJ Deckinga hear his name called? Five big questions ahead of next week's MLB draft.

Marquette Academy's Sam Mitre has signed to continue his education at Parkland College and his baseball career with the Cobras.

Ottawa youth baseball player Ethan Farabaugh starred for Great Britain over the holiday weekend at the 2025 World Baseball Softball Confederation Europe Championship played in Hungary.

Joliet Junior College's Wayne King and Joliet resident Steve Ruzich were honored by the NJCAA for their baseball coaching achievements

For the first time since 2022 and third time since 2021, U.S. World Baseball San Diego's 15U team will travel to Crystal Lake for the McHenry County Youth Sports Association's 32nd international tournament. Games begin Friday.

Nazareth senior and LSU recruit Jaden Fauske, who capped his career with a stellar final season, batting a robust .475 with six home runs and 40 RBIs and 10 doubles, four triples and scored 38 runs, is the Suburban Life baseball Player of the Year.

Wintrust Crossroads Sports Complex is a $70 million, 31-field complex at the crossroads of Interstates 355 and 80, next to Silver Cross Hospital, 45 minutes southwest of Chicago.

Here is the 2025 Suburban Life All-Area baseball team.

The McHenry County Youth Sports Association’s Summer International Championships is set to return next weekend for the 32nd year of the highly-popular tournament. Here's what to know about this year's upcoming MCYSA baseball tournament.

St. Francis senior Nolan Galla, who embraced a new two-way role to help the Spartans win 18 straight games and appear in a sectional title game, is the Kane County Chronicle Baseball Player of the Year.

Here is the 2024-2025 Kane County Chronicle All-Area Baseball Team.

Dundee-Crown senior Jared Russell earned All-Fox Valley Conference honors in three sports, setting school records in basketball and baseball. He also posted a 4.0 GPA and is the 2025 Northwest Herald Boys Athlete of the Year.

With their unique mix of younger and older players, the Beecher Muskies are once again being propelled to a strong season in the Chicago Suburban Baseball League by a large crop of local baseball talent.

More than 40 of the state's top senior baseball players participated in the Illinois Coaches Association All-Star Games on Monday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

Having some cents of Ogle County history: Centennial, quasquicentennial, sesquicentennial, dosquicentennial … Ogle County can observe them all this year, from the anniversary of driving through a cut up rock to blazing trails and rails.

A collection of 40 of the top prep baseball players this past spring from across The Times' 13-school coverage area.

Congratulations to the 2025 Times Baseball Player of the Year, Marquette all-state pitcher/leadoff man Alec Novotney.

Top high school baseball players from around the state will take the field one more time as prep players during the 48th annual Illinois Coaches Association Senior All-Star Games on Monday at Schweickert Stadium in Peru.

After powering the Boilermakers to back-to-back regional championships against some of the best teams in the state, Bradley-Bourbonnais' Cody Freitas is the Daily Journal Baseball Player of the Year.

Whether at the plate, on the mound or in the field, top-tier players abound on this year's Daily Journal All-Area Baseball Team.

Meet the 2025 Northwest Herald All-Area baseball team.

McHenry's Brian Rockweiler is the 2025 Northwest Herald Baseball Coach of the Year after leading the Warriors to a record-breaking season that ended with a runner-up finish in the Class 4A state tournament.