Peoria has 6 Division-I bound baseball and softball players. Here's how they're playing in 2024

Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star

NCAA Division-I talent can be found all over Peoria-area high school baseball and softball diamonds this season.

Six athletes — four softball and two baseball players — have pledged to play at college's highest level. Here is how those next-level commits are playing during the 2024 campaign. All stats are through Tuesday, April 23.

Lexi Brinkman, Illini Bluffs

  • This season: The junior is hitting .432 on a team-best 16 hits with two doubles, two triples, four homers, five runs and a team-high 20 RBIs in 11 games. She has .989 fielding percentage in 69 innings behind the plate.

  • What's next: Brinkman verbally committed to Illinois State in Oct. 2023. She was coming off a sophomore season where she was the starting catcher and batted cleanup in the Class 1A state championship game.

Jenna Flessner, Washington

  • This season: The junior third baseman is hitting .405 on 17 hits, six doubles, one triple, two homers,10 RBIs and 11 runs in 14 games. She has no fielding errors in 29 total chances.

  • What's next: Flessner verbally committed to Valparaiso in Feb. 2024. She played in just one varsity game as a sophomore, hitting a solo home run against Morton.

Peoria softball: 7 breakout pitchers around the Peoria area this high school season

Danika Frazier, Olympia

  • This season: The senior pitcher is 13-0 with 165 strikeouts, 22 walks, two saves and a 1.30 ERA in 86.1 innings. She's hitting .525 on 31 hits with seven homers, 29 RBIs and 13 runs in 19 games. She has no fielding errors.

  • What's next: Frazier committed to Illinois in Nov. 2022. She was a Class 2A Illinois Coaches Association all-state first-team selection last season in leading the Spartans to a Class 2A regional championship.

Kaidance Till, Metamora

  • This season: The junior shortstop is hitting .456 on 26 hits with 10 doubles, three homers, 19 walks, 18 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 20 games. She has posted a .961 fielding percentage.

  • What's next:Till verbally committed to Ole Miss in Sept. 2023. She was a Class 3A ICA all-state first-team selection and the 2023 Journal Star Softball Player of the Year as Metamora made an Elite Eight appearance.

Peoria baseball: These 16 Peoria-area high school players have emerged as sluggers in 2024

Josh Vaughn, Illini Bluffs

  • This season: The senior pitcher/third baseman is batting .370 on 10 hits with one double, eight RBIs, six runs and eight walks in 12 games. He's 3-1 with 42 strikeouts, giving up five hits and a 0.39 ERA in 18 innings.

  • What's next: Vaughn committed to Bradley in June 2023. He was a Class 1A Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association first-team pick, hitting .408 and posting a 5-1 record with 87 strikeouts with a 1.38 ERA.

Blaine Williams, Tremont

  • This season: The junior catcher is hitting .447 on 17 hits with eight doubles, eight RBIs and 12 runs in 15 games. He's pitched 2.2 innings with seven strikeouts and has no errors in 87.2 innings behind the plate.

  • What's next: Williams verbally committed to Illinois in July 2022, following his freshman season. Although playing primarily as a catcher, he's hit 95 mph off the mound in the offseason.

Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA: 2024 Division-I baseball and softball players in Peoria, Illinois

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