Meet the Signees

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head coach Dan Hartleb announced the signing of nine student-athletes to letters of intent for the signing class of 2015 on Thursday. The Illini received NLIs from five players from Illinois, two from Wisconsin, one from Michigan and one from Texas.

"We are excited about this recruiting class," Hartleb said. "We have a very athletic group of talented individual players. This is a large group that meets all of our needs. This group of athletes will help us replace a number of quality players after this season. We have added a wide range of talents, including solid hitters for our lineup, great speed and mobility on the base paths, top quality defenders and pitchers that have excellent arm strength and pitchability. As a group, this set of players will allow us to continue to play at the national level. These student-athletes are very competitive and have played at a high level for their high school and summer teams."

Five position players - C/OF David Craan (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young HS), OF Caleb Kyle (Frisco, Texas/Prestonwood Christian Academy), IF/OF Jalin McMillan (Chicago, Ill./Simeon Career Academy), IF Brenden Spillane (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling HS) and OF Doran Turchin (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek HS) - will join the Illini for the 2015-16 academic year.

Four pitchers - RHP Cole Bellair (Lockport, Ill./Lockport Township HS), RHP/OF Brendan Meissner (De Pere, Wis./West De Pere HS), RHP/DH Luke Shilling (Clarkston, Mich./Notre Dame Preparatory) and LHP/OF Jack Yalowitz (Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy) - also will become part of the Orange and Blue next season.

"Coach Allen, Coach Dickinson and Coach Stewart have done a great job of recruiting these student-athletes," Hartleb said. "They have attracted and stabilized a very important class. Their efforts have provided another solid base to continue the success of our program."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... Collected 2014 Underclass High Honorable Mention honors by Perfect Game ... Led Lockport Township to SouthWest Suburban Blue conference championship, clinching the regular season title with seven shutout innings and seven strikeouts against Lincoln-Way East ... Earned a varsity letter as a junior ... Played summer ball for Gravel Baseball.

Coach Dickinson on Bellair: "Cole is a very strong and athletic pitcher with a power arm along with an outstanding breaking ball and solid changeup. With his athletic ability, I believe Cole has a high ceiling for his continued development. He is an extremely hard worker and a winner, which can be seen both on the baseball field and in the weight room. I look forward to having Cole as a part of the pitching staff and think he will contribute immediately."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 22 prospect in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... Earned three varsity letters each in baseball and football ... Posted a .483 OPS as a junior in 2014.

Coach Allen on Craan: "David possesses tools that we are very excited about here at Illinois. Craan's arm strength behind the dish can shut down the running game quickly. Overall foot speed and his quickness behind the plate will allow David to play a couple of different positions for us here at Illinois. David's overall athleticism has our whole coaching staff excited, and we cannot wait to get him here on campus."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 28 prospect in the state of Texas by Perfect Game ... Selected to 2014 Preseason Under Armor All-American team ... Earned 2014 Underclass Honorable Mention honors by Perfect Game ... 2014 all-tournament selection at the 17U Perfect Game World Series ... Hit .362 as a junior in 2014 with 32 runs, 31 stolen bases and was named to the TAPPS 5A All-District second team ... Tied the Prestonwood Christian Academy school record for most stolen bases in a season with 31 as a junior and for triples in a season with four as a freshman ... Was honorable mention all-district in the outfield as a freshman in 2012 ... 2012 Dallas 15u Patriot of the Year award ... Lettered every year in baseball.

Coach Allen on Kyle: "Caleb is another great athlete with the physical strength and speed to have an immediate impact here at Illinois. We are excited about Caleb's ability to create on the base paths as well as tracking down fly balls in the outfield. Being a left-handed hitter helps add pressure to defenses because he can really get down the line. Playing high school baseball in one of the top conferences in the state of Texas has prepared Caleb to come in and compete right away."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 86 prospect in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... Earned 2014 Underclass Honorable Mention honors by Perfect Game ... Led Simeon in RBI as a junior ... Participated in the 2014 Perfect Game Nationals ... Won Most Valuable Player in the 2014 MVP Tournament in Atlanta ... As a freshman at De LaSalle High School, led his basketball team in points, averaging 15.8 points per game ... Cousin is NBA player Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans.

Coach Allen on McMillan: "Jalin is a physical player who can play all over the field. Jalin's versatility will be beneficial for his role at Illinois. At the plate, Jalin has a presence to drive the ball and has consistent extra-base capabilities. It will be fun watching Jalin mature on the baseball field, and we are really looking forward to having him as part of the Illini baseball team."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the state of Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report ... Three-time Northeast Wisconsin all-area selection, collecting first-team honors in 2012 and 2014 and second-team honors in 2013 ... Three-time All-Bay Conference selection as picked by the coaches ... Went 8-1 as a starter during his junior year while striking out 68 batters and setting the record for lowest ERA in Bay Conference history with a 0.95 ERA ... Played in the 2013 Midwest Classic tournament for Team Wisconsin, leading team in hitting with a .538 batting average and got the win against Team Pennsylvania ... Lettered in baseball every year and in basketball once ... Was invited to the Chicago White Sox Balance Area Code Tryouts in 2013 and 2014.

Coach Dickinson on Meissner: "Brendan is a good athlete and very intelligent when it comes to pitching. He has a good fastball that he locates at the bottom of the strike zone consistently. He also possesses two solid off-speed pitches that he can throw in any count. With his size and athletic ability, Brendan will only get better once he arrives on campus.I believe Brendan will be an instant contributor at Illinois, andI look forward to helping him continue his development."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the state of Michigan and among the National Top 500 (No. 415) by Perfect Game ... Second-team all-state selection in 2014 along with earning all-region, all-district and all-conference honors ... Hit .430 with nine home runs and 37 RBI as a junior in 2014 ... Named all-district and all-conference in 2013 after leading the team with a .444 average ... Finished third at the 2014 Muscle Milk Home Run Derby in Detroit ... Won a varsity letter each year for baseball.

Coach Dickinson on Shilling: "Luke is a good athlete with a pro body. Thanks to his experience as a catcher, Luke has a great understanding of the game, both from the offensive side and the pitching side. As a hitter, Luke has the ability to hit for power to all fields and projects as a possible middle-of-the-order hitter. As a pitcher, Luke has a very strong arm and solid breaking ball that has been improving with each time he sets foot on the mound. We are very excited to have Luke at Illinois and think he will be an instant contributor on the field."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... Collected 2014 Underclass High Honorable Mention honors and 2013 Underclass Honorable Mention honors by Perfect Game ... Earned all-tournament honors at the WWBA World Championship in 2014 and has participated in the event in Jupiter, Florida, during each of the past two years.

Coach Allen on Spillane: "Brenden is an extremely talented player with strength, size and athleticism to make an immediate impact here at Illinois. At the plate, Brenden has the ability to drive the ball out of the park, while still making consistent contact. His other tools include plus arm strength and speed. The staff is really excited to have Brenden part of our team as we see him making an immediate impact here for the Illini."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the state of Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report ... Unanimous first-team all-state selection at shortstop in 2014 ... Selected as 2014 NOW All-Suburban Player of the Year ... Picked to 2014 All-Greater Metro Conference First Team and 2013 All-Greater Metro Conference Second Team ... Named honorable mention all-conference utility player as an outfielder and second baseman in 2012 ... Part of 2012 high school state championship team at Oak Creek ... Helped high school to conference championships in 2013-14 ... Led Oak Creek to third-place finish at state in 2014 ... Slugged .694 in 2014 and cracked school's top-10 list with 46 RBI (2nd), 11 doubles (4th) and 46 hits (9th) ... Earned three varsity letters in baseball and two in football.

Coach Allen on Turchin: "Doran is one of the top athletes in the state of Wisconsin. Being a dual sport athlete, Doran brings a toughness and is a competitor on the diamond. Doran has a frame that will allow him to add strength. We feel that he will be a middle-of-the-order bat at some point in his career. Doran's future is bright at Illinois, and we are thrilled he is part of the Fighting Illini family."

Notes: Ranked as the No. 39 prospect in the state of Illinois by Prep Baseball Report ... Earned Chicago Catholic Blue all-conference honors as an outfielder and pitcher in 2014 ... Helped team win 2014 IHSA regional championship ... Two-time team captain as a junior and senior ... Participated in the 2013 Connie Mack All-Star Game ... Earned varsity letters as a sophomore and junior in baseball and was a varsity wrestler as a freshman ... Played summer ball for Gravel Baseball.

Coach Dickinson on Yalowitz: "Jack is an outstanding athlete that has a very high ceiling, both as an outfielder and a pitcher. As an outfielder, Jack is a good runner and great defender. He has a consistent middle-of-the-field approach at the plate and brings a lot of energy to the table. As a pitcher, Jack has a long, loose arm and repeatable mechanics. He has a mid-80s fastball and an outstanding breaking ball. I see a bright future for Jack and we are excited to have him join the Illini family."