CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Coming off its first ever top-25 recruiting class, the Illinois baseball team signed eight highly-rated recruits Wednesday. Official recruiting ranks will not be released until student-athletes report to campus next fall. 

The Fighting Illini singed three of the top-12 recruits in the state of Illinois plus the No. 2 recruit in Wisconsin according to Prep Baseball Report. Those four recruits also rank in the top 375 nationally.

Illinois projects its complete 2018 class will expand beyond the eight that officially signed Wednesday.

Brody Harding
INF, L/R, 5-11, 170
Moline, Ill./Moline
• No. 2 shortstop in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 51 shortstop in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 9 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and No. 18 by Perfect Game
• No. 322 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report and No. 453 by Perfect Game
• Three-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach Craig Schimmel at Moline
• .317 career hitter and .964 fielding percentage after three years
• Two-time all-conference
• Two-time All-Metro
• 2018 WWBA World Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2018 WWBA Kernels Foundation Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2017 WWBA Midwest Underclass Qualifier All-Tournament Team
• 2017 WWBA 16u Underclass National Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2016 WWBA 15u Underclass National Championship All-Tournament Team
• Honor Roll
• Student Council
• National Honor Society
• Also played basketball at Moline, leading the team to the Sweet 16 as a junior
• All-conference in basketball 
• Played with fellow Illini signees Grant Leader and Andrew Pogue for the Reds Scout Team
• Played with Cam McDonald on the Quad City Hitmen summer team
• Son of Scott and Shannon Harding
• Father, Scott, played baseball at St. Ambrose
• Mother, Shannon, played basketball at St. Ambrose
• Uncle, Quinn Murphy, played in the Cleveland Indians organization
• Uncle, Dustin Murphy, played baseball at North Carolina State
• One younger brother, Brock
• Plans to major in business
• Chose Illinois over Iowa, Minnesota, UCF, Pepperdine, TCU and New Mexico State
• Chose Illinois because, "The coaching staff is amazing and the campus felt like home from the first time I visited."

Taylor Jackson
OF, R/R, 5-10, 165
Chicago, Ill./Kenwood Academy/Kirkwood CC
• Transfer from Kirkwood CC will have two years of eligibility left
• .395, 10 HR, 59 RBI, 77 R, 30 SB as a freshman at Kirkwood
• 2018 NJCAA All-Region first team
• Helped Kirkwood to the NJCAA World Series as a freshman
• Four-year letterwinner 
• Played for head coach Bill Hanselman at Kenwood Academy
• Kenwood Academy MVP as a junior and senior
• National Honor Society
• Son of Ronald Jackson and Juli Burrows Jackson
• One brother, Tristen Burrows Jackson
• Plans to major in business and marketing
• Plans to work in business following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Indiana State, Marshall, UIC and Louisville
• Chose Illinois because, "I thought it would be a great fit for me and easier for my parents to see me play. Also, Illinois is overall a great environment to be around and the baseball program is one of the best in the country and top of line. I really think I'll look good in the orange and blue!"

Justin Janas
1B, L/R, 6-3, 230
Homer Glen, Ill./Marist
• No. 1 first baseman in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 60 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• Three-year letterwinner
• Played for head coach Kevin Sefcik at Marist
• Hit .319 as a freshman, .343 as a sophomore and .363 as a junior
• All-conference selection as a sophomore and junior
• Played with Illini Branden Comia and Cam McDonald for the Cangelosi Sparks summer team
• Son of Matthew and Diana Janas
• Two older brothers, Matthew and Jeremy
• Bone marrow donor for his brother who suffered from leukemia
• Cousin, Mark Payton, played baseball at Texas and spent 2018 in Triple-A with the Yankees
• Plans to major in sports management
• Plans to coach following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Indiana, Tennessee-Martin, Iowa and Eastern Illinois
• Chose Illinois because, "I was impressed with the baseball program and coaching. Many of the current players were former Sparks and have good reputations on and off the field. I wanted to be part of this elite group of players. The college is very reputable."

Andrew Kim
INF/OF, L/R, 6-1, 185
Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville
• No. 11 shortstop in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 46 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• Played baseball, basketball and golf in high school
• Played for head coach Matt Thompson at Libertyville
• All-conference honorable mention as a sophomore and junior
• Trained with former Illini Adam Walton and received his offer from Illinois over the phone during a workout with Walton
• Led Libertyville to a regional title
Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children, the Lake County Haven to help mothers in need and Wish Leader helping homeless families in need
• Son of Sam Kim Sr. and Elizabeth Kim
• One older brother, Sam Kim Jr.
• Plans to major in kinesiology
• Plans to work in physical training following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Wisconsin Milwaukee
• Chose Illinois because, "It is close to home, loved the coaches/team, the atmosphere was outstanding and felt like home as soon as I step foot on campus. Also, they offer the major that I aspire to study and continue my career in."

Cole Kirschsieper
LHP, R/L, 6-0, 170
Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East
• No. 2 left-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 41 left-handed pitcher in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 12 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and Perfect Game
• No. 327 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• Three-year letterwiner
• Played for head coach Eric Brauer at Lincoln-Way East
• 10-2, 1.09 ERA, 89 SO as a junior
• Set school records in wins (10), strikeouts (89), ERA (1.09) and innings (70.1)
• Southwest Suburban All-Conference
• Southwest Suburban Pitcher of the Year
• Lincoln-Way East MVP
• All-state
• 2019 Perfect Game All-Tournament Elite Team Jupiter
• Played with Illini Branden Comia and Cam McDonald with the Cangelosi Sparks
• Honor Roll
• Volunteered for Special Needs Night, Youth Baseball Camp, serve the homeless and various Church events
• Son of Steve and Nancy Kirschsieper
• Three sisters, Brooke, Hailey and twin sister Casey
• Plans to major in sports management
• Plans to stay involved in sports through coaching and teaching following his playing career
• Family friend of former Illini John Kravitz
• Chose Illinois over Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Kansas, Indiana and Missouri
• Chose Illinois because, "Great educational institution. Comfort level with coaching staff and players. Opportunity to compete against the best teams in the country. Facilities and proximity to home so my family can see me play."

Grant Leader
RHP, R/R, 5-9, 165
La Grange Park, Ill./Lyons Township
• No. 3 right-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 94 right-handed pitcher in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 10 recruit in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report and No. 22 by Perfect Game
• No. 266 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report and No. 497 by Perfect Game
• Two-year letterwinner 
• Played for head coach Kevin Diete at Lyons Township
• 8-3, 0.89 ERA, 90.1 IP, 144 SO between his sophomore and junior seasons
• 2017 Conference Pitcher of the Year 
• 2017 Area Code Underclass Games 
• 2017 USA Baseball 17U NTDP
• All-conference as a sophomore and junior
• Played with fellow Illini Xavier Watson (Area Code 2017), Kellen Sarver (Reds Scout Team 2016), Aidan Maldonado and Caleb Larson (Reds Scout Team 2017), Andrew Pogue and Brody Harding (Reds Scout Team 2018), Danny Doligale (Top Tier 2016-2018)
• National Honor Society
• Volunteered at Feed My Starving Children and Dare2Tri Paratriathlon Club
• Committed to Illinois on his 16th birthday
• Son of Eric and Anne Marie Leader
• Older sister, Greta
• Plans to major in accounting or finance
• Plans to work on the business side of a baseball performance company following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Northwestern, Michigan, Wake Forest, Duke, Houston, Saint Louis and Iowa
• Chose Illinois because, "Illinois was the best combination of athletics and academics, and the coaching staff is phenomenal. It felt like home when I stepped on campus."

Alex Vera
LHP, L/L, 5-11, 175
Joliet, Ill./Joliet Catholic
• No. 7 left-handed pitcher in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 19 recruit in Illinois by Perfect game and No. 58 by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 470 recruit in the nation by Perfect Game
• Played for head coach Jared Voss at Joliet Catholic
• Plans to major in nursing
• Chose Illinois because, "The academics. On my visit I enjoyed the campus and everything the university has to offer."

Xavier Watson
INF, R/R, 6-0, 195
Cudahy, Wis./South Milwaukee
• No. 1 shortstop in Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 61 shortstop in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 7 recruit in Wisconsin by Prep Baseball Report
• No. 367 recruit in the nation by Prep Baseball Report
• Played travel ball instead of high school
• Hit .380 as a freshman, .320 as a sophomore and .360 as a junior
• 2017 Area Code Games
• Son of Jesse and Tiffany Watson
• Brother, Cyrillo Watson, is a member of the Illinois baseball team 
• Plans to major in sports psychology 
• Plans to work in sports psychology following his playing career
• Chose Illinois over Indiana, Michigan and Purdue
• Chose Illinois because, "I have been around the campus for so long and it felt like home."