D1Baseball Full 2022 Big Ten Preview
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois sophomore LHP Cole Kirschsieper, sophomore RHP Riley Gowens, junior INF Branden Comia, and sophomore INF Justin Janas all earned spots in the D1Baseball top 30 Big Ten draft prospects for 2022.
Kirschsieper is the Illini's top prospect on the list heading into the 2022 season (No. 5) after a standout freshman campaign in 2021. Kirschsieper appeared in 17 games with four starts last season, posting a 5.82 ERA in 38.2 IP while tallying 48 strikeouts and a team-high three saves.
Gowens (No. 17) earned a spot on the All-Big Ten freshman team in 2021 after throwing 50.1 innings with 12 starts in the Illinois rotation. He finished third on the team with 58 strikeouts, behind 2021 Illini draft selections Nathan Lavender and Andrew Hoffmann.
Comia (No. 20) was named to the Third Team All-Big Ten in 2021 after starting all 44 games at shortstop for the Illini. He slashed .323/.457/.445 with 10 2B, 3 HR, 28 RBIs, 34 R and 27 BB in 2021.
Janas (No. 26) had a breakout season for the Illini in 2021, earning First Team All-Big Ten honors and ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Region honors. He was the 2021 Big Ten batting champion (.391), led the conference in OBP (.506), and also led the Illini in hits (54).
Illinois begins the 2022 season with a three-game series against Kansas at Whataburger Field in Corpus Christi, Texas, beginning on February 18.
