LEFT TURN

Up to 100 mph, Jack Bauer enters rare velocity range for prep lefthanders

- by CARLOS COLLAZO

Back in September 2023, at Prep Baseball Report’s inaugural All-American Game in Milwaukee, scouts were mostly focused on the 2024 high school class. The game pitted some of the top preps from the class of 2024 against some of the best 2025-eligibles.

One of those 2025s was Illinois lefthander Jack Bauer.

Two summers away from his own draft, the lanky southpaw worked a quick four-batter inning in which generated swings and misses with a 92-95 mph fastball. He also threw a slider and changeup.

He got a pair of groundouts, walked a batter and struck out right-handed-hitting Griffin Burkholder, who went on to sign for $2.5 million in the second round with the Phillies—with an 83 mph changeup.

A year later, during Bauer’s time to shine on the showcase circuit, he continued to show loud stuff, but he struggled with his control. He was one of just two lefthanders to touch at least 95 mph at Perfect Game’s National showcase—along with Kruz Schoolcraft—and one of just four players at the event to throw a breaking pitch with a spin rate north of 3,000 rpm—along with righthanders Reid Worley and Stephen Christopher and lefthander Patrick Dudley.

Bauer’s pure stuff, physical projection and handedness made him an intriguing prospect. However, his scattered control on the 2024 circuit—with every scout in the country bearing down on him—capped him at No. 155 on our preseason top 200 list for 2025.