Indiana University landed a major coup when it received a commitment from Mike McKinley, who’s one of the top right-handed pitchers in the state of Illinois. The 6-foot, 165-pound McKinley has posted a 14-1 record in two varsity seasons and has helped lead Neuqua Valley HS to consecutive state semifinal appearances, including the school’s first state championship as a sophomore in 2007.

Armed with one of the best power curveballs in Illinois and a mid-to-upper-80s fastball, McKinley posted a 7-1 record with a 2.75 ERA last spring to help the Wildcats to a third-place finish in Class 4A state tournament. He recorded 56 strikeouts in 51 innings. As a sophomore, he went 7-0 with a 1.31 ERA.

With McKinley and left-hander Ian Krol –who’s the No. 1-ranked player in Illinois – returning, Neuqua Valley will be in position to challenge for another state championship next spring.  

Visit www.prepbaseballreport.com to view McKinley in action.