BRIMFIELD — Kaeden Schatsiek has found a new NCAA Division-I baseball home.
The Brimfield/Elmwood senior gave his verbal commitment to Illinois State, he announced Tuesday on social media. The two-way player, a Journal Star all-area first-team pick, decommitted from Northern Illinois last month.
“Thank you to my family, coaches, trainers, teammates,” Schatsiek posted, “and everyone who’s been part of this journey. Ready to get to work.”
As a junior, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound two-way player, batted .426 on 46 hits with 12 doubles, four triples, seven homers and 50 RBIs as a junior. Schatsiek added 39 runs, walked 10 times and stole 11 bases, while throwing 18.0 innings and went 2-0 with 40 strikeouts and a 1.56 ERA in eight appearances as the Indians went 26-5-1.
Last October, the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 2A honorable mention all-state selection committed to NIU. However, that decision changed on Sept. 16 when he posted to social media that he was reopening his recruitment, citing changes in both his academic and athletic path.
“I look forward to exploring new opportunities,” he posted, “to continue my academic and athletic journey at the next level.”
Schatsiek is the second Peoria-area recruit headed to ISU. East Peoria senior RJ Duncheon, an all-Mid-Illini Conference first-team selection, committed to the school in October 2024.
The Redbirds posted a 28-28 record this past spring, bowing out in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament after advancing to the double-elimination round.
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.