Lyons Township's baseball season came to a close Saturday morning, the Lions falling 4-1 to host Reavis in the Class 4A regional final after topping Lindblom in their playoff opener. On the program's Instagram, the team thanked its players, parents and supporters and singled out its seniors for their leadership, accountability and commitment — a fitting sendoff for a group that earned a share of the West Suburban Silver title and battled deep into May.
But for senior right-hander Jack Slightom, the biggest games are still ahead. The Cincinnati commit has spent the spring climbing draft boards, and he's expected to hear his name called in the MLB Draft, July 11-12.
Climbing the Draft Boards
Prep Baseball Report ranked Slightom No. 4 in Illinois, No. 1 among the state's pitchers and No. 113 nationally, while MLB Pipeline slotted him at No. 92 in its Top 200. MLB.com published a draft prospect video on April 29 describing a pitcher who "works with a side-step delivery," and Sox Machine and 670 The Score broke him down in a draft segment in early May. He was also nominated for Suburban Life Athlete of the Week in late April; Wheaton North’s Zander Zielinski won the fan vote.
Through all of it, Slightom has stayed unbothered by the radar guns in the stands. "I just acted like they weren't there," he told the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, adding that he usually doesn't learn how many scouts showed up until he talks with his agent after the game.
An Even Keel
That temperament is no accident. The night before the regional final, coach Kevin Diete described the mentality he and assistant Ryan Malloy preach, especially to pitchers. "You need to have an even-keeled mentality to play the game of baseball," Diete said. "I mean, it's such a game of failure." Make an error, he said, and the only option is to keep your head up and get to the next play.
Diete has watched Slightom grow into that mold. Beyond the obvious physical jump, the coach pointed to his maturity "both as a player and as a person," and to a competitiveness that has fueled his rapid development. "He just loves to compete," Diete said. In Diete's view, Slightom is "head and shoulders" above the rest of the conference — high praise in a league that has produced drafted arms like York's Ryan Sloan.
Living Up to the Standard
That even-keeled identity carried into the season's final weeks. After a stretch Diete felt left players tired and dragging through end-of-year events, the group loosened up once finals wrapped and rediscovered the fun of simply playing baseball. He traced the year's success back to last summer, when the seniors set goals and began holding one another accountable. One of those goals, a conference championship, came true in a three-way Silver tie with Oak Park and Hinsdale Central.
A Tradition Worth Protecting
For Diete — a member of the Lions' 2003 state championship team and now in his 12th year leading the program — the season was another chapter in a tradition he holds near and dear. Friends he once played alongside are now sending their own kids through, and he says he wants to keep that history alive as long as he's coaching.
He was already looking ahead the night before the finale, both for his team and his ace. "These kids have been great," Diete said, praising how they battled through a tough conference schedule and the Steve Bajinski tournament. As for Slightom, the coach said he's looking forward to seeing him "potentially getting drafted in the first couple rounds."
The Lions' season is over. Slightom's journey is just getting started.
