Among all the athletic luminaries honored at the 2024 Chicago Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame ceremony gala in November, Josh Colaizzi was the only one too young to enjoy a celebratory glass of wine. Colaizzi, 17, took home the evening’s Future Star Award for all the baseball accomplishments he’s managed to rack up as a teen.

Colaizzi, a centerfielder, made the Bartlett High School varsity team his freshman year and quickly established himself as a star player and leader. As a sophomore during the 2023-24 season, he was named Upstate Eight Conference Player of the Year after hitting for a batting average of .435 with 5 homers, 10 doubles and 30 RBIs during the 35 games. To top it off, the Bartlett squad won the conference tournament. When asked which prize meant more, Colaizzi answered like a seasoned veteran.