With the high school season fast approaching, our staff has begun to shift the focus to preparing for the 2024 spring season. Our Player of the Year award is given to the most impactful high school player in the state. Tigers prospect Max Clark has owned this award for two consecutive seasons, but with his graduation we will have a new POTY for the first time since Carter Mathison took home the award in 2021. Read along to find a talent-filled list, with three names entering the year as front runners and another group following close behind. 

The Leaders

Hogan Denny C / 3B / Mooresville , IN / 2024 Already a two-time First Team All-State winner heading into his senior season, the Indiana recruit will look to add his third in 2024 along with being our 'pick to click' to win the state's Player of the Year award. Denny has posted outstanding statistics on the offensive side of the ball in the past two seasons, collecting 17 doubles and 19 homers, while swiping 67 bases, and maintaining a .434 batting average between the two seasons. Along with being one of the state's most dangerous offensive weapons, Denny has also been dominant in his high school career on the mound, posting a 10-2 record with 12 saves and 100 strikeouts in the past two seasons. Hogan has led Mooresville to a 50-9 record over the past two seasons, and the Pioneers figure to be a state championship contender again in 2024 with Denny looking to lead them to Victory Field in his farewell campaign.

Jack Brown RHP / OF / Fishers, IN / 2024 One of the most consistent in-game performers in the senior class, Jack Brown has been a mainstay on both sides of the ball for a very competitive Fishers Tigers club. An uber-physical, 6-foot-1, 205 pounder that is currently ranked as a top 100 player on the national level - Brown has accumulated an 18-5 record on the mound throughout his high school career, with just a 1.83 career ERA. The Fishers ace has been a workhorse throughout the past three seasons, logging nearly 150 IP with a K:BB ratio of 192 K to just 57 BB. A career .384 hitter in one of the toughest conferences in the state, Brown boasts 19 career doubles, along with 6 triples and 6 home runs. The Louisville signee will certaintly draw a crowd of professional scouts to his starts this spring and he will be counted upon to put together another strong season to cap off an outstanding high school career.

Jayce Lee OF / Saint Joseph, IN / 2024 A participant in the inaugural Prep Baseball All-American game in 2023, Lee will look to take home the Player of the Year award after earning 3A First Team All-State honors in 2023. Lee has clubbed 13 home runs and 19 doubles in the past two seasons and is coming off a junior campaign where he slashed .398/.500/.867, along with showcasing his power/speed combo by accumulating 21 extra-base hits and swiping 21 bases, all while picking up 39 RBIs. A graceful athlete with five tool potential standing at 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, the Notre Dame recruit continues to gain helium with professional scouts heading into the season.

The Watchlist

Brayton Thomas LHP / Bishop Dwenger, IN / 2024 An All-American Game participant that is currently the top ranked senior in the state of Indiana. A 6-foot-4, 225 pound frame and Thomas' ability to generate swing-and-misses are sure to excite professional scouts during the 2024 season. The strong-armed southpaw has shown these abilities over the past two seasons, racking up strikeouts at an astonshing rate, punching out 157 batters in just 85 1/3 IP while posting an 11-3 record. An Indiana signee, look for Thomas to continue his dominance during his senior campaign.

Cameron Sullivan RHP / Mt Vernon, IN / 2024 The 6-foot-2, 192 pound Notre Dame signee enters the spring with all-kinds of helium after an undefeated junior season on the hill where he went 6-0 with a 1.55 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 40 2/3 IP. Sullivan backed that with dominant showings on the summer and fall circuits, reaching into the mid-90s with his fastball and showing one of the better breaking balls in the state. Sullivan leads a Mt. Vernon squad that figures to be in contention to make a playoff run in 2024.

Griffin Tobias RHP / Lake Central High School, IN / 2024 An athletic right-hander that is signed to play at Indiana, Tobias carries an eye-popping 1.32 ERA into his senior season. The Lake Central ace has racked up 99 strikeouts across 55 IP in the past two season and he is coming off a junior year where he went 6-1. Like always, Lake Central figures to be a state contender and should Tobias be a large factor in that, he will undoubtedly have a POTY case.

Isaac VanderWoude SS / Illiana Christian, IN / 2024 With two state championship wins already, VanderWoude returns in hopes of another and should play a large part in Illiana Christian's successes. The Virginia recruit is coming off a year where he slashed .410/.598/.855, an on-base machine that racked up 20 extra-base hits (10 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR), leading to his 2A First Team All-State honors. Another '24 grad with major helium entering the spring, it'll be hard to keep his name out of the POTY conversation with a big year and another state championship ring.

Brandon Logan OF / Fort Wayne Snider, IN / 2025 Logan is the first 2025 graduate to crack this list and for good reason as he is the top ranked junior in the state. Committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt, Logan had a breakout sophomore season - casually reaching base at a .626 clip while finishing the season with a .473 average and 13 extra-base hits. Logan has maintained a .454 average in his first two seasons and if he shows improvements similiar to the way he did last year, Logan could have a monster junior year.

Mason Barth SS / Andrean , IN / 2025 The final junior to make the cut is Andrean shortstop, Mason Barth. Barth has helped the 59ers to back-to-back state finals appearances, collecting a ring in his freshman season. Barth provided immediate impact as a freshman and finished his sophomore season with a .433 average and 12 extra-base hits. Stepping into a leadership role as an upperclassman, look for the Notre Dame recruit to elevate his game once again in hopes of leading Andrean back to Victory Field.

Cole Decker OF / Evansville North, IN / 2024 Decker enters as a "darkhorse" canidate after a strong junior season where he slashed .404/.500/.606 with 12 extra-base hits. Decker followed a strong spring with plenty of success on the summer and fall circuit, establishing himself amongst the best bats in the state. Younger brother of Dodgers prospect Cam Decker, who enjoyed a breakout senior season, Cole will look to breakout in a similar fashion in 2024. The Indiana signee will lead a quality Evansville North Huskies club that is coming off a 25 win season.