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Butler Snags Three Top 50 Commitments from Indiana

September 12, 2013



By Phil Wade
Director, PBR Indiana

Butler University head baseball coach Steve Farley has seen three Top 50 players in Indiana’s 2014 class commit to his baseball program in the last couple of months. This is a huge step for a program heading into the newly formed Big East next spring.  Butler only signed one Top 50 player from Indiana’s 2013 class in Danny Pobereyko.

Noblesville’s Garrett Christman is the highest ranked prospect headed to Butler at No. 15.  Christman, a member of Team Indiana at the 2012 Midwest Future Games, is a long limbed, athletic middle infielder with solid actions defensively.  The left handed hitter hit .341 last spring with 18 RBI, while swiping 10 bags. Christman plays his summer ball for the Indiana Mustangs and plays for the Giants Scout Team during the fall. 

The next highest prospect to commit to Butler from Indiana is No. 31 Connor Mitchell from Plainfield. Mitchell, ranked as the second highest left-handed pitcher in the 2014 class, was originally committed to Furman before committing to Butler.  The 6-foot-4 inch lefty works from a ¾ arm slot with easy effort.  We’ve seen Mitchell as high as 85 mph with his fastball last fall.  With his frame and long limbs, there is a lot of projectability in Mitchell.  Mitchell also plays for the Indiana Mustangs in the summer and the Giants Scout Team in the fall. 

The latest to commit to Butler is No. 41 Tyler Houston out of Brownsburg High School.  Houston, a Top Prospects Games participant, is an athletic outfielder with good strength.  He possesses a strong arm from the outfield at 86 mph.  Houston really excels at the plate with good bat speed and some projectable power.  Last spring he finished the season hitting .451 with 6 HR, 13 2B, and 32 RBI for Brownsburg.  Houston plays for the Indiana Bulls during the summer. 

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