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Preseason All-State Underclass: Quick Hits

March 10, 2022
Daylan Nanny & Cooper Trinkle
Indiana Scout Staff

On Sunday, March 6th, PBR Indiana hosted the annual Preseason All-State Underclass event at Pro X in Westfield, IN. The event consisted of over 100 prospects throughout the 2024-2026 class; both committed and uncommitted. Today, we look at some of the players that caught the attention of the Indiana staff. 

INFIELDERS

JD Stein, INF, 2025, Carmel
(Louisville Commit) 2021 Junior Future Games Participant. Advanced infield actions. Soft hands with good rhythm in the INF. Possesses very good arm strength that carries well across the diamond at 89 mph. Balanced setup in the box. Consistent, repeatable swing. Controlled leg kick with consistent tempo from start to finish. Solid BP round with an average exit velocity of 87 mph. Max EV of 94 mph.

Mason Barth, INF, 2025, Andrean
2021 Junior Future Games Participant. Strong, 5’9 185lb frame. 6.91 runner. Wide, balanced setup. Simple swing with present barrel strength. Quiet hands, projects as a power threat down the road. Barth is a guy we have seen continually produce in game on the circuit. Quick feet in the INF. Plays low and a controlled pace. Also showed the ability to play downhill with a quick release.

Richard Cromartie, INF, 2024, Penn
Lean, 5’11 172lb INF with true switch-hit potential. Consistent BP round with a top EV of 95 mph. Tends to get front-side heavy at the plate – but shows the ability the keep the bat in the zone. Plays low with smooth defensive actions with a loose arm across the diamond that produced a top INF velocity of 89 mph. 

TJ McQuillan, INF, 2026, Lake Central
2021 Junior Future Games Participant. Thick, 6’0 205lb frame. Possesses natural barrel strength with an average exit velocity of 90 mph in his BP round. Counter-rotates a touch – but really showed the ability to deliver the barrel to the front of the zone. Projects to show big time power potential. Max EV of 100 mph. 

Noah Coy, INF, 2024, Center Grove
Athletic, twitchy mover. 6.85 runner. Rhythmic leg kick with the ability to keep his hands back into heel strike. Flat path. With added strength, Coy projects to hit for some pop. In the INF, Coy showed advanced feet with good range and the ability to play downhill. He also showed enough arm strength to play the left side with good carry across the infield (84 mph). 

Ethan Goodin, INF, 2024, Evansville Mater Dei
Large, 6’5 230lb frame. Quick tempo in the box. Toe-tap timing mechanism. Shows the ability to use the ground to generate bat speed – though he lacks direction at times. Top exit velocity of 96 mph. Goodin showed sure hands and good infield actions with an 83mph infield arm from 3B.

Isaac VanderWoude, INF, 2024, Illiana Christian
6’0-180 pounds. Smooth defensive actions in the INF with very sure hands. Some arm strength (84mph). LHH that shows understanding for rhythm and timing. Hits from a low, cocked hand position that at times gets too uphill. Flows into the ball and finishes on his back leg.

Alex Schuler, INF, 2024, Borden
Lean, projectable 6’1 175lb frame. Smooth, rhythmic infield actions. Shows the ability to throw from multiple arm slots with an 85-mph infield arm. Projects more as a 3B at the next level currently – with added footspeed could possibly transition to the middle. Athletic mover in the box with a controlled toe tap for timing. Maintains space throughout the swing with solid bat speed and good approach.

Dylan Bowen, INF, 2026, N/A
2021 Junior Future Games Participant. Twitchy INF that ran a 6.89 60. Bowen looked very comfortable in the infield, showing quick feet. With added strength, athleticism will continue to improve. At the dish, showed good bat speed for his class. Handsy-type swing that max exit velocity of 88 mph.

Trent Gill, INF, 2026, Valparaiso
2021 Junior Future Games Participant. Athletic, projectable frame and tools. 6.90 runner. Good feet and defensive actions for his class. Big-time bat speed potential and swings with intent to damage. Top EV of 91 mph. Lacks barrel control at times.

CATCHERS

Hogan Denny, C/INF, 2024, Mooresville
Indiana commit. 2021 Future Games participant. Strong, 6’0 frame. Best all-around position player at the event. Showcased well in all areas of the game. Offensively, Denny displayed present bat speed with properly timed intent. Quiet hands with a very efficient lower half. Athleticism behind the dish with a very quick transfer. Quiet receiver. In the infield, Denny played beneath the baseball with a wide base and very sure hands. He also showed off an 86mph infield arm that carries well across the diamond. Denny projects both behind the plate and in the infield at the next level.

AJ Beggs, C/OF, 2024, Center Grove
Strong, athletic 6’0 190lb frame. 6.98 runner. Showed good catch-and-throw ability with one of the best pop times at the event at a 1.93. Good bat speed in the box that produced a max exit velocity of 92 mph. Pops “up” in his load – but showed good hands and an efficient barrel path.

Thomas Lynch, C, 2024, Memorial
Purdue commit. 2021 Future Games participant. Thick, 6’1 197lb frame. Possessed a strong arm behind the dish (81mph) and one of the top pop times at the event, with a best of 1.93. The LHH C showed a pull-side approach – uphill shoulder/hip angle and tends to get stuck back at times. Swings with intent to do damage with present barrel strength that produced a max exit velocity of 95 mph.

DJ Scheumann, C/1B, 2024, Mt Vernon HS 
Lean, projectable frame at 6’1 175lbs. Switch-hitter that produced a max exit velocity of 96 mph. Very short hand path with a controlled leg lift from both sides. Low effort intent with good balance throughout the swing. Behind the dish, Scheumann showed some arm strength (78 mph). 

Logan Gibbs, C, 2024, Cascade
Athletic, 6’1 185lb frame. In the box, consistently got to extension. Produced a 99 mph exit velocity with relatively low effort. Tends to get rotational due to lack of space between his feet at heel strike. Gibbs showcased a very strong arm behind the plate – with an event best 82 mph velocity from the crouch.

OUTFIELDERS

Ahmaad Duff, OF, 2024, Lawrence Central
Alabama commit. 2021 Future Games participant. One of the best athletes in the class of 2024. Event best 6.58 60. Short, flat bat path. Tends to rush his load, but showed quick hands in his BP round. We have seen Duff really go get the baseball in CF in gameplay.

Eli Bennett, OF, 2025, Cathedral
Indiana commit. 2021 Junior Future Games participant. 6’3 200lb frame that still has plenty of room to add strength. Arguably the most polished 2025 bat in the state. Repeatable movements in the box. Maintains space throughout the swing and hits behind his front side, leading to natural extension. Projects to have big-time power potential in years to come, and at the next level. Showed some arm strength in the OF (84 mph).

Rhys Wolf, OF, 2026, Martinsville
2021 Junior Future Games participant. Athletic, 6’0 160lb frame. Advanced mover for his class, with the ability to deliver the barrel to the front. Very efficient lower half. At times, he gets stuck on his backside – however with added strength and maturity projects to be a potential power threat. The LHH had a max exit velocity of 88 mph. Wolf showed good arm strength with an 84 mph OF arm and was up 83 mph on the bump.

Jayce Lee, OF, 2024, Saint Joseph
Athletic, projectable build at 6’3-175 pounds. Lee showcased plenty of arm strength from the OF with throws topping out at 93 mph, an event best. Ran a 7.21 in the 60. Line drive contact during his BP round, recorded a high exit velocity of 89.

Cole Decker, OF, 2024, Evansville North
5’10-161 pounds with a strong lower half. Left-handed hitting OF begins in a tall setup with a high hand set, toe-tap timing trigger. Showed above average hand and bat speed. Level path through the zone. Recorded multiple 92 mph exit velocities with pop to his pullside. Advanced runner; 6.63-60.

TWO WAY STANDOUTS

Jack Brown, RHP/OF, 2024, Fishers
The Louisville commit had the loudest toolset at the event. Drop-and-drive delivery on the bump. Some effort with a very quick arm. Sat 90-91 mph with the fastball, showing very good ASR. Sharp slider at 75-77 mph. CH showed some fade and depth at 78-79 mph. As a position player Brown’s tools were just as loud. 6.84 runner. Top exit velocity of 100 mph. Tight mover in the box. Short path with an efficient lower half. Showed some of the best bat speed at the event. After this performance, we could definitely see Brown being in contention for the stop spot in the 2024 class in the next state rankings.

Vince Hoover, RHP/1B, 2024, Tipton
Physical, 6’4 230lb frame. Showed the ability to leverage baseball with a max exit velocity of 99mph. Expect that number to jump as Hoover improves separation in his swing. Showed existing barrel strength. Hoover also hopped on the mound and was up to 90mph in his bullpen session.

Chase Bays, INF/RHP, 2024, Marian
Bays had an all-around solid day. He impressed in his BP round with some bat speed and the ability to stay through the baseball. Max exit velocity of 95 mph. Bays showed arm strength in his infield workout with an INF velocity of 86 mph and he also reached 85 mph in his bullpen session.

Luke O’Keefe, INF/RHP, 2025, Lake Central
6’0-175 pound frame. Good presence in the box with quiet movements and a pull side approach. Good balance in the swing – lacked direction at times. O’Keefe showed arm strength on the bump, running his fastball up to 86 mph. Good follow.

Logan Smolar, OF/RHP, 2025, Andrean HS
Long, lean 6’2 190lb frame. One of the biggest winners of the weekend. Smolar ran his fastball up to 91, sitting 87-90, with spin in the low 2100 rpms. Flashed a true swing-and-miss slider that had good shape and spun in the high 2400 rpms. At the plate, Smolar showed a lot of bat speed and present strength, producing an exit velocity up to 99 mph. Power potential – though currently lacks some repeatability in the swing. Smolar also showed off his athleticism by running a 6.70 60.

Adam Buczkowski, INF/RHP, 2024, Carmel
Strong, 6’1 185lb frame. One of the biggest risers of the weekend. Through the middle approach. Leaks the lower half a touch – but shows good bat to ball skills. Strongest infield arm at the event with a 91-mph infield velocity.  Buczkowski sat 84-86 with the fastball and flashed a good changeup in his bullpen session.

Griffin Tobias, RHP/INF, 2024, Lake Central
Indiana commit. One of the more well-known prospects in the 2024 class. Displayed elite movement patterns and sequencing down the slope, running his fastball up to 86 mph, with some ASR. Good balance through the delivery. Showed a very sharp slider, that spun in the high 2400 rpms. Strike-thrower. In the box, Tobias displayed a good approach and an exit velocity up to 90 mph. Very smooth defender that showed the ability to throw from multiple arm slots and was up to 90 mph across the infield.

Ryker Hughes, OF/RHP, 2024, Beford North Lawrence
Very interesting prospect in the 2024 class. Lean, 6’2 165lb frame. Quick twitch athlete that ran a 6.76. Showed some strength in the box with a 94mph exit velocity. Impressed with arm strength from the OF (91 mph) and on the bump (up to 87 mph).

PITCHERS

Caden McCoy, 2024, LHP, Bloomington North
Very good mover for his 6’2 210lb frame. Slight crossfire delivery that adds good sinking action to his 86-88 mph fastball. Threw a 3-pitch mix for strikes with the ability to live low in the zone. This southpaw should see a lot of success this spring.

Joe Trenerry, 2024, RHP, Penn HS
Strong, 6’3 205lb frame. Tight mover. Pitches from the stretch. High ¾ arm slot with a fastball up to 90 mph with some sinking action. Lived at the bottom of the zone with a 3-pitch mix. Had effective command of his off-speed pitches.

Joe Glander, 2025, RHP, Noblesville
Lean, projectable frame at 6’2 160lbs. Athletic delivery that projects to have more velocity in the tank. Quick arm that works downhill. Showed the ability to get his 85mph fastball to his glove side.

Brayton Thomas, 2024, RHP, Bishop Dwenger
Indiana commit. 2021 Future Games participant. 6’4 220lb frame. Drop-and-drive type delivery. Sat 90-91 mph with the fastball, which showed life at the top of the zone, spinning in the 2400s. The southpaw showed the ability to locate his fastball at the top of the zone. Sharp slider at 77-78 mph. Thomas has showed impressive improvements since last summer.

Gavin Kuzniewski, 2024, RHP, Fishers
Athletic RHP with a lot of arm speed. Moves down the mound well and possesses good mobility throughout the delivery. High effort. His fastball had good life sitting 89-91 mph, gets to extension on the fastball. Slider had good shape at 78-81 mph.

Ethan Lund, 2024, LHP, Hamilton Southeastern
Interesting LHP at 6’3 190lbs. Sat 83-86 mph with the fastball, topping at 87. Good life at 2200 rpms. His most intriguing pitch was his breaking ball that spun at 2600 rpms. Lund is definitely a good follow for this spring and an interesting 2024 arm.


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