By Phil Wade
Director, PBR Indiana

To our knowledge, a total of 85 players in Indiana's 2014 class have committed to play college baseball. Fifty two of those players are either signed or committed to play at the Division One level.  Seven are committed to play at the Division 2 level, while six are committed to play Division Three baseball. Seventeen Indiana players are committed to junior college schools, and three will playing at the NAIA level.

Twenty five players in Indiana’s Top 180 ranked prospects for the class of 2014 have either signed or committed to play in state at the next level. 

Indiana University leads the way with five ranked players that have either signed or committed to play for the Hoosiers.  All five are currently ranked in the Top 50, including two in the top 10. 

Purdue, Butler, Vincennes, and Marian University each have three players signed or committed.  Ball State has signed two players, both of which are ranked in the Top 20, and the University of Evansville has also signed two players currently ranked 

Below we take a quick look at which Indiana players ranked in the class of 2014 will be playing baseball in state at the next level.

Indiana University

Logan Sowers, OF, McCutcheon HS, 2014: Sowers is a 6-foot-4, 200 pound athlete ranked No. 3 in Indiana’s class of 2014 and No. 24 in the overall PBR rankings.   He’s a physical outfielder with lots of projectability.  He runs a sub 7 60 and possesses raw power at the plate.  Sowers is the highest ranked prospect in the state heading to Bloomington.  Sowers officially signed with the Hoosiers last week.

Macy Holdsworth, SS, Greensburg HS, 2014: Holdsworth is ranked No. 5 in Indiana’s 2014 class and No. 76 in the overall PBR rankings.  The 5-foot-11, 180 pound MIF was a member of Team Indiana at the 2014 Midwest Future Games.  He’s a smooth fielding SS with athletic actions and can flat out pick it.  Holdsworth officially signed with Indiana last week. 

Larry Crisler, OF, Bishop Noll HS, 2014: Crisler is a 6-foot-4, 190 pound OF currently ranked No. 18 in Indiana and No. 122 in the overall PBR rankings.  He’s very athletic with quick hands at the plate.  He’s still raw and needs some mechanical adjustments at the plate, but his overall athleticism suggests he will succeed at the D-1 level.  Crisler is officially committed to the Hoosier baseball program.

Khristian Reynolds, SS, Avon HS, 2014: The 5-foot-11, 170 SS is ranked No. 29 in Indiana and No. 196 in the overall PBR rankings.  Reynolds was a member of Team Indiana at the 2012 Midwest Future Games.  He’s a versatile athlete with plenty of arm strength to play anywhere in the IF.  Offensively he possesses good strength to all fields.  Reynolds officially signed with Indiana last week.

Zeke Howie, RHP, Center Grove HS, 2014: Howie is a 6-foot-2 RHP out of Center Grove HS and ranked No. 41 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  Howie made a big jump this fall, getting his fastball up to 89 mph.  He is currently committed to the Hoosier baseball program. 

Purdue University

Alec Olund, OF/MIF, Lake Central HS, 2014: Olund is a 6-foot-1, 170 pound athlete ranked No. 10 in Indiana’s 2014 class and No. 105 in the overall PBR rankings.  He possesses athletic actions both in the OF and IF with good arm strength.  Offensively he shows an advanced approach with quick hands and barrel whip producing gap to gap power.  Olund signed with the Boilermakers last week.  

Harry Shipley, SS, Cathedral HS, 2014: Shipley may be a bit undersized, but he can flat out pick it with soft hands and good lateral quickness.  Offensively he handles that bat extremely well.  Shipley is ranked No. 44 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  He officially signed with Purdue earlier this week.

Evan Kennedy, C, Lafayette Central Catholic HS, 2014: Kennedy is a big, physical left-handed hitter with power.  Kennedy is ranked No. 94 in Indiana’s class of 2014.  He signed with Purdue last week. 

Ball State University

Colin Brockhouse, RHP/3B,  FW Northrop HS, 2014: Brockhouse is a 6-foot-3, 185 pound athlete ranked No. 13 in Indiana and No. 112 in the overall PBR rankings.  Brockhouse, who’s coming off Tommy John, will not pitch this coming spring, serving mostly as a DH.  Last winter at a PBR showcase the RHP was up to 91 mph with his fastball.  Brockhouse runs a 6.77 60 and displays tons of arm strength across the diamond (89 mph).  At the plate he barrels up a lot of balls with some power.  Brockhouse signed with the Cardinals last week. 

Brendan Burns, RHP, Hamilton Southeastern HS, 2014: The 6-foot-6 Burns is athletic with a loose arm on the mound.  He pitches into the upper 80’s with his fastball with good projectablity with his off-speed.  Burns is ranked No. 19 in Indiana and No. 130 in the overall PBR rankings.  He officially signed with Ball State last week.

Butler University

Garrett Christman, SS, Noblesville HS, 2014: Christman is a long limbed MIF at 6-foot-2, 175 pounds.  He’s ranked No. 14 in Indiana’s class of 2014 and No. 115 in the overall PBR rankings.    Christman is a solid defender with a great approach from the left side of the plate.  He officially signed with the Bulldogs last week.

Connor Mitchell, LHP, Plainfield HS, 2014: The 6-foot-3 LHP is ranked No. 32 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  He’s tall and projectable with good command of his pitches.  Mitchell signed with Butler last week.

Tyler Houston, OF, Brownsburg HS, 2014: Houston is a 6-foot-1, 170 pound OF with a strong, athletic build.  He’s ranked No. 40 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  Houston possesses a quick, strong arm from the OF and has a quick bat with some projectable power.  Houston signed with Butler last week. 

University of Evansville

Travis Tokarek, C, Zionsville HS, 2014: The 5-foot-10, 170 pound catcher is ranked No. 54 in Indiana.  He’s mechanically sound behind the plate with good tools.  He hits from the left side of the plate with some projectable power and the ability to hit for high average.  Tokarek has officially signed with the Purple Aces.

Korbin Williams, OF, Castle HS, 2014: Williams is a 6-foot-2, 180 pound OF currently ranked No. 59 in Indiana.  Williams moved to Indiana from Colorado this past summer. He possesses a plus arm from the OF with plus speed.  Williams has officially signed with the Purple Aces.   

Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne
Evan Miller, RHP, LaPorte HS, 2014:  The RHP is ranked No. 63 in Indiana.  His fastball sits 82-86 mph with a loose, live arm action.  Projects to add velocity.  Miller has signed with IPFW.  

University of Indianapolis

Jake Sprinkle, RHP, Franklin Central HS, 2014: The 6-foot, 200 pound RHP is ranked No. 42 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  Sprinkle was up to 88 mph with his fastball at last year’s Top Prospect Games.  He possesses good pitchability and has good command of the zone.  Sprinkle is officially signed with the Greyhounds last week. 

University of Southern Indiana

Trevor Salmon, LHP, Noblesville HS, 2014: The 5-foot-10, 165 pound lefty is ranked No. 50 in Indiana’s class of 2014.  Salmon sits 82-84 with his fastball, and tops out at 86 mph.  He signed with USI last week. 

Vincennes University

Jordan Young, RHP/1B, McCutcheon HS, 2014: The 6-foot-2, 210 pound Young is ranked No.  51 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  He was a member of Team Indiana at the 2012 Midwest Future Games.  Young possesses wide shoulders, with a big, athletic frame.  On the mound he’s been up to 86 mph with the fastball.  Offensively, he possesses a quick bat (93 mph exit velo) and gets to extension producing gap to gap power.  Young is committed to VU.

Tyler Smith, 3B/RHP, New Castle HS, 2014: The 6-foot-3, 220 pound Smith is ranked No. 101 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  Defensively shows above average hands and good body control.  At the plate he shows some barrel whip with raw power.  On the mound he’s been up to 85 mph with the fastball.  Smith is committed to VU.

Zack Longnecker, RHP, Tri HS, 2014: Longnecker is a 6-foot-1, 220 pound RHP ranked No. 158 in Indiana.  He creates good sink on his fastball that was 80-82 mph at last winter’s Preseason All State showcase.  Longnecker is committed to VU.

Marian University

Kevin Hammond, RHP, Franklin Central HS, 2014: Hammond is a 6-foot-3, 175 pound RHP currently ranked No. 97 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  He possesses a long, lean frame with a quick arm action.  At the Top Prospect Games last summer his fastball was up to 82 mph and flashed a solid 2-plane breaking ball.  Hammond projects to add velocity to his fastball.  He is committed to Marian.

Matthew Turk, 3B, Speedway HS, 2014: The 6-foot, 167 pound 3B is ranked No. 103 in Indiana.  He moves well defensively with athletic actions.  Turk hits from the left side of the plate and consistently barrels up the baseball.  Turk is committed to Marian.

Cody Turpen, OF, Ben Davis HS, 2014: Turpen is a 6-foot-2, 185 pound OF ranked No. 168 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  He’s athletic and runs a 6.90 60.  Turpen shows some arm strength from the OF with good accuracy and carry.  Offensively he possesses good rhythm and some projectable power.  Turpen is committed to Marian. 

Taylor University

Matt Patton, SS/RHP, East Noble HS, 2014: The 6-foot, 170 pound Patton is ranked No. 61 in Indiana’s 2014 class.  Patton was a member of Team Indiana at the 2012 Midwest Future Games.  He runs a sub 7 60 and is solid defensively.  On the mound at the Top Prospect Games he showed a heavy 85 mph fastball and consistently threw strikes.  Patton is committed to Taylor.