Grand Park Fall Championships : Impact 50
September 18, 2024
Grand Park saw some of the top prospects from the Midwest region travel in for its' Fall Championships, the premier recruiting event in the Midwest for the fall season. Our staff covered all corners of Grand Park diligently, while the Puma Classic, a heavily scouted junior college event, ran simultaneously.
I unpack the top prospects from the event, with an "Impact 50" list to follow. The list is not just purely a rankings list, but more crediting players that left a lasting impression on myself or a member of our staff, with grace given to those high-end prospects that did not show the best versions of themselves this past weekend.
Winners
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Brandon Logan OF / Fort Wayne Snider, IN / 2025+ Logan took a break from his football duties in the fall for a three game look at Grand Park. I was thoroughly impressed with the changes Logan has made offensively since summer looks - narrowing the stance for a more athletic setup with a lower handset that allows for a cleaner turn and earlier connection. This changes paid dividends for the Notre Dame recruit, as I watched him collect four hits while spinning the ball in a more pure fashion than I've seen of him previously. The ball-hawking CF deployed his usual, patient approach at the dish, on-base often while making quality swing decisions. Known best for his premier athleticism and high-end abilities in centerfield, the offensive profiling loudening creates excitement as Logan heads into his draft year next spring.
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Ethan Armstrong RHP / Garden City, MI / 2026+ I got a pair of looks at Armstrong on the weekend, once in a brief relief stint and another in a short start on Day 3. I walked away super bullish on the top-ranked '26 from Michigan - one of, if not the best, arm I saw on the weekend. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound frame holds athleticism presently w/ plenty of projection, especially in the full circle arm action that he repeats. Armstrong showed tons of feel to manipulate spin, showing a low-80s sweeper that spun north of 2600, along with a true top-down curveball in the upper-70s, both with plus upside while flashing an above average change in the low-80s. The fastball ran up to 93 several times in his second stint, holding 90-92 mostly from a 6'5 release height for a steep look, to round out a starters' mix.
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Joshua Flores RHP / lake central high school, IN / 2025+ Flores toed the rubber at near-midnight on the second day of the event, and awoke anyone with tired eyes by pumping the zone with the best pure stuff I saw of the weekend. Flat-out dominating with ten punchies in a three inning stint, the Kentucky recruit showcased three future-plus pitches with an intriguing fourth and a heater that reached 94 several times. A dynamic mover w/ some effort in a twitchy, athletic delivery - Flores broke out a pro-ready curveball that induced ugly swords. His curveball spun north of 2700 at 82-84 mph, consistently grabbing -12"+ of IVB and minimal horizontal for a true 12/6 shape. His changeup has made significant strides, and he's confident with it in any count, w/ a pair of scouts in attendance throwing a present 60 grade on it. His slider wasn't great in this look, more of a bullet look in the mid-80's, but he has previously shown the ability to sweep it up to 88. While the effort and 6-foot frame provides some reliver risk, Flores will just be turning 18 at draft to allow for some upside and projection still.
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Parker Rhodes RHP / Greenfield Central, IN / 2025+ Rhodes came out hot in his start on Day 3 - providing an electric first where he exclusively worked at 93-94 (T95) with his heater and quickly retired the side. The future Mississippi State Bulldog worked four innings of one run baseball, showcasing premier arm speed with an uber-twitchy look. The frame is wiry at 6-foot-1, with athleticism oozing in the dynamic delivery to allow a loose, whippy arm to follow to a 3/4 slot. I was happy to see the addition of an 89-92 mph sinker to his arsenal, gaining 18"+ of HZB with it while maintaining low IVB's. The sinker pairs extremely well with his 83-85 mph slider, thrown firm for a more cutter-ish look, while flashing true sweeper shape on occasion to hold future out-pitch upside. The addition of the sinker also suggests that there is an at least average changeup in there, however it was not shown on this day.
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Cal Gates OF / Bedford North Lawrence, IN / 2025+ Gates was the most impactful bat, in my mind, of the entire weekend. A consummate gamer that does his best work in the left-handed batter's box - Gates impressed the array of scouts following his team this weekend by taking quality at-bats on a consistent basis and delivering an accurate barrel that provides above average impact. The Indiana recruit has made adjustments in his stance that seem to be paying dividends - slightly more hinged in the back leg to become more connected to the ground and preventing early drift (a previous issue) while keeping his center of mass back to allow the front foot to land soft. This puts him in a stronger spot at heel-strike to allow his hands to play with even more impact than before. Gates is evolving from a slappy-type hitter into a potential run-producer as he is maturing into an athletic, 5-foot-11, 185 pound frame that is becoming physical.
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Impact 50
* Denotes 2026 grad
*Click on the player's name to find hyperlinked highlights from the weekend*
| Committment | ||||
| 1 | Brandon Logan | IN | CF | Notre Dame |
| 2 | Ethan Armstrong* | MI | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 3 | Joshua Flores | IN | RHP | Kentucky |
| 4 | Parker Rhodes | IN | RHP | Mississippi State |
| 5 | Cal Gates | IN | OF | Indiana |
| 6 | Will Coleman | IN | LHP | Uncommitted |
| 7 | Xavier Carrera | IN | RHP | Indiana |
| 8 | JD Stein | IN | SS | Uncommitted |
| 9 | Matthew Major | OH | 3B | Tulane |
| 10 | Aiden Reynolds* | IN | 3B | Indiana |
| 11 | Sammy Swank* | IN | RHP | Kentucky |
| 12 | Colton Semmelman* | WI | LHP | Uncommitted |
| 13 | Mason Barth | IN | SS | Notre Dame |
| 14 | Blane Metz | IN | RHP | Indiana |
| 15 | Austin McNabb | IN | RHP | Dayton |
| 16 | Dez Francis* | IN | CF | Uncommitted |
| 17 | Nolan Ramoley* | IL | CF | Kentucky |
| 18 | Noah Drake | IN | OF | Indiana |
| 19 | CJ Deckinga | IL | 3B | Michigan State |
| 20 | Jake Winger* | IN | OF/1B | Uncommitted |
| 21 | Kellen English | IN | RHP | Indiana |
| 22 | Noah Spalding* | KY | RHP | Louisville |
| 23 | Quincy Mazeke | OH | CF | Cincinnati |
| 24 | Case Bosch | MI | LHP | Coastal Carolina |
| 25 | Joe Glander | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 26 | Jacob Parr | IL | OF | Uncommitted |
| 27 | Davian Carrera | IN | 1B/OF | Indiana |
| 28 | Wyatt Mosely | MI | RHP | West Virginia |
| 29 | Tate Troxell | IN | RHP | Alabama |
| 30 | Connor Elenteny* | IL | RHP | Notre Dame |
| 31 | Ryan Murphy* | IN | LHP | Uncommitted |
| 32 | Dom Battista* | IL | OF | Uncommitted |
| 33 | Cameron Carter* | WI | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 34 | Eli Sinsabaugh* | IN | MIF | Uncommitted |
| 35 | Rhys Canan* | OH | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 36 | Drew Hauenstein* | OH | LHP | Ohio State |
| 37 | Lucas Grant | IL | LHP | Purdue |
| 38 | Eli Bennett | IN | 1B | Indiana |
| 39 | Logan Johnston* | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 40 | Isaac Sullivan* | OH | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 41 | Trevor Fenters | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 42 | Colin Sander | KY | SS | Indiana State |
| 43 | Owen Lukac* | IN | LHP | Uncommitted |
| 44 | Dylan Kassab* | IL | C | Indiana |
| 45 | Samuel Chin* | IL | LHP | Uncommitted |
| 46 | Trent Kulig | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 47 | Jeremy Lowrey* | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 48 | Sam Gooch* | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |
| 49 | Isaac Harris* | IL | LHP | Uncommitted |
| 50 | Collin Marcum* | IN | RHP | Uncommitted |