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Preseason Preview : Quick Hits

March 21, 2024
Cooper Trinkle
Lead Scout

On Saturday, March 9th, the PBR Indiana staff hosted the Preseason Preview at Pro X Athlete in Westfield, Indiana. This was the fifth of our seven event Preseason ID tour, where we travel around the state to identify top prospects from all areas of Indiana.

Nearly 80 prospects from around the state made the trip to Westfield to showcase their talents and participate in a pro-style workout, gathering unrivaled access to data through our state-of-the-art tech partners, as well as in-depth scouting analysis from our Prep Baseball Indiana staff. Read along to find notes on the top perfomers of the day. 

Find the full statistical breakdown, HERE.

Top Prospects 

+ '24 SS Brayden Hibler (Westfield) turned in a very solid showcase performance, looking primed to have a big senior season at Westfield. Built with wiry strength in an athletic, projectable, 6-foot-2, 170 pound frame - Hibler took one of the best infield rounds I saw of the winter, playing confidently downhill with ultra-soft hands and pristine actions. Hibler's arm is a real tool, working with loose whip to produce a 92 mph infield velocity. We've raved about Brayden's defensive abilities for years, however I was most impressed with the development that he showed at the dish. The barrel is working tighter during the turn, and he's controlling his forward move better than he has previously. His hands load on-time with the forward move to create stretch, and he showcased the ability to repeat his swing. The Central Missouri recruit reached a peak exit velocity of 92.8 mph, but averaged 90 mph (event best) throughout his round, showing an impressive ability to get his best hack off and find the barrel on a consistent basis. 

+ '24 UTL Christian Klug (Bishop Chatard) was a winner from this event. Standing at an athletic, 6-foot, 180 pounds, Klug blazed a 6.61 60 yard dash before showcasing plus arm strength with an outfield velocity of 95 mph, and an infield velocity of 91 mph. The arm and feet are usable tools that allow Klug to play virtually anywhere on the diamond, a trait that should allow him to get on the field early in his collegiate career. At the dish, the right-handed hitting Navy recruit hits from a balanced, athletic stance and uses a controlled, repeatable, toe-tap stride to maintain balance. The hands are quick and Klug showed above average barrel control, reaching a peak exit velocity of 93 mph. 

+ '24 OF Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe (North Central) is an ultra-athletic prospect that showed a well-rounded toolset. Holding wiry strength in an athletic, projectable, 6-foot-2, 175 pound frame - Micah posted the top exit velocity of the event, reaching 100 mph, with a short, twitchy, level swing. There is present gap power in the swing that stems from plus bat speed, and he should grow into more as he adds more strength. The arm is a present tool as he reached 91 mph from the outfield, and the Kent State recruit posted a 6.76 60, another plus tool. 

+ '25 RHP/C Brayden Stevenson (Pendleton Heights) showed strong improvements as a position player at the Preseason All-State, and returned a week later to showcase his abilities on the mound. A projectable, high-waisted, 6-foot-2, 195 pounder, the raw arm talent is outstanding and he continues to trend upwards as a pitching prospect. The Ball State recruit shows a simple, well-sequenced delivery that allows a quick arm to follow. The fastball has some jump out of the hand at 87-90, touching 90.9 mph on his best bullet. His slider is blossiming into a future-out pitch, spinng at 74-77 mph with late bite. Stevenson also showed improvements on a mid-80s change. His overall feel for command continues to improve, and his velocities continue to trend in a positive fashion, as well. 

+ '26 RHP Javier Uscanga (Columbus North) walked away as an uncommitted sophomore name-to-know within the state. A projectable, 6-foot-2, 175 pounder, Uscanga tossed a well-executed bullpen, flooding the zone with easy, controlled effort. The delivery is simple and controlled, and his arm works with a loose whip to a high 3/4 arm slot. His fastball was commanded at 85-86, touching 87.5 mph. He paired a slurvey, 70-72 mph breaking ball off of it, spinning it with 10/4 shape. Uscanga is an interesting prospect, a recent move-in to Columbus North, and the combination of easy-effort, above average stuff and strike throwing capabilities makes him a must-follow for our staff as we move through the 2024 season.

+ '27 RHP Griffin Snider (Noblesville) offered a high-upside look as one of the most talented arms we have identified in the 2027 class. An athletic, projectable, 6-foot-3, 180 pounder - Snider showed off a fast arm that worked with quickness to a 3/4 arm slot, and a simple, cross-strided delivery. His fastball worked at 85-86, touching 86.9 mph, and shows sinker properties. Snider paired his sinking fastball with a tightly-spun (2500), 71-72 mph slider with some late bite. The slider looks the part of a future-out pitch and he also showed a firmer splitter at 80-81 mph. Snider is ultra-projectable and has the frame and stuff to be a high-level follow in the freshman class. 

+ '25 OF Riley Agbonhese (Zionsville), a top-ranked uncommitted prospect in the junior class, had a strong showing at the Preseason Preview. Noticeably stronger, standing at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, the frame looks the part of a real prospect and he posted strong metrics to match. Agbonhese blazed a 6.69 60 to start the day, which is encouraging to see with the added strength. The uncommitted junior followed that by taking a loud roud of batting practice, showing a loose, whippy swing with some jump off the barrel, reaching a peak exit velocity of 96.5 mph. Agbonhese had a breakout sophomore season at Zionsville, and should have the attention of recruiters as he enters his junior spring after a strong offseason of development.

+ '25 RHP Garrett Groce (Danville) was a pop-up, uncommitted junior that showed well. An ultra-projectable frame (6-foot-3, 170 pounds) and a low-effort delivery stands out immediately, and Groce showed the ability to fill the zone with above average stuff. His fastball worked at 84-86, touching 87 mph, and he showed the ability to command it. Groce showed two usable breaking balls, a tighter, 76-77 mph slider, and a 72-74 mph curveball that plays with depth. To round out a starter's mix, Gross tossed a 77-78 mph straight change, thrown with fastball arm speed. There is still significant room in the frame to hold added strength, which should translate to louder velocities. Groce is an interesting uncommitted junior follow.

+ '26 CF Sam Giles (Bloomington South) emerged as an interesting follow in the sophomore class. An ultra-twitchy, 5-foot-11, 175 pounder - Giles posted the best 60 yard dash of the event, a 6.44, one of the best runners we've evaluated within the class. The feet are a real tool that will impact the game in centerfield. At the dish, Giles hits from a wide stance, using a controlled, toe-tap stride and a barrel that works downhill. Giles looks the part of a speed threat at the top of the order, but the twitch he possesses allows for some impact, as well, with his best ball leaving the bat at 94.7 mph. 

+ '27 RHP Logan Robe (Westfield) showed one of the better fastballs that we have seen in Indiana's 2027 class. A projectable, sturdy, 6-foot-3, 195 pounder, Robe sat 85-87 mph on his heater, showing a fast arm that speeds up to an over-the-top slot. The overall command was sporadic, however the arm talent is advanced for the age and mechanical refinements will help with command. Robe showed both a 72-75 mph curveball and an 80-81 mph changeup, as well. Robe has a chance to throw significantly harder during his high school career when considering the frame and current arm talent, and he will be a high-priority follow as our staff follows the freshman class. 

Other Notable Performers