Uncommitted Cheat Sheet : Indiana '26 Arms
September 3, 2024
For a teaser before the list is released in its entirety tomorrow - our staff has put together a "Cheat Sheet" of the top arms still on the board in Indiana's 2026 class. As recruiting has just opened back up for this group, many of the top players on this list are already hearing from from top ranked schools across the country, and planning visits to further their relationships with those staffs. After that group, we have many of our favorite arms from this class categorized by similiar traits and listed in alphabetical order.
Without further ado, read along to learn about arms we believe recruiters should prioritize looks at this fall...
5 🌟 Arms
The cream of the crop in terms of uncommitted arms in this talented class.
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Beckett Doane LHP / Noblesville, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-6, 200 pounds FB 87-90 (6'7" extension, -14.2" HZB)
A long, lanky southpaw with an uncapped ceiling that dazzled in front of an array of recruiters at this year's Future Games. Doane projects as a next-level starter, showing above average feel for three pitches, highlighted by a true swing and miss fastball that plays up due to his unique release traits. His changeup and slider are both above average offerings, as well, and his competitive demeanor on the bump is a true asset.
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Gannon Grant RHP / Center Grove , IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 185 pounds FB 90-93 (2300s, 6'5" release height)
An athletic RHP that gained significant helium throughout the summer of 2024 - Grant will see his name rise in the 2026 rankings after consistently showing three plus offerings on the circuit this summer. Grant routinely works in the low 90's on an advanced heater, tunneling a short, tight breaking ball off of it. The two-way prospect (SS) pitches with athletic arm action and a short stride, allowing his best offering (changeup) to play with significant arm-side fade.
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Aiden Smith RHP / Shelbyville, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-3, 175 pounds - young for class (18.3 @ Draft) FB 87-91 T 93 (flashes carry & sink, can manipulate)
A slam-dunk SP - Smith shows quality command of an array of pitches to go along with a confident moxie on the hill. The wiry, athletic frame holds significant room for growth and strength gains will louden an already-outstanding arsenal. Smith attacks from a higher slot with a drop and drive delivery, with the ability to both carry and sink his 87-91 mph fastball. His slider is his best pitch currently, thrown firm with wipeout upside.
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Kobe Cherry RHP / Center Grove High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-4, 240 pounds FB 88-92 T 93 (16.4" IVB, heavy)
Super physical RHP with power stuff. Cherry missed the 2024 summer with injury, but still remains as a top prospect nonetheless. Cherry is unafraid to attack hitters, predominantly with a heavy fastball/curveball diet. Pitches w/ major moxie. Also a 3-Star football recruit w/ multiple P4 football offers.
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Starters
Three arms that have earned a starters' tab by competing in the strike zone w/ multiple above average pitches and a track record of doing so...
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Matthew Cook RHP / Hanover Central , IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-4, 195 pounds - young for class (18.1 @ Draft) FB 86-89 (heavy arm-side life, 16" HZB, 2300s, 3'9" release height)
Projectable RHP - shows three on a consistent basis. Attacks from a low release height, flashes ride/run on the heater, and uses a small hesitation in the delivery to add to the unique slot. Breaking ball shows out-pitch upside, and the changeup really flashes on occasion.
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Ryan Murphy LHP / Brownsburg High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot, 175 pounds FB 82-85 T 86 (ride/run, 2500s)
Athletic, strike-throwing southpaw that I am super bullish on. Pristine arm action w/ ideal scap retraction suggests more velocity is to come. Competes in the zone with 4 - spin is best attribute at the moment. Can add and subtract with varying shapes, high spin on both SL/CB, wipeout upside, can land + generate chase. Changeup is a usable fourth pitch that flashes.
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Kellen Thomson RHP / Center Grove, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-4, 205 pounds FB 85-89 (heavy arm-side life,
A projectable, athletic arm with SP written all over it. Arm action is compact and works clean on the backside. Running fastball pairs well with a plus changeup. Upside in the firm slider - suggests more growth and a firm breaking ball is often an indicator of a future velocity jump. Floods the zone.
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Bullish Outlook
A group of upside arms with projectable, athletic frames to go along with loud stuff presently.
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Jaxon Lueken RHP / Forest Park Jr-Sr High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-3, 180 pounds FB 88-92 (17" IVB, carry)
A high-upside RHP w/ chance to be one of the harder throwers on this list. Athletic operation w/ ample room for growth in the frame. Fastball is his best offering at the moment, will tick further and plays with carry to generate swings and misses. Slider continues to improve and he is showing the changeup more and more...
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Owen Lukac LHP / Fishers High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-1, 165 pounds - young for class (18.1 @ Draft) FB 82-87 T 89 (arm-side life)
Lukac is one of the better LHP options in the class, offering a lanky, athletic frame to pair with loose arm action that releases from a 3/4 slot. The slot induces run on a low-to-mid 80's heater (T89) and fade on a mid 70's changeup. His best trait at the moment is his ability to spin - showing a firmer slider in the upper 70's with real sweep and also a low to mid 70's, slurvey-type breaking ball that shows more two-plane. Comes with reliever risk, but has the competitiveness to pitch out of the bullpen in leverage spots.
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Gavin Lykins RHP / Plainfield High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-4, 200 pounds FB 86-89 (ride/run, 17" IVB, 14" HZB)
Lykins is a very projectable athlete, armed with a strong fastball that he uses heavily. The fastball plays with ride/run properties in the mid-to-upper 80's, a number that will tick as he adds mass to his lengthy frame. His mid 70's slider is his go-to offspeed.
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Collin Marcum RHP / Bloomington High School South, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-1, 175 pounds - Young for class (18.1 @ Draft) FB 84-88 (slight cut)
Marcum shows several traits to dream on, beginning with his high-waisted, athletic frame. There is dynamic balance in the delivery, paired with quality arm action that is also a trait to dream on. All three pitches currently grade above-average or better - with the only outstanding question mark being his ability to command the baseball on a consistent basis.
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Jackson Trueblood RHP / Seymour Senior High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-4, 175 pounds FB 84-88 (cutting action, 2500s)
Trueblood rounds out this group of projectable RHP's, a lengthy, athletic arm with a velo jump looming. He cuts a mid 80's fastball presently, and as he learns to stay behind the ball that number should jump. The arm action works with length and some acceleration to a high 3/4 release point, to go along with a rawer, athletic delivery. His breaking ball shows flashes and should improve as he learns to throw it firmer.
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Light but Right
Arms that we have a track record of seeing in the zone with multiple pitches, who get recognized for a combination of pitch-ability, arm action, or movement patterns, rather than stuff.
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Troy Barrett LHP / Chesterton Senior High School, IN / 2026
+ 5-foot-9, 160 pounds FB 81-83 T 85 (ride/run, 16"+ IVB, -13"+ HZB)
Barrett is coming off a massive sophomore spring for Chesterton, posting a 7-1 record with a sub-1 WHIP. While his stuff doesn't jump off the page, the arm works clean on the backside, with balance throughout the delivery, that allows him to command all four pitches in his arsenal.
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Dylan Cope RHP / Hamilton Southeastern HS, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 180 pounds FB 80-84 (4'5" release height)
Cope has built a reputation as a reliable strike-thrower and also offers intriguing upside. A lean, athletic frame is present and should be able to pack on strength, while he pitches from a low 3/4 slot with loose, whippy arm action. His fastball plays with some run from the lower slot, and his slider is his best offering at the moment, likely turning into a real swing and miss pitch if his overall velocity loudens. Cope shows a usable changeup as his third pitch and holds starter upside.
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Xavier Hemingway RHP / Bloomington High School South, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 180 pounds - Young for class (18 @ Draft) FB 80-83
Hemingway showed poise and pitchability throughout multiple 2024 looks and made a big impact in his debut campaign for Bloomington South this spring by allowing just 5 free passes in 43.2 innings of work. An up-tempo mover with a projectable frame, Hemingway shows command of a lower slot fastball and is able to land + create chase with a sweeping breaking ball.
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Jeremy Lowrey RHP / Harrison (West Lafayette), IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 180 pounds FB 83-86 T 89 (occassional cut)
Lowrey is an upside arm that has a chance to tick in a hurry, working up to 89 in a showcase look this winter but showing more of a mid 80's fastball across an array of looks during 2024. The projectable RHP shows strong command on a fairly consistent basis with his three pitch mix. The fastball will play with cut, at times, and his changeup is his best off-speed offering at the moment - playing with arm-side fade. The breaking ball is inconsistent for now - but look for him to shoot up this list with a starters' tab on deck as his stuff loudens and he refines his breaking ball.
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Jacob Morris RHP / SS / New Palestine , IN / 2026
+ 6-foot, 185 pounds - Young for class (18.1 @ Draft) FB 83-86 T 87
The first two-way player we've listed, the jury is still out on whether Morris ends up as a bat or an arm at the next level, but I am more bullish on his abilities on the mound at this point. The high-waisted, athletic RHP is an outstanding mover who shows body control in the delivery, pairing well with quality arm action and scap retraction as he delivers. His fastball works mostly in the low-to-mid 80's but reached 87 in a pair of spring looks. His breaking ball is tightly-spun and offers out-pitch upside.
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Tanner Post LHP / ILLIANA CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-3, 195 pounds - Young for class (18 @ Draft) FB 81-86 (19.8" IVB, -15" HZB)
Post is a lengthy, projectable southpaw who helped Illiana Christian to a 2A State Championship appearance last spring as the ace of the staff during their tournament run. His best pitch is his fastball, a low-to-mid 80's fastball that works with serious ride/run properties, and pairs well with his ability to pull-the-string on a mid 70's changeup. Post fills the zone at an above average clip to allow for starters' upside, and improvements in his ability to spin his breaking ball will pay dividends.
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Cayden Stockbridge RHP / Penn , IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 180 pounds FB 83-86 T 88 (17.4" IVB)
Stockbridge saw plenty of time out of the 'pen for perenial 4A power Penn HS as a sophomore. A lanky, projectable RHP - Stockbridge predominantly works in the mid 80's with a carry fastball that should see a tick in velocity over the course of the next year. He has some feel to manipulate his breaking ball, although he tends to lean on his heater at the moment. A solid mover with longer arm action, Stockbridge has a chance to jump up the board with velo and spin gains.
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Hayden Werner RHP / Fishers High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 175 pounds FB 82-85
Werner is a high-waisted arm to dream on with his best days well ahead. The up-tempo delivery gets to a tall balance point, before moving down the slope with pace and allowing an arm that works uninterrupted to follow. The fastball velocity has yet to reach its full potential, however he is able to command his heater to both sides of the plate and use a sweeping breaking ball to induce chase.
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Sleepers
Arms to check in on w/ varying intriguing traits...
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Greyson Betts RHP / Franklin Community High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot, 195 pounds FB 84-88 T 89
Betts is built with compact strength and armed with a promising fastball/breaking ball combination. His arm stroke works in a shorter fashion to produce a fastball that has been up to 89 mph. Betts shows apititude to spin a sharp, mid-to-upper 70's slider that flashes real bite.
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Ryan Castetter 2B / RHP UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL OF INDIANA, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-1, 180 pounds FB 80-85
Castetter is another two-way player on this list, showing upside on both sides of the ball with solid feel for the zone on the bump. The high-waisted RHP offers an athletic delivery with long, deep arm action to pair and works in the low-to-mid 80's on a riding fastball. His breaking ball shows bigger shape, and he shows a changeup as a usable thrid pitch.
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Connor Couch RHP / Bloomington High School South, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 190 pounds - Young for class (18 @ Draft) FB 83-86
Couch is an interesting '26 follow, offering a long, projectable frame with solid properties on a five pitch arsenal. A good mover that delivers with consistent pace, Couch's arm works to a full circle on the backside, pairing with the projectable frame, to make future velocity gains a sure bet. He is able to sink his fastball, tunneling well with an advanced changeup - his best offering at the moment. There is some feel to manipulate spin, with both his curveball and slider grading out at an above average clip presently.
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Keegan Fritts RHP / New Palestine High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-2, 215 pounds - Young for class (18.1 @ Draft) FB 82-85 T 88 (18-21" IVB)
Fritts was an arm that we were very bullish on after his freshman campaign, however an injury sidelined him for the 2024 season. He will be a priority follow for our staff as he nears full health, armed with a carry fastball and a breaking ball that was one of the better ones in the class prior to injury.
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Trevor Gibbs LHP / Crown point high school, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-3, 230 pounds FB 82-85 T 87
Gibbs is a super intriguing prospect, one of the more physical southpaws in the class armed with a quality fastball. He shows above average command for his fastball, along with his sharp, low-to-mid 70's slider, and a raw delivery that holds significant upside. Gibbs is a highly-regarded football recruit, as well, with multiple Division I offers in hand - speaking volumes to the overall athleticism that he brings to the baseball diamond.
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Jackson Gilley LHP / Zionsville Community, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot, 175 pounds FB 82-85 T 87
Gilley committed to TCU during the fall of his freshman year and recently re-opened his recruitment. An athletic, 6-foot southpaw - Gilley shows his athleticism in his delivery, moving down the slope with pace and control, with a quick arm that works on a longer path. His fastball routinely works in the low-to-mid 80's, up to 87 mph, and his mid 70's change is a quality offering, as well.
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Kaleb Hacker RHP / Portage High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-6, 230 pounds FB 83-88 T 89 (22-2300s, 19.3" IVB, heavy, 6'5" ext., 6'2" rel. height)
Hacker is a large, imposing right-hander with a chance to blossom into a real power arm. He moves down the mound to gain solid extension and his lower half works in a rotational fashion at heel strike. His arm works clean on the backside to produce a riding fastball up to 89 mph. Arm talent and physicality are the carrying attributes here, with refinements still needed in his overall pitchability and off-speed offerings.
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Logan Johnston RHP / Crown Point High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-5, 175 pounds FB 81-84 (1400s, flashes carry (14-18" IVB), 7-feet plus of extension)
Johnston was a winner from our Top Prospect Games this summer and is one of my "pick-to-click" arms amongst this group. The 6-foot-5 frame holds significant room for added strength and he syncs his long levers well within his delivery. Johnston is a solid mover that creates elite extension, moving down the slope with uphill shoulders in a tilt-and-topple type delivery. The arm works clean, in a more compact circle, to suggest his fastball velocity will jump sooner rather than later.
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Eric McAtee RHP / Center Grove High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-4, 195 pounds FB 83-86 (18.5" IVB)
McAtee is my next "pick-to-click" arm amongst this group with several traits that are indicitive of future success, beginning with his ultra-projectable, 6-foot-4 frame. His arm is loose & whippy works with above average arm speed presently, producing a riding, mid 80's fastball. McAtee moves with a fast pace, and creates elite separation at heel strike stemming from outstanding mobility. While the overal feel and off-speed offerings are still inconsistent at this point, I would not be surprised to see McAtee end up as one of the hardest throwers on this list.
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Jackson Mitchell RHP / Avon , IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-8, 230 lbs FB 81-85 T 88 (22-2300s, 21.7" IVB)
No arm on this list passes the eye test quite like Jackson Mitchell, toeing the rubber with his massive, 6-foot-8 frame. His fastball surpasses his other two offerings by a large margin at the moment, routinely working in the low-to-mid 80's with significant carry. Although he lacks the ability to repeat his delivery at this time to consistently find the strike zone, the upside within the operation is undeniable.
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Ben Pickering RHP / C / Lafayette Jefferson High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot-1, 205 pounds FB 87-90 T 91 (6'2" extension)
Pickering owns outstanding natural arm talent - a converted backstop with very little mound time that allows for enticing upside. His fastball already works up to 91 mph, using a strong lower half in a drop and drive fashion to generate very solid fastball velocities. His slider shows sweep, sharp at times, as a usable secondary offering. While his feel for the zone still needs time to develop, the arm talent is undoubtedly worth keeping tabs on as he refines his abilities on the bump.
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Francisco Javier Martinez Uscanga RHP / Columbus North High School, IN / 2026
+ 6-foot, 175 pounds FB 82-86 T 87
Uscanga is our final "sleeper" - a solid RHP out of Columbus that walked away as a big winner at our Preseason Preview in March. The delivery works under control, with dynamic balance, and he fills the zone at an above average clip. The arm works clean with a loose-wristed takeaway and some whip to a high 3/4 release point, generating a low-to-mid 80's fastball that he can locate. His breaking ball works with slurvey shape in the low 70's and is a usable pitch.
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