By Phil Wade
Indiana Executive Director

With 2016 in the rear view mirror, here's a few things to keep your eye on for 2017. 

IHSAA Implements New Pitch Count Rule

A new pitch count rule will be in place starting this spring, limiting the number of pitches one may throw at the varsity and sub-varsity levels and a required amount of rest in between appearances on the mound. 

The rule states that no pitcher may throw more than 120 pitches in a varsity level game/calendar day or 90 pitches in a sub-varsity level game/calendar day. If a pitcher throws at least 36 pitches in a varsity contest or 26 in a sub-varsity contest, he must receive one day of required rest.  Any pitcher who throws more than 60 pitches over two days will be required one day of rest. 

Schools will be mandated to use a pitch count chart for each pitcher on the team and submit those statistics following the conclusion of each game. 

CLICK HERE to view the IHSAA’s News Release on the new Pitch Count Rule.

PITCHING LIMITS

Varsity Pitch Count Level	Pitches	Required Rest (Days)
1	1-35	0
2	36-60	1
3	61-80	2
4	81-100	3
5	101-120+	4
Sub-Varsity Pitch Count Level	Pitches	Required Rest (Days)
1	1-25	0
2	26-35	1
3	36-60	2
4	61-80	3
5	81-90+	4

 

CAN CARMEL WIN THEIR 1^ST STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP?

Heading into the 2017 campaign the Carmel Greyhounds appear to be the team to beat in Class 4A.  Their senior class currently has nine players committed to play college baseball, six at the D1 level.  On the mound, they’re led by two senior southpaws in Tommy Sommer (Indiana) and Max Habegger (Lipscomb), along with senior right-handers Cam Pferrer (Missouri) and Aaron Ernst (Dayton).  They’ll be solid behind the dish with seniors Colin Donahue (DePauw) and JC Hanley (Stevens Institute of Technology) and have plenty of offensive fire power from senior outfielder’s Justin Greene (Gulf Coast State JC) and Parker Massman (Miami, OH) along with senior infielder Rhett Wintner (Ball State) and Junior Jack Van Remortel (Michigan). Carmel advanced to the Regional Championship last season before falling to No. 1 Zionsville 8-4. 

2018 CLASS LOADED WITH TALENT

Indiana's class of 2018 is loaded with high-end talent and could garner the attention given to the Class of 2015. To date, 26 players have already committed to Division I schools and with a plethora of talent still available, that number should continue to climb throughout the 2017 season. At the top, RHP Jack Perkins (Kokomo HS, IN), who has a live arm and is up to 92 mph. C Hayden Jones (Carroll HS, IN) is ranked No. 2 and is an advanced defender. 2B Jared Poland (Cathedral HS, IN) runs well and has pull-side power. OF Nicholas Schnell (Roncalli HS, IN) is a rangy, quick-twitch athlete. LHP/OF Grant Richardson (Bishop Dwenger HS, IN) has been up to 90, but may have more upside as a hitter with his loose swing and speed.

2017 DRAFT

While the class of 2017 may not have the depth of the 2015 and 2016 classes in terms of players expected to be drafted, there are a few players that with solid springs could garner some draft attention.  The highest touted prospect coming out of the Hoosier State is Lafayette Jeff HS right-hander Chandler Ferguson (Northwest Florida State).  He has very good upside with a long, projectable, 6-foot-3, 185 pound frame and raw arsenal.  His fastball regularly sits in the upper 80’s to low 90’s, even touching 95 at the East Coast Pro last summer. Elijah Dunham (Indiana), an athletic OF from Evansville Reitz, possesses gap to gap type power from the left side of the plate with more power potential in the near future.  He ran a 6.7-60 this past summer at the East Coast Pro.    Adisyn Coffey (Arizona State) began catching scouts attention last summer.  He boasts an athletic 6-foot-2, 180 pound frame with speed and arm strength.  He ran a 6.68-60 and has been clocked as high as 92 across the infield.  Other players to keep an eye on include; RHP Matthew Litwicki (Lake Central HS, Indiana recruit), C Zach Britton (Batesville HS, Louisville recruit) and LHP Garrett Schoenle (Northrop HS, Cincinnati recruit).