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Vincennes University 2026 Team Outlook

January 1, 2026
By: Kai Formella
IL/WI Content Writer

Program: Vincennes University
Head Coach: Chris Barney, 17th year
NJCAA Region/Division: Region 24, DII
Last Year’s Record: 28-34
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @VU_baseball
2025-26 Schedule

The Trailblazers are fresh off a promising season and will look to build on that momentum this year. Although their 28-34 overall record was slightly underwhelming, the team still delivered several bright moments, highlighted by their run to the MWAC Conference Tournament Championship. This year’s roster is exceptionally young, featuring 32 freshmen and only 15 returning players. This gives the program an exciting blend of raw talent and opportunity as the new campaign begins. Veteran head coach Chris Barney will look to maximize the potential of this youthful group, and it will be intriguing to see how quickly the newcomers grow and what they can accomplish throughout the season. 

PITCHING

Despite the influx of new talent, the Trailblazer pitching staff still returns a solid foundation with 153 innings coming back from last season. Leading the way is SO RHP Eastin Whaley, who emerged as a key contributor a year ago with 48.2 innings pitched and a 4.81 ERA. He has shown swing-and-miss potential with his three-pitch mix, featuring a lively fastball that has been up to 91 mph.  Also providing some depth to the pitching staff are key returners SO RHP Jacob Allen and SO RHP Grayson Reichert. Allen served as the Trailblazers’ go-to reliever last season, posting a 4.53 ERA with four saves across 47.2 innings, and he will look to build upon that success this year. Reichert was a steady presence in the starting rotation last year, contributing 42.1 innings over seven starts, and he will aim to continue providing quality innings this season. The Trailblazers also welcome a promising group of newcomers who add valuable depth to the pitching staff, and it will be exciting to see how this fresh talent meshes with the returning arms. Highlighting the list of key freshman arms is FR RHP Talan Meyers, who turned heads at the program’s scout day by recording the top velocity at 91 mph. He also flashed an strong feel for spin with his offspeed offerings as both his slider and curveball both registered spin rates in the 2,400+ rpm range. Another freshman who appears poised to make an immediate impact is LHP Kaagen Kendall, a projectable left-hander featuring an upper-80s fastball and an effective four-pitch arsenal. Also looking to earn some starting opportunities on the mound is SS/RHP Tyler Singleton, who showcased two-way potential by posting the second-highest velocity at the program’s scout day at 88 mph. Singleton appears to be a quality arm the Trailblazers can turn to when he’s not playing in the field. The staff is further bolstered by two additional freshman right-handers in Carter Williams and Drake Hoffa, who both look set to provide valuable innings out of the bullpen. Williams is a crafty mid-80s right-hander who possesses an advanced feel for spin and movement with his four-pitch arsenal. Hoffa is another mid-80s arm who pounds the zone with confidence and pairs his fastball with a sharp breaking ball, giving him the tools to be a reliable option in relief.

  • Fr. RHP Talan Meyers (Jefferson, IN) 6-foot-4, 184-pounds, strong and durable build, long-levered. Easy movement patterns, controlled into a medium leg-lift, holds pre-bend in the back knee throughout his side-step and while working down the mound, works in-line. Quick and easy arm through release, arm-speed from a ¾ window. Fastball played in the 86-90 mph range, topping out at 91 mph with over 2,300 rpm, gradual running action to the arm-side, kept it around the zone. Curveball has developing feel but flashed well above-average spin with over 2,600 rpm. Slider showed big sweeping action with over 17” at times, playing between 2,400-2,500 rpm, flashed feel, 73-74 mph. Straight change is a nice addition to the arsenal, feel for the pitch with straight actions, sell it with arm-speed, 80-81 mph. 
  • Fr. LHP Kaagen Kendall (Hagerstown, IN) 6-foot-1, 165-pounds, athletic build, room to add strength. The left-hander has a controlled, simple delivery with high leg lift while utilizing the mound for plane. Long, loose arm action from a ¾ arm slot. His fastball sat 85-87 mph with straight actions. The pitch had an average spin rate of 2302 RPM. The changeup sat 76-78 mph with some fade. Kendall utilized two breaking balls. His slider sat 72-75 mph with sharp actions. The curveball sat 73-75 mph with depth.
  • Fr. INF/RHP Tyler Singleton (William Henry Harrison, IN) 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, high-waisted and trim build, room to add more strength throughout. Clean and balanced right-handed swing with length through the zone, controlled mover with the ability to match plane, 95 mph peak EV, averaged 74 mph for his bat-speed. On the mound, worked exclusively out of the stretch, shorter leg-lift into balance point, holds a slight pre-bend in the back knee down the mound, works in-line. Longer arm swing out of the glove into a high ¾ arm slot. Fastball worked in the 84-87 mph range topping out at 88 mph, showing natural run to the arm-side. Flashed feel for his slider that played with a short lateral wrinkle, 78-82 mph. Changeup played similar to the fastball with arm action to the arm-side, 78-80 mph with some strikes. 
  • Fr. RHP Carter Williams (Jeffersonville, IN) 6-foot, 165-pounds, high-waisted, athletic build, room to add strength. The right-hander operates from a controlled delivery with a high leg lift. Short, quick arm action from a ¾ arm slot. His fastball sat 84-86 mph with straight actions. The pitch had an average spin rate of 2502 RPM and an average induced vertical break of 18.6 inches. He mixed in a cutter that sat 79-82 mph with late bite. HIs changeup sat 76-79 mph while keeping it low. Williams rounded out his four-pitch mix with a slider that sat 70-71 mph with a late break. The pitch had an average horizontal movement of -19.7 inches. 

With the loss of most of last year’s starting lineup, the Trailblazers will rely heavily on their three key returners and a wealth of freshman talent to lead the offense this season. SO C/INF Carter Gricius is the first of these key returners, coming off an impressive freshman campaign where he finished second on the team in batting average. The right-handed hitter slashed .323/.427/.561 with seven home runs and 23 extra-base hits over 155 at-bats. Also showing some value from the catcher position is SO C Ryan Robinson, who adds fluid actions behind the plate along with some present bat-to-ball skills. Rounding out the list of key returners to the lineup is SO OF Jevan Andrews, who brings both a quality bat and above-average athleticism to the outfield. The right-handed hitter slashed .302/.416/.412 with 16 extra-base hits over 182 at-bats last season, complimenting his offensive production with efficient routes and a strong arm from the outfield. Vincennes will also welcome a sizable group of impact freshmen, who are expected to provide a significant boost to the team’s offensive production. The first of these impact freshmen is a physical right-handed corner infielder, 3B Matthew Everroad. The imposing 6-foot-6, 296-pound third baseman made a strong impression at the program’s scout day, posting the loudest round of BP with a 102.7 mph max exit velocity. Everroad looks poised to be an important power bat for the Trailblazers this season. Another corner infielder who could provide a boost to the lineup is 3B Lane Schrader. He recorded the fastest 60-yard dash of the day at 6.74 seconds and showed the ability to generate leverage to all fields during his round of BP. Additionally, the team will look for contributions from a pair of freshman infielders in INF Tannar Patterson and SS/RHP Tyler Singleton. Patterson showcased his tools on both sides of the ball at the program’s scout day, delivering a loud round of BP while also displaying natural actions and a lively arm across the infield. Singleton complements him by showcasing a strong bat with above-average plate coverage and a steady glove up the middle. Seeking to add depth to the outfield are two intriguing right-handed bats in OF Deacon Lewis and OF Elijah Papalios. Lewis brings above-average athleticism that shows in both his offense and defense. He recorded a 6.87-second 60-yard dash at the event, paired with easy pop to the middle/pull-side and a strong arm from the outfield. Papalios displayed the top arm talent from the outfield at the event, recording a 93 mph throw. He also showed good feel for the barrel, demonstrating the ability to hit to all fields. Rounding out the list of key freshmen are two catchers, C/OF Ethan Papalios and C Carson Reed, both of whom displayed above-average defensive skills behind the plate at the program’s scout day. Papalios displayed elite arm talent at the event, recording an 89 mph outfield throw and a 1.96-second pop time behind the plate. He also showed easy power with the bat, projecting to be an important utility player for the Trailblazers. Reed projects to be a regular contributor behind the plate, recording the top pop time of the event at 1.95 seconds and displaying natural actions defensively. 

  • So. C/INF Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, IN) 6-foot, 205-pounds, durable and strong build, evenly proportioned. Highly physical right-handed bat that looks to be one of the top returners for the Trailblazers, hitting .323 last spring in 155 at-bats with 16 doubles, seven home runs and 42 RBIs. He gets consistent intentful swings off with a flat path that creates length through the zone, will sometimes look to work uphill and lift, 96 mph peak EV. 
  • So. C Ryan Robinson (Mooresville, IN) 5-foot-10, 180-pounds, proportionate frame with room to add strength. Simple and easy right-handed swing, works to keep the ball on a line, stayed up the middle of the field and pull-side. Clean actions behind the plate, controlled glove-to-hand, works in-line from the chute, 2.06 pop-time (T72 mph). 
  • So. OF Jevan Andrews (Hobart, IN) 5-foot-9, 170-pounds, compact and athletic build, rounded shoulders. Compact and repeatable right-handed swing, flat path with bat-speed, middle/pull approach throughout, 94 mph peak EV. One of the top returning bats for the Trailblazers, recorded a .302 average in 182 at-bats in 2025 with 14 doubles. Moves well in the outfield, explosive through the baseball, sure-handed, strong arm with arm-speed, high ¾ slot (T85 mph). 
  • Fr. CIF Matthew Everroad (Greensburg Community, IN) 6-foot-6, 296-pounds, physical frame, strong lower half. Wide, balanced base with minimal foot lift. Compact swing, slight uphill bat path, quick through the zone, pull-side approach. Everroad posted some of the top exit velocities of the event, maxing out at 102.7 mph. He had an impressive average bat speed of 79.9 mph (88.2 mph max). Everroad looks to be an impact bat for Vincennes.
  • Fr. INF Tannar Patterson (Heath, OH) 6-foot-1, 205-pounds, athletic build, strength throughout. Wide and balanced base with a small foot lift. Pure left-handed swing, slight uphill bat path, long through the zone. 92.9 mph average exit velocity (101.4 mph max). Patterson showed some serious hand speed, having an average of 23.6 mph (24.4 mph max). Started the event off by running a 6.99 60-yd dash. Defensively, Patterson posted an 87 mph infield velocity.
  • Fr. INF/RHP Tyler Singleton (William Henry Harrison, IN) 5-foot-11, 175-pounds, high-waisted and trim build, room to add more strength throughout. Clean and balanced right-handed swing with length through the zone, controlled mover with the ability to match plane, 95 mph peak EV, averaged 74 mph for his bat-speed. On the mound, worked exclusively out of the stretch, shorter leg-lift into balance point, holds a slight pre-bend in the back knee down the mound, works in-line. Longer arm swing out of the glove into a high ¾ arm slot. Fastball worked in the 84-87 mph range topping out at 88 mph, showing natural run to the arm-side. Flashed feel for his slider that played with a short lateral wrinkle, 78-82 mph. Changeup played similar to the fastball with arm action to the arm-side, 78-80 mph with some strikes. 
  • Fr. OF Deacon Lewis (Hamilton Southeastern, IN) 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, lean build with long arms, room to add strength. Raw and athletic swing, loose hands with a flat path, line-drive intent, worked mostly pull-side with some middle of the field approach as well, 94 mph peak EV. Athletic mover in the outfield, quick feet with some bounce, rangy, 6.87 runner and 86 mph peak velocity, long and loose arm with some whip. 
  • Fr. OF Elijah Papalios (Beavercreek, OH) 5-foot-8, 180-pounds, rounded shoulders with some present strength. Right-handed hitter with athletic hands, showed some feel to use the whole field with a line-drive approach, 94 mph peak EV. Athletic actions in the outfield, soft hands, moves well into a crowhop with well above-average arm-strength and arm-speed (T93 mph.)
  • Fr. C/INF Ethan Papalios (Beavercreek, OH) 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, proportionate strength with broad shoulders. Strong right-handed swing, longer stride with intent through the baseball, flat path, stayed pull-side throughout the round with some elevated contact at times, 101 mph peak EV, averaged 93 mph with a 363’ max distance - also averaged 77 mph for his bat-speed and 23.5 mph for his hand-speed. Clean actions behind the plate, short and quick transfer, arm works to the ear and over the top, throws played around the bag, mostly arm-side, 1.96 pop-time, T78 mph. 
  • Fr. C Carson Reed (Graves County, KY) 5-foot-10, 160-pounds, trim and athletic build, projectable with room to add strength. Athletic right-handed swing with length through the zone and a flat path, works to keep the ball on a line, clean swing with loose wrists, used the whole field. Clean glove-to-hand with some quickness, works in-line and gains ground from the chute, flashed throws on the bag, 1.95 pop-time, T77 mph. 

VINCENNES SCOUT DAY

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Vincennes Scout Day: Statistical and Data Analysis

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