2025 Indiana Senior Scout Blog
April 11, 2025
My spring is geared heavily towards chasing those prospects within the Hoosier State that have garnered interest from professional scouts and have a chance to be taken in this years' draft. The 2025 class has a chance to be a marquee class for Indiana, with big arm talent at the top of our board. We've heard several top-5 round evaluations on these top-ranked arms, and there are also a handful of helium names that are shooting up boards after strong early-season performances on the diamond, and at preseason workouts.
Enjoy our first update of the Senior Scout blog, which will be updated continously as we get more looks, and expect several more names to be added as we go...
First Looks
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Matthew Fisher RHP / Evansville Memorial , IN / 2025+ Fisher's first start drew a crowd of around 30 scouts and the top-ranked player did not disappoint. He came out with a 92-94 fastball and touched 95 on his best bullet. The stadium trackman provided key metrics for this look, and the fastball played with 25-2600 raw spin and produced 17-20" of Induced Vertical Break, along with occasional cut/ride action. The 6'3" extension he produced checks the boxes for those organizations that value that number, but my biggest takeaway with the heater was how easy he produced low-to-mid 90s velocities and the swings-and-misses he was able to get. He got (9) FB S/M in 19 total fastballs and showed (& has shown throughout my track record) likely the best fastball command I have seen of a high school RHP in my time with Prep Baseball. I was excited to see the cutter development - a pitch he previously shaped as a slider in the low-to-mid 80s. He is now spinning a 2700+ cutter at 87-89 and he showed the ability to front-hip RHH with it, along with running it away from RH barrels. The breaking ball is a future wipeout and present 50, flashing 60, and spun at 2900+ in the low-80s. It is a slurvier shaped pitch (-14 HZ, -8 IVB), and he has present feel for it. The change is at least a present 50 and likely ends up better, but he didn't need it in this look. Walking away - the ease of operation, slam-dunk starters' profile, and command stick with me. He is an exceptional mover with a silky delivery and the arm action to hold future gains. The 6-foot-3 athletic frame is also a major asset, and there is upside in the fact that he was a multi-sport guy all throughout high school. He threw 26/30 strikes in his first stint, and faced the minimum in 3 IP, striking out 5. It was as efficient as it gets and Fish has a real shot of going on Day 1 this year, with first round upside...
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Caden Crowell LHP / Valparaiso, IN / 2025+ I caught Crowell's first start and he performed about how I expected going in. The 6-foot-2, 200 pounder came out 90-92 in frigid temps with a fastball that showed arm-side tilt and occasional life. He missed bats with the heater and his low-80s change is his best scondary, thrown with feel and providing a fastball look out the hand. The low-80s slider is an average pitch, though there is feel to go back-door + back-foot to RHH. In total, the starters' profile is what I value here. There is a chance for future-plus command and the competitive, confident presence he brings makes future projections comforting, along with establishing a safe floor with the present stuff being where it is. There is upside in the frame, and in the fact that the Notre Dame recruit rolled into this start fresh off of spending the winter leading Valpo in scoring on the hardwood. Crowell uses a super-simple, stretch-only delivery that he repeats well, and there is a looser whip as the arm gets to its 3/4 slot. The velocity likely ticks as his athleticism starts to get unlocked in the delivery, and when the weather reaches over 40 degrees. I look forward to seeing Crowell again as the weather warms, and as his pitch count climbs to allow his starters' presence to shine.
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Joshua Flores RHP / lake central high school, IN / 2025+ Flores is grabbing some helium thanks to his elite HS CB, likely one of the better CB's in the entire draft class on the prep side. The curveball is a plus, and I've heard some scouts throw even bigger grades on it. The curveball played at 83-85 in this look with true top-down sharp bite & caused uncomfortable-looking swings and tons of freeze takes. On Trackman this winter, he spun it at 2600+ with minimal horizontal and a foot of depth, on average. It is an elite offering with a unique shape and gets played up by a 92-95 mph fastball that plays with some carry at the top of the zone. Flores held his velocity for 80 pitches in this look, grabbing multiple 95s in the 4th, a trait to mitigate reliever risk - and he produced these velocities in frigid temps. He spun a sharp, short, side-to-side slider in the mid-80s and there is an at least 50 change, but he showed it sparingly. Flores is an dynamic mover with a long arm that creates all-kinds of leveraged arm speed to a more OTT slot. The only knock walking away was the present command. It is a control over command operation - where he will lean on his CB when FB command goes astray. He threw strikes at a 53% clip in this look - but only walked 2.
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Parker Rhodes RHP / Greenfield Central, IN / 2025+ Rhodes drew a massive crowd to his first start and it was a mostly positive look in total, with encouraging progress compared to 12 months ago. It is a more-physical look now, standing at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with the wiry upper body beginning to fill out. The physicality warrants a velocity jump, and he pitched at 94-97 in this look in the first, ultimately settling at 92-96 with some sink/carry manipulation. The SK/4S have a tendency to run together to create some dead zone, and he allowed 3 hits in his 2.1 IP in this look. In total it is average fastball life and average fastball control (3 BB), but the electricity in the arm swing and heaters creeping into the upper-90s indicate he has a chance to beat the dead zone with pure velocity. He spun an 81-84 slider that you could throw a future-6 on, and it is thrown with arm speed as it bites w more sweeper shape. His 88-89 change is his best secondary, but he didn't get to it on this day enough to show its full strength. In total, I like the athlete and the arm speed most here. Parker is cerebral in his preparation, another asset that establishes a comfortable floor, and as the weather warms I would not be surprised if he ticks further into the upper-90s this spring...
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Xavier Carrera RHP / Boone Grove, IN / 2025+ 'Javy' has established a reputation in the scouting community for a lively fastball and ultra-athletic, 6-foot-3 frame - and he is one of the more intriuging draft arms in the Midwest for 2025. The lower-half of the delivery is as dynamic as it gets and an electric arm follows. His first inning was outstanding - sitting 94-95 and touching 97 while quickly retiring the side. He ran into trouble with four walks in the second inning as the fastball control left him. The fastball control is his biggest knock - he will show flashes of brilliance when it is dialed in, but will lean on a 74-79 breaking ball when it is not. The breaking ball shape shortens the firmer he throws it, and his best breaking balls are thrown firmer in the upper-70s, where it'll flash bite. He showed feel for an above average CH in the 'pen, but was not able to land it in game. The strike concerns warrants a relivers' tab, but the athleticism is something you cannot bet against.
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Will Coleman LHP / Castle, IN / 2025+ Coleman was awesome at our Powerhouse Procase in the preseason so I was eager to catch his first start. In frigid temps, the 6-foot-1, 170 pounder pitched at 88-90 with a carry heater that he showed present command of. He has the best change in the class amongst IN natives and the 76-78 mph offering disappeared with late fade in this look as we've seen it do for four years. He is throwing a firmer, sharper breaking ball this year that sits in the low-80s and he can manipulate it for two distinct shapes (SL/CB). He is a stretch-only mover with body control and balance standing out most in the delivery. The arm works to a full-circle and gets to a high 3/4 release - with the only knock being average-to-below arm speed shown. The stuff and delivery are easy to evaluate, but the pitch IQ is what separates Will & is why I have come to be such a fan. He pitches off misses & isn't scared to attack over the white - and the ability to tunnel is evident in his pitch selections. There is projectability left in the frame and Coleman could continue to grab helium if he starts to grab 92s and 93s as the weather warms.
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Peyton Dickens OF / RHP / Whiteland Community, IN / 2025+ Likely the biggest helium draft name of the spring, Dickens continues to climb our board with a budding toolset and a premier, projectable, athletic, 6-foot-4, 185 pound frame. I got a look on Dickens during the opening week, and was impressed with how the tools translated to the diamond, along with the way that he fills out the uniform, and what you can dream on in the body. The left-handed swing is whippy and holds a tick above average bat speed, and you can project above average raw power down the road with his current exit velocities, and the strength gains left in the frame. The flatter path & solid hand-eye allows for present bat-to-ball & the arm is likely the best tool at this point, a potential plus, and he shows it in the form of a 92 arm from the outfield, and he was also up to 89 mph on the mound during this game. He is a 40-45 runner now (6.77 60, 4.3 H-1st) and strength gains likely take that up at least a full grade, especially considering force plate metrics that are in the 95th percentile or above. It is a really interesting profile, with an athletic, young-for-class frame, and Dickens has a chance to continue to grab helium with further production this spring.
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Wyatt Pennington RHP / SS / Avon, IN / 2025+ I caught Pennington's first stint and it was mostly postives - with several encouraging things to take away. He is a pristine mover w body control in a 5-foot-11, 180 pound frame. He can flat out rotate and that is abundantly clear in the uncoil of the delivery. There is present arm speed to produce a 88-91 mph fastball that touched 92, and played with significant arm-side life & flashed 4S carry. He comes from a wider, 3/4 slot and diving into Trackman after the outing, I uncovered an 86-90 mph sinker that played with zero vert and 20 inches of arm-side horizontal at times. The arm-side fastball sets up his best pitch, his 2800+ sweeper at 78-82 that is a future-6 & plays with sharp bite. I've seen at least an above average change, but he didn't get to it often in this look (88 mph). The stuff looked good, and I knew I liked the mover & competitor going in with my track record. He did show a tick lesser fastball control than I have seen of him in the past with glove-side and down being the most prevalent miss.
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Davian Carrera 1B / OF / Boone Grove, IN / 2025+ Davian showed well at the plate in my early season look. It was a frigid day and he faced an 85-88 arm that he showed no issue being on-time for. He looks the part of a run-producer in the lefties batters' box with a physical, 6-foot-1, 215 pound frame. In this look, he doubled back-side, lined out on a 2k secondary that he showed feel to adjust on, and walked. He turned in a 4.6 on the double. At the dish, Davian sets up in a balanced stance with fixed upper body angles that remain quiet throughout the operation. There is a bigger forward move that he times that creates momentum into the swing. The shoulders tilt to create a deeper barrel that works uphill, and he has a chance to grow into above average raw power. On the dirt, Carrera showed above average hands and feet at 1B.
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Luke Neiswonger SS / RHP / Homestead High School, IN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 33 / POS: 6
+ FROM (Conner Madding) - Neiswonger provided an intruiging early season look on the bump in his senior campaign. The 6-foot-2, 200 pounder held 90-92 mph for two innings and touched 93 twice. The fastball showed arm-side life and he got some swings-and-misses in the zone. The 77-79 mph slider is a future wipeout, playing with sweep. He also flashed a low 80s changeup with sinking action, another above average secondary offering. The delivery is athletic and the arm works loose and fast to a lower arm slot. Neiswonger was inconsistent in commanding his secondary offerings and had some traffic on the bases in his second inning. The stuff, arm action, and athleticism was impressive nonetheless and I’m eager to see how the two-way Central Michigan commit looks the rest of the spring.
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Ryne Michaeloff RHP / Homestead, IN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 41 / POS: 17
+ FROM (Conner Madding) - The Purdue Fort Wayne recruit got the start versus the deepest lineup in the state on Friday afternoon. Michaeloff went four innings, allowing two earned runs and punched five. The 6-foot-1, 185 pound righty held 87-89 mph throughout, touching 90 one time. The fastball plays with sink and arm-side run and he commands it at an above average clip. He used a 77-79 mph sweeping slider as an out pitch and also showed a quality 80-81 mph changeup. The operation is super easy, lifting to a moderate balance point before a controlled move down the slope. The arm swing is loose and it works to a near side-arm slot. Michaeloff shows advanced feel for three quality offerings and he has a strong track record of throwing strikes.
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Kai Newman LHP / Lapel, IN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 46 / POS: 6
+ Newman got the start in opposition of Rhodes and showed very well in my first look of 2025. The 6-foot-1 Huntington recruit tossed three innings of one-run baseball, pitching with a solid fastball/breaking ball combo that will translate to the college level. He is a stretch-only mover with rotational shoulders, and an athletic lower-half that delivers a looser arm to a 3/4 slot. His fastball played with arm-side run in the mid-to-upper 80s, touching 88 in the first. He pairs a sharp, mid 70s curveball that got swings-and-misses, and he had feel to land it.
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Carter Beck LHP / Avon High School, IN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 47 / POS: 7
+ FROM (Conner Madding) I really liked what I saw from Beck in an early season look compared to looks from 2024. The 6-foot-0, 180 pound southpaw worked four scoreless frames, striking out seven and allowing zero hits. Beck held 86-88 mph throughout his outing, touching 89 once. The heater played with arm side run and flashed carry at times. He attacked hitters with it and got plenty of swing and miss in the zone versus a solid Homestead lineup. He spun a 77-79 breaking ball with some sweep and flashed a 82-84 changeup. The Akron commit uses a simple delivery with some intent to the operation, the arm really works on the backside.
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Jarrett Kinder RHP / Princeton, IN / 2025Rankings StateRank: 61 / POS: 27
+ FROM (Conner Madding) - I got a chance to see Kinder in a start this week. I had not seen the senior pitch before in-person, so I was excited to get a look at the Eastern Illinois recruit in an early season start. Kinder has added noticeable strength in the off-season compared to last summers' video and now stands at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. The heater sat 90-92 through two innings before settling in at 88-91 mph throughout his five innings of work. The fastball flashed carry, he bullied with it early on in the outing. He showed two breaking balls when he needed them - a 75-76 mph slider with some sweep and a softer low 70s curveball that he was more confident in landing for strikes. The lone knock on the night was the overall command of the breaking balls were inconsistent. Kinder also showed a 80-81 mph changeup with some fading action. The Princeton righty lifts to a moderate balance point before an efficient move down the slope. The arm works quick and compact to a ¾ slot. He punched eleven hitters and walked just one on the night, filling the zone at a 70% clip.
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