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2025 Underclass Games : Quick Hits

June 25, 2025
Cooper Trinkle
Indiana Scouting Director

Our annual Underclass Games are held at Bart Kaufman Field on the campus of Indiana University, and we consistently see some of the top to-be sophomores in the state at this event. This year was no different, with several high-end follows in attendance that performed above and beyond their peers. Some new faces emerged as must follow names, while a few of our already-highly ranked prospects continued to cement themselves further in our eyes. Read along to find seven of my favorite prospects of the day, five familiar faces sure to rise, and a list of twenty names to circle as we recap this uber-talented event. 

Find the full event statistics, here.

Top Prospect List

Cooper Nichols C / 3B / Carroll High School, IN / 2028

+ If MVP honors were given for this event, Nichols name would've been etched in that award. The 6-foot-3, 185 pound backstop provided an excellent look at this event - hammering balls from gap-to-gap in batting practice to the tune of an exit up to 95 mph, and collecting three hits during gameplay including a loud 3B. He looks the part of a high-end backstop both physically, and receiving, with above average catch-and-throw for the class. The offensive refinements are glaring compared to our look at him in a showcase setting this past winter, with further room for strength that will likely turn Nichols into one of the premier power bats in this 2028 class. 

Drew Morgan RHP / SS / Mt Vernon High School, IN / 2028

+ Morgan showed as one of the highest upside arms at this event, looking like a 'next-up' arm in this talented 2028 class. He has several traits indicative of future success- beginning with an athletic, 6-foot-4, 165 pound frame. He showed off his athleticism in the workout with a 6.8 60-yard dash and some barrel feel as a right-handed hitter, but the mound is where he shined most. He easily sat 82-84.5 in this look, and I saw him up to 87 in a high-leverage scenario earlier in the spring. His best pitch currently is his 75-77 sweeper, a pitch he was able to rack up swings-and-misses with, and the velocity in which he throws this pitch is well-advanced for the age. The present ability to throw strikes and spin a breaking ball establishes a safe floor, but 15 pounds of strength could easily turn Morgan into one of the premier arms in this class. 

Finnegan Steiner 3B / RHP / UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL OF INDIANA, IN / 2028

+ Steiner jumped out at check-in with a projectable, 6-foot-3 build that looks the part of a future-workhorse frame. He showed some raw strength in batting practice, but it was his performance on the bump that earned his highest praise. He showed a low-effort, balanced delivery that he was able to repeat at an above average clip. The ball stays moving during a moderate-lengthed arm swing, coming out the hand with ease at 82-84, touching 84.5. His 68-70 CB showed the makings of a future out-pitch with 11/5 shape and some feel for it as well. In total, the upside is what I like best here, and Steiner has a chance to develop into one of the premier arms in the class as he continues to mature. 

Brody McGaha SS / 2B / Mooresville, IN / 2028

+ McGaha showed off his silky infield actions during I/O and remains as one of my favorite defenders in this class. The hands are sticky with proper footwork to pair and he gets into his arm strength well while using multiple slots and reaching 84 mph across the diamond. The athletic, 5-foot-11, 160 pounder turned in a 6.93 60, tied for 4th amongst all participants, before showing the short, accurate swing that helped him to a .473 average at the 4A level as just a freshman. There are significant gamer traits evident in the varsity success, and multiple barrels in game here, with athleticism trending in the right direction. 

Donovan Craig SS / 2B / Munster, IN / 2028

+ Craig was a consensus favorite amongst our staff at this event and his game can be summed up with one word - ballplayer. The 5-foot-8 left-handed hitter has a bit of an unorthodox setup at the dish, but he repeats his swing well and has enough bat speed in a short swing to impact that ball to the tune of 90+ exits. The hit tool is clear, boasting a north-of-.400 average as a freshman at the 4A level this spring, and his 6.93 60 and quick-footed nature suggests he could blossom into a plus runner down the road. There is real twitch blossoming, with present skill on the dirt as well. He likely stays in the middle infield, but CF could also be the long-term home. Regardless, the twitch, hit tool, and a 'pesky' offensive nature further cements Craig as one of the top middle infielders in this class to date. 

Mark Haynes RHP / Wawasee High School, IN / 2028

+ Haynes was one of the more-dominant arms of the day, racking up K's in bunches while posting two quick, clean frames. There is some present strength in the 6-foot-2, 195 pound frame with some room for further projections. He worked in-line with a balanced, easier-effort delivery and pitched comfortably at 82-85 with natural sink to his fastball. He paired the sinker with a future-wipeout SL that played best in the low-70s, spinning in the 24-2500 range. His ability to get swings-and-misses with two pitches, while commanding the zone at an advanced clip, makes him a high-floor arm in this 2028 class with a chance to continue to elevate. 

Jacob Forystek OF / Lake Central, IN / 2028

+ Forystek was a favorite at the FR All-State in March and posted another standout showcase performance at the Underclass Games. There is an abundance of twitch in the 5-foot-10, 165 pound frame - evident in the event-best 89 mph OF velocity in which he produced. The arm is the best tool to date, and he also turned in a 91 mph exit velocity with an aggressive left-handed swing. He starts in a squatty, balanced stance before a heavy backshift load and aggressive, ambush-style forward move. He retracts the torso as he gets off healthy hacks, never cheated while showing twitchy bat speed. He showed some feel to manipulate the barrel and continues to cement himself as a high follow in this talent-filled 2028 class. 

5 On the Rise 📈

5 Familiar faces to our staff sure to see a rise in our next rankings update

Cameron Dixon, RHP/OF, Lawrence North : In terms of pure athletes at this event, Dixon was likely one of, if not the best. Standing at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds with the look of a WR1, Dixon turned in a 6.79 60-yard dash before reaching 94+ exits in batting practice. There is still rawness to the swing, but you bet on athletes to make adjustments - especially considering he is one of the youngest ranked prospects in this class and attended this event as one of the few 14 year old 2028s in attendance. His future may end up on the bump, where his athleticism shines, and his fastball reached into the low-80s. 

Dominik Loveless, RHP, Penn : Loveless concluded the event with a bang, producing the loudest fastball velocity of the day (T 86). He sat 82-85 with above higher-effort, swing-and-miss filled outing. The fastball plays with heavy arm-side run and tunnels with a slider that flashed wipeout potential, especially when thrown firm. The slider reached up to 75 mph with late 2/8 break, sitting 71-75. There is some projection to the 6-foot-1, 185 pound frame to suggest that his velocity should continue to climb, but for flashes at this event he showed a very promising two-pitch combo that caused an uncomfortable at-bat for opposing hitters. 

Koby Nunley, OF, Lapel : Nunley burned an event-best 6.71 60-yard dash to announce his presence quickly at this event. Undersized with a young look for now, this is likely the best 60-yard dash I have seen from a 135 pound prospect in my time with Prep Baseball and that tool has a chance to be a double-plus when he matures fully. His other tools are a bit behind for now, but the actions are right. He has a smooth left-handed stroke and the left-handed arm action gets to a full circle. He began gameplay with a bunt single, and quickly swiped a pair of bags before coming around to score (on a steal of home on C throwback nonetheless) to show that his tool plays between the lines. A coaches' kid with exceptional IQ - look for Nunley to pop even more with added strength / further maturation. 

Rhys Sorgius, RHP, Gibson Southern : Sorgius does nothing but elevate himself with each look - my favorite mover/arm action of the day. There is so much to dream about in the lean, 6-foot-1, 145 pound frame - beginning with the aforementioned mechanical traits. He gets deep into scap retraction while the ball remains moving in the arm action and gets to high 3/4 slot. The delivery is exactly how you'd draw it up - with strength gains likely to help his overall explosiveness to produce more velocity. For now, he comfortably pitched at 80-82.5 mph with a natural sinking fastball and paired it with feel for a tight (2211 avg. RPM) 69-71 sweeper that he showed feel for. Sorgius saw varsity time for Gibson Southern this spring and is my biggest 'pick-to-click' arm leaving this event. 

Caleb Wilson, SS, Crown Point : I love the left-handed hacks that Wilson gets off - another All-State standout that continues to elevate with maturity. He turned in a 7.07 60-yard dash and showed solid actions in the middle, but the hit tool is the biggest reason he rises in my mind. He holds his hands well throughout an aggressive forward move to allow for abv-avg bat speed to be shown. He translated one of the days' best batting practice rounds to gameplay by juicing a well-struck liner through the middle (clip below). Crown Point is churning out prospects at an outlandish rate right now and Wilson appears next up. 

Names to Circle

20 prospects with showings to note, event highlights are embedded into each players' name...

Adorian Barber, RHP/OF, Crown Point : Physically-advanced and boasting strength a 6-foot-3, 220 pound frame - Barber clubbed some of the loudest batting practice balls of the day with exits reaching 94+ and some ability to spray the field included. He showed some of that back-side power in game, burning the RF for a triple, but his abilities on the mound are what we recognize him for most. Barber flashed one of the better max fastballs' of the day, reaching 85 mph, though he pitched mostly in the 78-83 range. The arm strength is clear and is worth a follow as we move forward with this group. 

Jack Bradford, C, Warsaw : Continuing to grow physically after standing out as one of the top backstops at the FR All-State. High-waisted, 5-foot-11 frame holds room for growth that will likely louden his impacts. Offensively - there is a bit of an ambush to the forward move, but the path works on-plane for a long time and strength likely helps his ability to hold the ground during the stride. There isn't one tool that just jumps off the page with this prospect, but he receives, throws, and hits all at an above-average to better clip for the age - and has the frame for more physical jumps. 

Connor Buck, RHP, Charlestown : Buck caught my eye at one of our Preseason ID's this winter and again this spring as I was checking up on 2028 grads contributing at the varsity level as freshman. Buck logged over 30 innings for the Pirates this spring and showed very well on the bump at this event. The delivery is simple and the arm action is another trait to bet on, along with the upside in his 6-foot, 150 pound frame. His fastball worked 79-81, but the advanced ability to spin a breaking ball lands him on this list. The breaking ball average 2717 RPM and racked up swings-and-missed playing in the upper-60s. Spin Wins - and for that reason Buck will be a definite So. Indiana follow in this young class. 

Jacob Caldemeyer, SS, Mount Vernon : Caldemeyer showed as one of the top position players in the AM group, showcasing fundamental actions throughout with a standout hit-tool. The bat gets to a vertical launch position during a balanced toe tap gather and stride, before he is able to turn it with a more direct path to contact. The accuracy stood out in both batting practice and gameplay. His 7.28 60 is an above average time for the class and his hands and feet should keep him in the middle infield in the long run. 

Ariah Cross, OF, South Bend Saint Joseph : I love how easily Cross moves - low-effort left-handed swings with some jump already off the barrel (90+ exits). The 6-foot, 160 pound outfielder showed a loose, level swing that translated for a couple of in-game barrels as well. The arm and run tools are not loud yet, but he moves well enough to bet on strength loudening both tools. Definite follow from the South Bend area here in Cross... 

Nolan Doup, C/MIF, Mt. Vernon : Doup is a gamer that we've followed since his Junior Future Games days - and his athleticism trends should see his name rise in our next rankings update. His undersized, 5-foot-8, 150 pound frame packs a punch at the dish with exits reaching 89 mph, and his 6.91 60-time is well-above average for both the position and age. The swing plane works uphill with athletic pace in the box, and the high motor he presents makes him an easy one to root for.

Nick Gasiorek, P/OF, Mt. Vernon : Undersized, athletic mover that stood out most on the bump. Fastball sits 78-82, touching 84 on his best bullet and plays with cut. Mid-70s SL with 2400 spin is an indicator that even more velocity is on the way, and the SL is a present swing-and-miss pitch for the age. Pristine arm action for the class with well-sequenced delivery. Showed one of the better outfield arms outfield arms of the day (86 mph) with a twitchy right-handed swing. 

Owen Kopercinski, LHP, Lake Central : Kopercinski worked a pair of clean frames against quality hitters with a deceptive look and above average stuff for the age. There is equal compact strength and athleticism in the 5-foot-10, 160 pound frame and the semi-stab arm action, paired with a quick-paced delivery, allowed his 80-82 heater to jump on hitters. His mid-60s slurve kept hitters off balance with its velocity separation compared to the fastball. Owen is a solid follow that I expect to make contributions next spring at the varsity level. 

Logan Matiya, RHP, Columbia City : Matiya is an exceptional mover with quality arm action to pair, standing out for those traits mostly. He showed plenty of feel for a three-pitch mix that included an upper-70s fastball, and both a low-70s slider and splitter. He has all the traits we look for in young arms with velo jumps very likely for the projectable, 6-foot-1 right-hander. 

Kingston Martin, C, Trinity (KY) : The lone out of state product in attendance, Martin announced his presence loudly in batting practice with the top peak exit velocity of the day, just missing triple digits with his best ball coming off the barrel at 99.5 mph. He translated this to gameplay with a pair of hits, using a wide-based setup and hovering forward move before advanced bat speed brings a level barrel through the zone. He popped into the 2.1s from behind the dish and that tool showed in the game setting as well. 5-foot-8, 185 pounder with some of the most-advanced physical strength of anyone at this event. 

William Rees, C, Northwestern : Rees took a solid round of batting practice, but the 5-foot-9, 155 pounder stood out most during gameplay, where he collected multiple barrels and received well. He is balanced at the dish with evident contact skills stemming from a quiet operation in the right-handed batters' box. While the arm strength does not jump out from the crouch, his 2.08 pop time was an event-best and speaks to the glove-to-hand abilities that he already possesses. Rees elevated himself in front of our staff with an actions over tools profile, with strength/maturation likely to louden his toolset. 

TJ Richason, INF, Carmel : Really liked the swing here - subtle step back in the load anchores backside into the ground for a controlled forward move. Short, on-top path found the barrel consistently during batting practice with line drive contact producing exits in the mid-80s. Strength gains will elevate other tools, but shows a solid base of fundamentals to build off of. 

Graedan Robinson, 3B/P, Bloomington South : An upside prospect in the class, Robinson continues to trend nicely as an athlete while polishing his overall game. His 7.26 60-yard dash is a quality trend compared to February, with a little more control shown in his right-handed swing that produced an 89 mph exit. He leverages with a rotational swing and likely grows into at least pullside power as he adds strength & mass to his 6-foot-4, 175 pound frame. The arm is an above average tool as well, into the low-80s across, with abv-avg actions shown at the hot-corner and some two-way upside as a RHP. 

Cameron Schaeffer, OF, Lawrence North : The Lawrence North product showed well all-around during the showcase portion, though one tool did not jump out, but all at least graded average for the age - 7.28 60, 79 OF, 86+ peak exit. The 5-foot-10, 160 pounder left a last impression with one of the more well-struck in-game barrels - going off the wall to LCF at Bart Kaufman for a loud extra-base hit. 

Colton Shipp, OF, Whiteland : The hit tool is advanced here for the age with blossoming athleticism in the 6-foot, 180 pound frame. His 7.29 60-time is a nice trend compared to the winter - though the bat is ultimately what I like here. He coils into a strong launch position before turning an uphill barrel with solid average bat speed for the age and low-90s exits (T 92.5) in BP. The hit tool shined in the gameplay portion with a pair of hits there, something we've become familiar with as we've followed Shipp this spring and summer. Power is likely to come as strength/explosiveness is added. 

Macon Simpson, LHP/OF, Floyd Central : Simpson showed as one of the more projectable arms of the day with a lean, 6-foot-3, 165 pound frame. He attacked the zone with a 78-80 mph fastball that played with ASR, and his 74-76 change offered the same action and was sold with similiar arm speed to the heater. He also showed a bigger shaped, 67-70 mph breaking ball. The feel and upside are what I like best here, filling the zone to post two quick zeros, with a frame that has a chance to pack on strength in a hurry. 

Keane Spears, INF, Carmel : A 2028 infielder with a well-rounded game, Spears best tool to date is his footspeed, turning in a 7.15 at this event. His right-handed stroke is short and simple with an athletic look in the box. He is sure-handed on the dirt, looking the part of a next-up infielder for the Greyhounds in the years to come. 

Ethan Speer, 3B/SS, Jennings County : Speer shined most during the gameplay portion of the AM session, showing a silky right-handed swing that helped him to an All-Conference selection in the Hoosier Hills this spring after batting .419 as a freshman. The high-waisted, 5-foot-11 infielder provides a young look with a chance to pack on strength in a hurry. The frame appears far from a finished product, but the on-plane swing already looks the part, with strength gains likely to pay dividends for this So. Indiana 2028 follow. 

Kalieb Walter, SS, Columbia City : Walter was a top performer as one of the younger players at the Fort Wayne Diamondbacks Scout Day last fall, and as he has matured more into his frame, his overall abilities on the diamond have trended upward quickly. I love how he moves in all areas, fluid on the dirt with a sweet left-handed stroke to pair. Though the tools are not loud yet, they're easy to project as he matures further. He showed enough bat speed presently to turn a good arm around for a triple in gameplay. Amongst bats at this event, Walter surely feels like a 'pick-to-click' candidate as this class ages up. 

Max Warner, RHP, FW Blackhawk Christian : Several traits we look for in young arms appear with this prospect. He is long & lanky within a 6-foot-1 frame that has ample room to add strength. The delivery is athletic, with room for refinement, and he threw strikes with three pitches at an above average clip. The arm action is long & loose, flipping up in-sync, and he pitched at 79-81 - above average velocity for this age with strength likely to louden that number. The slider plays with short break and glove-side feel at 68-71 and he showed a mid-70s CH as well. In short, this is a projection follow from Fort Wayne that has a chance to really blossom.