All preseason indications show Mater Dei as the clear favorites here, a team loaded with talent that experienced Victory Field last June. University is our closest contender and that roster features talent in bunches as well, while we have a host of contenders with the pieces to give the favorites a run for their money. Providence moves up to 3A, clearing a path for some in the south, but in total 8 of our top 10 teams for 2A come from the southern half of the playoff bracket. 

Sure to change once other contenders emerge and upsets occur, please enjoy our 2A Preseason Rankings below...

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THE TOP-5:

 + No. 1 Evansville Mater Dei Wildcats

• 2025 Record & Accolades: 23-8 (Sectional, Regional, & Semi-State Champions)
• Impact Players: SR RHP Max Miller (Oakland City), SR OF Nolan Schickel (Oakland City), SR RHP Dylan Ahola (Olney Central), SR IF Will Hoffman, SO SS Dylan Murphy, SO RHP Cole Breeden, SO C/RHP Spencer Schiff, SO RHP Darret Branson

After reaching Victory Field last year, Mater Dei returns as the favorites in 2026 with a good core of seniors leading an extremely talented crop of underclassmen. SR RHP Max Miller returns as a reliable arm who went 7-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 50-plus IP as a junior. Fellow SR OF Nolan Schickel returns to roam center, a .307 hitter from last spring who had 10 extra-base hits and likely sets the table for this order. Ahola adds depth to the staff after logging 18 innings last year while maintaining a sub-2 ERA. SR IF Will Hoffman should plug into an infield spot, while JR RHP/OF Colton Salee should make a two-way impact. 

The sophomores have a chance to really elevate this group. Our top-ranked sophomore in the state, SS Dylan Murphy, is slated to play short and be one of the top bats in the Evansville area. Our top-ranked sophomore pitcher in the state, RHP Cole Breeden, gained nearly 40 innings of experience as a freshman and will be one of the top arms in the area. Our top-ranked sophomore catcher, Spencer Schiff, hit .338 as a freshman last year with 11 extra-base hits and returns the best stats of any position player on roster. Schiff will get innings on the mound as an upper-80s right-hander, and SO RHP Darret Branson is another highly-ranked sophomore who will add frontline depth to the pitching staff. Look for fellow sophomores IF Jacob Caldemeyer, IF Cam Stratman, and C/OF Nick Collins to make an impact as potential everyday guys, and watch out for talented FR RHP/OF Cain Sims to play his way into the lineup or rotation at some point. 

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+ No. 2 University Trailblazers

• 2025 Record & Accolades: 20-12 (Sectional & Regional Champions)
• Impact Players: SR SS Beckett Suh (Tulane), SR 2B/RHP Ryan Castetter (Princeton), SR 1B/RHP Cooper Cammack (Case Western), SR RHP Caleb Stocker (Wabash), SR OF/RHP Phillip Jacobs, SR RHP Jacob Shearer (Manchester), JR IF Oliver Kingery, JR C David Gasper, JR LHP Hunter Canning, JR RHP Chase Fankhauser, SO RHP/IF Finn Steiner

This is a talented team that lost in the semi-state to now 3A Providence, and with them out of the way, along with some of the best frontline talent in 2A - look for University to contend for Victory Field. By the time this is published, University is already 2-2 in the 2026 season, beginning their season a bit before everyone else with a spring break trip to Tennessee. 

A pair of D1-bound seniors return once again as leaders in the middle infield and lineup in SS Beckett Suh and 2B Ryan Castetter. This duo is one of 2A's best, and combine for 600 plate appearances, 48 doubles, and 13 home runs over their careers leading into 2026. Castetter will be a key two-way player serving as a power arm on the bump, and so will SR 1B/RHP Cooper Cammack. SR OF/RHP Phillips Jacobs will serve a similiar role, while SR RHPers Caleb Stocker and Jacob Shearer should be intregal pieces on the mound. 

A quality crop of juniors adds to a deep senior class with IF Oliver Kingery and C David Gasper headed for breakout springs. JR LHP Hunter Canning is a trusted lefty that will likely see a ton of mound time for Coach Estep this season. JR RHP Chase Fankhauser could be an option on the hill, as well.  Finally, SO RHP/IF Finn Steiner is one of the more-talented sophomores in the Indy-area and has a chance to breakout and solidy his status this spring as a top arm for University, and as a power threat to the middle of the order. 

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+ No. 3 Greencastle Tiger Cubs

• 2025 Record & Accolades: 18-6 (Sectional Champions)
• Impact Players: SR RHP/OF Sam Gooch (Wabash Valley JC), SR SS/RHP Nathan Sutherlin (Marian), SR RHP/IF Bryton Gregg (Wright State)

The frontline talent for Greencastle will be some of the best in 2A, and the trio that comprises this will be highly-impactful on both sides of the ball. SR Sam Gooch, an All-State performer last spring, hit a staggering .576 last year with 48 stolen bases while also serving as one of the team's best pitchers, logging 35 innings on the bump. SS Nate Sutherlin was also an All-State performer who hit over .500 with 11 doubles, 3 homers, and he too logged significant innings on the bump. Finally, JR Bryton Gregg led the staff in innings pitched (45) and strikeouts (69) while also maintaining a .300 batting average. This trio has a real ability to take over a game on their own, but their abilities get amplified by a supporting cast that includes 5 other returning position players and 5 other returning pitchers.

Amongst the returners are four seniors who provide starting experience in 3B Trevin Long, C/DH Ashton Dayhuff, 1B Connor Sullivan, and OF/P Jayce Spidel. JR C/RHP Dillon Hughes logged 21.1 IP last spring and manned everyday duties behind the dish, as well. A pair of sophomores add further depth on the mound after they combined for 20+ IP as freshman in Cayden Scott and Griffen Goodpaster, while SO UTL Gavin Tyson is another underclassman returning with experience at the varsity level.  

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+ No. 4 Barr-Reeve Vikings

• 2025 Record & Accolades: 26-6 (Sectional Champions)
• Impact Players: SR 2B Levi Lester (Oakland City), SR SS Korben Boyd, SR RHP Matthew Lashley, JR OF/P Grant Armes, JR RHP Ben Lester, JR OF Kierson Lengacher, JR 3B Carson Graber

Year-in, year-out; Barr-Reeve wins baseball games. We expect this year to be no difference as they come out at the 4-spot in our 2A preseason rankings after suffering a 2-1 loss to #1 Mater Dei in the regional last spring. SR 2B Levi Lester has a decorated career and returns after hitting .414 as a junior with 10 doubles and 8 homers. He joins his double play partner Korben Boyd in the middle of the diamond, and Boyd brings a speed threat to the order after hitting .374 as a junior and stealing 23 bases. OF Grant Armes and OF Kierson Lengacher are returners who hit .350-or-better last season, and 3B Carson Graber adds a quality infield glove while looking to breakout offensively this spring.

SR Matthew Lashley missed much of last year due to injury, but Coach Trevor McConnell is confident in him returning as an impact arm to the pitching staff. Prior to injury, Lashley had a perfect 3-0 record with a miniscual 1.16 ERA. JR Ben Lester is a quality arm for this club who threw 39 innings as a sophomore, where he went 4-1 with a 1.44 ERA. Armes will serve a role on the hill, while Coach McConnell listed a handful of underclassmen who could also make an impact on the mound or at the plate. 

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+ No. 5 Sullivan Golden Arrows

• 2025 Record & Accolades: 18-7
• Impact Players: 
• SR RHP/OF Jaden Norris (Wabash Valley), SR RHP/IF Ty Hamilton (Marian), JR IF/RHP Hunter Mason, SO C/3B Karsen Norris

Three talented players headline this roster for a similiar feel to Greencastle, a team with a group of three that can truly change a game together. SR Jaden Norris is a helium prospect right now after a huge performance at our Preseason Procase, showing a fastball up to 95 mph to pair with a swing-and-miss breaking ball. He was also a .470 hitter a season ago and hit 11 doubles and 5 homers. He teams up with classmate Ty Hamilton atop the rotation, who has also been up to 90 mph on the fastball, and these two combined for nearly 180 strikeouts in 110 innings pitched in 2025. JR Hunter Mason adds another option on the hill after he punched 58 in 44.2 IP, and also added a .400 batting average with 12 doubles and 4 homers. SO C Karsen Norris is another impact returner amongst nine hitters returning with experience, and he hit .274 as a freshman.

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THE REST OF THE TOP-10

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Honorable Mention (alphabetical order): Bremen, Eastbrook, Eastern (Greentown), Forest Park, Hagerstown, Indianapolis Lutheran, Jimtown, Lapel, Manchester, Oak Hill, Rochester