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2026 Canes Indiana Scout Day: Quick Hits

February 10, 2026
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Our staff began our 2026 showcase season on February 7th with the Canes Indiana Scout Day held at Powerhouse Athletics in Franklin, Indiana. This event featured around 30 players from the Canes Indiana organization, and had a handful of up-and-coming prospects show well. Read along to find reports on the top performers, along with a follow list of names that we took away from the event. 

Find the full event statistics, at this link. 

Top Prospects

Grayson Gillespie 3B / RHP / Bedford-North Lawrence, IN / 2028

+ An underclass standout from the 2025 Fall State Games, Gillespie showed well again at this event and continues to position himself as a quality follow for the 2028 class. It is a high-waisted, athletic, 6-foot, 180-pound frame with room for further projections as continued growth is not outside the realm of possibilites. As a primary left-side infielder, Gillespie showed the same rotational strength and bat speed from last fall at this event with a 95-plus peak exit produced by a level swing plane. He also looked the part with clean, fundamental actions on the infield with a mid-80s arm across. A 7.5 runner last year, he shaved 0.2 seconds off of his 30-yard dash from the split when he ran a 7.5, suggesting that tool has improved by at least a grade and I leave with an average grade on his run tool that is likely in the 7.1-7.3 range presently. I left equally as bullish with the potential he has on the mound after seeing him move there for the first time. The arm stroke is long and loose, with acceleration to the front, and he pitched at 82-84.5 with bore-type traits with the FB. The slider is the pitch that I left excited about as he executed it in the zone with hop/sweep type shape at 72-74. Traditionally, you'll see sweepers work more on a flatter plane (0 IVB) or gain some depth (negative IVB), but Gillespie's actually has minimal depth as it averaged 6" IVB. This shape is a bit of an outlier and creates some excitement in my eyes as he continues to refine the operation on the mound, and he also showed a 72-73 mph change that looked the part of a serviceable third pitch. 

Dane Burton RHP / Roncalli High School, IN / 2028

+ Burton showed a high-upside type look in his 'pen at Scout Day and continues to look the part of an up-and-coming prospect on the mound. He is a good athlete on the mound, controlling his levers well, with plenty of strength left to be added to his 6-foot-4, 180-pound frame. He gradually builds pace in the delivery and uses a quick, compact arm circle that works to a high OTT slot that comes out of a 6-foot-6 release height. Additionally, he gets big extension as he works down the mound that will surely play his 83-84 mph heater up in game. Also, he averaged nearly 20" of IVB on the heater, another trait to suggest the fastball will play even higher when a hitter is in the box. His 71-74 CB plays with big depth as it tumbles from his high release height, and his 77-79 change is his most-polished secondary. The change is sold with fastball arm speed and controlled well, despite playing with just a bit of arm-side run. He threw this 'pen in the midst of basketball season, so I expect the pure fastball velocity to tick up further later this season, but the frame and present mix of stuff and release traits will make him a close follow for our staff as this class ages.  

Jonathan Winstead SS / OF / Bloomington South High School, IN / 2027

+ An athletic junior who has a chance to breakout this spring for a Bloomington South club that we are excited about, Winstead showed as one of the top position player prospects at this event. It is a lean, wiry, 6-foot, 160-pound frame with plenty of room to add to it, along with quick-twitch movements present that future strength will only louden. It is more of a skill-based prospect than tools, meaning the way he moves and the skills he possesses caught my attention more than just the shear metrics. I thought he was the best defender at this event. It is hard to say that with full conviction as this is just a quick indoor look off of fungo groundballs, but the footwork, foot quickness, and glove-to-hand abilities stood out above the rest in attendance - and he did it at both positions. I think it is a true up-the-middle profile; still TBD if that is MIF of CF. The run time was solid (1.69 10; 3.93 30) suggesting that his 6.94 mark from last fall would've likely improved marginally, and that tool likely takes a jump as he adds overall strength. Offensively, the hands are quick and he hits from a balanced stance with a more contact-oriented, line drive approach. The exits didn't jump off the page, peaking at a rounded 93 mph, but he produced line drive contact on 63% of his swings (event best) while showing quality hand-eye. Extremely young for the class (won't turn 18 until July after his senior year), Winstead's toolset still has time to catch up to the quality skillset he shows and we will have eyes on him plenty throughout this spring and into the summer. 

Owen Piles 3B / RHP / Rushville Consolidated High School, IN / 2030

+ Piles is one of the first 2030's we've seen during the offseason and his performance, and especially with the bat, set the bar high for the rest of the class. First and foremost, it is a very lean, athletic, 6-foot-1, 152-pound frame that has much more growth in it - projecting well for the future. He starts in a tall stance from the right-side of the dish, using a short gather as his pre-pitch hand waggle flows seamlessly into load and launch. The hands are very quick for the age and the barrel worked on-plane with plenty of length through the zone. He covered all parts of the zone with a natural ability to lift the ball in the air to the big part of the field. Metrically, his 92 mph peak exit velocity is very advanced for the age as is the 70 mph average bat speed that he showed. He moved the bat at a clip that made him fit in with the older crop of prospects, and that is likely to tick even further once he gets into a high school weight room and matures further. On the defensive side, he showed athletic, capable actions on the infield with an upper-70s arm across. The arm is a bit quirky, but there is above average strength for the age, touching 79 mph on the bump during his bullpen. In total, I leave excited to follow Piles as he showed the look of a future name to know for Indiana's 2030 class at this event. 

Quick Hits

*In-event highlights embedded into each player's name if not shown below*

+ OF Hudson Winkler, 2027, Center Grove: Explosive/twitchy athlete with compact strength in a 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame; multi-sport athlete. Event-best runner with a 1.66 10-yard split and 3.80 30 which equates to roughly a 6.6-6.8 60-yard dash; previously burned a 6.67 60 at one of our events. Sets up closed in the right-handed batter's box, tight one-piece rotator with barrel strength that produced exits up to 95.7 mph. Turns back knee down to match plane and work behind the ball. 

+ OF Brayden Smith, 2027, Shelbyville: Smith led the event from a hitting perspective by putting together the most complete batting practice of the day. He owns a longer-limbed, 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame that still has room for future strength and reached an event-best 97.5 mph peak exit velocity, along with the top average exit velocity of the day as he averaged 89.2 mph throughout his round. He hits out of a tall, open stance with a hovering stride that he controls well while his hands hold still at launch position. The barrel turns on an upward plane with natural lift created to the pull-side part - also leading the event in max distance (345 feet). A primary OF who profiles as a run-producing type in the corners, Smith showed an 82 mph OF arm with a 1.69 10-yard split and 4.05 30; both numbers marginally better than the splits produced when he ran a 7.27 60 last fall, suggesting the 60 now is in the 7.05-7.2 range. 

+ OF Braxton Carpenter, 2027, Edgewood: Leaner, 6-foot, 175-pound frame with some muscularity. Arm showed as his best tool as he reach 88 mph from the outfield. Offensively, set up in a wider, crouched stance before a shorter stride and delivered the barrel on a clean path. Showed average bat speed with some tendency to over-rotate, but peaked in the low-90s when synced. Follow-type 2027 with college-level skillset/potential. 

+ SS/P Collin Matlock, 2027, Southport: Athletic, proportional, 5-foot-10, 168-pounder. Showed potential on both sides of the ball. Tied for an event-best in the 10-yard split with a 1.66; 3.89 30 is an above average run time. Offensively hits from a semi-crouched open stance with a short, hanging leg lift that he controls well. Matches plane well with a more-level path that uncoils with some length and above average bat speed; exits peaked at 92-plus. Defensively, showed solid actions in the middle with sure hands to match. Hopped on the bump to show some arm speed which appeared as his most noticeable trait. Pitched at 80-83 with some ride/run traits to the heater, spun a lower-spin breaking ball in the upper-60s and showed a straight change at 77-79.

+ 1B/C Easton Thomas, 2028, Northview: My first time seeing Thomas and I left intirigued in the power potential. He is a 6-foot-4, 220-pound sophomore with an XL frame that he still has room to grow into / refine. He hits out of a wide, closed stance before using a heavy backshift load to get ready to hit. The swing plane has some length as he turns the barrel on a downward plane, but there was big strength for the age when he connected with exits peaking at 96.6 mph, and he showed the best average bat speed of the day at 76.6 mph. He showed some arm strength from the crouch, reaching 76 mph, but I walked away seeing it as a 1B over C profile. Though a small sample size (only 18 at-bats), Thomas posted a .556 average as a freshman for Northview in limited opportunities, and I am intrigued to see what he does over the course of a full season in 2026. 

+ 1B/RHP Nolan Cord, 2028, Shelbyville: Lineman-type frame at 6-foot-3, 253-pounds. Moved the XL frame well; 1.69 10-yard split was a T5 time and finished the 30-yard dash in 4.03. Showed bat strength during batting practice with exits to the tune of 96-plus on the top-end. Some gap-to-gap strength present with heaviness to the barrel. Quiet, repeatable operation with some length to the uncoil; averaged 74.9 mph bat speed which is a well above average metric for the age. Offensively, showed a 1B profile, has equal potential on the mound. Controlled his bullpen well, pitched at 77-79 mph and reached back for 83.6 mph on his final pitch. Gets behind the fastball and carries it well, shows occasional cut. Mid-60s CB is a developing pitch with big shape, also showed a 72-75 straight change. 

+ C Colin Newman, 2028, Franklin Community: Newman had a strong showing from a metric perspective at this event and I expect him to take on an everyday-type role behind the dish for Franklin this spring. Leaner frame with some muscularity at 5-foot-10, 165-pounds. Good athlete for the position with solid run times (1.69 10; sub-4.00 30). Set up in a wider, open, crouched stance before taking a heavier hovering stride into the ball. Turns the barrel high for a more out-front path, rotates well indicated by some of the days' best rotational acceleration scores, and reached a peak exit velocity of 95.6 mph. I thought he was one of, if not the best, receiver at the event with present above average hands for the age. Also led the event with a 77 mph arm from the crouch. 

Follow List

+ 2027 C Aiden Bumbalough (Columbus East)
+ 2027 RHP Parker Jarboe (Greenwood)
+ 2027 RHP Kolten Wilson (Mooresville)
+ 2027 C Colin Workman (New Palestine)
+ 2028 RHP Cameron Tichenor (Jennings County)
+ 2030 OF Cameron Bryant (Whiteland)