2026 High School Team Previews: Volume IV
January 29, 2026
With the spring fast approaching, our staff has turned the focus to preparing for the 2026 spring season. Read along to find previews on a handful of programs that have already submitted their preseason questionnaire, with this crop featuring programs from across the state.
All information has been provided to us through our preseason coaches questionnaire, please email [email protected] if you have not received this poll and are a varsity head coach in the state of Indiana.
Munster Mustangs
Head Coach: Mike Mikolajczyk
Class: 4A
2025 Record: 17-12
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/4
2026 Team Strengths:
Team Speed, Offensive Production
Impact Players:
- Jack Kunas, RHP/INF, 2027
2-3 W/L, 2.57 ERA, 33.1 IP, 36 K - Donovan Craig, 2B, 2028
.424 avg, 4 2B, 4 3B, 39 hits - Nate Southwell, OF, 2026, IU-Kokomo
.361 avg, 8 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 30 hits, 25 RBI - Nick Crowley, C, 2027
.317 avg, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 26 hits, 27 RBI - Danny Schassburger, SS, 2026
.342 avg, 3 2B, 1 3B, 26 hits, 10 SB --- 1-1 W/L, 0.57 ERA, 12.1 IP, 19 K - Niko Iatrides, OF, 2026
.322 avg, 6 2B, 19 hits - Luke Zelaya, OF, 2026
.333 avg, 3 2B, 1 3B, 13 hits - Carter Dumaresq, RHP, 2026, Calumet College of Saint Joseph
2-2 W/L, 4.48 ERA, 20.1 IP, 25 K - Cayden Adley, INF, 2029
Park Tudor Panthers
Head Coach: Courtney Whitehead
Class: 2A 
2025 Record: 14-10
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8/7
2026 Team Strengths:
Experienced group
Impact Players:
- Desmond Francis, SS/P, 2026, Notre Dame
.404 avg, 2 2B, 2 HR, 23 hits, 25 SB --- 2.19 ERA in 38 IP, 45 K - Miles Dubie, INF/P, 2027
.457 avg, 5 2B, 2 3B, 32 hits --- 0.62 ERA in 11.1 IP, 12 K - Oliver Eve, INF/OF/P, 2026
.243 avg, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 18 hits - Derek Ai, OF/P, 2027
.310 avg, 3 2B, 18 hits - Luke Aikin, P/INF, 2026
5.32 ERA in 25 IP, 22 K - Dominic Gasper, P, 2027
2.55 ERA in 22 IP, 18 K
Dekalb Barons
Head Coach: Collin Bice
Class: 3A
2025 Record: 19-7
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/5
2026 Outlook:
Team Leadership, Offensive Production, Pitching Depth
Impact Players:
- Brady Vince, OF/LHP, 2027, Huntington
.422 AVG, 35 hits, 7 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 20 SB --- 2-0 W/L, 1.62 ERA, 18 K, 13 IP - Drake Hall, OF, 2027
.452 AVG, 38 hits, 5 2B, 4 3B, 3 HR - Miles Brockhouse, LHP/1B, 2027
.403 AVG, 29 hits, 5 2B, 2 HR, 31 RBI --- 3-2 W/L, 2.10 ERA, 51 K, 33.1 IP - Malachi Webb, RHP/IF, 2027
3-1 W/L, 2.26 ERA, 32 K, 21.2 IP - Bo Minehart, IF/RHP, 2026
.277 AVG, 13 hits, 4 2B, 1 HR --- 1-1 W/L, 1.56 ERA, 9 IP - Graden Pepple, LHP/OF, 2026
1-0 W/L, 2.69 ERA, 14 K, 13 IP
Leo Lions
Head Coach: Gary Rogers
Class: 3A
2025 Record: 22-6
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/6
2026 Team Strengths:
Offense
Impact Players:
- Dominic Rennecker, SS, 2026, Saint Francis
.380 avg, 9 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 30 hits - Jayden Kieler, RHP/1B, 2027, Butler
6.12 ERA in 8 IP, 6 K - Nolan Butcher, C/RHP, 2027
.391 avg, 8 2B, 34 hits --- 1.36 ERA in 25.2 IP, 19 K - Landon Slattery, RHP, 2026, Trine
2.73 ERA in 41 IP, 31 K - Kellan Hulburt, OF/RHP, 2026
.268 avg, 5 2B, 19 hits --- 3.43 ERA in 16.1 IP, 18 K - Kaden Doll, LHP/1B, 2027
.276 avg, 1 2B, 16 hits --- 3.78 ERA in 16.2 IP, 20 K - Patrick Drudy, C/OF, 2026
.405 avg, 2 2B, 30 hits - Grant Robinson, OF, 2027
.300 avg, 1 2B, 1 3B, 9 hits
Hamilton Heights Huskies
Head Coach: Adam Hughes
Class: 3A
2025 Record: 10-19
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 3/5
2026 Team Strengths:
Pitching
Impact Players:
- Josh Newton, OF/SS/P, 2026, Kaskaskia JC
.200 avg, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 15 hits - Dillion Pitts, RHP/IF, 2026, Saint Francis
.246 avg, 5 2B, 1 HR, 16 hits --- 2-5 W/L, 3.21 ERA, 32.2 IP, 33 K - Kaiden Lawson, P, 2027
4-3 W/L, 4.14 ERA, 25.1 IP, 29 K - Owen Robey, RHP, 2026, Eureka College
0-4 W/L, 4.99 ERA, 33.1 IP, 35 K - PJ Wright, OF, 2027
.260 avg, 4 2B, 19 hits - Owen Hughes, RHP/1B, 2028
1-2 W/L, 4.57 ERA, 15.1 IP, 18 K - Chase Hall, C, 2026, Missouri-Saint Louis
Bloomfield Cardinals
Head Coach: Ryan Harvey
Class: 1A
2025 Record: 10-15
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/6
2026 Team Strengths:
Contact ability, pitching depth, and returning experience
Impact Players:
- Chase Wiles, P, 2026
.250 avg, 4 2B, 18 hits --- 3-2 W/L, 3.17 ERA, 28.2 IP, 29 K - Aiden Scott, OF, 2026
.362 avg, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 29 hits - Andrew Barker, INF, 2026
.304 avg, 4 2B, 2 HR, 21 hits - Tyler Patterson, INF, 2027
.273 avg, 2 2B, 1 3B, 15 hits - Casey Porter, C/P, 2028
.225 avg, 3 2B, 1 HR, 16 hits --- 1-4 W/L, 3.00 ERA, 25.2 IP, 17 K
Wabash Apaches
Head Coach: Jack Holley
Class: 2A 
2025 Record: 11-15
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/3
2026 Team Strengths:
Pitching
Impact Players:
- Hayden McWhirt, C/P/3B, 2027
.241 avg, 4 2B, 14 hits --- 3-2 W/L, 1.67 ERA, 42 IP, 45 K - Cooper Long, P/1B, 2026
3-5 W/L, 2.38 ERA, 61.2 IP, 56 K - Mackey Sorg, 1B/P, 2028
.262 avg, 3 2B, 21 hits --- 2-3 W/L, 2.60 ERA, 37.2 IP, 47 K
Blackford Bruins
Head Coach: Tony Uggen
Class: 2A
2025 Record: 9-18
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8+/6
2026 Team Strengths:
Return almost entire team
Impact Players:
- Trey McIntire, CF/P/MIF, 2026
.296 avg, 2 2B, 16 hits --- 4-6 W/L, 3.02 ERA, 56 IP, 60 K - Trenton Norton, RHP/MIF, 2026
.227 avg, 7 2B, 17 hits --- 2-5 W/L, 4.73 ERA, 37 IP, 40 K - Easton Massey, CF, 2026
- Owen Norton, SS/RHP, 2028
.280 avg, 1 2B, 14 hits --- 3-4 W/L, 5.50 ERA, 28 IP, 36 K - Kade Price, P/1B, 2028
.283 avg, 13 hits --- 0-2 W/L, 7.33 ERA, 14.1 IP, 17 K
Hammond Morton Governors
Head Coach: Adam Bednarek
Class: 4A
2025 Record: 12-17
Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8/6
2026 Team Strengths:
Experience, Team Speed, Offensive Production
Impact Players:
- Michael Stevens, CF/P, 2026, Purdue-Northwest
.500 avg, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 43 hits, 34 RBI, 42 SB --- 7.77 ERA in 33.1 IP, 40 K - Marcellous McQuay, C, 2026
.430 avg, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 37 hits, 36 SB - Nate George, OF, 2026
.329 avg, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 24 hits, 26 SB - Aiden Vibert, INF, 2028
.250 avg, 2 2B, 1 3B, 18 hits, 12 SB --- 8.88 ERA in 32.1 IP, 51 K