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 the northern part of 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. 

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Homestead Spartans

Head Coach: Nick Byall

Class: 4A

2025 Record: 23-7

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/5

2026 Team Strengths:

Pitching, Returning core of position players

Impact Players:

• Aiden Phillips, INF, 2026, Davenport
  .344 avg, 5 2B, 1 3B, 21 hits
• Gray Stockwell, OF, 2026, Kellogg CC
  .417 avg, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 30 hits
• Mason Gutmann, LHP, 2026, Indiana Tech
  3-1 W/L, 1.29 ERA, 32.2 IP, 54 K
• Charlie Herr, RHP/INF, 2027, Indiana
  .364 avg, 8 hits --- 0.00 ERA in 3 appearances 
• Shane Bardwell, OF, 2027
  .269 avg, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 18 hits, 27 SB
• Luke Haley, RHP/INF, 2027
  .296 avg, 2 2B, 2 HR, 16 hits --- 0.00 ERA in 2 appearances
• Connor Diehm, RHP/1B, 2026, Saint Francis
  .286 avg, 16 hits --- 2-0 W/L, 1.27 ERA, 11 IP, 12 K
• Jacob Erb, LHP, 2026, Saint Francis
  1-1 W/L, 1.71 ERA, 16.1 IP, 27 K
• Eli Shoppell, RHP/SS, 2027
• Sam Marquell, LHP/OF, 2027

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Valparaiso Vikings

Head Coach: Todd Evans

Class: 4A

2025 Record: 26-5

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 2/1

2026 Team Strengths:

Up-and-coming talent with leadership up the middle

Impact Players:

• Trent Gill, SS, 2026, John A. Logan
  .289 avg, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 22 hits, 30 SB
• DJ Malloy, SS/RHP, 2026
  .408 avg, 6 2B, 29 hits
• Lucas Haas, RHP, 2027
• Noah Sena, RHP, 2026, Kankakee CC
  6.00 ERA in 5 appearances, 4.2 IP
• Grant McFarden, C, 2026, Wisconsin Eau Claire
  .268 avg, 11 hits
• Kellan Hosek, RHP, 2026
  0.00 ERA in 3 appearances, 8.1 IP
• Logan Dilley, OF, 2026
  .263 avg, 5 hits, 10 SB
• Corbin McConnachie, RHP/1B, 2026
• Nolan Glowski, RHP, 2027
• Jack Baumgardner, LHP/1B, 2028
• Ben Glass, OF, 2027
• Beckett Reaume, OF, 2028
• Tommy Pastoret, INF, 2027
• Cooper Gear, OF, 2029

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Chesterton Trojans

Head Coach: JB McCallum

Class: 4A

2025 Record: 17-9

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/6

2026 Outlook:

Pitching, Offensive Depth

Impact Players:

• Rob Czarniecki, OF/RHP, 2026, Kentucky
  *1st Team All-State OF in 2024 - missed much of '25 due to injury*
• Troy Barrett, LHP/OF, 2026, Purdue
  *1st Team All-State LHP in 2025 --- 7-1 W/L, 1.11 ERA, 50.2 IP, 95 K --- .368 avg, 12 2B, 3 3B, 35 hits, 30 runs
• Ethan Glassman, INF/RHP, 2026, Kankakee CC
  .234 avg, 3 2B, 18 hits, 25 RBI --- 0-1 W/L, 6.18 ERA, 17 IP, 13 K
• Dylan Bradford, RHP/OF/DH, 2026, Grace
  .353 avg, 6 hits --- 2-3 W/L, 5.67 ERA, 33.1 IP, 41 K
• Caden Hackett, C, 2027
  .289 avg, 11 hits
• Eli McLelland, 3B, 2026
  .312 avg, 5 hits
• John Knight, RHP/INF, 2027
  .194 avg, 12 hits --- 1-0 W/L, 2.10 ERA, 10 IP, 17 K
• Gary Kirkland, INF, 2028
• Cam Campbell, OF/LHP, 2027
• Sully Fleming, OF, 2027

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Kouts Mustangs

Head Coach: Jason Dorshorst

Class: 1A

2025 Record: 27-7

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 9/6

2026 Team Strengths:

Pitching and Overall Experience 

Impact Players:

• Billy Miller, SS/RHP, 2028
  *1A 1st Team All-State in 2025 --- .514 avg, 12 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 54 hits, 54 runs, 45 RBI, 20 SB --- 8-0, 0.26 ERA, 52 IP, 94 K
• Landon Garrett, RHP/INF, 2026, Kankakee CC
  .385 avg, 9 2B, 1 3B, 40 hits, 39 RBI, 11 SB --- 7-1, 1.65 ERA, 42.1 IP, 65 K
• Ben Finney, MIF/CF/RHP, 2028
  .412 avg, 7 2B, 2 3B, 40 hits, 29 RBI, 23 SB, 46 runs
• Cooper Whitaker, C/1B, 2026
  .380 avg, 10 2B, 1 HR, 38 hits, 33 RBI
• Eli Harper, 1B/RHP, 2026
  .333 avg, 6 2B, 4 HR, 32 hits  --- 3-1, 1.96 ERA, 21.1 IP, 26 K
• Nathan Allan, C/RHP/UTL, 2027

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Morgan Township Cherokees

Head Coach: Ryan Troxel

Class: 1A

2025 Record: 7-20-1

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/5

2026 Team Strengths:

Pitching Staff, Baserunning, and Middle of Order

Impact Players:

• Cal Lemmons, C/INF, 2027
  *1A 1st Team All-State in 2025 --- .430 avg, 7 2B, 8 3B, 4 HR, 37 hits, 35 RBI, 13 SB
• Clint Lemmons, SS, 2027
  .200 avg, 16 hits, 19 SB
• Drew Horvath, RHP/3B, 2027
  *transfer from 1A Washington Township --- .328 avg, 3 2B, 22 hits --- 1-4 W/L, 4.71 ERA, 35.2 IP, 56 K
• Noah Ladra, LHP/1B, 2028
  .275 avg, 11 hits --- 2.62 ERA, 21.1 IP, 16 K
• Carter Thibodeau, OF/RHP, 2026
  .298 avg, 4 2B, 17 hits --- 0-1 W/L, 5.31 ERA, 29 IP, 28 K
• Caleb Ksenak, RHP/UT, 2028
  2-2 W/L, 4.64 ERA, 34.2 IP, 32 K
• Matt Symer, INF, 2026
  .235 avg, 4 2B, 1 3B, 19 hits
• Clayton Atchison, CF/C/RHP, 2029

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Kankakee Valley Kougars

Head Coach: Steve Schmidt

Class: 3A

2025 Record: 15-13-1

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 2/2

2026 Team Strengths:

Team Speed, Defense

Impact Players:

• Declan Murr, OF, 2026
  .341 avg, 9 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 31 hits
• Owen Uylaki, RHP, 2026
  3-1, 1.44 ERA, 24.1 IP, 19 K
• Jake Fitzpatrick, INF/RHP, 2027
  .241 avg, 6 hits --- 2-0, 1.94 ERA, 21.2 IP, 26 K
• Lucas Parker, OF/1B, 2027
  .176 avg, 6 hits
• Brady Flick, C/DH, 2028
• Rex Wilkins, RHP/C/2B, 2028
• Camden Murray, RHP/1B, 2029

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Angola Hornets

Head Coach: Clint Davis

Class: 3A

2025 Record: 11-15

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/5

2026 Team Strengths:

Pitching Depth, Experience Returning

Impact Players:

• Gavin Hunt, C, 2027
  .312 avg, 2 2B, 1 HR, 25 hits
• Landon Leach, 1B/LHP, 2026
  .262 avg, 5 2B, 17 hits --- 0-2 W/L, 6.77 ERA, 10 IP, 14 K
• Jackson Steury, LHP/OF, 2027
  .311 avg, 4 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 23 hits, 31 RBI --- 1-1 W/L, 3.00 ERA, 16.1 IP, 28 K
• Myles Steury, OF/RHP, 2027
  .269 avg, 6 2B, 1 HR, 18 hits -- 1-2 W/L, 12.41 ERA, 7.1 IP, 9 K
• Landen Bussard, INF/RHP, 2027
  .269 avg, 1 2B, 18 hits --- 3-4 W/L, 4.40 ERA, 43 IP, 46 K
• Ryan Stuckey, OF/RHP, 2026
  .200 avg, 1 2B, 1 HR, 12 hits --- 0-1 W/L, 7.00 ERA, 10 IP, 10 K

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Portage Indians

Head Coach: Shane Prance

Class: 4A

2025 Record: 13-13-2

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/5

2026 Team Strengths:

Pitching

Impact Players:

• Kaleb Hacker, RHP/IF, 2026, Purdue-Northwest
  43.2 IP, 5-4 W/L, 4.49 ERA, 53 K --- .242 avg, 8 hits
• Hunter Cole, RHP/OF, 2026, Purdue-Northwest
  44.2 IP, 4-2 W/L, 1 Save, 2.19 ERA, 56 K --- .255 avg, 14 hits
• Kodie Young, OF/RHP, 2026
  .333 avg, 3 2B, 1 HR, 23 hits, 16 SB --- 2-3 W/L, 5.19 ERA, 28.1 IP, 35 K
• Brody Braden, C/IF, 2027
  .371 avg, 13 hits
• Robert Vega, RHP, 2026
  4.20 ERA in 10 IP
• Ryan Bogue, IF/RHP, 2026
  .234 avg, 4 2B, 14 hits
• Tyler Pirowski, OF/IF, 2026
  .260 avg, 3 2B, 19 hits
• Cole Wallace, LHP/1B, 2027
  1-1 W/L, 4.61 ERA, 27.2 IP, 23 hits
• Matt Ramian, RHP/IF, 2027
• Hunter Petri, OF/IF, 2027
• Jacob Hacker, IF/RHP, 2028
• Bryce Hodges, IF/OF, 2029
• Isaiah Ruiz, C/UT, 2029

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Huntington North Vikings

Head Coach: Nolan Brimbury

Class: 4A

2025 Record: 16-10

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/4

2026 Team Strengths:

Team Speed, Pitching Depth

Impact Players:

• Cruz Kindler, SS, 2026, Huntington
  .459 avg, 12 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 34 hits, 25 RBI
• Jimmy Linker, OF, 2026, Indiana Tech
  .412 avg, 5 2B, 2 3B, 33 hits, 14 SB
• Tyler Williams, 1B, 2026
  .382 avg, 4 2B, 1 HR, 21 hits
• Brayden Gearhart, INF/RHP, 2027
  6-3 W/L, 3.99 ERA, 47.1 IP, 45 K --- .385 avg
• Nate Bowman, INF/RHP, 2027
  4-3 W/L, 4.07 ERA, 32.2 IP, 40 K
• Caiden Pohler, INF/RHP, 2028
  1-0 W/L, 4 saves, 4.85 ERA, 21 K, 26 IP
• Eli Pohler, RHP, 2028
  1-0 W/L, 3.27 ERA, 15 K, 15 IP
• Parker Daugherty, OF, 2027
  .290 avg, 11 SB
• Brayden Freiburger, INF/RHP, 2028
• Cooper Smock, C/INF, 2029
• Hudson Walker, RHP, 2029

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