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2026 Preseason All-State Upperclass: 2027 Uncommitted Bats

March 11, 2026
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Indiana's 2027 class features a deep crop of talent and that was on full display this weekend. Fifteen sub-6.7 runners were in attendance, and seventeen hitters eclipsed the triple-digit mark in their peak exit velocity. The class continues to show promising depth across the state, with a number of position players still on the board with intriguing tools and upside. 

We've narrowed down our favorite 23 uncommitted bats from the Preseason All-State weekend into an easy cheat sheet for recruiters. 

All position player stats can be found here. 

Impact 10

1. OF Shane Bardwell (Homestead)
The strong, stocky, 6-foot, 200-pound physical frame jumps out at you, as does the strength at impact. Bardwell reached peaks of 103-plus while hitting from a pre-coiled, athletic setup and deploying a direct path that works out-front with occasional steepness. The swing is very playable and has fit more the contact-oriented mold previously, so the elevation of the bat strength, along with another tick-up in foot speed (6.70) should allow for a tier jump in our next update. Fits in center where he played for top-ranked Homestead as a sophomore; swiped 27 bags at the varsity level last spring. 

2. SS Jackson Treadway (Carmel)
Treadway, a 6-foot-2, 190-pounder, looked the part of a must-know name for Mid-Major recruiters with a chance to elevate himself even further. The swing is mechanically sound as he works down-to, long-thru with exceptional length at the front. Peppering liners from gap-to-gap, Treadway peaked at 98+ while also showing proper infield actions with at least average run and throw tools; 7.1 runner & 85 across. Still a bit of a projection take, Treadway will need to solidify this status for Carmel this spring in order to fulfill bullish expactions. With that being said, the frame is right, the athleticism and actions check boxes, and he is one of the youngest position players in the class. 

3. C Cam Gates (Bedford North Lawrence)
Gates stands as the top uncommitted catcher in the class and is one of the top bat-to-ball guys remaining on the board. A 7-flat runner who got out the gate at a 1.64 10-yard split, Gates setup with a slight pre-coil and deep handset before a simple swinging stride helps him uncoil and rotate on-plane. The hand-eye is something I've seen consistently over 3+ years, and he reached a peak exit of 95 mph while averaging 86 at this event. Gates shows well-above average arm strength from the crouch, up to 81 there, good for pops into the 1.9s. He is also more-than-capable of playing an average to better 2B at the D1 level, with the hand-eye showing up there also and the arm strength translating to 88 across. 

4. OF Mark Neels (Carmel)
Providing speed/power upside, Neels brings value in the 6.5 speed that he brings and pairs with left-handed bat strength. There's noticeably more strength than last year in the 6-foot, now 205-pound frame and the swing continues to polish. He starts open with a connected handset before hovering in a smaller leg kick stride. He is able to hold ground with the stride and turns the connected barrel tight off the back shoulder to get on-plane early. The swing adjustments paid dividends from a metric perspective as he peaked at 99 mph off the bat and averaged 93-plus. There is some tendency to exit the zone early, but the ability to present the barrel flat and deep in the zone should allow for quality contact rates. The arm is an average tool and he holds centerfield upside. 

5. SS Chase Nelson (Andrean)
Nelson may have the most polished hit-tool amongst all of the uncommitted players in this 2027 class. Stocky with strength in a compact 5-foot-9 frame, Nelson sets up in a balanced, crouched stance before controlling a leg kick stride with a rhythmic handset that works connected. A 7-flat runner, Nelson worked from gap-to-gap with a pristine path that produced a peak exit of 100 mph, and he averaged 90-plus throughout. To round out a complete day, Chase showed fundamentally sound actions on the infield while firing it across at 90 mph. 

6. SS Kaden Crumes (Yorktown)
One of the top infield defenders left on the board and another young-for-class prospect, Crumes excelled in multiple categories with an athletic look at 5-foot-10, 170-pounds. A 6.9 runner, Crumes sets up in the right-handed box and hovers patiently before deploying an explosive launch that produced in-the-air contact to the pull-side. The bat strength has ticked up, good for 97 mph rounded exits, and I've seen him get to pull-side power in-game. On the infield, he plays light-footed with soft hands and gets into mid-80s arm strength in a quick fashion. Still substantial growth in his game with more athleticism on the way, I expect this event to foreshadow a breakout junior season for Kaden.

7. CF/RHP Paxton Lukac (Andrean)
Extremely athletic with equal value on both sides of the ball, Lukac's bullpen was outstanding to begin the day, and he continued to impress on the offensive side. One of the top in-game defensive centerfielders in the class, Lukac burned a 6.5 60 to start the position player, reaffirming the plus we had the run tool graded last summer. The 89 mph fastball he showed on the bump translated for 91 from the OF, another quality tool for Lukac. Offensively, he works behind the ball with a connected handset before launching on a semi-uphill path with big bat speed. He went 100-plus at peak, and averaged 95 on balls put forward, with the average a touch skewed due to some foul ball contact. The offensive upside is immense, though there is some polishing to be done here. High follow on both sides, one of the more naturally gifted, tooled-out players on this list. 

8. CF Brody Langhans (Crown Point)
Langhans walked away with the top mark in terms of 60 times at this event, blazing a 6.41 60-yard dash. That time is a major tick, and solidifies him as a surefire centerfielder at the next level, the position he should man for highly-ranked Crown Point this spring. Offensively, the 6-foot, 185-pounder sets up in a balanced, athletic stance before hinging slightly into a strong launch position. There is a tendency to over-rotate that led to some flared misses in this look, but there is plenty of usable strength that helped him to a 96 mph peak exit on his best ball. The arm has ticked up, as well, and was 88 from the OF. The speed/defense provides a quality floor and a big spring at the dish could continue to push him up the board. 

9. C Nolan Butcher (Leo)
A fundamentally sound player in all facets, Butcher brings an undersized-but-athletic, 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame and quality defensive abilities to the table. He receives at an above average clip & has caught college-level arms for a long time; father is the Head Coach at University of Saint Francis. The glove-to-hand is outstanding and when paired with an 81 mph arm from the crouch, leads to pops into the 1.9s. Balanced right-handed swing is very sound; on-plane and the launch quickness stands out. Exits peaked at 97-plus. Ran 7.11 60 at this event and has been into the 6.9s previously. High-floor player.

10. OF Luke Roeder (Roncalli)
Roeder emerged as one of the biggest winners on the position side with the physicality of the 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame standing out. Roeder turned in a 6.86 60-yard dash before showing big time bat strength in batting practice. The right-handed hitter works from a taller, slightly coiled stance before working behind the ball as he lands soft on the front foot. The bat launches from a more upright position, leading to some inconistent contact, but flashed the bat strength as he peaked at 103-plus and and averaged 86. He rounded a quality toolset with an 87 mph outfield arm. Roeder will be a high follow this spring and is expected to make a big jump on our overall board, and if he improves upon the 25+% K-rate from his sophomore year and answers contact questions this spring, he could jump even further after the spring. 

More Standouts

Shortstops

+ Kasen Jessup, Westfield: Fits the bill of a utility-type with impactful footspeed up-the-middle, Jessup is a 6.7 runner with a quick right-handed bat that plays with more strength than the 5-foot-9, 170-pound frame would suggest. With exits reaching the upper-90s, Jessup showed familiar bat speed and offensive ability at this event as he peppered firm liners from gap-to-gap. On the defensive side, the feet carry and the arm strength has ticked up as he reached 89 from the OF and 88 across the diamond.

+ Logan Drake, Castle: A left-handed hitter who has a track record of finding the barrel, Drake deployed a familiar, short, quick, left-handed stroke that produced lower, thru-the-middle liners and some pull-side lift with exits reaching 95-plus. A 7-flat runner, Drake fits more the mold of an offensive-oriented second baseman than he does a true shortstop at the next level, though he can play short at the high school level at an average clip. Worth noting, Drake brought a more-physical look at this event, now standing at 6-foot, 185-pounds. 

+ Reid Walker, Bloomington South: A fundamentally sound player who shows better in-game than showcase, Walker stood out most on the defensive side with some of the most playable actions of the event; reaching 87 across without extra steps or effort. The hands are soft, and he has a real chance to play shortstop at the college level. A 6.86 runner, Walker used an athletic toe-tap stride and worked short-to, long-thru with exits up to 93 and plenty of barrel feel. 

+ Ryland Montgomery, Pendleton Heights: Montgomery is another fundamentally sound infielder who showed quality actions on the infield and enough arm to play the left-side at the college level, getting into an 86 mph arm across in a playable fashion. The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder paces the load well for a smooth look as his hands work on a direct path with out-front length. Exits reached 95.5 at peak, and he turned in a 6.95 60-yard dash. 

Outfielders

+ Amari Moore, Lawrence North: One of the top defensive centerfielders in the state, Moore continues to refine his baseball skills while showing best-in-class feet again and again. He burned a 6.7 to begin the day and showcased quick, crisp footwork in the outfield while getting into an 89 mph arm quickly. Offensively, both swings have refined for a short, quick, inside-the-ball type swing. The base is strong and he uses a short, rhythmic takeaway as he gets to his launch position. While power isn't the carrying trait of his game, he easily produced 93.5 mph exit velos at this event. 

+ Will Simons, Greenwood Christian Academy: Stocky strong in a 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, Simons stood out most in batting practice as he launched behind the ball with explosive bat speed for hard contact throughout his round. The exits peaked at 98-plus as he used a shorter hand path and rotational swing as the knob works tight to the body. The other tools have elevated in a noteworthy fashion; 7.07 runner who touched 87 from the OF. 

+ Drake Hall, Dekalb: An interesting follow from the Northeast corner of the state, Hall brought big physicality with his 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame and moved it for a 6.76 60-yard dash time. He is a bit of a tight mover, setting up in a crouched stance with a short path as he worked to the inside-top for low, thru-the-middle ball flights and exits at 98-plus. The miss is to over-spin, but there is clear strength in the right-handed swing. The arm is a below average tool for now. Hall had a huge sophomore spring and another good help him continue his ascent up the board. 

+ Drake Davis, Mooresville: There is significant twitch from the 6-foot, 175-pounder that resulted in loud metrics across the board that stood out amongst the outfield crop. The feet and arm are advanced tools; 6.55 in the 60 and 90 mph from the OF. Offensively, the exits reached 99-plus as he set up in a rigid, balanced stance and made a quick load stride before delivering the barrel on a loose, level path. There were some timing inconsistencies stemming from the fast-paced load/stride, but when its synced there is significant twitch in the swing. 

+ Carson Payne, Crown Point: A staff favorite who continues to enhance his tools and athletic ability, Payne turned in a 6.62 60-yard dash to elevate the feet into fringe-plus territory. He also tossed it 90 from the outfield, another strong tool. Offensively, he rotates with authority as the barrel works uphill with above average strength, reaching 96-plus for his peak exit. Amongst several juniors at Crown Point, Payne is a breakout candidate who could see his stock elevate with a big spring from a statistical standpoint, especially after showing toolset gains at this event. 

Catchers

+ Hayden Kidd, Greenfield-Central: The bat & arm strength stand as quality tools for the sturdy, 6-foot-2, 220-pounder. Setting up wide in a strong base, Kidd coils his hips as he gets the front toe down early and launches from behind with explosive bat speed as the barrel works in a lofty manner. There is clear strength at impact and power in the right-handed swing, averaging 90+ as his best bullet left the bat at 101.2. The arm has plenty of strength, reaching 81 from the crouch, with pops in the 2.1 - 2.2 range. 

+ Connor Gaines, Crown Point: Yet another Crown Point standout, Gaines has long shown quality barrel feel and once again did so at this event with an exit velocity peak of 95-plus as he averaged 88-plus throughout the round. He rotates on-plane with above average hand speed and the hands are adjustable and cover multiple quadrants of the zone. A 6.81 runner, the arm is a well-above average tool, as well, working up to 81 from the crouch. Set to rise in our next update, Gaines could continue to ascent if he can put together a strong spring offensively after hitting .600 in limited at-bats for the Bulldogs last spring. 

+ Carson Conley, Evansville North: Another potential breakout from a program slated to be a top-ranked 4A squad this spring, Conley had huge success for the Huskies in their state championship run last spring and showed off quality feel for the barrel along with the ability to repeat his swing at this event. Very physical at 6-foot, 205-pounds, Conley turns the barrel with the knob tight to the chest for an on-plane stroke that reached 97-plus at peak, and 88 on average. He moves the physical frame well in a straight line, turning in a 7.14 60, and reached 79 from the crouch with 2.01 - 2.15 pops. 

+ Axton Beste, Bluffton: Physical, 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame with well-proportioned muscle and quality athleticism for the position. He turned in a 7.05 60 and controlled his frame well in both offensive and defensive evaluations. The ability to throw with accuracy stood out as he put balls on the bag with low 2.00 pops and a 77 mph arm from the crouch. Offensively, he hits from a balanced setup with simple moves throughout. Beste turns the barrel high across the chest for a shorter path, getting to extension well, with gap-to-gap impacts at 96.5.