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2026 Spring Rankings: Class of 2027

March 24, 2026
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Top 10 Shakeup

The top-end talent in this class continues to come to the forefront and we see a true trio at the top of the class at this point. For the first time in a year, we have a new No. 1 overall player in the class, with RHP Cole Cheatham making his way to the top spot after showing a premium fastball at our Preseason Procase - up to 99 mph (IN velo record) with a devastating fastball profile and a couple of secondary offerings that have a chance to refine into swing-and-miss pitches. Though not set in stone, Cheatham is rewarded as our #1 due to the shear impact his performance at the Procase left on not only our staff, but also the 30 major league scouts who were in attendance, as one of the hardest throwers the country has to offer in the 2027 class. 

The back-and-forth affair between CF Drake McClurg and SS Isaiah Snavely has been debated by our staff since these two were freshman. McClurg edges out Snavely in this update, rewarded for his hit tool elevating with impact performances at both the Future Games and Preseason Procase. The impact left from him collecting double-digit barrels vs premier arms combined between the two events elevates the hit tool grade and adds to a highly impactful run tool. Although, the evaluation remains open, and Snavely could easily force us to rethink quickly with the dynamic capabilities that he provides. Following Snavely, LHP Davis Moore and 1B Grady Nelson maintain top 5 status. 

SS Grady Grant, a TCU recruit, is our biggest riser in this update amongst the top-end talent. The silky smooth shortstop has a chance to continue to push up the board in a similiar fashion to older brother Gannon, but for now he lands as the No. 6 overall prospect on our board and the 2nd-ranked shortstop. He's matured into more physicality and bat speed that only amplify some of the best overall skill in the class, and his ability to double as a right-handed arm with a fastball up to 91 and quality offspeed offerings is worth noting as well. C Cooper Collins sees a one-spot lift after breaking all of our Indiana records for catcher throwing metrics at the All-State. While TWP Camden Moore drops a couple spots now, he is firmly within this tier of prospects with this race likely to be revisited in the early summer. 

SS's Ben Canada and Parker Robinson round out the top ten as another pair of shortstops jumping up the board. Canada holds significant offensive upside as a 6-foot-3 lefty with as smooth of a swing as any in the class. His bat keeps him above Robinson for now, but the advancements that Robinson has made in the box with quality swing refinements this winter, and the advancements he's made physically with a stronger, leaner, more-athletic look than he showed at the Future Games last July, pushes him back into our top ten in this update. 

Notes on Risers in the Top 30

While there are changes in this update, it is hard to completely forget the in-game evaluations we've made on these players just because some showed a toolset jump this winter. With that being said, those that did make a significant improvement in toolset, stuff, etc. do see reward with small jumps in this update. Ultimately, how they translate those tools to game this spring/summer will either push them further, or solidify previous evaluations. RHP Charlie Herr, and Indiana recruit, makes a small jump to the No. 2 overall RHP spot after showing a fastball up to 92 this winter. The 6-foot-5, uber-projectable Indiana recruit has also made advancements in his offspeed offerings, and should he perform this spring the way that we expect - he has a chance to continue to push up the board. 

RHP Lucas Haas and LHP Cutler Chastain are other arms making a small push up the board. Haas (clip below), our top uncommitted prospect in the class, showed strong strides this winter and is continuing to show the promising upside as one of the top right-handers in the class. Chastain, an Indiana State recruit, closes the gap amongst top-end left-handers in the class, finding himself firmly within a tier that includes himself, Haas, Riley Ackerman (Northwestern), and AJ Baggett (Indiana). Ackerman remains atop this bunch due to shear pitch-ability, along with a near 3k RPM breaking ball, to present the highest floor of the bunch. 

Amongst the position players, we have a pair that see a rise within the Top 30 for their toolset advancements shown this winter. Climbing into the top 20 is Purdue recruit, OF Colin Axel-Adams, a left-handed hitter who showed an intriguing power/speed combination at the All-State with a peak exit velocity of 106 mph that he paired with a 6.59 60-yard dash. While some consistency questions still remain, the wiry twitch he brings as a LHH with high-end speed and power helps him make a 4-spot climb. C/OF Brayden Dean, an Indiana State recruit, pushes into the top 30 for the first time in his career in this update. A 6.67 runner with exits up to 102 mph, Dean has been a favorite of mine for quite a while due to the in-game value and skill he brings, so the toolset improvements give us basis to push him up ten spots to #29 overall. 

Several others continue to push up the board, and are highlighted below. Like stated previous, we will ultimately wait to see who translates the tools to the diamond this spring and summer before making drastic changes, but we do highlight 5 'Winter Winners' below - those that see significant rises in this update. After that, look for another list that we title 'under-the-microscope', a handful of prospects that showed breakout type tools and could see a massive jump if they post numbers this spring. 

Finally, find the full list of our top 300 prospects in the junior class, at this link. 

Winter Winners

Isaac Gill RHP / Marian High School, IN / 2027

+ The biggest winner of the winter, Gill enters his junior season with an extremely bullish outlook and truly showed the look of one of the top projection righties in the class. Jumping 75 spots in the overall rankings to #25 overall, and standing as the #9 overall RHP now, read our full report on Gill's breakout performance at the All-State below...

 From the Preseason All-State: Easily the biggest riser of the event. Huge jumps since the fall. The 6-foot-5, 180-pounder from South Bend looked the part of a must-follow with a raw-but-athletic operation and real acceleration to a full arm swing. Pitching at 87-88 and touching 89 from a somewhat-unique wide slot, Gill spun the heater at 2400+ that provided a heavy look from a lower release height. He showed two-distinct fastball shapes, a heavier 4S that should climb above barrels, and a true sinker profile with heavy arm-side life and depth. There is real upside in the breaking ball, showing two grips that blended into a similiar shape for a low-to-mid 70s offering with big sweep. To round a deep arsenal, Gill controlled a change at 79-81 with heavy arm-side fade. If refinements are made to a breaking ball that already spins north-of 2600, Gill could climb into premier territory amongst righties in the class.

Shane Bardwell OF / Homestead Senior, IN / 2027

+ Amongst uncommitted position players, no one improved their stock quite like Bardwell, who jumps 20 spots in the overall to #32, and the #7 OF on our board. The speed/power/hit combo creates a safe floor for Bardwell, who is also a quality defender with a true CF profile, and Bardwell is now regarded as our #2 overall uncommitted position player on the board.

From the Preseason All-State:  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. 

Jackson Treadway SS / Carmel, IN / 2027

+ The shortstop depth at the top of the class is as good as we've seen in any class in recent years. Treadway showed best of our 'next-up' candidates this winter, and we enter 2026 bullish on Jackson, who is expected to fill the everyday SS role that JD Stein has now left vacant. Climbing to #43 overall, and the #7 SS, the young-for-class, 6-foot-2 shortstop appears primed for a breakout spring.

From the Preseason All-State:  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. 

Holden Hughes RHP / New Palestine High School, IN / 2027

+ A strike-thrower that we've valued as so for 2+ years, Hughes made a huge advancement in his overall stuff to warrant a 50-plus spot elevation, now just outside our top 50 as the #52 overall prospect on our board. Showing the same stuff we saw in a showcase setting this spring should jump him further, but for now - he offers as safe of a floor as any and we see him as a must-follow arm for mid-major recruiters this spring and summer. 

From the Preseason Preview:  Hughes ended our winter showcase season with a loud showing, sure to be one of the biggest winners in the 2027 class as they head into their junior season. The advancements were loud for the durably-built, 6-foot-2, 210-pounder. Showing big improvements in his stuff, Hughes pitched at 89-90+ with moderate effort and a familiar, loose, slingy arm action that releases from low 3/4. There is true sinker/4S manipulation to the FB, though the sinker fits the profile more. The slider is a solid average pitch, an upper-70s offering that averaged 2327 RPM and 11" of sweep, but the splitter he showed has swing-and-miss pitch written all over. Killing spin on it while creating devastating arm-side sink, Hughes threw the split at 82-84. A traditional strikethrower showing huge jumps, look for Hughes to rise in a major fashion in our next 2027 rankings update. 

Reid Dikos RHP / Westfield, IN / 2027

+ The advancements from last summer's Summer ID games to know have been a pleasure to watch unfold for Dikos, rising more than anyone on the list. His 125 spot jump to the #53 overall position was warranted as he showed: a +5 mph jump in fastball velocity, a 6.71 60-yard dash to suggest premium athleticism blossoming, and a short growth spurt that included quality muscle added to his now 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. Another young-for-class prospect who just turned 17, look for Dikos to continue to climb with a strong spring for Coach Bunnell.

From the Indy Preseason ID: Lean, muscular, broad-shouldered, 6-foot-2, 185-pounder with projections left. There is a controlled pace to the delivery as he sets himself to work downhill and breaks the hands higher before letting his arm work in a loose fashion for a shorter circle. He gets behind the ball from an over-the-top slot, carrying the heater at 86-88, and touching 90 on his best bullet. He spun a downer, low-70s CB off the heater for strikes at a consistent clip and the separation between the FB/CB should allow the CB to be effective when a hitter is in the box. He also flashed a quality change that looked the part of a usable offering in the low-80s. Continues to trend up the board, chance to breakout and jump even further with a strong spring campaign for the Rocks.

Under-the-Microscope

Players making significant rises in this update with a chance to jump further if they back it up this spring

1. Rising 15 spots to #69 overall, RHP Luke Bryant (Carmel) showed a fastball up to 89 mph with quality improvements to his secondary offerings.

2. Rising 26 spots to #89 overall, RHP Isaiah Frank (Brebeuf) continues to solidify status as a high-floor arm. Up to 89 with the sharp spin we've become familiar with.

3. New to the rankings at #90 overall, RHP JT Rozanski (Lake Central) should contend for significant innings on a new-look Lake Central staff this spring. Showing an upper-80s fastball that reached 89 this winter, our first look at Rozanski warrants a top 100 evaluation, and if he backs it this spring with a similiar look he could push further up the board. 

4. Rising 89 spots to #92 overall, OF Luke Roeder (Roncalli) turned in a 6.86 60, 103.5 mph peak exit, and 87 mph OF arm in his first showcase with us. The toolset is loud, and he brings physicality with a 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame. Proving the hit tool is consistent this spring will push him further.

5. Rising 41 spots to #97 overall, SS Ryland Montgomery (Pendleton Heights) is an in-game performer who turned in a sub-7 60, an 86 arm across, and a 95.5 mph peak exit - all quality improvements. Now a top 20 shortstop in the class, we look for a big year out of Montgomery who likely takes over as the everyday shortstop for the Arabians this spring. 

6. Rising 56 spots to #98 overall, SS/P Boston Roberts (Silver Creek) has entered the microscope for our follows this spring. He is a sub-7 runner who can really pick it in on the infield, with the arm (90 mph across) to stick at short. He has intriguing two-way potential as a RHP up to 88, and if he can tap into some power this spring at the dish their is a path for continued rise. 

7. Rising 47 spots to #99 overall, LHP Miles Brockhouse (Dekalb) now moves up the board as our #9 LHP in the class. He is a sturdy strong lefty who reaches up to 86, with spin metrics to suggest the breaking ball could be a real out-pitch at the next level. 

8. Rising 51 spots to #104 overall, RHP Quin Hendrich showed improvements in his overall stuff, and appears as a breakout candidate for a loaded Noblesville pitching staff.

9. Rising 75 spots to #105 overall, SS JP Rohwer (Fort Wayne Canterbury) has developed his toolset in a noteworthy fashion, a now 6.87 runner with left-side arm strength emerging along with bat strength developing at a quality rate. One that we have regarded for strong in-game abilties previously, an improvement across the board in the tools warrants a big jump.

10. New to the rankings and checking in at #107 overall, C/RHP Dominic Cromer (Roncalli) stands as the #12 catcher in the class for this update due to his combination of arm strength, bat strength, and physicality. A strong spring as the everyday backstop for Roncalli could warrant a move further. 

11. Rising 101 spots to #108 overall, SS Oliver Kingery (University) has begun his spring hitting at a 10-for-15 clip, and he is also a 6.59 runner with a sure handed presence on the infield.

12. Rising 59 spots to #128 overall, 3B Jeremy Haynes (Bishop Dwenger) has a quality left-handed swing that includes strength, and projects to stick at 3B at the college level. The value in the left-handed bat is what pushed Haynes up the board, and his numbers will be followed close this spring.