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Black Label Athletics Scout Day: Quick Hits

October 8, 2025
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Hosted at the University of Evansville and ran by the Prep Baseball Indiana staff, the Black Label Athletics Scout Day brought a strong contigent of underclass talent to Evansville that recruiters will likely need to know for August of 2026. The 2028 crop was exceptionally strong, with a couple of players even younger standing out at this event, as well.

Find the full event statistics, here, with reports on top performers below. 

Must Know

+ The top-ranked player in Indiana's rising sophomore class, SS Dylan Murphy, made another strong appearance - this time taking a break from the gridiron to show off one of the Midwest's more polished bats for the 2028 class. He continues to add width to his shoulders within an already-muscular, 6-foot-3, 200-pound athletic frame. He was nursing a bit of a hip injury that prevented him from running the 60 on this day, but he looked even stronger than he did at the Midwest Super Sophomore Games (where he was very, very offensive) at the dish - making a bigger park look small as just a 15 yr old sophomore, hammering multiple majestic homers that would've landed on the Lloyd had there not been a net preventing it. When synced, the jump off the barrel and the ability to backspin the baseball are extremely impressive. He tallied a peak exit velocity of 101.4 mph, an event best that is currently the leading exit velocity amongst all Indiana 2028 natives. 

+ Another must-know Evansville native for 2028 is C/3B/RHP Spencer Schiff, a highly-touted player currently ranked inside the T300 nationally for 2028s. One of the most consistent performers we've evaluated to date in the class, Schiff's in-game ability shines brighter than his showcases performances, although he still posted quality metrics at this event with: a 6.94 60-yard dash, a 97 mph exit velocity, and a mid-80s arm across the infield that was also up to 82 from the crouch. There is tons of polish to his game, taking a mature approach to batting practice where his swing works with balance always, and the barrel works on-plane throughout. He flashed strength with multiple batting practice homers, including a couple to the big part of the LCF gap, and there is still plenty of room for more strength in his 6-foot, 185-pound frame that should bring even more raw power. He is a steady defender at both positions, with real upside on the mound - though he did not pitch at this event. 

+ Traveling all the way to Evansville from Western Pennsylvania, '28 RHP Christian King made a loud announcement in his bullpen, trending nicely since my look on him at the ABC in early-July. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound frame has matured in a notable fashion with a broader, more-physical look than I saw at Grand Park this summer. This translated directly to louder stuff, as the projectable right-hander consistently sat in the 86-87 range during his bullpen while topping out at a rounded 88 mph on a heater that averaged 16-plus inches of IVB. He tossed a mid-70s slider that grades above average for the age presently, spinning into the 2200s at times, and there are easy refinements that could tick it up a grade quickly. He also showed a very well-shaped kick-change that played in a similiar velocity range to the slider, another offering that is well above average for the grade. Likely to tick even further before next summer, King joins a talented staff on this '28 Black Label team that will likely be one of the more talented groups roaming the Midwest next summer at the 16u level. 

'28 Follows

+ SS Boston Bookmiller (OH) - A natural athlete with a graceful ease to his actions on both sides, Bookmiller showcased very solid defensive actions that came with body control and an arm that could keep him at short in the long run. He worked into the low-80s across, but carried the ball well and the arm is amplified by quality glove-to-hand. Offensively, the right-handed hitter controls his forward move with a hovering toe-tap stride, turning the barrel on an upward plane that consistently produced line drives over the infield, with exits peaking at 91-plus. 

+ SS Jacob Caldemeyer (IN) - An athletic, 5-foot-11, 165-pounder, Caldemeyer does his best work on the dirt with some of the days' best infield actions. He plays in rhythm well with proper footwork and soft hands, transferring swiftly into a usable arm across the diamond that has a chance to keep him on the left-side. The sure-handed nature on the dirt provides a solid floor, and he showed at least average abilities in the box with some athleticsm showing there, and a direct, downhill-at-times right-handed stroke that worked exits up to 89 mph. 

+ RHP Dylan Chism (IN) - A Fort Wayne native, Chism provides a higher floor with four usable shapes and real deception within the operation. Stocky strong at 6-foot, 180-pounds, Chism gets to a big inward turn, pairing with a short takeaway that keeps the ball hidden, before uncoiling with some intent as his arm works to a 3/4 slot. The fastball played at 85-86 on this day with ride/run properties when located to his gloveside, setting the tunnel for a sweeping slider at 74-75 that is his best secondary presently. He can change pace with a loose-shaped, 68-71 mph curveball while also showing some feel for a 73-74 mph change.

+ C Nick Collins (IN) - A quality player who has trended nicely over the course of the past twelve months, Collins showcased above average abilities across the board. The athletic, 5-foot-9, 160-pound backstop began the day with a 7.12 60-time, before showing balance in a right-handed stroke that led to barrel feel and a 91.4 mph exit velocity on the top-end. He showed solid catch-and-throw, as well, with pops into the 2.0's.

+ C Alex Hood (KY) - One of my favorite right-handed bats in Kentucky's 2028 class, Hood provides an advanced defensive presence behind the dish for this grad class and couples that with raw power that began to shine at this event. Built with a stocky strong, 5-foot-11, 190-pound frame, Hood peppered balls from gap-to-gap to the tune of north-of-95 mph exits while turning a tight barrel that works on-plane. The bat speed is more noticeable since the summer, as is the arm strength, popping 2.00s on the bag during defensive workouts. 

+ OF Beckett Reaume (IN) - A strength-based toolset continues to elevate as Reaume has blossomed into a physical, 6-foot-3, 190-pounder. He creates ground force within the swing to elevate the ball with authority to the pullside, pulling the knob tight for a more-direct path that produced exits that eclipsed 97 mph. There is speed/power upside with a 7.14 60-yard dash, a solid above average time for the age, and his 84 mph outfield arm is yet another above average tool he brings to the table. 

+ INF/RHP Brody Redman (IL) - Redman stood out most during batting practice, showing controlled aggression from the left-side with above average bat speed to pair. There is rotational strength to the operation, producing exits that eclipsed 94 mph, and he (unassumingly) ran a 7.12 60 that should enhance with further refinements to the frame. He showed fundamental actions on the dirt before hopping on the bump to show a low-80s fastball and some secondary feel, although his highest ceiling profile appears to be on the position side. 

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