Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Class of 2029: Initial Top 20

November 24, 2025
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Our first edition of the Indiana 2029 rankings comes after an initial follow period, spanning from early 2025 (and for some even before) to now, where our staff was able to make early evaluations on players that attended our Rising Stars series and other showcase events like the Prep Baseball Junior Future Games and the Indiana Fall State Games, along with a handful of Prep Baseball tournaments that featured players from this class at Grand Park. 

It is important to note, this list stands mostly as an identifier list --- sure to change as players mature, but reflective of our evaluations to date on the class. As we gain more and more looks on the class, and start to see them compete at the varsity level and marquee events on the circuit, our confidence level will rise further with each list that we put out. For now, this list is comprised of early favorites in the class - talented freshman who have shown the traits that we value while standing out above their peers. We look forward to following these early favorites over the next four years, and inevitably we will see several players left off this list, or current follows, make a splash at some point in their high school career.

To give some clarity/context to how these lists evolve, and the accuracy in which we have upheld / look to uphold with initial rankings, check out our dive into the 2026 class - where the top 20 started and how it has evolved - at this link. 

Without further ado, read along to find our initial class of 2029 top 20, along with some notes regarding the list in total, and each player finding their name on this prestigious list. To follow, we release our high follow list, jampacking 80 names that we are excited to follow into one place.  

Trio At The Top 

Headlining the class, we have 3 Top 100 players in the 🇺🇸 in our initial national rankings

+ A trio of top spot contenders reside in the top-three in the class as LHP/OF Adler Kellams (Fort Wayne Carroll) gets the nod for now after showing continously as a name-to-know prospect in this class. Kellams broke out in front of our staff at a Rising Stars event last winter, before representing Indiana at the Junior Future Games in 2025, where he left a lasting impression with an excellent performance on the hill where he quieted a quality Kentucky roster. Kellams cemented himself as the initial No. 1 on the fall circuit, excelling in several looks but none more than his performance at the Indiana Fall State Games, where the ultra-athletic, 5-foot-11 southpaw dominated older competion with his fastball registering at 87.4 mph - the top velocity we've seen from a LHP at the age in recent years. His athleticism gives him real two-way upside, as the left-handed hitting CF has already turned in a 60 time of 6.69, reached 91 mph from the outfield, with exit velocities that approach the upper-90s. 

+ The excitement around new No. 2-ranked player, OF Cooper Gear (Valparaiso) resides around how high his floor is set, compounded by the fact that he carries one of the more-advanced hit tools we've seen at the age in recent years. The youngest player on our initial list, Gear doesn't look it with already compact strength to his 5-foot-10, 185-pound frame that helps his left-handed stick pack-a-punch. The swing plane is ideal and he cemented himself as the No. 1 hitter in this class throughout the 2025 calendar year, including showing as one of the top LHH OF's in the country at the Junior Future Games. His 6.97 60 is an advanced time for the age, as well, with a possible speed/power CF profile looming if his development continues to trend in the direction we've seen in our follows. 

+ Finally, RHP/OF Cain Sims (Evansville Mater Dei) has what it takes to be the next big power arm in a long line of them from the Hoosier State. Athletic, with a high-waisted, projectable, 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame, Sims' fastball reached 87 in the early part of last summer, and will likely tick to 90-plus sooner-rather than later. He mixes with feel for a breaking ball, although the athleticism within the operation (and obvious arm talent) is what we are most bullish on. Like Kellams, there is a real chance Sims can develop as a two-way prospect, with Sims already showing power in his right-handed stroke with the look of a future power hitting RF on the offensive side of the ball. 

Exciting Follows (Top 10)

+ The three names above find themselves in our early tier-1 discussions, but this class has several exciting follows that see their name land on this list initially. None bring a louder toolset than our No. 4 overall player, and No. 1 ranked SS, Alex McCord (Cathedral), a player also featured in our initial 2029 national rankings, checking in at #196. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound infielder already boasts triple digit recorded exit velocities with some of the loudest raw power we've seen used in game. There are high level movements to a direct-but-on-plane swing, and he's shown no issue catching up to velocity in our follows, even collecting an extra-base hit at the Junior Future Games against the #2 ranked LHP in the country for the 2029 class. McCord also brings an 88 mph arm across the diamond (up to 85 on the bump) with a chance for the feet to be impactful down the road with a 7.12 60 already recorded. 

+ Our No. 5 and No. 6 spots are held down by two of our favorite right-handers in the class, Keagan Linder (Tri-West) and Colten Russell (Franklin Central). Linder, a physical, 6-foot-2, 188-pounder with a fastball that has already touched 86 mph to pair with one of the best breaking balls we've seen of this class. Linder's durable frame pairs with the advanced stuff he shows for the class, and he's done nothing but flood the zone in our follows - establishing a safe floor while he also offers some two-way upside as a potential future power hitting 3B.

- Russell, younger brother of former 1st rounder Ashe Russell, checks just about every box we value in right-handed arms for this age. He's got real room for growth in his 6-foot-2, 168-pound frame with a loose, quick arm that will make jumps quickly. We've seen him up to 85 already with aptitude to land a sweeper shaped breaking ball that grades out at an advanced clip for the age. Indiana is known for producing arm talent, and these two appear primed to push Sims for the top spot in the coming years. 

+ Our No. 7 and No. 8 spots initially are held by two of the most impressive hitters in the class, 1B/OF Isaac Marshall (Heritage Christian) and OF Carson Sloan (Center Grove). Marshall brings some of the loudest bat speed we've seen of any left-handed hitter at this age, turning the barrel with the intent to do damage and already showing advanced strength with exits going north of 98 mph. The swing plays with impressive length through the zone and there is still projection to a 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame that already holds easy above average athleticism for the age.

- He's tiered with Sloan, another physically-impressive outfielder who showed extremely well in our early evals, earning an invite to the Freshman Preseason All-State as just an 8th grader. An imposing presence at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, Sloan brings big power/speed upside with 97-plus exits and a 7.18 recorded 60-yard dash. Sloan was one of our most productive hitters at the Junior Future Games in 2025, showing off a stable lower half with strong hands that help him to damage with a simple, repeatable operation. Sloan also doubles as a standout prospect on the gridiron, making a splash as a varsity contributor as just a freshman for a storied Center Grove football program this fall. 

+ To conclude the Top 10, we have two of our favorite left-handers holding down the No. 9 & No. 10 spots, respectively. LHP/OF Townes Cinninger (South Bend Saint Joseph) checks in at No. 9 - a smooth-moving left-hander with a short, compact arm stroke that produces a low-80s fastball with natural life. Townes showed feel for his secondary offerings in our follows, as well as showing well as a left-handed hitter with two-way upside shining. The wiry, athletic, 6-foot-1, 155-pound frame checks boxes and he looks the part of a big time follow from the Northern part of the state.

- Noblesville product Royal Durham, a 6-foot-2, 172-pound lefty, rounds out the top 10 with one of our favorite operations in the class. His bullish ranking hints at what we value for this age, left-handed, projectable arms that throw strikes. Durham has done nothing but flood the zone in our follows, with a frame that is athletic and holds all-kinds of room for future strength, while showing three above average pitches (controlling all) including a fastball reaching into the low-80s from the left-side. 

Next Up

+ While five arms in the top 10 indicates a strong crop of pitchers in our early evals, this biggest strength of this class is undoubtedly the depth in the outfield that we have identified. All told, including those that we have profiled as two-way talents, 7 of the 20 players ranked inside the initial Top 20 are primary OF on the offensive side, and another 2-3 on this list that could potentially transition to CF in the future. SS/OF Oliver Wilkinson (Mt. Vernon) is one of those players, checking in at No. 11 on our first published edition of our 2029 board. Wilkinson debuts in our rankings for the bat, holding one of (if not my favorite) swing in the class. Well-paced and on-plane throughout, Wilkinson shows the makings of an advanced offensive player with plenty of strength in the accurate swing. He runs well for the age, turning in a 7.22 60 time at our Fall State Games. A primary shortstop for now, Wilkinson could fit several profiles defensively, and could climb even further up this board is the glove catches up to the bat.

+ The outfield depth in this class really comes to the forefront as we move down the list, led by OF Paddy Ayers (Cathedral), who checks in at No. 12, a high-waisted, athletic, 5-foot-11, 155-pounder who stood out during the spring and summer circuits, along with at the Junior Future Games for Team Indiana. The left-handed swing works with a blend of quality contact skills and budding strength, and our staff has recorded H-1st times on Paddy in the 4.3's.

- OF Caleb Smith (Center Grove) follows Ayers at No. 13 initially, showing some of my favorite offensive upside in the class. A true switch hitter with feel that is well-advanced, Smith left our Fall State Games this past fall as the MVP on the underclass side after collecting several hits from the left side & a homer that he struck from the right side. There is serious silk to both sides of the operation with the 5-foot-10, 145-pound frame far from a finished product. 

- OF Kiptyn Kluesner (Jasper) rounds out this trio of outfielders after a big fall in front of our staff. The 5-foot-10, 145-pound L/L OF did nothing but hit in our looks, showing off a short stroke that proved to be adjustable throughout our follows. The barrel works on-plane allowing him to use the whole field, while his contact skills get elevated by advanced foot speed for the class (6.97). 

+ The No. 15 spot is held down by the player with the top recorded exit velocity in the class to date, 1B/OF/LHP Maddox Wagler (Barr-Reeve). Wagler, a physically advanced RHH, reached a peak exit velocity of 100.5 mph at a Rising Stars event in March. His swing works from a strong base with obvious strength at impact in a shorter right-handed stroke. He ran a 7.3 60-yard dash in March, an above average time for a player in this class at the time of evaluation, and there is some upside on the bump with a cleaner look producing a left-handed fastball that worked in the upper-70s in March. 

+ Another Evansville-area prospect is slated at No. 16 in our initial rankings, 3B/RHP Will Mattingly (Evansville Central). A big winner from our Evansville Razorbacks Scout Day, Mattingly showed the look of a future middle of the order type run-producer with one of the more advanced right-handed swings we've seen in this class to date. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame projects to grow into physical, while the swing presently works with a quality blend on consistency and impact (exits north of 92 mph). Mattingly is a solid runner for the age (7.30) that also can reach into the low-80s on the bump. 

- At No. 17, we have arguably the most athletic player on our board initially, RHP/3B/OF Deaken Johnson (Hamilton Southeastern). One of the highest-touted QB prospects in the class, Johnson enjoyed a big fall as the varsity QB1 at HSE, though we believe there is serious upside on the baseball diamond if he chooses to go down that route. The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder stood out at the Super Select last spring, looking the part and holding the upside of a potential tooled-out CF, while he also holds all traits necessary to be one of the top right-handed pitchers in this class. 

+ Our final pitcher in the initial rankings appears next in RHP/SS Abram Freeman (Brownsburg), checking in at No. 18. Freeman broke out at the Indy Titans Scout Day by showing the best right-handed velocity we've seen on an Indiana native in this class, touching 86.2 mph his bullpen. While the arm talent is advanced, the 5-foot-10, 160-pounder cemented his status with his breaking ball, spinning over 2600 already, one of the top breaking balls we've seen in this class to date. We are bullish on the arm talent, though he does have some upside on the dirt as a SS, too.

+ Rounding out the list, we have two highly-athletic prospects that also hint at what we value, foot speed. OF Luke Stevenson (Noblesville) enters the list as the No. 19 ranked player, also owning the top recorded 60-yard dash that we saw in our early evaluations. A 6.59 runner who profiles in CF, Stevenson brings not just plus foot speed, but a well-rounded toolset that includes an above average arm for the class (83 mph from the OF in June) along with twitch in his right-handed swing that produced upper-80s exits last summer. The bat will be monitored closely, but the twitch and athleticism are some of the best we've seen in the class and carry the value to land him as a top 20 prospect in the class for this initial update. 

- Rounding out the list we have C Reid Kelso (Vincennes Lincoln) at No. 20 as the top-ranked catcher in the class after standing out at multiple Prep Baseball events in 2025, including for Team Indiana at the Junior Future Games. His foot speed is advanced for the position, burning a 6.85 60-yard dash this past summer. His right-handed swing works on-plane for upper-80s exits, and he plays full-go at all times while throwing at an above average clip for the age, and the receiving abilities he showed in Atlanta were very advanced for the age as well. 

Cooper's Future Picks

10 high follows that WILL make an impact on this list, at one point or another in the next four years, when their physical maturity catches up to the skill/feel that they possess.

  • SS/RHP Clayton Atchison, Morgan Township
  • SS Ben Berwanger, Lake Central
  • SS Logan Buffie, Perry Meridian
  • C/SS Henry Cherry, Fishers
  • SS Easton Deckman, Columbia City
  • 3B Colton Guyer, Lafayette Central Catholic
  • SS Hayes Loggins, Harrison
  • LHP Andrew Shaw, Warsaw
  • 3B/SS Gideon Snavely, Fort Wayne Snider
  • SS Mack Williams, Evansville Memorial

50 Freshman Follows

50 high follows for now that stood out amongst their peers in our early evaluations

  • SS Cayden Adley, Munster
  • C/SS Bowen Akers, Carmel
  • RHP Eli Allison, South Bend Saint Joseph
  • SS/3B Corbin Andres, Floyd Central
  • OF Hayden Becker, Lake Central
  • INF Rowan Bell, Carroll-Flora
  • LHP Brady Biggs, Lafayette Jefferson
  • RHP/3B Jackson Brock, Charubusco
  • RHP Michael Burke, Noblesville
  • LHP/OF Brandon Buse, Jasper
  • 3B/C Joshua Campbell, Rushville
  • RHP/OF Drake Carnahan, Fishers
  • RHP Caith Coffey, Floyd Central
  • MIF/OF JP Coleman, Park Tudor
  • OF Parker Condon, Brownsburg
  • SS Cole Cosey, South Bend Saint Joseph
  • LHP Alex Countryman, Guerin Catholic
  • 3B/RHP William Criniti, South Bend Saint Joseph
  • SS Henry Dodds, West Lafayette
  • SS Jackson Dutcher, Laporte
  • 3B Blake Fitzpatrick, Fort Wayne Carroll
  • C/RHP Isaac Flores, Hanover Central
  • RHP Evan Goodwin, Merrillville
  • RHP Tyler Hutton, Illiana Christian
  • RHP Ben Jacobson, Zionsville
  • OF Braxton Kellermeier, Avon
  • 1B/LHP JJ Kinnett, Cathedral
  • UTL Kirk Knight, Harrison
  • SS Sam Kriner, Roncalli
  • OF Braxton Lattimore, Plainfield
  • UTL Jacob Linton, Lebanon
  • SS Brady Lowrey, Harrison
  • SS Donovan Merriwether, Evansville Harrison
  • RHP/OF Brooks Miller, Danville
  • SS Christopher Pumphrey, Seymour
  • C/RHP Riggens Roerdink, Lake Central
  • SS Caleb Salsbery, Noblesville
  • RHP Rex Samardzija, Valparaiso
  • RHP Parker Sexton, Benton Central
  • 3B/C Jackson Simerly, Cathedral
  • OF Knox Simmons, Evansville Mater Dei
  • RHP Nolan Smith, Park Tudor
  • C/SS Cooper Smock, Huntington North
  • C Will Soleman, South Bend Saint Joseph
  • RHP/SS Bowen Van Hook, Terre Haute North
  • RHP/3B Noah Weber, Andrean
  • RHP Levi Welty, Mooresville
  • 3B/RHP Christian Wessel, Avon
  • LHP Jameson Young, Mt. Vernon
  • LHP Ben Zartman, Warsaw