Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Indiana Scout Blog: Junior Standouts

May 9, 2025
Indiana Scouting Staff
Prep Baseball Indiana

Our staff has put together a scout blog geared towards juniors that we have seen in the past two weeks. All but one are uncommitted, and several of the names below are considered by our staff to be amongst the best uncommitted options at their position in the class. 

Find all of our spring scout blog content, here. 

By: Cooper Trinkle, Indiana Scouting Director

Tate Troxell, RHP, Guerin Catholic, 2026, Alabama

+ I saw Tate in a 6-inning stint versus North Central this past week. Toeing the rubber at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds this spring, the body comp continues to clean up and the broad-shouldered frame brings a more muscular look. He lifts to a tall inward turn before an aggressive uncoil lands with a shorter stride, causing occasional misses up with the fastball. The arm action has cleaned up in the same fashion as the body and he is keeping the ball moving better on the backside of the delivery. His best pitch on the night was a late-fading, 81-83 CH that he abused LHHs with and showed tons of feel for. He flipped over a 73-77 SLV at will, though I thought the pitch showed better action last fall when he threw it a bit firmer. In total, it was a positive look. He has feel for three pitches that he can get swings-and-misses with, and his development is trending in the right direction.

Uncommitted 2026s

Blake Cope, OF/1B, Covenant Christian, 2026

+ Cope brought an ultra-physical look with a 6-foot-2, 210 pound frame. I saw him on a 3-for-4 night that included a pair of infield singles, and he is really beginning to blossom into a plus runner. He ran a 6.5 in showcase this winter and I got him on a 4.12 down the line in my look. The run tool seems to be helping him in the outfield, as well, where he looks lighter on his feet than I have seen previously. The arm is an above average to better tool, as well. At the dish, it is a simple operation as he walks away from his hands with a small stretch made in the forward move as the load counterbalances. The short, level swing plays with bat speed in a more line-drive oriented approach. There is some stiffness still at the dish, but the overall explosiveness has taken a step up. Overall, Cope is one of the top position players left on the board in the class. 

Colt Dehart, OF, Indian Creek, 2026

+ It was good to get some at-bats on Dehart as he returns from injury and he looks comfortable against upper-80s velocities in this look. He flew out to the track backside & pull-side, while also collected a scolded RBI 2B that he flicked to his backside gap. It is a fluid operation at the dish with his power beginning to shine, and even more on the way. He showed the twitch to catch up to velocity and as he finishes his rehab and gets back to 100% full health it likely ticks further, as well. He DH'd on this night - but the arm is an above average tool that also plays into the upper-80s on the bump. 

Nathan Sutherlin, SS, Greencastle, 2026

+ Sutherlin has been swinging a hot bat this spring and through 14 GP: .510 avg, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR. He is a 6-foot-3, 195 pound athlete playing in the middle with serviceable actions and above average arm strength, with a chance to polish and stick on the left-side long-term. The bat is the carrying tool and was on display on this night. He sets up in a tall, open stance with a rhythmic move to time and trigger. He is controlling his weight better this spring, something that I think is attributed to the obvious strength gains he added this winter. The swing works on a shorter path and he flashes the ability to match plane for G2G power. He is an average runner, but the hit tool establishes a safe floor and the body projects to add even more strength that should continue to louden the hit tool. 

Brooks Carroll, SS, Evansville North, 2026

+ Carroll was all over the barrel in my look and has added noticeable strength to his 5-foot-8 frame coming out of the offseason. His feet and hands really work and he showed a quick release and average arm strength in I/O. Offensively, he starts tall before an early hip coil and slight hinge that gets him into a repeatable spot to time the baseball. He turns a tight barrel that produced hard contact through the middle in all four trips on this night, and I have seen him hit premier velocity in the past that further validates the hit tool. It is an actions over tools profile that gets elevated with instincts, and he is turning in better run times this spring, as well. Carroll is also one of the youngest SS on our '26 board, another trait to suggest further development. Overall, the actions, instincts, motor, and big league bloodlines are what I value most in Carroll's game and that combination establishes a safe floor moving forward. 

Collin Ash, OF, Roncalli, 2026

+ I caught about 5 at-bats from Ash on a Saturday DH and he showed a couple tools that I've seen consistently across looks in the past few seasons. It is an athletic, 5-foot-10, 170 pound frame with compact strength. He turned in a 6.70 this winter in showcase and got down the line at a 4.24 in this look, establishing an above average to better run tool for the junior class. He has some bat speed within a simple left-handed stroke, but it plays as more of a line-drive, top-of-the-order type mold. His arm is an above average to better tool as well, up to 90 mph in showcase. Overall, Ash possesses at least 3 above average tools for the class, and a left-handed bat, that should garner interest from recruiters on the circuit this summer. 

Rykin Matthias, OF, North Central, 2026

+ Matthias continues to put together an outstanding junior campaign and came up clutch for the Panthers in this one, driving a back-side 2B to lead off the B8, before later coming around to score the game-winning run. It is a broad-shouldered, muscular, 6-foot, 200 pound frame with strong wrists evident in the left-handed swing. There is ample bat speed in the level path that is showing more and more in-game, and is likely the biggest factor in his league-leading Slug % in the MIC to this point in the spring. He is a 6.9 runner in showcase and that tool showed a bit louder in a game setting as he turned in a 4.21 H-1st on this night. There is still a tendency to get open early, especially on balls running away from the barrel, but the bat speed, left-handed bat, above average run times, and hard-nosed motor is what I value most in Rykin. 

Jaiden Kuria, RHP, Roncalli, 2026

+ Offering a physical, projectable look with a 6-foot-2 (+), 215 pound frame. The delivery has room for refinement, currently a lift and short stride operation, while the arm shows strength as it gets to an OTT slot. He pitched at 83-86 throughout, touching 87 early, and the fastball flashed life especially at the top of the zone. He mixed with feel for a mid-70s CB that he was able to land and get chase with. He threw 70% strikes in this look, a positive development trend, and the fastball velocity likely jumps a couple ticks moving forward. 

Reid Turner, SS, Yorktown, 2026

+ Turner was one of, if not the best, defender at our All-State in March and showed some of the more polished actions I've seen of a junior SS during I/O of my look on him last week. The feet play with fluidity and on-time with the catch, and he shows uber-confident hands with the ability to play with one hand when needed. The exchange is quick and there is present glove-to-hand that flows into a clean arm action that works from multiple slots and was up to 86 in the winter. The defensive tools are ahead of the offensive tools. It is a lateral athlete over straight line runner, and the bat is geared towards contact over power. In total, the ability to take care of the baseball in the middle is what I value here, and strength gains could continue to make him more impactful offensively. 

By: Conner Madding (Indiana Area Scout & Director of Operations/Content)

Troy Barrett, LHP, 2026, Chesterton

+ I loved my look at the southpaw in a conference matchup with LaPorte. Barrett is one of the most consistent strike-throwers in the state at 5-foot-9, 160 pounds and he poured in strikes with multiple pitches in this look. The fastball sat 85-87 the first two innings and he settled in at 83-85 the next 4.2 innings – it played with carry and flashed arm-side run at times. My favorite pitch was the 76-78 mph changeup, thrown with fastball arm-speed and dropping off the table late. He was comfortable throwing it in most counts. Barrett also showed feel to land his 74-77 mph breaking ball for strikes and induce swing-and-miss when needed – the pitch showed 2/8 shape. The delivery is balanced throughout, he lifts to a taller balance point before an athletic move down the slope with in-line shoulders present. The arm works clean on the backside to a ¾ slot. I love the pitch-ability with Barrett, he’s confident to throw any pitch in pretty much any count and the velocity is starting to tick.

Reed Robinson, C/OF, 2026, New Prairie

+ I made a quick stop by the Norwood baseball facility and saw two at-bats from the uncommitted switch-hitting junior, both coming from the left-side. Reed torched a ball to the pull-side and burned the right-fielder in his first at-bat then flew out to the center-fielder in his second at-bat. He sets up in a balanced, slightly crouched stance before a smaller leg kick stride and compact load of the hands. Reed turns the barrel with bat speed on a slightly uphill plane, he shows pull-side power and has one of the most accurate barrels in the class. The 5-foot-10, 195 pounder got the start behind the dish and showed an above average arm from an over-the-top slot with solid receiving skills. Robinson has the versatility to move out to the outfield but the bat is the carrying tool and it’s one of the top bats still left in Indiana’s 2026 class.

Tanner Post, LHP, 2026, Illiana Christian

+ I caught Post’s third start of the spring vs Westview on a Saturday afternoon and I really liked what I saw. Post put on noticeable strength in the off-season and he now stands 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. He pitched at 86-89 mph his entire seven innings of work and even reached 89 into the fifth inning - the fastball played with carry. The southpaw showed three solid off-speed offeries, the best being a 78-80 mph changeup with late fading action that he showed a lot of confidence in. He also showed a tight slider at 77-79 mph and a curveball with slightly more depth at 75-77 mph. Post was confident in landing both early in counts to both righties and lefties. The delivery is repeatable, he lifts to an athletic inward turn with a simple move down the slope. The arm works with quickness to an over-the-top slot on the backside. In total, I liked the potential starters mix and the ability to hold velocity for the entirety of his outing.

Jaden Norris, RHP, 2026, Sullivan

+ I got a quality look at Jaden in a mid-week start. I was excited to see the physical, 6-foot-2, 195 pound righty after he showed well at our Preseason All-State event in March. Norris touched 90 mph once in the first inning and sat 85-89 throughout, mostly 85s and 86s after the fourth inning. The heater played with late life and relied on it throughout the outing. He showed a 77-80 mph slider that flashed sharp bite and induced chase out of the zone. Norris flashed a high 70s changeup, although he doesn’t show a ton of feel for the offering at this time. He works out of a stretch only delivery, lifting quickly to an athletic inward turn and moving down the slope with intent. The arm is compact and works quick to an over-the-top slot. He fits a next-level reliever mold due to a potentially wipe-out breaking ball and high-effort, stretch only delivery. Norris punched ten batters, walked three, allowed zero earned runs and only allowed two hits in his complete game versus West Vigo.

Elijah Zolman, RHP, 2026, Westview

+ I caught Zolman in a start versus Mishawaka Marian in South Bend on a Saturday afternoon. Zolman showed arm strength at our Fort-Wayne area Preseason ID event this winter and showed some of that on the bump in this look. The fastball sat in the mid 80s, touching 87 mph, He showed a top-down breaking ball at 73-75 mph. The arms works with moderate length to an over-the-top slot. He lifts to a moderate balance point before a controlled move down the slope. Zolman is physical at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and punched eleven batters in six scoreless frames for Westview.

Jackson Mitchell, RHP, 2026, Avon

+ I saw Mitchell in a quick one inning relief stint for Avon. It is an imposing presence on the hill at 6-foot-8, 220 pounds. He lifts to a moderate balance point with a slight inward turn before a simple move down the slope. The arm works with some quickness to a H ¾ slot. The fastball sat in the low 80s, touching 85 with carry. We have seen Mitchell up to 88, as recently as this March in a bullpen setting. He showed a 69-70 mph curveball in this look that played with some depth. Mitchell also showed a mid 70s changeup with some fading action. The Avon right-handed punched one, walked one, and allowed zero runs in this outing. There’s a lot to dream on with the ultra-projectable frame as he continues to learn how to sync his long levers. 

By: Kellen Northam (Southern Indiana Area Scout)

Levi Lester, 2B, Barr-Reeve, 2026

+ Impressive bat from the left side. After difficult first AB against a quirky LHP, damaged a mistake pitch for a momentum swinging 3-run HR. Short stride but flat through the zone to create some pull-side pop. Average speed on the basepaths. Showed the ability to range laterally defensively but arm strength likely keeps him at 2B.

Jackson Trueblood, RHP, Seymour, 2026

+ Clawed his way through 5 innings battling command issues throughout. Arm was live early at 86-88 T89 through first three innings before settling into 83-85 for his final two. SL at 77-79 had right profile and has the makings of a quality secondary but control was inconsitent. Was the clear put away pitch when executed, accounting for 5 K’s. Big, physical, 6-foot-4 body that still projects for more velo on the mound. Final Line: 5 IP, 6 K, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 ER. 

Gunner Alexander, C, Gibson Southern, 2026

+ Defense-first backstop that possesses a big arm from behind the plate. Cut down a runner and made SB attempts closer than they should’ve been on a couple occasions. Bat speed is still developing but stocky frame could lead to power down the road.