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Power Rankings: 2028 Southpaws

November 14, 2025
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

As we lead up to our end of year update, our staff hints at impending moves with the release of our position rankings for each position in the class as our board stands at the conclusion of the fall. 

We began with our top ten corner infielders in the junior class, found here.

We pick back up with our top 15 southpaws in the class, a crop of left-handers that is very deep, includes a trio at the top that could push the talented trio we saw graduate in 2025, and all are considered Top 100 players for our next update. 

Top 15 Southpaws

  1. Ty Pohl (Evansville North) 

  2. Luke Hensley (Tri-West) 

  3. Ian Funk (Andrean) 

  4. Macon Simpson (Floyd Central) 

  5. Austin Semmler (Terre Haute South) 

  6. Brody Drake (Center Grove) 

  7. Charlie Johnson (Cathedral)

  8. Carson Meyer (Batesville) 

  9. Cooper Yeakle (Fishers) 

  10. Jack Baumgardner (Valparaiso)

  11. Kyler Wood (Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian)

  12. Luke Benefiel (Fishers)

  13. Owen Kopercinski (Lake Central)

  14. Andrew Rathbun (Leo)

  15. Kail Tislow (Avon)

Player Reports

Ty Pohl LHP / Evansville North, IN / 2028

+ Quick Overview: One of the top players in the class, and the top left-hander in the Midwest from my evaluations. That evaluation is validated by Pohl's ranking as the #6 LHP in the country per Prep Baseball's national rankings (2 players ranked ahead currently have reclassed to 2027), and he earned notoriety throughout the 2025 summer where he was dominant at every stop. 6-foot-3, 190-pounder that repeats the delivery well with a clean arm on the backside, while showing advanced stuff. As good of a chance as any in the class to be a next-level SP. 

+ Stuff: 84-87 FB that averages 19" of IVB with 6'2" ext., 70-72 CB w/ gradual 11/5 break, 74-76 CH (1330 avg. rpm, 6" IVB, -12.6" HZB) chance to be a legitamite offering. 

Luke Hensley LHP / Tri-West Senior High School, IN / 2028

+ Quick Overview: Established himself at the Midwest Super Sophomore Games as a premier LHP to know for 2028. The #18 ranked LHP in the nation per our national rankings, #2 LHP in the Midwest. Checks serious boxes with a 6-foot-5, 185-pound frame and clean movement patterns that produce easy velocity. Breaking ball show flashes of a swing-and-miss pitch. Chance to throw really hard... 

+ Stuff: 83-86 FB w/ abv-avg extension and some heaviness/ride, 72-75 SL w/ sweeper shape spinning in the 2000-2100 range.  

Ian Funk LHP / Andrean, IN / 2028

+ In the mix amongst the top strike-throwers in the class while also boasting one of my favorite deliveries. Extremely mobile leading to dynamic hip2shoulder/scap retraction. Loose, whippy arm stroke. Spins it well. Athletic, 5-foot-11ish, 155-pounder that has a chance to make a big impact for Andrean this spring. Young for the class. Chance to elevate greatly if stuff trends in 2026. Cut FB played in the upper-70s to low-80s this past summer & rumored to be higher as of recent, mid-60s SL that spins north of 2300 (one of the better BB amongst LHP in the class, 71-73 CH (3" IVB, -10" HZB). 

Macon Simpson LHP / Floyd Central High School, IN / 2028

+ 6-foot-3, 175-pound left-hander with some wiry athleticism. In the zone with consistent feel for three-pitch mix, 78-82 FB, mid2upper 60s CB, low 70s CH. Balanced, repeatable operation. Loose takeaway with some quickness to the arm stroke. Real chance for stuff to jump with added strength... another young for class kid. 

Austin Semmler LHP / Terre Haute South, IN / 2028

+ Another guy on a short list amongst the best strike-throwers in the class. Clean, easy, and balanced operation. Lands with a slight crossfire with a shorter, compact arm circle. Tons of upside in the athletic, projectable, 6-foot-1ish, 165-pound frame. Upper-70s to low-80s on the heater for now, real chance he jumps to at least into the mid-8s in 2026. The CB is the pitch I project to end up best in his arsenal, thrown with real 1/7 shape and showing some later bite that'll likely get more vicious as the velocity climbs. Will show as low-70s CH. Checks every SP box. Made an immediate impact as a freshman at the 4A level last spring posting: 5-1 record, 3.16 ERA, 10 BB, and 30 K in 31 IP. 

BRODY DRAKE LHP / Center Grove, IN / 2028

+ From Fall State Games 2025: An uber-athletic southpaw from a talent-rich Center Grove program, Drake continues to elevate on the bump, making a statement and showing as easily one of the top 7 lefties we've evaled in the class to date. Compact athleticism stands out in the 5-foot-10 frame with ample twitch included, evident in the 6.70 60-yard dash turned in during the AM. There is easy effort to the drop&drive move down the slope and the arm works full/quick on the backside before getting to a 3/4 slot. 82-84 T 85 FB works with some run and glove side feel, 75-77 CH is sold w FB arm speed, 68-71 SL spun in the 21-2200s and holds upside. Strike-filled look. Big follow for next spring...

Charlie Johnson LHP / Cathedral High School, IN / 2028

+ From Fall State Games 2025: A high-floor southpaw that continues to trend at a steady clip, Johnson showed a slight tick at this event while showing the same balanced look we've become familiar with. The 6-foot, 170-pounder lifts to an even balance point before making an in-line move to the plate, repeating a shorter arm stroke that he hides well to create some deception. Low-80s (T84) fastball plays with carry and sets the tunnel for three above average secondaries. Plenty of feel to go back-foot to RHH with a mid-70s slider, and he'll subtract with spin in the low-70s as more of a land pitch with bigger shape; also shows a quality change in the mid-70s. A starters' tab feels safe here, especially if he continues to trend in the fashion that he has over the course of our staffs' follows. 

Carson Meyer LHP / Batesville High School, IN / 2028

+ Another high-floor, strike-thrower amongst this group that has done nothing but fill it each time our staff has gotten eyes on. The delivery is polished and his advanced body control shines through as he shows the ability to change pace with his lift to disrupt hitter's timing, while he still repeats the uncoil well and remains in balance. The arm is compact and holds some quickness to it. I saw him this summer up to 83, routinely pitching in the 78-82 range. He has real feel for a firmer, 75-76 SL that flashes some sharpness at times, and he can really turn over a change that plays a tick slower than the SL. In short, the kid knows how to pitch and has the athleticism to make jumps still. 

Cooper Yeakle LHP / Fishers, IN / 2028

+ Big projection to the wiry, 6-foot-1ish frame. Loose, low-slot sling coming from a low 3/4 slot with quicker arm speed. Fastball works 78-82 mostly but has reached 84 in showcase, while the secondaries are still developing. Some scatter at times that will be monitored, but the athleticism and outlier slot create immense intrigue. 

Jack Baumgardner LHP / Valparaiso, IN / 2028

+ Another intriguing southpaw with real chance to make jumps in 2026. Highly-projectable, 6-foot-4, 205-pounder who has reached 80 on the heater. Slower tempo mover w compact arm circle. Holds athleticism in the frame while providing some two-way intrigue with power potential in a left-handed stroke. 

Kyler Wood LHP / Blackhawk Christian School, IN / 2028

+ Athletic mover w a real chance to make jumps. Younger look to the 6-foot-1, 175-pound frame. Saw him pitch in the 78-82 range on the circuit last summer with some cut/ride life to the heater. Spin was attribute in my look, showed an upper-60s SL w some sharpness and changed pace with a top-down CB in the mid-60s. Showed a low-70s CH, as well, that came out with FB arm speed and showed tilt. Strong follow. 

Luke Benefiel LHP / Fishers, IN / 2028

+ Strong follow in the class who is expected to be a breakout for Fishers next spring. Hangs his hat on advanced feel for the zone with a unique look as he works from an over the top slot that plays from a lower relative release height (5'4" FB rel. height). He backspins the FB really well to create big time carry (20" IVB), allowing the properties and rel. height to play it above its 78-80 mph velocities. 67-69 CB is an above-average pitch that plays top-down and tunnels well off the heater. 

Owen Kopercinski LHP / Lake Central, IN / 2028

+ From the 2025 Underclass Games: Kopercinski worked a pair of clean frames against quality hitters with a deceptive look and above average stuff for the age. There is equal compact strength and athleticism in the 5-foot-10, 160 pound frame and the semi-stab arm action, paired with a quick-paced delivery, allowed his 80-82 T 84 heater to jump on hitters. His mid-60s slurve kept hitters off balance with its velocity separation compared to the fastball. Owen is a solid follow that I expect to make contributions next spring at the varsity level.

Andrew Rathbun LHP / Leo Junior/Senior High School, IN / 2028

+ A bit of a gut-feel pick, I really liked what I saw from Rathbun in a look at one of our Prep Baseball Tournaments this summer, showing quality development trends from our first look at him at the Fort Wayne Diamondbacks Scout Day in the fall of 2024. Listed at 5-foot-10, 155-pounds, the frame has an immature look to it to suggest more to come, but he was up to 82 this summer while pitching mostly in the upper-70s. He shapes a big, top-down, upper-60s breaking ball well and filled it in the two looks our staff got on him this summer. 

MacKail Tislow 1B / LHP / Avon High School, IN / 2028

+ 6-foot-1, 160-pound multi-sport athlete with a chance to make an impact for a younger Avon staff this spring. Gets downhill well with a clean, quick arm on the backside. Fastball reportedly into the low-to-mid-80s, though the operation and athleticism is what I value most at the age. Helium candidate for 2026 that could rise with more looks/production at the varsity level &/or on the circuit.