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Quick Hits: Indiana Nitro Scout Day

June 16, 2026
Cooper Trinkle & Conner Madding
Indiana Staff

Our annual Indiana Nitro Scout Day was held this past Tuesday, June 9th at Grand Park and featured players from the Indiana Nitro organization. The takeaway from this crop was the strength of up-and-coming talent with the organization, as several rising underclassmen left with up-arrows next to their name. Find those that caught our eyes most amongst a strong crop of talent below...

For full events statistics, click here.

Recruitable Talent

+ SS Logan Drake (Castle): Showing off a repeatable left-handed stroke that sprayed liners across the yard, Drake took one of the more consistent rounds of the day with a subtle wrapping hand load and shorter leg lift stride. He went 95-plus for a peak exit and paired some bat strength and a strong hit tool with a 6.99 60-yard dash. More-likely fitting the offensive second base mold at the next level, Drake showed sure-handed actions on the infield with an average arm across. 

+ IF Hudson King (Forest Park): Showing some of the biggest raw power of the day, King's 6-foot-4, 200-pound frame jumps out in the box and translates directly to leveraged barrel strength. Walking away from the hands with a simple load/stride, King works downhill and leveraged multiple pull-side homers with 98-plus peaks for pull-side, backspun results. A 7.02 runner, King has the arm strength to play 3B at the next level and stands as one of the better corner bats still on the market amongst uncommitted juniors. 

+ OF Mark Neels (Carmel): Neels burned a 6.6 sixty to begin the day and followed with a solid round of batting practice. Muscular with well-proportioned strength at 6-foot, 205, Neels sets up in a more-relaxed stance with fixed angles set in the upper body. He takes a slight hinge into the back leg before working in-place with a tight turn while spraying the ball to all-parts. He flashed above average bat speed while reaching a 97-plus peak exit. While the approach was geared more towards back-side liners, Neels was able to get into some lofted power with his furthest batted ball reaching 384 feet (event-best). 

+ C/P/3B Dean McGaughey (Southmont): McGaughey was a nice revelation on the bump, pitching at 82-86 and reaching back for 87 once. The uncommitted two-way showed a breaking ball at 73-74 mph with 13” of sweep and a straight change at 75-77. He moves well down the slope, landing slightly crossfired. The arm works free and easy on the backside to a ¾ slot. He showed familiar abilities on the offensive side of things with a low-handed setup, taking a slight rocking load back before turning the barrel down-to-up for some lofted contact and exits that surpassed 95 mph. A 7-flat runner, Dean can play both C and 3B at the next level, with the arm shown on the mound translating in both places. 

+ C Hayden Kidd (Greenfield-Central): Leading the day with a peak exit of 102.6, Kidd worked around the ball to lift and compress multiple pull-side homers to show off his biggest tool - his raw power. Standing at a sturdy-strong, 6-foot-2, 210-pounds, Kidd wraps a bit to a high-elbowed launch position before creating immense torque to work the barrel into the baseball. Uses the ground well and remains in-balance throughout. Has at least above average arm strength behind the dish - his best defensive trait. 

+ LHP/OF Sam Marquell (Homestead): A strong, 6-foot-1, 200 pound lefty that spins it well. Higher effort operation with a shorter, quick arm swing. Fastball sat 84-86 mph with arm-side life. Best pitch is a sharp 76-77 slider with 14” of sweep. Also features a cutter at 79-80 that pairs well with the slider. Showed more feel in this ‘pen than in the winter. Good uncommitted follow on both sides; showed off barrel strength from the left-side with intriguing impact ability there - good for exits that peaked at a rounded 98 mph. 

+ P/3B Asher Nelson (Fishers HS): A 6-foot-2, 180 pound right-hander that showed well on both sides. Lifts to a moderate balance point before an athletic move down the mound. Arm works loose on the backside to a ¾ slot. 86-87.7 mph fastball played with some arm-side run. Showed a short slider at 78-80 and a 79-81 changeup with 10” of horizontal movement.

+ SS Jacob Irving (Danville): In his first event with us, Irving left as a strong follow after turning in a quality round of batting practice to pair with a 7.1 60-time. Some projection remaining within an athletic-looking, 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. Barrel works down-to with some length out-front; able to backspin the ball with above average bat speed and his exits peaked at 95.4. Good follow; clear college-level talent. 

+ RHP Nolan Glowski (Valparaiso HS): Athletic right-hander with strength in a 6-foot, 185-pound frame. Clean, full-circle arm action works to a ¾ slot, paired with an athletic delivery down the slope. Showed average command of an 86-88 mph fastball. Best offering is a sharp 78-79 mph slider with 18” of sweep and spin rates in the 2800s. Also mixed an 83-84 mph changeup with fading action. The slider projects as a potential plus pitch, making Glowski a quality uncommitted follow in Indiana’s 2027 class.

+ LHP Lucas Johnson (Carmel): A 6-foot-2, 185 pound lefty with room to add strength. Some rawness to the operation, the arm works long and free with some quickness on the backside. Fastball sat 82-84.5 mph with arm-side run. Johnson also showed a 72-75 sweeping slider and a changeup at 77-78 mph. Interesting follow with a chance for jumps.

2028 Standouts

+ OF Ryan Lackman (Tri-West): The biggest winner amongst hitters at this event, Lackman moves inside the top 100 for the 2028 class after showing off some impact that showed in the form of triple digit exits and a couple of long batting practice homers. The hands reach back in the load to create some length to a stiffer turn before accelerating the barrel to-and-thru contact for blossoming power and the potential for some more in the future. There is present strength to a 6-foot-1, 185-pound that could hold some more strength in the future, as well. While not a burner (7.25), there is a chance for future average speed, but for now the bat carries the profile and will continue to be monitored closely from here on out as it was this spring. 

+ 3B Emmett Harding (South Bend Saint Joseph): A winner from this event that showed off some bat strength within a repeatable right-handed swing. Harding stands at 6-foot-1, 200-pounds with a physical frame; hit from a balanced setup and repeated simple moves consistently. Whipped the barrel head through the zone with length out-front for a peak of 96 mph. Fringy runner who fits more of a corner profile, however the run-producing traits are starting to become more-clear, and he has the arm to stick at 3B (86 at this event; 88 in winter). 

+ SS Mckade Griese (Terre Haute South): Providing athletic, bouncy movement patterns, Griese turned in a 6.85 60-time to begin the day and followed with some stronger hacks in batting practice that translated for 92-plus peaks and low, firmer contact. The natural athleticism of the wiry, 6-foot, 165-pound frame looks the part of a next-level follow and will warrant closer follows this year-and-next..

+ C Daxton Davis (Silver Creek): Brings a premier LHH C profile with some upside to a 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame. Sets up in-balance with fixed upper body angles and makes a slight tip-to-trigger before tilting and working on a more-upward path. Showed off some arm strength, as well, with a 77 mph arm from the crouch. 

+ OF Grant Shaulis (Westfield): 6.63 runner whose feet carry the profile; stands with wiry athleticism in a 6-foot, 170-pound frame. Arm is an above average tool, as well, up to 86 mph. Offensively, the swing works in a scoopy manner with some twitch to the launch; peaked at 92.7 mph. 

+ 3B Stathan Thompson (Mooresville): Twitchy athlete with rigid patterns, Thompson turned in a 6.71 60-yard dash and followed with some twitchy barrel speed that produced exits up to 94.5 mph on this day. The arm is an above average tool, as well, reaching 83 mph, and he has been sure-handed at the hot-corner in our follows and showed much of the same in-terms of infield actions on this day. 

Super Sophs

+ IF Oliver Wilkinson (Mt. Vernon): Owning as sweet of a swing as any in the class, Wilkinson put together the cleanest swings of any player at this event, regardless of age, as one of the younger in attendance. Dripping confidence in a relaxed setup, the 5-foot-11 rising sophomore was on-barrel consistently with a 94 mph peak and was able to line the ball across the yard at will. A 6.88 run time enhances one of the better hit tools we've seen amongst 2029s, and it is easy to project future triple digit exits once strength is added onto a present 150-pound frame. Likely an offensive second baseman which hinders the profile some, the left-handed swing brings immense value and he continues to solidify the hit tool with each and every look. 

+ RHP Paul Morgan (Plainfield): Morgan was a big winner from the winter and showed quality strides in his development. An ultra-projectable, 6-foot-3, 175-pound right-hander who is young for the class. Morgan features a raw delivery as he continues to learn how to sync his long-levered frame. The fastball sat 82-84 mph, touching 85 once with carry through the zone. The spin has trended well since the winter, highlighted by a 71-74 mph slider that he spun in the 2500s. He also showed a 70-71 mph curveball and an upper-70s changeup. Morgan is a young arm with considerable upside and one we will continue to monitor closely.

+ CF Luke Stevenson (Noblesville): Dynamic athlete with some bounce; burned a 6.61 60-yard dash to begin the day and turned the barrel for 88-plus mph peak exits. Compacted strength within a 5-foot-8, 165-pound frame. True CF with the feet, and arm (87 OF arm), to be a defensive weapon in CF. Tools and profile create a higher-end follow; got some run at the varsity level as a freshman for a top 4A program. 

+ SS Henry Dodds (West Lafayette): Dodds presents projection in the form of a young-looking body (5'10" 160) and brings a "ball-players' vibe" in all the actions he shows. Loose-wristed with a simple left-handed stroke, Dodds went for an 85-plus mph peak exit during batting practice and put together a fundamental round of I/O with above average arm for a prospect at this stage. The hands on the infield stand out most and there is a path to Dodds sticking at short as this class ages up. 

+ OF Landon Crooks (Danville): Presenting upside with a projectable, 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, Crooks stood out as a clear follow in the class with a lengthy-but-on-plane swing that has a chance to polish greatly as strength is added. Despite a longer, taller frame than most at this stage, there is clear immaturity to project that more is to come with Crooks. Good follow moving forward. 

Rising Stars Follows

+ '30 SS Steven Brown
+ '30 C Landon Lukeman