Senior Scout Blog: Update #3

Matthew Fisher RHP / Evansville Memorial , IN / 2025

First Look :  Fisher's first start drew a crowd of around 30 scouts and the top-ranked player did not disappoint. He came out with a 92-94 fastball and touched 95 on his best bullet. The stadium trackman provided key metrics for this look, and the fastball played with 25-2600 raw spin and produced 17-20" of Induced Vertical Break, along with occasional cut/ride action. The 6'3" extension he produced checks the boxes for those organizations that value that number, but my biggest takeaway with the heater was how easy he produced low-to-mid 90s velocities and the swings-and-misses he was able to get. He got (9) FB S/M in 19 total fastballs and showed (& has shown throughout my track record) likely the best fastball command I have seen of a high school RHP in my time with Prep Baseball. I was excited to see the cutter development - a pitch he previously shaped as a slider in the low-to-mid 80s. He is now spinning a 2700+ cutter at 87-89 and he showed the ability to front-hip RHH with it, along with running it away from RH barrels. The breaking ball is a future wipeout and present 50, flashing 60, and spun at 2900+ in the low-80s. It is a slurvier shaped pitch (-14 HZ, -8 IVB), and he has present feel for it. The change is at least a present 50 and likely ends up better, but he didn't need it in this look. Walking away - the ease of operation, slam-dunk starters' profile, and command stick with me. He is an exceptional mover with a silky delivery and the arm action to hold future gains. The 6-foot-3 athletic frame is also a major asset, and there is upside in the fact that he was a multi-sport guy all throughout high school. He threw 26/30 strikes in his first stint, and faced the minimum in 3 IP, striking out 5. It was as efficient as it gets and Fish has a real shot of going on Day 1 this year, with first round upside...

Second Look : Fisher lined up vs. Will Coleman in front of a crowd of area scouts, crosscheckers, and more. Fisher showed similiar velocity, maybe a touch lighter, sitting 90-93 T 94 in the first and pitching at that through 6 IP. He showed feel to add/subtract and velocities ranged from 88-93 late, but he grabbed multiple 93s in the 6th, and in usual Fisher-fashion as he reached back for swing-and-miss when he needed. The control was solid above average outside of a short spurt where he walked two straight in the 3rd. He's gotten super closed with the front leg at heel-strike which can cause some stuggles to get the FB glove-side. His breaking ball was similiar to the one I saw early, flashing 60s with hard bite and depth, though mostly slurvey and occasionally even full sweeper shape in the low-80s most. The cutter played at 85-87 and he uses it to front-hip/back-door early, along with using it to get in on LHHs. He threw one CH at 84. Final line included: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K. 

Brandon Logan OF / Fort Wayne, IN / 2025

First Look : I caught Logan in a brief look this past week. He faced a below-average arm and did what he was expected to do, turning in a 3-for-4 night with three singles on the night. The 6-foot, 192 pound dual-sport Notre Dame commit showed off the offensive adjustments we saw at this years’ Super 60, a more upright, athletic stance with an on-plane swing that allows him to use the whole field. He turned in a 70 run time and the feet are his best tool, though he did not get the opportunity to show his ball-hawking abilities in CF on this night. Logan hit a pair of homers that night after I saw him, something I expected to see from him this spring as his frame continues to pack on lean muscle. Logan stood on the top step all game, highly-engaged with a calm, cerebral demeanor. A crowd of around a dozen scouts were in attendance for Logan on this night. 

Second Look : Logan faced much better arms in this look and went 1-for-6 on the day, including some swing-and-miss, but also a go-ahead double late that secured his teams' victory over a top-ranked opponent. There was a bit more dive to the forward move, an old habit that showed up some in this look, but he seemed to adjust as the day went on for better at-bats. I did not get a run time on this day, but did get a 70 time early in the year. His ball-hawking skills were on display in this look and his glove + feet are the carrying tools within the profile. He made one of the best catches I've seen on a slicing liner off the bat of a LHH in the LCF gap, closing with elite speed and make a full extension layout catch to take away sure fire extra bases. The defensive abilitites and foot speed establish a safe floor, and I am confident in saying he is one of the best pure athletes on the high school side of this years' draft. If an organization believes in the bat enough, Logan could line up for a top 5 round pick this spring, though the signability is in question with his dual-sport commitment to play football and baseball at Notre Dame. 

Alex Barr LHP / Kankakee Valley High School, IN / 2025

First Look :  A 6-foot-2, 200-pound southpaw committed to Indiana University with a sturdy-hipped frame & room for continued physical development. Barr uses an aggressive drop-and-drive delivery following a fluid inward turn lift, uncoiling well with a loose, whippy arm action following. His fastball sat at 90–93 mph, touching 94 on his best bullet in this look, and the heater plays with above average ride through the zone. Complementing his fastball, he used a 70–74 mph curveball with spin rates in the 2300–2400 rpm range, offering depth and potential as an out pitch. He also mixes in a changeup at 80 mph, and showed a flatter, firmer slider in warmups. In this look versus Andrean, Barr showed quality fastball command at times with the ability to go in & out. In this look - Barr went 4.2 innings on a pitch count, allowing just one hit, no earned runs, issuing two walks, and striking out nine batters, with 66% of his pitches landing for strikes.

Second Look : My second look on Barr was not as impressive as the first, but still good undoubtedly. The 6-foot-2 southpaw came out with an electric first, sitting 93-94 and touching 95 with a heater that flashed big ride at times. He showed more of his 78-81 change in this look, dropping slot on it with average action. His low-70s curveball played with big depth and works well with the high-ride heater. His velocity dropped to 90-92 quickly and was down to 86-90 in his final frame, and the CB velocity fell with it. In total, the effort within the delivery leads me to a relievers' profile, but the movement patterns and projectability also offer arguably the highest ceiling of any left-hander in our 2025 class. 

Parker Rhodes RHP / Greenfield Central, IN / 2025

First Look :  + Rhodes drew a massive crowd to his first start and it was a mostly positive look in total, with encouraging progress compared to 12 months ago. It is a more-physical look now, standing at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds with the wiry upper body beginning to fill out. The physicality warrants a velocity jump, and he pitched at 94-97 in this look in the first, ultimately settling at 92-96 with some sink/carry manipulation. The SK/4S have a tendency to run together to create some dead zone, and he allowed 3 hits in his 2.1 IP in this look. In total it is average fastball life and average fastball control (3 BB), but the electricity in the arm swing and heaters creeping into the upper-90s indicate he has a chance to beat the dead zone with pure velocity. He spun an 81-84 slider that you could throw a future-6 on, and it is thrown with arm speed as it bites w more sweeper shape. His 88-89 change is his best secondary, but he didn't get to it on this day enough to show its full strength. In total, I like the athlete and the arm speed most here. Parker is cerebral in his preparation, another asset that establishes a comfortable floor, and as the weather warms I would not be surprised if he ticks further into the upper-90s this spring...

Second Look : I walk away from my second look on Rhodes with the same concerns as the first, there is average control and average life to the fastball, however I am still bullish on the mover/athlete. It is the easiest velocity in the class, as he pitched at 95-96 T 97 in the first before settling at 93-95 throughout most of the outing. I've heard reports of 98 throughout the spring and there is still enough projection to be bullish on more in the tank. He threw a couple cutters in the upper-80s and showed the CH in warmups, the CH is more of a chase pitch but it does play with above average action and likely trends further as he gains more experience with it in a game setting. The pitch selection was questionable in this outing, using ~50% sliders in this look. The slider played at 81-84 with flashes of a real bite and I walk away comfortable with the future 60 I put on it earlier in the spring. In my mind, Rhodes is pushing Flores for the No. 2 righty in the class. The Flores breaking ball is better than any pitch Rhodes has, but I do believe there is more projection to Parker, and also a better chance of ending up as a SP long term.  

Will Coleman LHP / Castle, IN / 2025

First Look :  + Coleman was awesome at our Powerhouse Procase in the preseason so I was eager to catch his first start. In frigid temps, the 6-foot-1, 170 pounder pitched at 88-90 with a carry heater that he showed present command of. He has the best change in the class amongst IN natives and the 76-78 mph offering disappeared with late fade in this look as we've seen it do for four years. He is throwing a firmer, sharper breaking ball this year that sits in the low-80s and he can manipulate it for two distinct shapes (SL/CB). He is a stretch-only mover with body control and balance standing out most in the delivery. The arm works to a full-circle and gets to a high 3/4 release - with the only knock being average-to-below arm speed shown. The stuff and delivery are easy to evaluate, but the pitch IQ is what separates Will & is why I have come to be such a fan. He pitches off misses & isn't scared to attack over the white - and the ability to tunnel is evident in his pitch selections. There is projectability left in the frame and Coleman could continue to grab helium if he starts to grab 92s and 93s as the weather warms. 

Second Look : Coleman's second look was even better than the first. In this look, the Kentucky recruit touched 92 early before settling at 88-91 throughout 7 innings of work, holding 91s late. Point blank, if I need a one game win, Coleman may be the arm that I give the ball to in this class. He is an ultra-competitor with tons of feel and his ability to land three quality offerings at will is what I value most. The fastball velocity trending up is obviously encouraging, but the feel for a future plus 77-80 change and ability to create bite on a low-80s curveball that plays with depth plays the heater up even higher. I saw two distinct shaped breaking balls in my first look, but this look came with exclusive CB usage, which I think plays best with the OTT arm slot he attacks from. I couldn't be more bullish on the kid, and there is plenty of projection to the athletic 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame to go along with a slam dunk SP profile. 

Peyton Dickens OF / Whiteland Community, IN / 2025

First Look :  + Likely the biggest helium draft name of the spring, Dickens continues to climb our board with a budding toolset and a premier, projectable, athletic, 6-foot-5, 185 pound frame. I got a look on Dickens during the opening week, and was impressed with how the tools translated to the diamond, along with the way that he fills out the uniform, and what you can dream on in the body. The left-handed swing is whippy and holds a tick above average bat speed, and you can project above average raw power down the road with his current exit velocities, and the strength gains left in the frame. The flatter path & solid hand-eye allows for present bat-to-ball & the arm is likely the best tool at this point, a potential plus, and he shows it in the form of a 92 arm from the outfield, and he was also up to 89 mph on the mound during this game. He is a 40-45 runner now (6.77 60, 4.3 H-1st) and strength gains likely take that up at least a full grade, especially considering force plate metrics that are in the 95th percentile or above. It is a really interesting profile, with an athletic, young-for-class frame, and Dickens has a chance to continue to grab helium with further production this spring. 

Second Look : I've sat on the Houston recruit quite a bit this spring and many of the projections I established early in the spring have come to fruition. He's hit 5 homers this spring, beginning to close the gap between power projections and usable in-game power, and I actually think there is a chance for plus raw power to develop as strength is packed upon the 6-foot-5 frame. The run tool shows best underway, but down the line the times are consistently in the 40-45 range still. It is the best OF arm in the class, I am comfortable saying it is a future plus, and I've seen him up to 89 on the bump as well. The only tool I question is the hit tool after sitting on him throughout the spring. There is some inconsistency in the forward move and some length to the path, both fixable with strength and at-bats, but there is still some pending question marks on my end until adjustments stick. I have seen him hit premier velocity, adjust to spin, and go up top to the pull-side across a couple looks, but I've also seen some swing and miss that leads to my pending question marks on the hit tool. Overall, Dickens is the only bat in the class that rivals Logan's ceiling, and there are at least two tools that I think could develop into pluses down the road... 

‘25 OF Peyton Dickens (@peytondickens_) provides a late-inning homer 💣 as Whiteland looks to claw back, down 8-5 T7.

6’5” 185, @UHCougarBB

Launches his 5th homer of the spring w loose uphill stroke & easy power in the athletic, projectable frame. @ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/UoKfn3nmCz

— Prep Baseball Indiana (@PrepBaseballIN) May 22, 2025

Kellen English RHP / North, IN / 2025

+ In terms of celing, English may have one of the highest of any arms in this class. He is hard to miss with his 6-foot-10, 205 pound frame. He gets to a moderate balance point with a tucked lift and even pace throughout. The stride lands short as the arm accelerates from heel-strike to an out-front, high 3/4 release point. There is very little perceived effort in his 88-92 mph fastball that plays with big carry and occasional arm-side run as well, and his control for the heater has trended nicely compared to my long history with this prospect. There are occasional big misses, but when the levers are on-time the ball comes out of the hand with ease and jumps on hitters. He showed two shaped breaking balls, a 75-78 CB that plays with depth and a 78-81 SL that is slurvey with occasional sweep. The two breaking balls run together at times for a more slurvey look, and his spin averaged ~77-79 most. English is a very interesting prospect in this years' bunch, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear his velos trending into the mid-to-upper 90s as he develops within the IU program... 

Joshua Flores RHP / lake central high school, IN / 2025

First Look :  + Flores is grabbing some helium thanks to his elite HS CB, likely one of the better CB's in the entire draft class on the prep side. The curveball is a plus, and I've heard some scouts throw even bigger grades on it. The curveball played at 83-85 in this look with true top-down sharp bite & caused uncomfortable-looking swings and tons of freeze takes. On Trackman this winter, he spun it at 2600+ with minimal horizontal and a foot of depth, on average. It is an elite offering with a unique shape and gets played up by a 92-95 mph fastball that plays with some carry at the top of the zone. Flores held his velocity for 80 pitches in this look, grabbing multiple 95s in the 4th, a trait to mitigate reliever risk - and he produced these velocities in frigid temps. He spun a sharp, short, side-to-side slider in the mid-80s and there is an at least 50 change, but he showed it sparingly. Flores is an dynamic mover with a long arm that creates all-kinds of leveraged arm speed to a more OTT slot. The only knock walking away was the present command. It is a control over command operation - where he will lean on his CB when FB command goes astray. He threw strikes at a 53% clip in this look - but only walked 2. 

Second Look : I caught Flores in a big matchup with Crown Point. The velocity was a touch firmer in this look, the fastball sat 95-97 mph the first two innings, before settling in at 94-96 his last three innings of work. The curveball was 85-87 mph with 12/6 shape and sharp bite. He landed it a handful of times and buried it for a couple swings-and-misses. Flores went to his 87-89 mph slider and 85-87 mph changeup a fair amount. The slider showed sharp action with some sweep and the changeup played with fade. The command was inconsistent as he walked 8 in five innings, 58% strikes. He leaned on his curveball and slider a fair amount throughout, but one of my biggest takeaways was the confidence in his mid 80s changeup. The stuff is electric and holding velocities in both looks are intriguing, our only knocks being the inconsistent command and undersized frame that leads to reliever risk. 

‘25 Josh Flores (@_JFLO13_) exits after 5 IP - 4 H, 3 ER, 8 BB, 9 K, 58% strikes.

6’1” 205 lbs, @UKBaseball recruit.

Scattered throughout but ⚡️ look w/ swing-and-miss stuff.

FB 94-97🔥 (97s thru 2)
CB 85-87 (12/6, 🔨)
SL 87-89 (short, sharp)
CH 85-87@ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/NU20gBav7M

— Prep Baseball Indiana (@PrepBaseballIN) May 13, 2025

Wyatt Pennington RHP / Avon, IN / 2025

First Look : + I caught Pennington's first stint and it was mostly postives - with several encouraging things to take away. He is a pristine mover w body control in a 5-foot-11, 180 pound frame. He can flat out rotate and that is abundantly clear in the uncoil of the delivery. There is present arm speed to produce a 88-91 mph fastball that touched 92, and played with significant arm-side life & flashed 4S carry. He comes from a wider, 3/4 slot and diving into Trackman after the outing, I uncovered an 86-90 mph sinker that played with zero vert and 20 inches of arm-side horizontal at times. The arm-side fastball sets up his best pitch, his 2800+ sweeper at 78-82 that is a future-6 & plays with sharp bite. I've seen at least an above average change, but he didn't get to it often in this look (88 mph). The stuff looked good, and I knew I liked the mover & competitor going in with my track record. He did show a tick lesser fastball control than I have seen of him in the past with glove-side and down being the most prevalent miss.

 Second Look :  I saw Pennington versus HCC rival Brownsburg. The velocity ticked up a little in this look, he came out 90-92 mph in the first and touched 93 once. He sat 89-91 the rest of his three innings of work. The pitch played with arm-side run and flashed some real sink at times. The breaking ball was less sharp in this look, playing with a little more depth than we’ve seen recently at 76-79 mph. He showed solid feel for a 82-84 mph sinking changeup to both righties and lefties. Overall, the fastball control and breaking ball consistency has been a touch less than we’ve seen of him in the past but we love the athlete, and the present stuff paired with solid feel. Also, he is one of the best competitors in the class…

Cal Gates OF / Bedford North Lawrence, IN / 2025

First Look : One-man show for the majority of the night, started the game off with a deep count won on a high heater, spoiled plenty of good pitches but never came off approach or got too big, second AB showed ability to cover outer half with a laced 3B over the LF, showed real speed by turning a surefire 2B into a relatively easy 3B, covered plenty of ground in CF while showcasing strong arm during I/O. On the mound, flashed a quality heater with clean delivery, sat 84-86 but jumped to 88 twice, CB at 74-76 was used infrequently but kept hitters off balance when shown, worked in and out of trouble to work 4 clean innings. Great athleticism and feel for the game.

Second Look : Another impressive and relatively effortless day for the future Hoosier at the plate. Started out the night with a backside HR that he didn’t get all of. Then turned around in the next AB with a liner pulled in RCF that likely had a higher EV than the homer. Controls the entire zone and doesn’t often chase. One of the top present hit tools in Indiana's senior class and the power numbers continue to rise as the year progresses.