Prep Baseball Nebraska Rankings Insider: Class of 2026
April 2, 2025
+ CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL NEBRASKA CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS
TOP FIVE 👑
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RANK |
PLAYER |
SCHOOL |
POS |
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1 |
Elkhorn South |
SS/RHP |
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The Nebraska commit is a dynamic two-way player with an impressive blend of athleticism and skill. Jindra possesses a strong and projectable frame. On the mound, he works with a high three-quarters arm slot, with a fastball that sits 91-92.8 mph, topping out at 92.8 mph, with slight arm-side run at times. He pairs it with a sweeping slider (73-75 mph, T81.3) that generates up to -17.1 inches of horizontal movement and spins well, showing feel for the pitch. His sinker, reaching up to 89.8 mph, features an average of 13.4 inches of horizontal movement, giving him another weapon in his arsenal. Offensively, he has a smooth and repeatable swing from an athletic setup and higher hands. His bat path is consistent with some violence, staying inside the ball well and driving it to both gaps with authority, as evidenced by his 100.1 mph max exit velocity and 365-foot max distance. Defensively, Jindra shows light, fluid footwork at shortstop, with a relaxed glove and strong body control when making plays on the move. His arm strength is elite for the infield, reaching 92 mph across the diamond with carry and accuracy. A 6.73 runner in the 60-yard dash, he has the speed to impact the game on both sides of the ball. |
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| 2 | Cordell Clinkingbeard | Papillion LaVista South | C/RHP |
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Another Nebraska commit with multiple tools, Clinkingbeard brings a strong, well-built frame with an explosive right-handed swing. He demonstrates high-end power potential, producing a max exit velocity of 103.4 mph and an average of 92.3 mph, with his longest traveling 392 feet at the Upper Midwest Procase in February. His swing is smooth and repeatable, showing advanced barrel control and natural whip through the zone. Defensively, he showcases a strong arm behind the plate, registering 82 mph on throws to second with pop times between 1.91-1.95 seconds. His footwork is quick and athletic, allowing him to consistently deliver accurate throws while also excelling at blocking and framing pitches, particularly at the bottom of the zone. Additionally, he has begun developing on the mound, reaching 92.1 mph at the 2024 Future Games with a slider that averages over 15 inches of glove-side movement. His combination of power, defensive ability, and athleticism make him a high-upside prospect to follow closely.
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| 3 | Cal Anthony | Creighton Prep | OF |
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Stop us if you have heard this before but here's another Nebraska commit. Offensively, Anthony features a balanced, athletic stance with a calm and repeatable load. His strong hands generate solid barrel control, allowing him to drive the ball with authority to all fields while showcasing notable pull-side power. At the Upper Midwest Procase in February, he posted a max exit velocity of 92.6 mph, averaging 88.6 mph, with a peak distance of 343 feet. However, he has previously recorded a max exit velocity of 96.4 mph at the 2024 Future Games in LakePoint, further highlighting his power potential. Defensively, Anthony moves with confidence in the outfield, utilizing a clean approach with a low glove position and fluid momentum through the ball. His arm strength is evident, registering throws up to 87 mph with consistent carry.
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| 4 | Colin Driffill | Millard North | RHP/OF |
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Driffill utilizes a strong lower half to generate explosive drive down the mound, working exclusively from the stretch with a quick, high three-quarter arm action. The South Florida commit effectively hides the ball in his delivery, making his arsenal even more deceptive. His fastball sits between 91.5-93.2 mph, topping out at 93.3 at the recent Upper Midwest Procase, with life out of the hand and a mostly straight trajectory. His slider, thrown at 77-78 mph, features tight 11/5 break with up to 15 inches of horizontal movement and high spin rates (T2366, 2088 avg rpm), making it a legitimate swing-and-miss offering. He also mixes in a firm changeup at 83-85 mph (T2007, 1909 avg rpm), which shows slight fading action. |
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| 5 | Braden Caito | Creighton Prep | 3B/RHP |
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Caito operates with a relaxed, loose tempo, featuring a longer, whippy arm action from a three-quarters slot. His fastball, which tops at 91.6 mph and sits in the 87.8-90.2 mph range, has easy life out of the hand with solid spin metrics (T2296, 2035 avg. rpm). He shows feel for both a curveball and slider, with the CB working at 73-77 mph (T2092, 1970 avg. rpm) with an 11/5 shape, while his slider—thrown from a slightly lower slot—sits 77-81 mph (T2091, 2008 avg. rpm) with 10/4 action. He also flashes a splitter at 82.7 mph, effectively killing spin and generating varying movement.
Offensively, the right-handed hitter sets up with a wider base and athletic posture. He utilizes a short stride load with good hand speed, producing a flatter bat path that consistently finds the barrel. He demonstrates a strong ability to drive line drives and fly balls to the pull side. At the 2024 Future Games, he recorded a max exit velocity of 95.7 mph with an average of 86.9 mph, reaching a peak distance of 294 feet.An above-average athlete, he posted a 7.16 in the 60-yard dash, further highlighting the Nebraska commit's potential on both sides of the ball. |
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+ CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL NEBRASKA CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS
TOP UNCOMMITTED BY POSITION 👀
Uncommitted players by their primary positions.
Pitchers: Aiden Stelling (Lincoln Southwest), Dakota Hughes (Concordia), Charlie Maaske (Omaha Westside), Kaden Christen (Wahoo/Bishop Neumann), Nolan Going (Creighton Prep)
Catchers: Cooper Smith (Omaha Skutt), Maverick Christiansen (Elkhorn North), Alec Small (Norris)
Corner Infield: Noah Carroll (Millard South), Liam Smithberg (Creighton Prep), Caden Shafer (Millard North)
Middle Infield: Jaxson Appuhn (Millard South), Austin Baldwin (Beatrice), Kai Vanis (Pius X), Tanner Evans (Millard North), Garrett Andersen (Creighton Prep)
Outfielders: Donnie Rosenthal (Papillion LaVista South), Jensen Albers (Gretna East), Burke Brown (Omaha Westside), Ty Phillips (Lincoln Southwest), Ian Arends (Grand Island Northwest)
NOTABLE RISERS 📈
Players who made jumps in the rankings.
| PREVIOUS | CURRENT | PLAYER |
| 10 | 8 | Dakota Hughes |
| 16 | 10 | Donnie Rosenthal |
| 21 | 12 | Austin Baldwin |
| 28 | 21 | Kai Vanis |
| 49 | 27 | Brodie McIntire |
| 38 | 29 | Alec Small |
| 40 | 31 | Caden Shafer |
| 63 | 38 | Grayson Wallace |
| 91 | 39 | Triston Lenhoff |
| 54 | 40 | Oscar Yuhas |
| 133 | 52 | Liam Cronican |
| 98 | 70 | Gavin Cornell |
| 114 | 75 | Jake Daniel |
NEW NAMES 👋
Players who make their debut on the rankings.
| RANK | PLAYER | POS |
| 46 | Santino Arranaga | LHP/1B |
| 78 | Boe DiLorenzo | LHP/OF |
| 87 | Alex Kruse | OF/RHP |
| 110 | Chase Smith | 2B/RHP |
| 112 | Cade Freeze | LHP/1B |