Prep Baseball Report

2023 Spring Previews - 1A: No. 6-10


Indiana Staff
PBR Indiana

#6

2023 HS TEAM PREVIEW: Greenwood Christian Cougars

Head Coach: ​Doug Hagist

Class: 1A

2022 Record: 13-9

Conference (2022 Record):  6-2

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8/5

2023 Team Strengths:

  • Starting Pitching

  • Hitting

  • Varsity Experience

Top Players: 

  • Trey Harney, RHP/INF, 2023: Indiana Wesleyan University recruit

    • 34 IP, 5-3 record, 3.29 ERA, 60 K’s / .453 avg, 9 2B, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 41 R

  • Charlie Overton, SS/CF, 2024

    • .373 avg, 45 R, 25 RBI, 28 RBI / 31 IP, 1-2 record, 5.42 ERA, 44 K’s

  • Eli Ellis, 1B/P, 2023

    • .462 avg, 13 2B, 38 R, 22 RBI / 24.1 IP, 3-0 record, 5.75 ERA, 39 K’s

  • Colton Flint, C/P, 2024

    • .338 avg, 22 R, 22 RBI / 10 IP, 1-0 record

  • Wyatt Schlageter, INF, 2024

    • .345 avg, 18 R, 15 RBI

  • Mason Wright, OF, 2024

    • .339 avg, 19 R, 22 RBI

  • Caden Camden, 3B/P, 2025

    • .291 avg, 25 R, 12 RBI / 4 appearances, 6 IP

  • Jake Potter, P/INF, 2023

Outlook: Greenwood Christian returns 8 starters on the offensive side of the ball from a team that hit just shy of .400 a season ago. The Cougars are led by Senior Trey Harney, the ace of the pitching staff and top returning hitter from a season ago. Harney hit .453 with 9 2B, 10 HR, and 50 RBIs as a junior while throwing 34 IP with a 5-3 record and 3.29 ERA. Senior Eli Ellis (.462 / 13 2B | 24.1 IP / 3-0 record) and Junior Charlie Overton (.373 / 45 R | 31 IP / 1-2 record) are coming off big years in 2022 and will look to be key contributors again on both sides of the ball. Juniors Colton Flint (.338 / 22 RBI), Wyatt Schlageter (.345 / 18 R), and Mason Wright (.339 / 22 RBI) are key returners that will look to build off their varsity experience as sophomores. Sophomore Caden Camden hit out of the leadoff spot as a freshman and will also be a contributor out of the Cougars’ bullpen. Expect Senior Jake Potter to contribute to the lineup, as well as out of the bullpen, after missing his junior season due to injury.

#7

2023 HS TEAM PREVIEW: Indianapolis Lutheran Saints

Head Coach: Josh Meaney

Class: 1A

2022 Record: 22-9

Conference (2022 Record):  8-6

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/6

2023 Team Strengths:

  • Hitting

  • Defense

  • Team Speed

Top Players: 

Outlook: Indianapolis Lutheran returns seven starters from a sectional title team from a season ago. The Saints will have a strong offensive unit, led by two seniors who had massive 2022 seasons in OF Micah Mackay and INF Josiah King. Mackay hit .457 in his junior campaign with 12 2B, 4 HR, and 27 SB and will be a force in the middle of the Saints’ lineup. King batted a team high .537 in 2022 to go along with 9 2B and 11 SB. The Saints’ will need a pair of returning Juniors in Jackson Brandenburg (.385 / 10 SB) and Gehrig Whitlock (.295 / 3 HR) to anchor the lineup. Sophomores Owen Lecher, Ryan Hughes, and Landyn Parker should provide the lineup with depth and speed. Junior Ryan Jeffers should anchor the Saints’ pitching staff after he tossed 30.1 IP with a 4-1 record and 1.38 ERA last season. Sophomores Ryan Redding (3-0 / 3.61 ERA) and Owen Lecher (2-0 / 0.88 ERA) will be looked upon to give the Saints’ quality innings on the bump. Coach Meaney expects Freshman Dax Lockliear to be another key contributor to the Saints’ pitching staff. 

#8

2023 HS TEAM PREVIEW: Morgan Township Cherokees

Head Coach: John Smith

Class: 1A

2022 Record: 17-9

Conference (2022 Record):  5-2

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/6

2023 Team Strengths:

  • Pitching

  • Team Speed

  • Defense

Top Players: 

  • Jack Wheeler, P, 2024

    • 49.2 IP, 5-2 record, 1.27 ERA, 67 K’s 

  • Keagan Holder, OF/P, 2024

    • .462 avg, 7 2B, 18 R, 17 RBI / 15 IP, 1-2 record, 6.53 ERA, 15 K’s

  • Max Rakowski, C, 2023

    • .400 avg, 10 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, 22 R 

  • Jayke Putz, 1B/P, 2023

    • .390 avg, 5 2B, 2 HR, 31 R, 26 RBI / 39.1 IP, 4-2 record, 3.92 ERA, 47 K’s

  • Bradley Farris, C/INF, 2025

  • Chase Rosenbaum, INF, 2025

    • .386 avg, 7 2B, 1 HR, 18 RBI, 21 R / 9 IP, 2-0 record, 1.56 ERA, 15 K’s

Outlook: Morgan Township returns a quality pitching staff that should be helped out by an athletic position player group that will play solid defense. Junior Jack Wheeler returns atop the pitching staff after pitching 49.2 innings last season with a 5-2 record and 1.27 ERA. Wheeler will be joined by Senior Jayke Putz, who posted a 4-2 record in 39.1 IP a season ago. Junior Keagan Holder and Sophomore Chase Rosenbaum will be counted on to provide depth to the pitching staff after gaining varsity pitching experience last season. Holder returns as the top bat of the group after batting .462 with 7 2B as a sophomore. Senior backstop Max Rakoswki will be a force in the middle of the lineup after he posted a .400 batting average with 10 2B and 2 HR in 2022. Putz (.390 / 5 2B) and Rosenbaum (.386 / 7 2B) will be counted on to be impact bats yet again this season. Expect Sophomore Bradley Farris to provide plenty of power to the middle of the lineup after he missed much of last season due to injury. 

#9

2023 HS TEAM PREVIEW: Barr-Reeve Vikings

Head Coach: ​Doug Hagist

Class: 1A

2022 Record: 22-7

Conference (2022 Record):  6-1

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/6

2023 Team Strengths:

  • Starting Pitching

  • Team Speed

  • Defense

  • Depth

Top Players: 

  • Seth Wagler, RHP/OF, 2025

    • 26 IP, 3-1 record, 2 Sv, 2.15 ERA  / .400 avg, 6 2B, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 27 R

  • Colton Stoll, OF/UTL, 2023

    • .393 avg, 4 2B, 27 R, 16 RBI 

  • Jake Pauw, 1B/RHP, 2025

    • 22.2 IP, 3-1 record, 3.39 ERA, 29 K’s

  • Ethan Stoll, SS/RHP, 2024

    • .297 avg, 7 2B, 27 R / 23.2 IP, 2-0 record, 2 Sv, 2.07 ERA

  • Donnie Miller, OF/UTL, 2024

    • .375 avg, 10 RBI

  • Kendall Graber, C/RHP, 2024

    • .241 avg

  • Braydon Knepp, OF/P, 2024

    • 6 appearances, 7 IP

  • Tyler Graber, OF, 2024

  • Kylan Lengacher, 1B/DH, 2024

Outlook: Barr-Reeve returns a quality group of position players plus two of their top arms from last season's group that went 22-7. Sophomores Seth Wagler (3-1 record / 2.15 ERA) and Jake Pauw (3-1 record / 3.39 ERA) return after being key cogs in the starting rotation as freshman and will look to stay atop the rotation this year. Juniors Ethan Stoll, Braydon Knepp, and Kendall Graber will provide quality depth to the Vikings’ staff. Wagler will also be counted on to pace the Vikings’ offense after he hit .400 with 25 RBIs in 2022. Senior Colton Stoll returns after hitting .393 with 27 R as a junior. Ethan Stoll and Junior Donnie Miller return with starting experience and will likely be counted on to hit near the top of the Vikings’ order. Kendall Graber returns experience behind the dish and Junior Tyler Graber will provide the Vikings’ with speed in the outfield. Expect Junior Kylan Lengacher to provide some power in the heart of the lineup as well.

#10

2023 HS TEAM PREVIEW: Bloomfield Cardinals 

Head Coach: ​Jarrod Holtsclaw

Class: 1A

2022 Record: 10-12

Conference (2022 Record):  3-4

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 6/6

2023 Team Strengths:

  • Pitching

  • Hitting

  • Experience

Top Players: 


Outlook: Bloomfield returns a group of four players that were all-conference in 2022 led by Butler recruit Brett Sherrard. Sherrard hit .485 with 5 HRs a season ago and will be counted on to provide the same impact in the heart of the Cardinals’ lineup. Sophomore Dillon Warnick hit .414 as a freshman and will likely hit out of the leadoff spot once again this spring. Junior Braxton Clark (.403 / 3 HR) will be another impact bat in the middle of the Cardinals’ lineup. Junior southpaw Boone Holtsclaw will be the ace of the pitching staff after he posted a 4-3 record with a 2.07 ERA as a sophomore. Sherrard was unable to pitch last season due to injury, but expect him to join Holtsclaw atop the starting pitching rotation this season. Warnick and Clark will also factor into the pitching staff to provide depth.

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