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2024 High School Team Previews : 3A Preseason No. 1 - No. 10

March 19, 2024
Cooper Trinkle
Lead Scout

The IHSAA Baseball Season is quickly approaching and our preseason polls have been updated in preparation for the beginning of the season. Read along to find previews on the teams ranked No. 1 - No. 10 in our preseason 3A Top 10.

#1 Andrean 59ers

Head Coach: Dave Pishkur

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 28-7

Conference (2023 Record): 10-0

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 5/6

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching & Returning Bats

Impact Players:

Outlook : The 59ers have a talented roster that will look to take them to a 3rd straight trip to Victory Field. JR SS Mason Barth will be the leader of this club, taking on his 3rd year as the everyday shortstop. Barth is the top returning hitter, with SR OF Tyler Peller also coming off a breakout junior season. Peller and Barth will make up the heart of this lineup, with SR's Jack Vogt and Moises Vasquez, along with JR Blake Kouder, returning with valuable experience. Andrean will have a deep pitching staff, with JR's Trent Kulig and Ivan Mastalski, along with SR Matt Habas, expected to be in the starting rotation. JR pitchers Charlie Sollars and Braden Branigin help to make up a solid bullpen, with Barth likely taking on a closer's role. With a deep pitching rotation and an experienced group of position players, Andrean is primed for another successful season.

#2 Guerin Catholic Golden Eagles

Head Coach: Keith Nunley

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 25-3-2

Conference (2023 Record): 9-0-1

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/All

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching, Athleticism, Defense

Impact Players:

Outlook : Guerin returns nearly all of the team that won 25 games last season, a recipe for a strong 2024 season. SO Tate Troxell and SR Davis Wagner return as major contributors on both sides of the ball, combining for a 15-0 record on the mound in 2023, and they are two of the biggest bats in the lineup. JR Max Meyer should provide another strong arm behind Troxell and Wagner. SR's Nate Gremelspacher, Cuinn Morrow, and Bryson Dorsey return tons of experience and will be factors on both sides of the ball, as well. JR AJ Nunley and SO Karson Smith will create a stable middle infield, two standout defenders that will also bring versatility to the offense. SO Ian Taylor had a breakout freshman season and will look to replicate that success in 2024. 

#3 Evansville Memorial Tigers

Head Coach: Rip Collins

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 20-9

Conference (2023 Record): 5-4

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/5

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching & Power Bats

Impact Players:

Outlook : Memorial returns three division one recruits and a group of experienced upperclassmen from a team that won 20 games and a Regional Championship last season. JR Matthew Fisher is the face of this team, one of the best junior arms in the state, and he will double as a middle of the order bat for the Tigers. SR Thomas Lynch and SR Bailey Collins are two more experienced power hitters that return, along with SR Clark Gries. JR SS Simon Schulz will bolster the defense at shortstop and should hit near the top of the order. Fisher, Gries, and Collins will be relied upon to lead the pitching staff, with Schulz and JR Alex Broshears adding depth to this unit. With Fisher on the mound, this is a dangerous group, and the experienced hitters should give them a chance to make another playoff run. 

#4 Jasper Wildcats

Head Coach: Terry Gobert

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 24-4-1

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching and Defense

Impact Players:

Outlook : Year in and year out, Jasper always has a competitive club and this year's team should be strong once again. The Wildcats are led by SR Andrew Noblitt, the face of the pitching staff, returning as the ace of the staff for his second consecutive season. JR Kai Kunz will add depth to the staff as another pitcher with a good fastball. Kunz should hit near the middle of the order, joined by SR Will Wallace, a returning starter with power. JR CF Brayden Giesler is a breakout name for the Wildcats, an athletic left-handed bat that will roam centerfield. 

#5 Mishawaka Marian Knights

Head Coach: Joe Turnock

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 20-9

Conference (2023 Record): 9-2

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 9/7

2024 Team Strengths:

Returning Experience

Impact Players:

Outlook : Marian will be a dangerous team come playoff time, with a loaded lineup full of experience and two solid starting pitchers. SR Chase Bays is the leader of the team, a middle of the order bat, and he will be protected by SR's Bryce Lasane and JJ Oliver. These three are all coming off big junior season, with SR's Evan Schmidentdorff and Cameron Bortone also returning solid numbers from a season ago. JR Cole Hundt is a multi-year starter that will look to have a bounce back junior year. Bays and SR Paddy Keefer were the leaders of the pitching staff last year and return to fill the same role. The Knights will need a few new faces to bolster the pitching staff, but should have the frontline arms and hitters to compete with anyone in 3A.

#6 Hanover Central Wildcats

Head Coach: Sal Aguilar 

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 20-8

Conference (2023 Record): 10-1

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 8/4

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching and Top of the Lineup

Impact Players:

Outlook : Hanover Central has a young, talented squad with two solid frontline arms and an athletic lineup. SO Dylan Bowen returns at shortstop and will be the top hitter in the lineup. SO Aidan Cresbaum, and JR's Landon Sarkey and Caiden Verrett, are talented hitters that will create a solid top of the order. JR Jaylen Rutherford and SR Adam Young will be contributors on both sides of the ball. The pitching staff will be led by SO Matthew Cook, a very solid uncommitted prospect in the 2026 class, and JR Brad Rohde, a potential division one recruit that will also double as the team's first baseman and another power bat. 

#7 Tri-West Bruins

Head Coach: Nick Spence

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 23-7

Conference (2023 Record): 13-1

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 7/6

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching and Experienced Bats

Impact Players:

Outlook : This Tri-West team is interesting, returning virtually the same team that led them to a Regional title last season. It all starts with SR Isaac Pierson, who went 12-2 last season, leading the pitching staff. SR Chase Holland returns in a starters' role and SR Brady White should retain his role as the closer of a strong staff. Both Holland and White will provide depth to the lineup, as well. JR's Jackson Catt and Ethan Frye will give the middle of this lineup stability, while SR CF Chase Hardman should be a factor at the top. Look for athletic freshman Jackson Sorgi to be a key contributor in the lineup during his rookie season. 

#8 Fairfield Falcons

Head Coach: Darin Kauffman 

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 24-7

Conference (2023 Record): 10-0

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 9/4

2024 Team Strengths:

Return every position player

Impact Players:

Outlook : Fairfield returns all of the everyday starters from a team that won 24 games in 2023. SR SS Cohen Yoder and SR C Michael Slabaugh are the top returning hitters, enjoying huge junior seasons, and they will look to replicate that success. JR Eli Miller, SR Keegan Miller, and SR Owen Garrison are all impact bats for the Falcons, too. Keegan Miller will pace the pitching staff, returning an 8-1 record, with Landon Miller and Owen Garrison adding solid depth. The Falcons lose 2023 ace Alec Hershberger, but the mix of returning arms, and adding pitchers like SO Grady Garber and JR Hunter Kauffman to the mix, should help mitigate those concerns. 

#9 Silver Creek Dragons

Head Coach: Ryan Wheeler

Class: 3A

2023 Record: 26-7

Conference (2023 Record): 8-0

2024 Team Strengths:

Return #1 SP & Contributors from 2023 State Championship Team

Impact Players:

Outlook : Despite losing a large chunk of the offensive production from last years' team, the defending State Champions return their ace, JR Preston Burton, and a handful of everyday starters from that team. SR Tyler Bach will be an impact bat in the middle of the order, and so will SR Nate Davidson. JR Mikey Williamson provides a strong defensive presence behind the dish, and should be a factor near the top of the order. Burton, and SR Brady Weitzel, will be looked upon to be run-producers, as well. 

#10 Bishop Dwenger Saints

Head Coach: Jason Garrett

Class: 3A 

2023 Record: 19-11

Conference (2023 Record): 12-2

Returning Starters/Pitchers: 9/8

2024 Team Strengths:

Pitching & Defense + Varsity Experience

Impact Players:

Outlook : Pitching will be the strength of this Dwenger team, with two frontline arms leading the charge at the top of the rotation. The top-ranked left handed pitcher in the state, SR Brayton Thomas, returns as the ace and JR Lucas Collins, a top-ranked uncommitted junior LHP, will be the #2 starter. JR Braxton Bermes, JR Cruz Rolf, and JR Braden Aguirre, all gained varsity experience on the mound last season and will provide depth to the staff. Thomas will also double as the teams best hitter, with Rolf, Bermes, and SR Owen Zimmerman expected to be impact bats. SR Michael Maddy and JR Aslan Nolan will make up the middle infield and add versatility to the lineup.