2025 2A Preseason Top 10

March 17, 2025
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Gavin Jackson's no-hitter in the state championship provided one of the biggest highlights in the Indiana prep baseball community of 2024 - and his Providence Pioneers begin the '25 season right where they ended the last, the team to beat in 2A.

Boone Grove, realigned from 3A, nips at their heels with the Carrera twins leading a talented club. University is led by a pair of two-way, up-the-middle, division one recruits and is a usual suspect in the 2A top 10. The same could be said for Triton Central, who is coming off a 24-win season and returns that entire team. The Evansville area 2A race will be an interesting follow in 2025 with 3 teams in the top 10...

THE TOP-5:

+ No. 1 Providence Pioneers

2024 Record & Accolades: 22-7 (State Champions)
Returning Starters (Pos/P): 7/4
Impact Players:
SR OF Cole Huett (Bellarmine, All-State in '24), JR 3B/RHP Gavin Jackson (All-State in '24), JR C Lincoln Kruer, JR RHP Blake Straub, SR RHP/UTL, Carter O'Daffer (Campbellsville)

This team looks to defend their crown with several key returners. JR Gavin Jackson feels like the heartbeat of this club, a winner on the mound, but also one of the top run-producers in 2A. SR OF Cole Huett is likely one of the best hitters in the 2A class and that duo should give opposing pitchers fits. JR C Lincoln Kruer has started since he was a freshman, providing experience behind the dish and a solid left-handed bat to pair. SR Carter O'Daffer is a do-it-all type, playing all around the diamond while also serving as a key member of the pitching staff along with Jackson, and JR RHP Blake Straub.

The role players amongst this team are athletic, and team speed will be a strength of this crew. That, paired with Huett and Jackson, will create one of the best offenses in 2A, and Jackson headlines a pitching staff with experience.

+ No. 2 Boone Grove Wolves

2024 Record & Accolades: 17-6 (Conference Champions)
Returning Starters (Pos/P): 9/7
Impact Players: SR RHP/SS Xavier Carrera (Indiana), SR 1B/OF/LHP Davian Carrera (Indiana), SR RHP/SS Seth Pitcock (Valparaiso), SR C Benjamin Truby, JR OF Tristan Wilson, SR LHP/OF Andrew Batesole (Edgewood)

This Boone Grove squad has a three-headed monster of division one recruits leading the way, and all are big two-way threats, helping the offense and pitching staff equally. SR Xavier Carrera led the offense in '24 with a .403 average and four homers, while also leading the staff in appearances (11). His fastball will reach into the mid-90s, or higher, this spring and his twin brother, Davian Carrera, will bring a 90 mph fastball from the left-side after striking out nearly 2 batters per inning last season. Davian is a primary OF/1B, and he led the team in RBI (25) and doubles (8) as a junior. SR Seth Pitcock is a consistent player on both sides and provides a spark on offense, leading the team in runs (28) and stolen bases (26) last year, while also logging the most innings of any pitcher on the staff.

SR C Ben Truby is a multi-year starter that will be a big contributor, as a run producer and defensively, for this squad. JR Tristan Wilson returns a .310 average as a starter in the outfield, while also pitching to a 5-0 record. SR OF/LHP Andrew Batesole is another upperclassman that will help this team on both sides. On paper, this may be the most talented team in 2A, with sights set on Victory Field in their first year in 2A.

+ No. 3 University Trailblazers

2024 Record & Accolades: 15-12-1 (Conference Champions)
Returning Starters (Pos/P): 4/7
Impact Players: JR SS/RHP Beckett Suh (Tulane), JR 2B/RHP Ryan Castetter (Pepperdine), JR 1B/RHP Cooper Cammack, SR OF Cooper Burnett, JR RHP Caleb Stocker

University is a 2A program known for producing high-caliber talent, with Ryan Castetter and Beckett Suh leading this years' team. Two of the top junior middle infielders in the state, Castetter returns 13 doubles, 3 homers, and 30-plus rbis from last season while Suh clubbed a pair of homers himself and is coming off a big summer on the circuit.

These two, along with JR RHP Caleb Stocker and SR RHP Laine Spears, likely lead the staff as they return the most innings. SO LHP Hunter Canning and FR RHP/INF Finn Steiner are young arms that Coach Estep will likely look to get experience at the varsity level early in hopes of it paying dividends come tournament time. SO RHP Chase Fankhauser also fits the mold, a talented right-handed arm with a chance to impact this team greatly as the spring progresses.

JR 1B/RHP Cooper Cammack provides another talented option out of the 'pen, though Coach Estep will need him to be productive in the middle of the order with his 6-foot-5 power presence. SR OF Cooper Burnett returns a .425 average and .558 on-base from last year and will provide an older, disciplined presence to the top of the order. SO OF Charlie Ranek is another bat that University will need to supply production behind the impactful at-bats of Castetter, Suh, Burnett, and Cammack in order for this team to make a run.

+ No. 4 North Posey Vikings

2024 Record & Accolades: 24-6 (Regional Champions, Conference Champions)
Returning Starters (Pos/P): 6/6
Impact Players: SR OF Kade Buecher (Wabash, All-State in '24), SR UTL Colby Angel (Oakland City), SR OF/RHP Ethan Mansfield, SR OF Jed Galvin, FR SS/RHP Dylan Murphy

This team made a run to the semi-state while becoming a mainstay in the 2A top 10 in 2025. They're back with four seniors that had big impacts last season, the glue of this group. Colby Angel reached base at an over .600 clip last season, and Kade Buecher followed by leading the state in RBIs as a junior (44). Ethan Mansfield returns to join these two in the middle of the order. SR Jed Galvin, a Taylor football recruit, is another senior bringing back experience - and his athletic spark makes this group better. Indiana's number one ranked freshman, Dylan Murphy, will look to make an immediate impact on the offense as a run-producer. His classmate, FR INF/RHP Remington Johnson, likely also factors in on the mound and brings an advanced glove to the middle infield. Mansfield, Galvin, Angel, and Murphy, will likely impact this bunch on the mound, though the strength of this Vikings' team is certaintly the explosive offensive capabilities.

+ No. 5 Triton Central

2024 Record & Accolades: 24-4 (Conference Champions)
Returning Starters (Pos/P): 9/9
Impact Players: SR LHP/1B Hayden May (Vincennes, All-State in '24), SR LHP/OF Bryce Haney, SO 2B Brayden Hoover, JR SS Eli Sego, SO RHP/INF Kellan Dishman, SR OF Nick Riggins, SO UTL Weston Smith

The returning numbers for this team are staggering, obviously so, returning nine starters from a 24-win team. The first place to start is with Senior southpaws Hayden May and Bryce Haney, who combined for a 17-2 record in '24 and 101 innings. They return SR RHP/OF Blaine Raider and JR RHP/3B Hayden Beaver, as well - and the four logged almost 80% of the teams innings in '24 and 22 of 24 wins.

The offensive numbers are equally impressive, with seven starters returning a .370 average or better. SO 2B Brayden Hoover led the team in average (.518), with Hayden May (.494) close behind leading the team in hits (41). SR Nick Riggins returns a .405 avg with 11 doubles, 3 triples, and a homer - leading the team in extra-base hits. JR SS Eli Sego (14) and SO INF Kellan DIshman (13) also tallied double-digit extra-base totals, as did May (11), and SO UTL Weston Smith (10). The offense also returns over 130 stolen bases from last seasons team that averaged over ten runs per game.

THE REST OF THE TOP-10

6	Greencastle	17-11	2024 Regional Champions, 2024 Final Four appearance
Click to view their 2025 Season Preview Greencastle returns much of the team that came within one run of eventual champion Providence in the final four round. They are led by two highly ranked juniors in RHP/OF Sam Gooch and SS/RHP Nathan Sutherlin. Sutherlin his .451 as a sophomore while driving in 30-plus runs, and Gooch logged almost 40 innings on the bump while maintining a .435 batting average. Both are division one recruits that should be productive on both sides of the ball. Coach Ben Wells returns SO RHP/INF Bryton Gregg, who threw 58 innings as a freshman while carrying a sub-2 ERA. Gregg is a huge breakout candidate & the Tiger Cubs also return reliable players with experience like: SR LHP/OF Treyten Clark, JR 3B/RHP Trevin Long, and JR C/DH Ashton Dayhuff.
7	Evansville Mater Dei	18-11
Click to view their 2025 Season Preview This is one of the more interesting teams in 2A and it features a mix of experienced, college-bound seniors, and talented youngsters. The leadership of this group begins with its' five seniors: 3B/RHP Charlie Hoffman (Oakland City), LHP/OF Drake Branson (Olney Central), SS Brayden Caldemeyer (Spalding), OF/RHP Palmer Schiff (Vincennes), and 2B/OF Drew Schapker (Oakland City). Junior OF Nolan Schickel swung one of the most productive bats in the lineup as a sophomore and figures to be a key component to the offense. Mater Dei will feature three of our top fifteen ranked 2028s in: RHP Cole Breeden, C/RHP Spencer Schiff, and RHP Darret Branson. All should be immediate impact players for this group. This team is old on the infield and should be solid defensively. The lineup runs deep, and the pitching staff does as well. If the youngsters on this team can get up to speed by tournament time, this senior-heavy group will be a tough 2A matchup.
8	Shenandoah	17-10

Click to view their 2025 Season Preview SR SS/RHP Collin Osenbaugh leads a team that only lost one senior to graduation after a 17-win season. The Louisville recruit batted .515 as a junior, clubbing 16 extra-base hits. He pitched to a 0.82 ERA, though was limited with injury to only 17 IP. 'Doah gets him back in full form for his senior year, along with impact juniors SS Drew Fredenburg (.341, 4 HR), and RHP Ethan Taylor (23 K in 19.1 IP). Fredenburg will also be a factor on the mound, maintaining a perfect 4-0 record in 27.1 innings.
9	Barr-Reeve	28-6	1A State Champions
Click to view their 2025 Season Preview Barr-Reeve debuts at No. 9 in our 2A poll, freshly elevated from 1A after winning the state title a season ago. Coach Trevor McConnell returns virtually his entire pitching staff and a few key bats from that group. SR UTL/RHP Seth Wagler is a do-it-all, 2x All-State performer coming off a 9-1 season with a miniscual 1.01 ERA. JR RHP Matthew Lashley went 6-1, striking out 70 with a sub-2 ERA, along with SR Jake Pauw who saw significant innings for the state champs in '24. JR INF Levi Lester is another returning All-State performer, looking to build upon his 39 hit sophomore season (9 2B, 5 HR). Wagler was the teams top hitter (.368 avg, 10 2B) and returns to join Lester and Pauw in the middle of the lineup once again. This bunch knows how to win and should make a seamless transition to 2A.
10	Lafayette Central Catholic	27-7	1A State Runner-up
Click to view their 2025 Season Preview Lafayette Central Catholic has a group of seniors who have finished every single one of their seasons at Victory Field thus far. The won the 1A State title in '22 and '23, and finished second last season. This year, they round out our 2A top 10 as they have moved up a class. The older MIF of SR Hudson Gutwein and JR Mikey Stapleton should be a strength of this squad, both two of the more productive hitters a season ago, as well. SR C Jackson Cain should make an impact defensively, while he and JR UTL Alex Schummer both return with productive offensive stats from 2024. SR LHP/1B Lucas Gerkey went 8-1 with a 0.57 ERA in 61.1 IP on the mound last year, returning as the ace, and was also impactful to the offense (.278, 6 2B). JR RHP/INF Gus Sandberg will also be factor on both sides of the ball as the apparent #2 starter that also returns a .309 batting average.

Honorable Mention (alphabetical order): Delphi, Forest Park, Jimtown, Lapel, Manchester, Rochester, Southwestern (Hanover), Westview