Prep Baseball Report

2025 Indiana Player of the Year Watch List


Cooper Trinke
Indiana Scouting Director

While too early to tell, several players come to mind when attempting to predict the to-be 2025 Player of the Year in Indiana. Max Clark dominated the award two years in a row before Hogan Denny's record breaking senior year won him the award in 2024. This years' class features several "leaders" with a strong track record and the talent to match. Several others have clear paths to the award, noting the depth of this senior class. I also added my personal list of darkhorses to hedge in the event that one of these talented players breaks out in a major fashion this spring.

Stay on the lookout for more high school preseason coverage in the coming weeks, including team previews, team rankings, and much more... 


Player of the Year Watchlist

6 front-runners for our Player of the Year award heading into the spring...

Matthew Fisher RHP / Evansville Memorial , IN / 2025

Fisher enters as the favorite, one of the top-ranked prep right-handers in this years' draft. Fisher offers a smooth, easy delivery along with his highly coveted arm action that produces a fastball that should reach into the mid-90s this spring and a plus breaking ball to compliment pristine command. He will lead a Memorial club that appears to be a clear favorite in 3A after making a deep playoff run in 2024, with a backstop of scouts to be expected at Fisher's starts.

Caden Crowell LHP / Valparaiso, IN / 2025

Crowell is another highly-ranked prep draft prospect that will look to contend for the Player of the Year honors. Currently leading Valparaiso in scoring on the hardwood, Crowell will shift focus to the spring with sights set on a state title with a strong core returning to the Vikings. Crowell will lead that core with his dominant three pitch mix that includes a fastball up to 94, and a plus changeup and pitchabilty to pair. Crowell returns a 4-0 record from last spring, allowing just 1 ER in 25 IP, and added a .470 average with 10 extra base hits on the offensive side. 

JD Stein SS / Carmel, IN / 2025

A flat-out gamer, Stein returns after a big junior year that included a .385 average, 13 doubles, 3 triples, and 3 home runs. The Wake Forest recruit will likely be one of the toughest outs in the state this spring, known for possessing high-end bat-to-ball abilities. He packs a punch with a strong overall toolset despite his 5-foot-8 frame, and will lead a Carmel lineup this spring that should protect him with talent surrounding him. 

Rob Czarniecki OF / Chesterton, IN / 2026

Czarniecki was one of just two sophomores named to the 4A All-State team as a junior after breaking out with a .489 average, 10 doubles, 5 triples, and 7 home runs as a sophomore. The Kentucky commit also added 5 wins to zero losses on the hill, maintaining a 0.45 ERA in 31 innings pitched, certaintly one of the most valuable players in the state entering this season. Czarniecki parlayed his spring with a big summer on the circuit that culminated in him winning the Future Games MVP and enters as our only junior in the front-runner category. 

Brandon Logan OF / Fort Wayne, IN / 2025

Logan was our 4A All-State CF in 2024 and enters this spring as the highest-ranked prep centerfielder in the Midwest. Ultra-athletic, Brandon's career statline includes a .450 batting average when combining his first three varsity seasons, 26 doubles, 3 triples, 4 home runs, a BB/K of 64/26, and 54 career stolen bases. The dual sport Notre Dame recruit is easily one of the most dynamic bats in the state and will look to cap his high school career with another dominant spring. 

Mason Barth SS / Andrean , IN / 2025

Another gamer that has built a reputation of in-game success over his three year career, Barth enters his senior year as the leader of an Andrean club that should begin the season near the top of our 3A rankings. The Notre Dame recruit offers a combo of bat-to-ball skills and strength at the dish that helped him to slash .442/.587/.779 with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 3 home runs, and 15 stolen bases as our 3A 1st Team All-State SS last spring. Barth earned the same honors as a sophomore, leaving the door open for him to end his high school career as a 3x All-State SS. Barth helped Andrean to a state title as a freshman and will look to end his decorated high school career in the same fashion. 


Breakout Candidates

5 more names with clear paths to the award

Will Coleman LHP / Castle, IN / 2025

I can only sum up Coleman best as simply a "winner". The Kentucky recruit can flat out pitch with pristine command of a four-pitch mix. He went 7-2 last spring with a 1.14 ERA, 93 strikeouts, while holding opponents to a batting average of just .193. Coleman has a track record of big game success, with plenty of big wins on the travel circuit and IHSAA playoffs already under his belt. He also returns a .418 batting average, an on-base machine at the high school level, and will team up with Indiana commit Noah Drake to lead an interesting Castle squad coming off a regional final appearance. 

Cal Gates OF / Bedford North Lawrence, IN / 2025

Gates will be one of the best hitters in Southern Indiana this spring. A career .374 hitter with 20 doubles and 4 home runs - Gates has reached base at nearly a .500 clip through his first three seasons. The Indiana recruit will look to elevate those numbers even further in his senior campaign after showing continued growth on the summer and fall circuits in 2024. 

Dylan Bowen SS / Hanover Central, IN / 2026

Bowen is a junior to keep an eye on for this award, looking to lead a Hanover Central squad that won a sectional title in 2024, and will enter 2025 as a 3A favorite. An Oklahoma State recruit, Bowen led Hanover Central with a .422 batting average as a sophomore, collecting 12 extra-base hits to pair with 23 stolen bases and strong defensive abilities at a premier position. If Hanover Central makes a deep run, look for Bowen to be in contention for this award. 

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

Flores will take over as the ace of the Indians' staff after the departure of 2024 MLB Draft pick Griffin Tobias, who led Lake Central to a state title in 2024. The Kentucky recruit enters the spring as a one of the top prep right-handers in the Midwest in this years' draft and will certainly have scouts following his starts, offering a fastball that reaches into the mid-90s, wipeout spin, and a near-plus changeup that took major strides last fall. As the ace of the staff on a team looking to defend their state title, Flores will have the opportunity to contend for Player of the Year honors if he can replicate the season Tobias put together for Lake Central in his senior season. 

Austin McNabb RHP / Perry Meridian , IN / 2025

McNabb returns after being selected to the 4A All-State team as a junior, putting up video game type numbers last spring. The Dayton recruit went 9-1 as a junior, striking out 83 in 66 IP while maintaining a sub-1 ERA (0.94) with his low-90s fastball and present feel for a three-pitch mix. Another member of Indiana's senior class that should draw interest from scouts this spring, McNabb has been a "late-bloomer" throughout his high school career and another jump could push him into Player of the Year contention. 


Cooper's Darkhorses

7 players looking for big springs to throw their name in the Player of the Year talks... 

Sean Dunlap C / Crown Point, IN / 2026

An injury caused Dunlap to miss almost all of the 2024 spring, though he showed on the summer and fall circuits last year that he was undoubtedly one of the best bats in the state. The Tennessee recruit will lead Crown Point's offense as they will enter the season as a 4A favorite and one of the top teams in the Region. It would be to the surprise of no one to see Dunlap come out this spring and put together a stat line deserving of Player of the Year honors.  

Xavier Carrera RHP / SS / Boone Grove, IN / 2025

A highly-gifted athlete with one of the best fastballs that I have evaluated at the high school level, Carrera will lead a talented Boone Grove club that I expect to contend for a 2A State Title in 2025. His 97 mph fastball should overmatch 2A competition, while he also returns a .403 batting average and 4 home runs from a season ago. A breakout spring from Carrera could likely end up with an early draft selection in this years' draft, a deep playoff run, and if those things happen - it'll be hard for Javy to not contend for this award. 

Mason Braun OF / Penn High School, IN / 2025

Braun has transfered to powerhouse Penn HS for his senior season, bringing his thunderous left-handed bat with him. The 2023 State Champions have the pieces to make another deep run in 2025 and the addition of Braun should bring a big bat to the middle of their lineup. The LSU recruit produces 105-plus exit velocities with plus raw power, and I expect him to be amongst the state leaders in RBI's this spring. 

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

Barr is another highly-regarded prospect in Indiana's 2025 class entering the spring with significant draft buzz surrounding him. His low-to-mid 90s fastball, paired with a bigger shaped, sharp breaking ball and improving changeup has helped him punch out 116 batters in 72 IP through his first three seasons while holding opposing hitters to a .193 batting average throughout his career. Barr will look to lead a Kankakee Valley club that is transitioning to 3A this spring. 

Aiden Reynolds 3B / Noblesville, IN / 2026

In my eyes, Reynolds enters this spring as the top hitter in the HCC, a conference that has built a reputation for its talent and depth. One of my personal favorite bats in the state, Reynolds has been near the top of the conference leaderboards in each of his first two seasons, clubbing 17 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs, and a near .500 OBP through his first two seasons against one of the toughest schedules in the state. Noblesville will debut near the top of our 4A rankings with a breakout junior campaign looming for the Indiana commit. 

Beckett Doane LHP / Noblesville, IN / 2026

Another Noblesville junior with a chance to contend for this award is Doane, the top ranked junior pitcher in the state of Indiana. The Mississippi State recruit pitched to a 1.74 ERA in his sophomore spring with the Millers and seems to be the clear cut ace heading into the spring for a club with state title aspirations. Leading Noblesville to an HCC title, and a deep playoff run, could catupult Doane into Player of the Year contention. 

Wyatt Pennington RHP / SS / Avon, IN / 2025

One of Indiana's best two-way talents, Pennington looks to lead an Avon team coming off a Semi-State run in 2024. They return a strong core from last years' club, including the Evansville commit who is coming off a junior year that included 11 doubles, 3 home runs, and 38 hits in total while striking out 53 batters in 30 innings on the bump. Pennington was one of the states biggest risers throughout last years summer circuit, showing off a fastball up to 92 mph with several usable offspeed offerings. He was also a big winner at the Max Clark Holiday Slugfest, posting a 105-plus mph exit velocity. Pennington continues to gain helium heading into the spring and will look to use that to lead a talented Avon club with Victory Field aspirations.