Coach Mike Swartzentruber loses several key pieces from his state championship team to graduation, but he always finds a way to reload and his team checks in a No. 6 in our preseason rankings. SR RHP Josh Flores (Kentucky) is a prep draft prospect that will be tasked with filling the shoes of Griffin Tobias as the ace of the staff. SR RHP Luke O'Keefe (Wayne State) likely fills the role of Blake Sivak as the teams' No. 2 starter. SR OF Drew Kosteba (Purdue-Northwest) and SR 3B Ryder Fernandez (Purdue-Northwest) are multi-year starters that likely lead the position player group. SO SS Parker Robinson is a blue-chip prospect that filled the everyday SS role as a freshman, and the Indians' will need a big year from him if they want to replicate their successess from last season. 

The Tigers have ten seniors committed to play college baseball. In high school baseball, that wins, and despite losing Jack Brown and Gavin Kuzniewski to graduation, the Tigers should still compete for an HCC & Sectional 8 title in 2025. SS Huston Dunn (Ball State) is the leader of the group returning for his fourth year as an everyday starter. SR CF Deagan Repp (Indiana Tech) and SR UTL Trevor Hall (Marietta) are also returning starters who had productive junior seasons. SR OF Zander Carnahan (Amherst) transfers in this spring from Cathedral, and will make an immediate impact to the lineup, likely tasked to hit behind Dunn. On the pitching side, Coach Matt Cherry will look to JR's Hayden Werner and Owen Lukac (Evansville) to make up for losses to graduation, both plenty-talented enough to do so. SR RHP Owen Sanders (Saint Xavier) is a savvy veteran that will bolster the staff along with Werner and Lukac, with several others in the hunt for innings.

This Crown Point team is super interesting, returning ace SR Logan Cotton (Indiana) and adding fellow Indiana recruit JR Logan Johnston to create a really solid 1-2 atop the rotation. SR LHP Jax Alexander (Lake Land) is another SP candidate, and his left-handed bat will likely make its way into the lineup. The offense is led by JR C Sean Dunlap (Tennessee), one of the states' top talents. SR INF Billy Chidsey (Purdue Northwest) is another big bat in this lineup, along with JR SS Caden Matusak. The are several role players returning to this squad with experience, while sophomores LHP Riley Ackerman and OF Brody Langhans could earn impact roles. This team has a chance to be dynamic and should really pitch it. 

Four seniors make up the heart of this squad : RHP Ryne Michaeloff (Purdue-Fort Wayne), RHP/SS Luke Neiswonger (Central Michigan), C Johnnie Ankenbruck (Purdue-Fort Wayne), and RHP Luke Riha (Toledo). All four have impacted the varsity club since they were sophomores and return with back-to-back semi state appearances. The strength of this group, obviously, is the three division one arms that will likely log significant innings. Ankenbruck had a big fall offensively and will provide a stable, impact bat to the middle of the order, and Neiswonger should mix in near him, with power as well. The pitching will make them a contender come playoff time, with their ceiling likely being determined on how offensive they can be. 

The Mavericks will be led by two of the states' top juniors, RHP Sammy Swank (Kentucky) and 1B/OF Jake Winger (Indiana). Swank maintained a perfect 4-0 record as a junior, striking out 62 in 41 innings pitched. He returns as the ace and teams up with SR RHP Aiden Riser (Huntington) to create a strong 1-2 punch. Winger, a '24 4A All-State 1B selection, returns a .438 average, 13 doubles, and 35 RBI's - one of the most dangerous bats in the area for this spring. Winger collected a pair of saves last season and is likely a bullpen option for this team, as is SR RHP Wyatt Vaughn. JR OF Jon Riley brings an impactful right-handed bat to the lineup and a big year from him will be necessary if the Mavs want to make another playoff run. 

The Rocks are coming off a semi-state appearance with arguably the best lineup in the HCC. SR 1B Matt Drozlek (Akron) and SO OF Lincoln Hoffman are two of the best bats in the league on their own, though SR 3B Ian Wilson (Grace), JR OF Nick Fero, SR OF Caden Lindsey, and SR C Ethan Colling (Anderson) return as everyday starters from a year ago to provide tons of quality depth. This group has a chance to be very offensive, but there are question marks on the pitching side. SR Jackson Blevins and SR Owen Swinford return the most innings - though Coach Bunnell has a group of talented, mostly-inexperienced arms that could blossom as the spring progresses. 

B-South is a "pick-to-click" type team that could really make some noise in 2025. JR RHP Collin Marcum (Indiana) is a big X-factor for this team and a big year could give the Panthers a true frontline ace. The pitching staff is a big strength with Marcum and fellow JR RHP's Connor Couch, Xavier Hemingway, and Tyler Morris slated to have big impacts. Offensively, the Panthers are led by SR OF Connor Osborne (Depauw) and JR 1B Luke Arnett. Both are impactful left-handed hitters coming off strong 2024 seasons, respectively. JRs INF/RHP Caleb Oliver, CF Sam Giles, C Jake McCammon, and MIF Boston Held, along with SO SS/RHP Reid Walker will also be looked up by Coach Phil Kluesner for impactful at-bats. The junior class as South is very strong, and with the leadership of SR Connor Osborne, this should be one of the best teams in So. Indiana in 2025. 

The Orioles are certainly a "sleeper favorite" to reach Victory Field in 2025 - led by two-way star SR Wyatt Pennington (Evansville). Pennington is a do-it-all type player, the teams best hitter (one of Indy's best hitters, too), starting SS, and its' #1 pitcher with a fastball that'll reach into the low-to-mid 90s and a wipeout slider, also. The pitching staff is the strength of this group, and likely the HCC's deepest. SR LHP Carter Beck (Akron) would be the ace of several teams' on this list, and SR RHP Keegan Grubbs (Depauw) is a very, very solid #3 pitcher. SR LHP Nolan Hataway (Baldwin-Wallace), SR RHP Aiden Elmore (Oakland City), and SR Issac Kramer (Marian) are also college-bound arms that Coach Troy Drosche has at his disposal. Pennington provides a big bat, though the Orioles will need JRs MIF Clayton Lenz, INF Jack Bland, and CF Brayden Salyer to be productive. This team will pitch, point blank, and have a chance to shoot up this list if they can score enough runs. 

An intriguing group for 2025, the Raiders will be junior-heavy, led by JR RHP Jeremy Lowrey, one of Indiana's best uncommitted junior RHPs. JR RHP Lyrik Neal was highlighted by our staff as a breakout junior for 2025 - likely filling as the No. 2 starter. SO RHP Chase Gothrup fits the same mold, though a grade younger, and JR RHP Colton Watts should add depth to a really solid pitching staff. The offense will be led SR C Drew McTagertt (Lincoln Trail), and several JR hitters, including UTL Kendrick Pena, OF Jack Gonzalez, and OF Kaden Keys. 

Coach Jeremy Jones has a new-look team in 2025 that will be led by its' pitching staff. SR RHP's Kellen English (Indiana) and Braden Perry (Lewis) are two of the best arms in the Evansville-area and fellow SR RHP/1B Connor Watson (Vincennes) provides solid depth. A group of talented youngsters should make up a solid bullpen in: SO LHP/OF AJ Baggett, SO RHP/3B Aaron Humphrey, and FR LHP/1B Ty Pohl. If these young arms get up to speed quickly, this staff is one of the deeper in the state. JR SS Brooks Carroll will be the leader on the position player side and provides a high on-base presence to the lineup, as well as a sure-handed shortstop behind the staff. SR OF Mason Renfro (Lake Land), Watson, and Baggett will be impact bats, as well as JR OF/LHP Tyler Land, who will likely factor in on the bump, too. 

Head Coach Hunter Owen will inherit a solid group in his first season, led by Indiana's top-ranked senior SS JD Stein (Wake Forest). Stein will serve as the catalyst for this lineup, and his abilities at short will be a weapon for the Greyhounds, a game-changer on defense. SR OF/LHP Gabe Mathison (Akron) is a switch-hitting OF with multi-year starting experience, likely serving a run-producers' role behind Stein. Coach Owen will need C Jackson Harris, one of the state's top sophomore catchers, to step into a big role this spring after starting as a freshman. SR UTL Carson Mace, JR OF John Zangrilli, and JR INF Silas Neal return after gaining experience last season, while Coach Owen expects SO OF Max Walkey to compete for at-bats, too. JR RHP Cam Carmichael blossomed into a big role last spring and likely serves as one of the teams' main arms. SR RHP Evan Vogt (Hanover) is another arm that likely takes the ball in leverage scenarios for the Greyhounds, along with Mathison.

This team returns just four starters and loses four senior arms graduating to division one baseball, though Coach Jered Moore always finds a way to reload and has a good group once again. The pitching staff has pieces, though needs a true ace to emerge. SR LHP Braden Shaw (Depauw) and JR RHP Peter Ward return the most experience and are the most likely candidates. SO's LHP Davis Moore and RHP Carter Lowe are talented underclassmen that could make a big impact, amongst others. JR LHP Jackson Gilley is another experienced arm that returns, and he likely factors into the OF as well. SO SS Brayden Ring and JR 2B Tyler Hughes will make up one of the better middle infields in the HCC, and SR OF Riley Agbonhese returns as a staple of the Eagles' OF & middle of the order over the past few seasons. SR Matt Pederson (Depauw), SR Jackson Tielker, and SO Camden Moore are all run-producing bats that could impact the Eagles this spring, amongst others.

The Trojans came out of a guantlet sectional last spring that included #3 Valparaiso and #8 Crown Point, and lost to eventual state champions (Lake Central) in the next round. The Trojans return the two biggest pieces from last years' group in juniors CF/RHP Rob Czarniecki (Kentucky) and LHP/OF Troy Barrett. Czarniecki, the state's No.1 ranked junior, posted video game-esque numbers en-route to a 4A All-State selection last spring. The Kentucky recruit hit .489 with 10 doubles, 5 triples, 7 home runs, and drove in 38. Oh - and he also allowed just 3 earned runs in 28.2 IP, striking out 45 and maintaining a perfect 4-0 record. Barrett also dazzled on the mound, pitching to a 7-1 record with a 1.18 ERA in 53.1 IP, striking out 83. Barrett was also the teams' second-best hitter, hitting .426 with 8 doubles last season. These two will lead the charge once again, and Coach John Bogner expects SO C Caden Hackett and SR RHP Kaden Hawksworth to make big impacts, as well.  

Munster is another region-area team that looks strong on paper heading into 2025. The offense is experienced and led by SR OF Mason Jarrett (Triton JC) and SR SS Zach Wright (Purdue-Northwest). JR OF/1B Nate Southwell is a breakout candidate for the offense after batting .387 as a sophomore. These three will likely lead Coach Mike Mikolajczyk's offense that returns six starters, along with SR Bishop Cappetto (SIU-Edwardsville). Cappetto should provide a run-producing bat, though his most important duties will come as the ace of a solid pitching staff. SR LHP Tyler Fuller (South Suburban), SR RHP Owen Roberts (Olivet-Nazarene) and SR LHP Ed Kicho (Cal College) make up the remaining three college-bound seniors set to lead the staff. Coach Mikolajczyk also has JR Carter Dumaresq and SO Jack Kunas at his disposal, two talented right-handers that should provide depth.

This is an experienced group returning for Coach Dave Ginder with a chance to be very offensive. They return virtually the entire lineup, led by 1B Jaxon Sparks (Indiana State). Sparks is one of the best hitters in the area, and complimented by a host of experienced players surrounding him, such as: SR SS Eric Tratnyek (.387 avg), SR OF Zavier Edgar (Saint Francis), and SR C Braden Christlieb. Coach Ginder expects sophomores OF Asher Waggoner and 3B Eli Neuhouser to be key contributors after starting as freshmen. The staff will be led by SR RHP Jaxon Craker, who could likely plug into the OF as well. Tratnyek will likely see time on the mound in a significant role. The pitching staff, outside of Craker, doesn't have a ton of bat-missing stuff, but Ginder likes his teams' defense and the staffs' overall ability to throw strikes. 

The Pioneers' season ended in a heart-breaking loss to Lake Central in the state title game last year and will have a new-look group this spring after graduating 11 seniors, including our 2024 Player of the Year, Hogan Denny. JR RHP Hudson Devaughan (Alabama) is the new face of the Pioneers, returning a perfect 5-0 record after striking out nearly 2-per inning (56) in his 30.2 IP last season. He will provide a frontline ace as Coach McGaha pieces together the staff that surrounds him, though one piece will be SO RHP Kooper Schmitt, the apparent #2, and JR LHP Grant Martin likely factors in also. The offense is led by SO SS Liam Delp, one of the top-ranked 2027 shortstops in Indiana, and JR breakout candidate and CF Tyler Denny. Delp had a solid debut season as a freshman and Denny is entering his third season as a varsity starter. Denny and Delp will need transfer OF JR Connor Cruz to get up to speed quickly, another likely impact bat that will help them out. FR INF Brody McGaha will likely be a factor, but will be limited early in the season coming off of injury. 

The Highlanders will be largely a new-look group this spring after losing several key starters to graduation, along with a handful of expected starters down due to injury. SR Garyth Davenport, SR Jackson Hoehn (Florida Southern), and JR Clay Austin will lead the pitching staff, three talented arms in their own regards. SR Travis Combs (Anderson) likely factors in on the mound, as well as returning as a very solid left-handed hitting centerfielder. SR Ross Jackson will also be expected to be impactful offensively, and he and Combs return the most experience on the position player side. There are several unanswered questions on this bunch, but year-in & year-out the Highlanders continue to prove as one of the toughest teams in Southern Indiana, and the three arms atop the rotation should create stability as the rest of the pieces get figured out. 

Brownsburg as a preseason ranked team is certainly a "gut-feel" pick from our staff, only winning 8 games a season ago. With that being said, they were young last spring and struggled versus a devastating conference schedule of highly-touted arms. Several of those arms have graduated since and Coach Roman will boast a deep staff of his own now. SR division one recruits RHP Drew Jennings (Bellarmine) and LHP Luke Albrecht (Valparaiso) should see significant innings, along with one of the state's top-ranked JR LHP's, Ryan Murphy (Creighton). All have the bat-missing abilities in order to have success in the HCC, and SR LHP Ethan Gladstein (St. Charles CC), SR RHP Jackson Kerr, JR RHP Jackson Lambert, and JR OF/1B/LHP Daniel Phillips also return with experience. SR 3B Colin McNeer (Wabash Valley) will be the biggest bat on the offense, and is surrounded by solid pieces like SR C Jackson Wagner (Wabash Valley), JR SS/RHP Vince Painter, JR OF Drew Bostic, and SR OF PJ Fry (St. Charles CC). There is young talent within the program that could provide an additional spark to the offense, as well. This group will need to prove themselves early in the spring, but could be a spoiler in HCC and come sectional time. 

Perry is led by returning 4A All-State RHP Austin McNabb (Dayton), a prep prospect in this years' draft. McNabb posted eye-popping numbers as a junior: 9-1 with a 0.94 ERA in 66.2 IP, striking out 83 and limiting opposing hitters to just a .160 batting average. The Falcons will go as McNabb does, though his classmate SR C/RHP Aiden Kerr (Purdue-Fort Wayne) returns as the teams' best hitter after clubbing 6 homers and hitting .379 as a junior. Kerr, along with SO MIF/RHP DJ Clymore, will likely help the Falcons on both sides of the ball. SO OF Drew Justice returns a .327 average from his freshman season and is likely expected to move into the middle of the lineup.  JR CF Nate Risley, SR SS Alex Acosta, and SR OF Jackson Lamkin are other impactful bats for Coach Banwart's squad. This team is experienced, and should seriously contend to de-throne Mooresville in the Mid-State, a team who has won the conference title in three straight season. 

The Tigers return the majority of the team that won 21 games and a conference title a season ago. The team will feature a very experienced pitching staff comprised mainly of six seniors and a junior, with five of the six seniors currently committed to play college baseball. Those arms are: SR RHP Reed Nelson (Glen Oaks), SR RHP Brock Bowser (Saint Francis), SR RHP Zac Miller (IU-South Bend), SR RHP/SS Kellan Bailey (Anderson), SR RHP Brandt Martin, SR LHP Oliver Nisen (Glen Oaks), and JR RHP/3B Quinton Brock. These arms return a combined 20-6 record, and over 190 innings of mound time from last season. Offensively - the lineup features power with three bats in the middle of the lineup with 100 mph or better recorded exit velocities. SO OF Grady Nelson is (one of) the best sophomore hitters in the state and will lead the position group after hitting .416 with 9 doubles and 3 homers as just a freshman. SR C Cohen Heady (Huntington) and SR 1B Hunter Dippon (Manchester) will also provide power threats. Bailey, Brock, and JR CF Logan Kim will likely play big roles for the offense, as well. Warsaw rounds out our preseason top 25 as the preseason favorite in Sectional 4.