Prep Baseball Report

Class of 2024 - Rankings Update


Cooper Trinkle
Lead Scout

As the early signing period wraps up, it is time for us to roll out our last rankings update of the 2023 calendar year. We start with the class of 2024, the senior class. We have been well documented in saying this is one of the deepest crops of talent to come through the Hoosier State - and the commitment numbers in the 2024 class back our statement. Our database currently has 155 seniors across the state of Indiana committed to play baseball at the next level with divisions broken down below:

NCAA Division I - 66

NCAA Division II - 12

NCAA Division III - 22

NAIA - 28

NJCAA - 26

NCCAA - 1

Read along to learn more about risers within this update, along with the top unsigned seniors that Indiana has to offer.

CLICK HERE to view the updated 275

TOP 10 NOTES 

With this update coming just a few short months after our last, our Top 25 remains very similiar to our previous update. LHP Brayton Thomas (Fort Wayne Dwenger; Indiana) and OF Jayce Lee (South Bend Saint Joseph; Notre Dame) participated in our inaguaral Prep Baseball All American Game and stay as the #1 and #3 ranked prospects in the class. Three athletic right-handed arms in Jack Brown (Fishers; Louisville), Cameron Sullivan (Mt. Vernon; Notre Dame), and Griffin Tobias (Lake Central; Indiana) remain as familiar faces in the Top 10. The top two left-handed arms in the class, Caden McCoy (Bloomington North; Texas A&M) and Ethan Lund (Hamilton Southeastern; Uncommitted), have been mainstays in the Top 10 in 2023 and will hold their spot near the top of the class headed into 2024. C Hogan Denny (Mooresville; Indiana) and INF Isaac VanderWoude (Illiana Christian; Virginia) have game-changing abilities in the batter's box that keeps them inside the Top 10, as well. 

Our lone new face in the Top 10 is RHP Nash Wagner of Zionsville High School. Wagner checks in at #10 after a very strong fall on the circuit. The powerful, 6-foot-5, 210 pound right-hander had one of the strongest performances of any prospect at the Midwest Fall Championships in September, dominating a lineup full of division one recruits with a fastball up to 93 mph and improved feel for a slider that shows future-out pitch potential. Wagner's breakout fall caught the eyes of professional scouts across the area and shoots him up the 2024 list. 


NEW TO TOP 25

Rising into the Top 25 is OF Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe of North Central HS. One of the toolsiest players in the class - the Kent State recruit put on a show at the Indiana Fall Stars Scout Day - turning in a 6.40 60, throwing 94 mph from the OF, and reaching a max exit velocity of 99.7 mph during a round of batting practice where his average bat speed was measured at over 80 mph. The 6-foot-1, 175 pounder was a consummate performer throughout our fall tournament coverage, building off his 10 HR season as a junior at North Central that landed him on our 4A All State team. 


TOP UNSIGNED SENIORS

Despite the 2024 class already boasting over 150 players committed to play at the next level, there is still plenty of uncommitted talent for coaches of all levels scattered across the list. Check out the top 5 ranked seniors still looking for their home at the next level:

Ethan Lund LHP / Hamilton Southeastern, IN / 2024

 Owning one of the highest ceilings in the class - the 6-foot-5, 205 pound southpaw stacked a strong fall season on top of his dominant showing on the summer circuit to catch the eyes of professional scouts across the area, along with major programs from across the country. Lund's power breaking ball is his go-to offering, a 77-81 mph pitch that spins at over 2700+ RPMs and shows present swing-and-miss traits. Lund's ability to spin the breaking ball allows him to get chase on his fastball, a pitch that sits at 87-90 mph and will tick into the low-90s (T93) occasionally. Lund holds starter upside and currently sits as top ranked uncommitted left-hander in the 2024 class at the national level. 



Micah Vessely RHP / Greenwood Community, IN / 2024

Vessely had a breakout junior season that skyrocketed him up the 2024 list. An athletic, 6-foot-1, 170 pound right-hander - Vessely offers one of the top breaking balls in the class and checks in as the top uncommitted RHP in the class to date. The breaking ball has two-plane shape, routinely spinning at 3000+ RPMs, and is already a next level out-pitch. Vessely pairs his devastating breaking ball with a mid-to-upper 80s (T89 mph) fastball that he has above average feel for. The Greenwood product rounds out his three pitch mix with a low-80s changeup with armside fade. There is upside in the operation and Vessely will be a very solid addition to any school's 2024 recruiting class. 

Christian Forniss LHP / Brebeuf Jesuit, IN / 2024

An athletic southpaw with a quick arm - Forniss has continuously improved over the course of the last 12 months and ranks as one of the top uncommitted lefties in Indiana's 2024 class. The stocky, 6-foot-1, 185 pounder offers quick, compact arm action that stays hidden behind his body during the delivery to create deception. Forniss has solid arm speed, allowing the ball to jump on hitters when combined with the deception he creates. He sits in the mid-to-upper 80s (T 89 mph) on a fastball with some running action from his high 3/4 arm slot and he shows the ability to consistently throw the fastball for a strike. Forniss will drop his arm slot a tick on his 71-74 mph sweeping slider and also flashes a changeup at 71-75 mph.

Andrew Noblitt RHP / Jasper , IN / 2024

Noblitt is an interesting right-hander with impressive strike-throwing abilities along with an athletic and projectable frame. A multi-sport athlete hailing from Jasper HS, Noblitt pitches with very little effort at 83-86 T 87 mph on a fastball with life, along with possessing the ability to flip over a 69-72 mph curveball at will. Noblitt will also flash a changeup at 72-74 mph with sinking action, mainly to LHHs. The 6-foot-4, 195 pounder fills the zone with ease due to a very balanced delivery and clean arm action from a H ¾ slot. Expect this right-hander to continue to trend in a positive direction, with enough pitchability to make an immediate impact at the college level.



Nolan Decker LHP / Noblesville, IN / 2024

A strike-throwing southpaw that commands a three-pitch mix at will, Decker has been a mainstay in the Noblesville rotation over the course of his high school career and boasts a K:BB ratio of 115:23 in 97 innings pitched. Decker uses a balanced, low-effort delivery and pitches from a high 3/4 slot with a compact arm swing, producing a low-to-mid 80s fastball. Decker has the ability to pitch backwards, allowing the fastball velocity to play up. The 6-foot, 195 pounder had advanced feel for his offspeed pitches, spinning a slurvey, low-70s curveball along with fading a mid-70s change.  

CLICK HERE to view the updated 275