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Indiana Scout Blog : Week #2 Scout Blog

March 28, 2024
Cooper Trinkle
Lead Scout

Our Week #2 Scout Blog contains notes on some of the top-ranked players in the state, including the top-ranked junior and second-ranked senior. Stay tuned for our uncommitted scout blog for Week #2, along with the scout blog to be continously updated thoughout the spring season.

Matthew Fisher, RHP, 2025, Evansville Memorial

The newly appointed #1 ranked junior in the state was outstanding in his season debut. Fisher went through an extensive, detailed, pre-game routine with a mature approach to the game. He has a calm, collected demeanor on the hill - working 3 innings on a 50 pitch limit, while striking out 6. The projectable, athletic, 6-foot-3, 200 pounder uses a slow, controlled pace to the top of his lift before moving down the slope with an efficient lower-half that allows for a well-sequenced delivery. The arm action is one of the best that I have seen in my time with Prep Baseball - a full circle arm swing with easy-effort arm speed that really whips to high 3/4 release pont. Fisher pitched at 88-91 mph on his fastball throughout his outing, reaching back for a handful of 92s and one 93 when he needed it. The first separator for the Indiana recruit is his ability to spin the breaking ball. Fisher showed two different breaking balls, a 75-76 mph curveball that worked with true depth, and a 78-81 mph slider that is a wipeout pitch. The slider is one of the best in the class and is only complimented by his ability to command the baseball. Facing a lineup that only had one left-handed hitter in it, Fisher showed an 82-83 mph changeup, but only used it sparingly. The command is last separator for Fisher, arguably the best strike-thrower in the class, and it allows him to keep the opposition off-balance. 

Jack Brown, RHP, 2024, Fishers

I only saw Brown for a brief outing, but he was electric nonetheless, drawing a crowd of professional scouts to his start. A physical, athletic, 6-foot-1, 205 pounder - Brown uses an athletic lift before riding the back hip down the slope. The ball jumps out of his hand from a 3/4 slot - allowing for turbo sink on a 91-94 mph fastball. The fastball is a weapon that he uses to get in on righties, and should induce tons of groundball contact as he advances levels. In this look, Brown's best offspeed offering was his 84-85 mph changeup. He throws it with fastball arm speed and it falls off the table with late fade. Brown showed a loose, 77-79 mph curveball that he can command, and also showed a tighter, mid-80s slider in warmups. As the weather warms, expect Brown to tick further into the mid-90s and he looks primed for a big senior season. 

Hunter Snow, OF, 2024, Carmel

The Baylor recruit hit a long home run in my look this week, also working a walk in a 1 for 3 night. Snow looks the part of an upside prospect with a long-legged, athletic, 6-foot-2, 190 pound frame. An athletic mover, Snow has plenty of room to add mass that will only add to the power projections that I have on him. At the dish, Snow missed underneath a few fastballs early in the game, but when he got on-time he was able to catch one out front with a smooth left-handed swing that creates natural loft. Snow looks the part of a future-power bat and has had a handful of pro scouts to see him early this spring. 

Cole Decker, OF, 2024, Evansville North

Decker didn't have the loudest day at the dish in my look this week, but he still showed why he is such a dynamic player. The left-handed hitting centerfielder went 2 for 3 on the night, collecting a single up the middle, an infield single, two walks, four runs scored, and four stolen bases. The run tool is loud, as the Indiana recruit blazed a 4.00 H-1st on an infield single, and stole bases with ease. Decker showed off his foot speed in CF by going over-the-shoulder on a ball that he ran down at the warning track. Decker has a table-setter's approach at the dish, unafraid to work deep into counts. The swing is handsy - short & quick on a level plane. The twitchy, athletic, 5-foot-11, 175 pounder does have some strength at impact, but the swing is geared more towards line drive contact than lift. 

Gabe Wilke, C, 2024, Evansville North

Wilke is a high-upside backstop with his best baseball still well-ahead of him. A projectable, 6-foot-4, 185 pounder with wiry strength, Wilke can really defend behind the dish with his best tool at the moment being his arm strength. Wilke was sub-2.00 on a consistent basis between innings, with his best pop of the night being a 1.92. I've been in on Wilke's ability to defend for awhile, but his bat has taken a step up after an offseason of development. He's showing more bat speed than ever before and his long-levered frame still has room to add strength. Wilke is going to hit for power when it is all said and done, showing flashes of it in this look with extra-base hits to both LF and RCF. 

Gavin Kuzniewski, RHP, 2024, Fishers

Kuzniewski is another talented arm that I saw in a quick outing this week. An athletic, 5-foot-11, 190 pound right-hander, Kuzniewski flooded the zone with three pitches for an efficient start to his senior season. The arm speed is outstanding, producing a fastball that worked at 89-92 mph. The Ohio State recruit paired his fastball with a short, tight, 79-81 mph slider and also showed the ability to 'pull-the-string' on an 82-83 mph changeup with significant horizontal break. 

Alex Graber, RHP, 2024, Homestead

Graber looked very good in his season debut, punching out 5 batters in two innings of work. An athletic, 6-foot-2, 185 pounder - Graber leaned heavily on a sharp, 77-80 mph slider that gave the Fishers' hitters fits. The slider is a very solid pitch, playable at the college-level at this moment. His ability to spin allows an 86-89 mph fastball to play up, and he throws the fastball to the arm-side of the plate to allow the slider to tunnel. Graber showed a serviceable changeup at 79-82 mph against left-handed hitters. Graber's slider should allow him to compete for innings out of the bullpen early in his career at Northern Illinois.