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Spring Rankings Update: Class of 2026

March 24, 2025
Cooper Trinkle
Scouting Director

Our class of 2026 rankings are seeing a bit of an update here as we wrap up the showcase season and enter the spring. This update does have some big shifts occuring, with the biggest being a new No. 1, but the tiers/list remains mostly similiar to where we left it after the 2024 fall. The risers in this update include our biggest showcase winners of the winter - prospects that were already highly-regarded and now see their stock rise with their toolset elevating. 

*Find the full list, expanded to 275, here*

Movement in the Top Ten

+ C/CF Sean Dunlap (Crown Point) takes over as the new No. 1 ranked player in the class after his Preseason All-State performance included : a 109 mph peak exit velocity, a 6.69 60-yard dash, and an event-best 85 mph arm the crouch. The tools are off-the-charts for the young-for-class, Tennessee recruit, and he has a chance to polish into a potential Day 1 selection next spring. This is certaintly a promotion for Dunlap, and not a demotion for now No. 2 overall player, OF Rob Czarniecki (Chesterton), who is coming off a massive sophomore season that included Future Games MVP honors. This feels more like a 1A, 1B scenario - but Dunlap wins the edge, for now, and this race will likely be a back-and-forth affair moving forward with two very talented position player prospects in this class owning the top two spots. 

+ The rest of the top nine prospects remains as the same nine, but RHP/SS Gannon Grant (Center Grove) does see a slight bump to the No. 5 spot, the only other movement amongst this group. His bullpen at the All-State was as good or better than expected, and he flooded the zone with a fastball up to 93 and two potential plus secondaries. The overall stuff is the best in the class and it is the biggest reason Grant gets rewarded in this update. 3B Jake Winger (McCutcheon) also sees a small rise, back in the top ten at the No. 10 overall spot.

Ten Risers in the Top 50

Lannon Nicoloff SS / RHP / William Henry Harrison High School, IN / 2026

*rising four spots to No. 16 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

Profile: 5-foot-11, 180 pound athletic shortstop. S/R with feel to hit from both sides and developing gap-to-gap power with 100 mph exit peak. Bat speed is average to slightly above (68 mph avg). Arm is turning to a plus tool, was 92 on the bump before taking a skillful round of infield with a 92 arm across there as well. Glove is an abv avg tool, as well. Has made significant strides to athleticism, turned in a 6.77 60-yard dash. Placed top 10 at the event in the standing vertical leap (28"). 

Actions: Offense: Wide, squatty setup from both sides with small stride and short load that gets repeated. Short, on-plane path plays with barrel feel. Defense: Bouncy feet work in-rhythm with soft hands, excellent glove-to-hand, & flashy actions at times. Electric arm action is playable from multiple slots. 

Summation: Nicoloff is one of the best defenders in the class and I have always been high on him for his in-game abilities and present actions. The toolset took a massive step up after the offseason. He cut his 60-time by over 0.3 of a second with exits improving by 6 mph compared to the Future Games as well. The speed and strength begin to louden a high-contact offensive profile, while projections of him sticking at short continue to become more concrete with the arm continuing to enhance. George Mason commit.

Jeremy Lowrey RHP / Harrison (West Lafayette), IN / 2026

*rising eleven spots to No. 20 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

Frame: Young look with projection to the 6-foot-3, 190 pound frame.  

Delivery/Arm Action: Slower pace to a tall, even balance point. Subtle sink as he controls his move down the mound with well-timed, later intent. Recoil finish. Shorter arm path with looseness as on-time arm flips up in-sync. 

Stuff: Fastball played at 91-92 touching 93 with higher intent. 6'5" extension plays the fastball velocity even higher. Played catch using easy intent with secondaries, changeup shows plus upside with heavy armside fade at 80-81. Shorter, two-plane curveball spun in the 2100 range mostly. Shows above average control. 

Summation: Lowrey is another Future Games alum that exploded at this event with much-higher velocities than we saw from him in Atlanta last summer. He has added weight to his late-blooming, projectable frame that has paid dividends. There is real starters' upside with a solid track record of strikes & his above average control of three pitches should only elevate with maturity, as well. He used more intent than normal in this 'pen, especially with the fastball, normal given the nature of the event. Regardless, I expect Lowrey to hold 88-92 in game while he pitches with above average secondaries. RC's should be booking trips to Lafayette this spring before its too late...

Cayden Stockbridge RHP / Penn High School, IN / 2026

*rising twenty-two spots to No. 26 overall*

From Preseason All-State: 

Frame: Athletic, 6-foot-2, 195 pound frame. Some projection left in the leaner frame. 

Delivery/Arm Action: Slower tempo to tall, inward turn lift before dynamic drop and drive move is made. Really good mover creates quality hip-to-shoulder with in-line shoulders. Lands square w recoil finish. Full circle, clean arm action works to a high 3/4 slot. 

Stuff: Fastball played at 90-92 with abv avg extension and life out the hand. Flashes some feel to carry, though fastball played with mostly dead-zone properties. Spin has elevated with feel to manipulate shape, 76-79 SL plays w sweep and occasional bite, 73-74 CB works w two-plane shape. Both have out-pitch upside and grade out at an above average clip currently. Straight CH plays at 80-82.

Summation: Stockbridge was another huge winner on the mound during the Upperclass portion of the event & is another big riser for us. We've followed Stock since his pre-HS days and he has always offered a clean look while making steady gains. He came out after this offseason with not steady, but huge jumps, pitching at a +7 mph tick compared to what he did at our Top Prospect Games last June. He's a really good mover with a clean arm to pair with it and now the stuff should get even more swings-and-misses than we've seen in the past.

Gavin Lykins RHP / Plainfield High School, IN / 2026

*rising eight spots to No. 27 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

Frame: Super projectable, 6-foot-5, 215 pound frame still has 20+ pounds to hold. Athletic for size. 

Delivery/Arm Action: Simple, stretch-only mover w upright torso in tall lift. Controlled, tall-and-fall move lands with shorter, crossfired stride and upright, balanced finish. Moderate to below effort throughout. Later takeaway causes some sync issues, but the arm works uninterrupted and fast to a high 3/4 slot. 

Stuff: 91-92 fastball touched 94 with bowling bowl sink at times (2400s, 17.6" armside, 12" vert), also flashed ride/run w carry up to 18-plus inches of vert. Some feel to manipulate spin w short, two-plane 73-74 CB and short sweep on a 73-76 slider, both spinning in the 21-2200 range. Developing change 79-80.

Summation: Lykins was a Future Gamer for us last July and has made huge jumps since making the trip to Atlanta. He's now armed with a lively low-to-mid 90s heater that plays with power sink and occasional carry. His fastball will likely get all-kinds of swings-and-misses at its' current velocity and his feel to spin showed significant improvements in this look, as well. It is likely still a bullpen profile at the next level but has a chance to polish into starters' territory with further development. 

Caden Matusak SS / RHP crown point high school in, IN / 2026

*rising twenty-two spots to No. 28 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

Profile - 6-foot-3, 195 pound left-side infielder with younger look & projection left. 18.2 @ '26 draft. Really intriguing toolset is as follows: 95 mph arm across, 104-plus exits, & 6.87 60-yard dash. Present abv avg bat speed (74 mph avg). Upside on the mound, as well, the arm is the best tool presently with several to dream on.

Actions - Offense: Starts tall w heavy backshift load as stiffer arms hold angles as the knob climbs slightly to counter a heavy forward move. Linear operation w fast hands delivering a vertical bat. Present strength with more to come. Defense: Fluid actions. Feet play on-time with the catch, soft glove actions with quality glove-to-hand. Real shot to stick at short. Arm is a plus - short, loose, and quick.

Summation: Matusak was the biggest winner of the event and will see a significant rise in our next rankings update. RC's should be planning trips to go see Matusak this spring and the tools & frame are that of a pro follow moving forward. The forward move in the swing is big and needs to be evaluated further in-game, but you bet on the athlete to make that adjustment especially considering the present abv avg bat speed that likely ticks further with maturation. He can really catch the baseball and the arm is a plus tool to set a safe floor on the dirt, with the arm leaving intriguing upside on the bump... 

+ I got a look at Matusak on the mound at our Powerhouse Pro Case, and the stuff was on par with the expectations I set for him after he showed off the best infield arm at the Upperclass Preseason All-State. Standing at 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, Matusak pitched at 90-92 with the heater coming out with real life and more velocity on the way. He showed some feel to shape two different breaking balls and a changeup, with average control shown in total. There is significant upside in the operation on the mound that could keep Matusak trending up our board in future updates.

Tanner Post LHP / ILLIANA CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL, IN / 2026

*rising twenty-five spots to No. 31 overall*

From Great Lakes Preseason ID:

+ Post had a big offseason performance at this event and established himself as a name to know uncommitted lefty in the 2026 class. It is a big frame at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and he is athletic for his size. I've seen him in the zone often throughout his career, and he did much of the same at this event, but with a much firmer arsenal. Post pitched at 86-89 with a fastball that flashed some carry and played with big extension & a steep vertical approach angle from a high OTT look. He commanded a mid-to-upper 70s change that plays with late fade - this pitch is usable and a pitch he goes to often in-game. He spun his breaking ball at 77-82 with some ability to manipulate shape and tighter spin. Post is super young for the class with a chance to tick even further once basketball season ends and he shifts full focus to baseball. Area RC's should be booking trips to Illiana this spring to see this uncommitted southpaw. 

Kaden Maxwell LHP / Andrean, IN / 2026

*rising five spots to No. 32 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

+ Maxwell was a huge winner from our Fall State Games in October and came back even better in this look. He used below-moderate effort while pitching with a balanced, in-line delivery. The arm action is short but he keeps the ball moving to produce an 86-88 mph fastball that played with carry (17" IVB). He shows feel to manipulate shape w spin, showing a sharper, 73-74 mph sweeper & also a big, two-plane shaped, mid-60s curveball. The slider is the better of the two breaking balls, but the curveball tunnels best with the heater, it just needs to firm up at this point. The 75-76 changeup is a usable pitch and rounds out a solid 4-pitch mix. Maxwell continues to polish & is one of the top uncommitted lefties left within this uber-talented 2026 class. 

Karson Smith SS / ST THEODORE GUERIN HIGH SCHOOL, IN / 2026

*rising twenty-two spots to No. 33 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

Profile: Athletic, 6-foot, 170 pounder. Toolset has elevated with 6.60 60-yard dash being his best tool at the moment aside from the glove, though followed closely by the 91 infield arm shown at the All-State. He has the footspeed, actions, and arm strength to profile as a next-level shortstop. The right-handed bat works with present above average bat speed (74 mph) and his exit peaked at 100 mph. There is at least average raw power developed, along with some barrel feel with fast, accurate hands.

Actions - Offense: Starts in taller, athletic stance w barrel set perpendicular to shoulder plane. Subtle sink as barrel lifts to counter a small stride. Loose swing plane works short & on-top with line drive ball flights through the middle. Balanced & athletic throughout. Defense: Plays fast. Attacks with aggressive feet & fundamental actions to pair. Soft hands w very good glove2hand. Loose, whippy arm works from multiple slots with future plus strength.

Summation: Smith added quality strength to an athletic frame this offseason & it paid serious dividends at this event with one of the louder overall toolsets of any infielder in the class. He has a real shot to stick at short & that is what I have always liked him for. There is an aggressive but confident nature he takes to the middle infield and the arm ticking up reaffirms those projections. The strength has paid off most within the offensive profile. The used-to-be light bat has developed present average power now with above average projections seeming safe. There is hand-eye and zone control in my track record on this prospect that will be elevated by a now plus run time, and as even more strength gets added to the still-lean frame.

Trey Deckman SS / Columbia City High School, IN / 2026

*rising seven spots to No. 34 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

Profile: Loose, wiry, athletic, 6-foot-2, 175 pound projectable frame. Younger for class, 18.4 @ '26 draft. Frame has a chance to really pack on, continues to polish. Exits peak at 97 with future above average power projections as the body reaches full maturation, above average barrel feel shown with fluid swing & 45 present bat speed. Loose, athletic arm works at 87 across and is a future tool as well. Shows clean actions with quality glove-to-hand. Fits several defensive profiles with a chance to stick at short. Above all, your getting a projectable athlete with quality actions that have a chance to seriously louden.

Actions - Offense: Starts tall with high back elbow & makes a small backshift hinge into the backside before a small stride is counterbalanced by a short hand load. Loose, whippy barrel works on-plane with above average bat speed. Can leverage at the front. Defense: Clean actions are highlighted by serious glove-to-hand. Shows average quickness laterally. Arm works with a loose whip and can use multiple slots with above average strength.

Summation: Deckman is an upside play that I loved at this event. He oozes projection with a wiry, athletic, 6-foot-2, 175 pound loose-moving frame. Offensively, I really like the swing and with some imagination you can dream on above average raw power being developed considering the twitchy bat speed he creates with the still-lean frame he holds. He is a fluid, loose mover on the dirt with a chance to stick up the middle or pack on strength and move to 3B. The projection here is pristine and I am super bullish on Deckman as we walk away from this event. 

Connor Couch RHP / Bloomington High School South, IN / 2026

*rising 12 spots to No. 48 overall*

From Preseason All-State:

+ Couch is a really intriguing follow out of Bloomington that showed a high ceiling look at the All-State. He is an up-tempo mover that gets down the mound with pace & lands open toed. The arm is fast and used with high intent to produced a 86-88 fastball. He showed feel for sharp spin that is his best attribute - showing a 70-72 curveball and 77-80 slider, both spinning in the 25-2600 range, and the slider played with bite. He kills spin on a 77-80 change to round out a 4-pitch mix. He sprayed the fastball here but there is a lot of interesting layers to the prospect. The spin is really good & his 6-foot-3, 200 pound young-for-class frame is easy to bet on.

Twenty More Winter Risers

*winter showcase highlights embedded into prospects' name*

- RHP Ben Pickering, Lafayette Jefferson : +7 spots to No. 54 overall

- RHP Alton Ostby, Washington : +13 spots to No. 55 overall

- INF Nolan Ratcliff, Guerin Catholic : +15 spots to No. 58 overall

- INF Bennett Hartford, Penn : +19 spots to No. 61 overall

- RHP Jaden Norris, Sullivan: +19 spots to No. 66 overall

- OF Reed Sawa, Center Grove: +15 spots to No. 67 overall

- OF Tyler Denny, Mooresville: +6 spots to No. 68 overall

- MIF Levi Lester, Barr-Reeve: New face debuting at No. 72 overall

- 1B Cooper Cammack, University: +21 spots to No. 74 overall

- 3B Chase Nickols, Cathedral: +14 spots to No. 77 overall

- INF/C Kendrick Pena, Harrison: +66 spots to No. 78 overall

- RHP Colton Watts, Harrison: New face debuting at No. 79 overall

- RHP/SS Ethan Glassman, Chesterton: +101 spots to No. 81 overall

- RHP/SS Dylan Pearson, Franklin Central: +39 spots to No. 84 overall

- RHP Connor Diehm, Homestead: New face debuting at No. 87

- RHP Luke Gremelspacher, Guerin Catholic: +35 spots to No. 98 overall

- LHP Clay Austin, Floyd Central: +139 spots to No. 99 overall

- RHP Clayton Walther, Westfield: +30 spots to No. 100 overall

- UTL Kye Jacobs, Clinton Prairie: +14 spots to No. 101 overall

- 3B/RHP Brady Anderson, Vincennes Lincoln: +51 spots to No. 112 overall