Akeem GlaspieIndianapolis Star
These Central Indiana baseball standouts are building on strong freshman seasons or breaking out in Year 2.
Here are some of the top Class of 2026 performers.
Collin Ash, Roncalli
The lefty hit .364 with 13 runs scored, 24 RBIs, seven doubles, one triple, one home run and 13 stolen bases. On the mound, Ash had a 4-2 record with 37 strikeouts over 30 innings.
Kameron Blair, Hauser
Blair batted .448 with 23 runs scored, 34 RBIs, seven doubles, one home run and 24 stolen bases. On the mound, Blair went 2-0 with a 1.94 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 18 innings pitched.
IndyStar Super Team: Check out the best of the best from the 2024 season
All-Freshmen team: These Central Indiana players splashed in varsity debut
Owen Bullington, Franklin
Bullington batted .338 with 17 runs scored, 13 RBIs, two doubles and two stolen bases. Bullington did not commit an error in 27 games.
Cooper Cammack, University
Cammack batted .351 with 20 runs scored, 30 RBIs, seven doubles, three triples, one home run and four stolen bases.
Ryan Castetter, University
The Northwestern commit batted .393 with 30 runs scored, 34 RBIs, 13 doubles, three home runs and six stolen bases. Castetter added 27 strikeouts over 32⅔ innings on the mound.
Kobe Cherry, Center Grove
Cherry has imposing size on the mound with his 6-4, 240-pound frame. The righty took over as Center Grove's ace in his second varsity season. Cherry finished with a 6-1 record, a 3.06 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 31⅔ innings.
Blake Cope, Covenant Christian
Cope is the No. 1-rated in-state first baseman in his class, per Prep Baseball Report. In his first varsity season, the lefty batted .373 with 22 runs scored, 16 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples, one home run and four stolen bases.
Tyler Denny, Mooresville
Denny occupied the No. 2 spot in Mooresville's loaded lineup behind his brother, Hogan. The younger Denny batted .278 with 32 runs scored, 18 RBIs, six doubles, three home runs and 17 stolen bases. His high-level athleticism allows him to cover a lot of ground in center field. Denny had a perfect fielding percentage on 58 chances over 35 games.
Hudson DeVaughan, Mooresville
The Alabama commit is the No-1 ranked sophomore in Indiana and a Top-30 recruit nationally, per Prep Baseball Report. In his second varsity season, DeVaughan went 5-0 with 2.05 ERA and 56 strikeouts over 30⅔ innings.
Beckett Doane, Noblesville
Doane is the No. 1-rated in-state Class of 2026 left-hander and a Top-100 recruit nationally, per Prep Baseball Report. Doane made one varsity appearance as a freshman before breaking out this season. Doane had a 1.74 ERA and 50 strikeouts over 40⅓ innings.
Noah Dasgupta, Cascade
Dasgupta took over as Cascade's No. 1 pitcher in his second varsity season. The lefty had a 6-2 record with a 2.84 ERA and 60 strikeouts over 49⅓ innings.
Desmond Francis, Park Tudor
Francis had a breakout sophomore season for Park Tudor. Francis batted .493 with 26 runs scored, 21 RBIs, three doubles, two triples, two home runs and 14 stolen bases. On the mound, Francis went 4-1 with a 2.03 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 31 innings.
Gannon Grant, Center Grove
Grant is next in line in Center Grove's storied shortstop pipeline. In his second varsity season, Grant batted .367 with 34 runs scored, 29 RBIs, two doubles, four home runs, one triple and four stolen bases. Grant added 13 strikeouts over 7⅓ innings on the mound.
Alex Jackson, Heritage Christian
Jackson batted .324 with 26 runs scored, 23 RBIs, 10 doubles, two triples, three home runs and 11 stolen bases.
Braxton Lewis, Cascade
Lewis batted .408 with 20 runs scored, 25 RBIs, four doubles, one triple and one stolen base.
Riley Matlock, Southport
The sophomore catcher batted .423 with 11 runs scored, 21 RBIs, eight doubles, three home runs and two triples. Matlock finished with a .977 fielding percentage.
Rykin Matthias, North Central
Matthias showed strong bat-to-ball skills and discerning eye at the plate in his first varsity season. The lefty batted .411 with 24 runs scored, 10 RBIs, seven doubles and 10 stolen bases. Matthias walked 15 times and struck out just six times in 23 games.
Hudson Mills, Lutheran
Mills had a dominant two-way season for Lutheran. Mills batted .464 with 36 runs scored, 25 RBIs, five doubles, four triples, one home run and 14 stolen bases. On the mound, went 5-4 with a 2.98 ERA and 71 strikeouts on 56⅓ innings.
Jacob Morris, New Palestine
Morris built on a strong freshman season and established himself as a dominant two-way player for a talented New Palestine squad. At the plate, Morris batted .423 with 29 runs scored, 34 RBIs, seven doubles, two triples, two home runs and five stolen bases. On the mound, Morris went 5-3 with a 1.04 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 47⅓ innings.
Gavin Neal, New Palestine
Neal batted .348 with 17 runs scored, 17 RBIs, two doubles, one triple and five stolen bases.
Chase Nickols, Cathedral
Nickols became an on-base machine in his first varsity season for the Fighting Irish. The righty batted .457 with 26 runs scored, 23 RBIs, three doubles, one triple and 10 stolen bases. Nickols walked 12 times and struck out just seven times in 25 games.
Jordan Palmer, Whiteland
Palmer batted .449 with 10 runs scored, nine RBIs, five doubles and two stolen bases.
Brady Ray, Scecina
On the mound, Ray had a 3.45 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 50⅔ innings. At the plate, Ray batted .246 with six runs scored, 13 RBIs and three doubles.
Aiden Reynolds, Noblesville
The IU commit is the No-1 rated in-state third baseman in the class, per Prep Baseball Report. Reynolds batted .373 with 29 runs scored, 27 RBIs, eight doubles, one triple, one home run and 17 stolen bases.
Brayden Salyer, Avon
Salyer finished second on the Orioles with 29 hits, good for a team-best .322 batting average to go along with 20 runs scored, 13 RBIs, three triples, one double and a team-high 21 stolen bases.
Eli Sego, Triton Central
Sego batted .409 with 32 runs scored, 23 RBIs, nine doubles, five triples and 25 stolen bases.
Aiden Smith, Shelbyville
Smith is the No. 3-ranked Indiana sophomore and the 51st overall prospect nationally, per Prep Baseball Report. Smith built on a strong freshman season, posting a 4-3 record with a 1.87 ERA and 82 strikeouts over 48⅔ innings. At the plate, Smith batted .346 with 25 runs scored, 11 RBIs, three doubles, two triples, two home runs and two stolen bases.
Brayden Smith, Decatur Central
Smith went 1-0 with a 3:08 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 36⅓ innings. His best start was a five-inning, 13-strikeout outing against Perry Meridian.
Blake Smythe, Franklin
Smythe's numbers improved across the board after a solid freshman season, The 6-3, 270-pound lefty went 2-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 42 innings. At the plate, Smythe batted .240 with 14 runs scored, 20 RBIs, three doubles and one home run.
Kellen Thompson, Center Grove
Thompson formed a strong 1-2 punch with fellow sophomore Kobe Cherry atop the Trojans rotation. The 6-4, 205-pound righty went 6-1 with a 2.64 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 45 innings. Thompson led Center Grove in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched.
Tate Troxell, Guerin Catholic
Troxell is the 15th-ranked Indiana sophomore and a top-100 right-handed pitcher, per Prep Baseball Report. At the plate, the Alabama commit batted .322 with eight doubles, one home run, 16 RBIs, 13 runs scored and one stolen base. On the mound, Troxell went 2-2 with a 2.33 ERA and 40 strikeouts over 27 innings pitched.
Gabe Unger, Covenant Christian
Unger batted .345 with 14 runs scored, seven RBIs, one double and three stolen bases.
Rory Weaver, Pike
Weaver batted .400 with 25 runs scored, 16 RBIs, five doubles and 15 stolen bases. Weaver walked eight times and struck out just seven times in 25 games.
Rhys Wolf, Martinsville
The Notre Dame commit is a top-200 ranked recruit nationally, per Prep Baseball Report. Wolf had a 2-2 record with a 2.70 ERA and 46 strikeouts over 23⅓ innings.
Tristan Yerman, Center Grove
The sophomore catcher batted .309 with three runs scored, 24 RBI, six doubles, two triples and one home run. Yerman had a .982 fielding percentage, making just three errors over 28 games.
Follow IndyStar high school baseball Insider Akeem Glaspie on X at @THEAkeemGlaspie.
