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Remember the names: 22 players to watch at 2024 IHSAA baseball state finals

akeem glaspie, indianapolis star
·6 min read

The IHSAA baseball state finals are Friday and Saturday at Victory Field. Eight teams will play for championships across four classes, and there will be plenty of talent on display.

Remember these names when you get your state championship program.

Jackson Cain, Lafayette Central Catholic

College: Uncommitted

The Knights catcher is having a strong postseason. Through six tournament games, the junior is batting .538 with one home run, two runs scored, four RBIs and one stolen base.

Hogan Denny, Mooresville

Mooresville High School senior Hogan Denny (2) delivers a pitch during a IHSAA Class 4A semi-state game against New Palestine High School, Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Mooresville High School..
Mooresville High School senior Hogan Denny (2) delivers a pitch during a IHSAA Class 4A semi-state game against New Palestine High School, Saturday, June 8, 2024, at Mooresville High School..

College: IU

Denny is the Indiana baseball Gatorade Player of the Year and a dominant two-way player for the Pioneers. The IU commit is batting .485 with 41 runs scored, 40 RBIs, 13 doubles, 11 home runs, three triples and 23 stolen bases. On the mound, Denny is 2-0 with 11 saves. He has a 0.69 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 40⅓ innings.

More: Hogan Denny leadoff HR jumpstarts Mooresville as Pioneers book first state title appearance

Hudson DeVaughan, Mooresville

College: Alabama

The 6-4, 193-pound sophomore has electric stuff — including a fastball touching 95 mph — but his command can elude him at times. The right-hander is 4-0 with 56 strikeouts, 34 walks and a 2.05 ERA over 30⅔ innings. DeVaughan could play a key role out of the bullpen against Lake Central.

Joshua Flores, Lake Central

College: Cincinnati

Flores is the eighth-ranked junior in Indiana, per Prep Baseball Report. His fastball touches 94 mph, and he has high-spin breaking pitches. His electric stuff allows him to rack up strikeouts. Flores has 41 strikeouts in just 19⅔ innings to go along with a 1.78 ERA.

Christian Forniss, Brebeuf Jesuit

College: Northwestern

Forniss has electric stuff that plays up due to his deceptive delivery and left handedness. The Northwestern commit's fastball touches 90 mph and he has two high-spin breaking pitches. For the season, Forniss has a 2.11 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 59⅔ innings.

Ethan Graber, Barr-Reeve

College: Uncommitted

Graber is a consistent contact hitter and center fielder for the Vikings. Through five tournament games, Graber is batting .500 with seven runs scored, six RBIs, two doubles, one home run and two stolen bases.

Tyson Greenwood, New Prairie

College: Purdue Fort Wayne

Greenwood is one of the top left-handed pitchers in the state, bringing high-80s heat from a 6-3, 205-pound frame. The senior is 6-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 80 strikeouts over 60 innings.

Hudson Gutwein, Lafayette Central Catholic

Central Catholic Knights Hudson Gutwein (9) throws the ball during the IHSAA 1A regional championship baseball game against the Frontier Falcons, Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette, Ind. Central Catholic won 22-1.
Central Catholic Knights Hudson Gutwein (9) throws the ball during the IHSAA 1A regional championship baseball game against the Frontier Falcons, Saturday, June 1, 2024, at Central Catholic High School in Lafayette, Ind. Central Catholic won 22-1.

College: Uncommitted

The junior infielder has been an on-base machine for the Knights this postseason. Gutwein is batting .473 with 11 runs scored, two triples, one double, five RBIs and one stolen base.

Cole Huett, Providence

College: Virginia

Huett is one of the Pioneers top hitters and a slick-fielding infielder. Through 20 games, Huett is batting .377 with 24 runs scored, 19 RBIs, five doubles, four triples, two home runs and six stolen bases.

Luke Kruer, Providence

College: Merchant Marine Academy

The senior is Providence's top hitter. Through 20 games, Kruer's batting .439 with 24 runs scored, 27 RBIs, five doubles, five home runs, two triples and 18 stolen bases.

Will Loftus, Brebeuf Jesuit

College: Marietta College

Loftus is Brebeuf's top run producer. The senior is batting .371 with 18 runs scored, 29 RBIs, 10 doubles, two triples and four home runs.

Gavin Meyer, Illiana Christian

College: Ohio State

Meyer is a big (6-5, 225 pounds) right-hander with a fastball touching 90 mph. In five appearances, Meyer has a 4.42 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 19 innings. At the plate, the future Buckeye is batting .357 with 14 runs scored, 16 RBIs, six doubles, two triples and one home run.

Brendin Oliver, Mooresville

Mooresville’s Brendin Oliver (23) pitches the ball during the IHSAA Class 4A baseball sectional championship game against Center Grove at Bloomington North High School in Bloomington, Ind. on Monday, May 27, 2024.
Mooresville’s Brendin Oliver (23) pitches the ball during the IHSAA Class 4A baseball sectional championship game against Center Grove at Bloomington North High School in Bloomington, Ind. on Monday, May 27, 2024.

College: Cincinnati

Oliver would be the ace of most staffs, but the senior forms a strong 1-2 punch with Hogan Denny. Oliver sports an impressive 12-0 record with a 2.14 ERA and 91 strikeouts over 65⅓ innings.

Jake Pauw, Barr-Reeve

College: Uncommitted

Pauw has an intimidating 6-5, 225-pound presence on the mound. As the Vikings' top reliever, the junior has bat-missing stuff and the ability to pitch in stressful situations. In two tournament appearances, Pauw has allowed just one hit and no earned runs with eight strikeouts over 3⅔ innings.

Tanner Post, Illiana Christian

College: Uncommitted

Post is the No. 2-ranked sophomore lefty in the state, per PBR, and a dominant force on the mound for the Vikings. The 6-3, 195 pound hurler has a 2.56 ERA and 59 strikeouts over 43⅔ innings.

Nick Robinson, Lake Central

College: Purdue Northwest

Robinson is the table setter of the Indians offense. He's batting a team-high .389 with 31 runs scored, 20 RBIs, five doubles, one triple, 13 walks and 36 stolen bases.

Parker Robinson, Lake Central

College: Uncommitted

Robinson is the No. 2-ranked freshman in the state, per PBR. With a 6-3, 185-pound frame, the righty is built like an MLB shortstop. Robinson is batting .229 with 14 RBIs, two doubles, two triples and five stolen bases.

Reed Robinson, New Prairie

College: Uncommitted

The switch-hitting catcher is the No. 1-ranked sophomore backstop in the state, per PBR. Robinson is batting .466 with 41 RBIs, six doubles, five triples, five home runs and 11 stolen bases.

Ethan Stoll, Barr-Reeve

College: Uncommitted

Stoll is a speedy leadoff hitter and sure-handed shortstop for the Vikings. Through five tournament games, Stoll is batting .294, with six runs scored, two RBIs and five stolen bases.

Griffin Tobias, Lake Central

Griffin Tobias (1) makes the first pitch of the game, at the Lake Central High School Indians vs. the Penn High School Kingsmen baseball game in La Porte, Indiana on Saturday, June 10, 2023.
Griffin Tobias (1) makes the first pitch of the game, at the Lake Central High School Indians vs. the Penn High School Kingsmen baseball game in La Porte, Indiana on Saturday, June 10, 2023.

College: IU

The IU commit is a 5-11, 187-pound right-handed pitcher with a fastball touching 93 mph. He's the No. 6 overall senior in Indiana and the third-rated righty, per PrepBaseballReport. On the mound, Tobias is 7-2 with 0.97 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 58 innings. At the plate, Tobias is batting .313 with 18 runs scored, 18 RBIs, four doubles, three triples, one home run, 10 walks and just 11 strikeouts.

Isaac VanderWoude, Illiana Christian

College: Virginia

The senior shortstop has been a fixture of the Illiana Christian program for four seasons. The top-ranked senior shortstop is batting .440 with 41 runs scored, 32 RBIs, 10 doubles, 22 stolen bases, six triples and five home runs.

Seth Wagler, Barr-Reeve

College: Uncommitted

Wagler has been lights out on the mound for Barr-Reeve throughout the postseason. In three tournament appearances, Wagler has not allowed an earned run, racking up 18 strikeouts over 21 innings.

2024 IHSAA baseball state finals schedule

FRIDAY

Class A: Barr-Reeve (27-6) vs. Lafayette Central Catholic (27-6), 5:30 p.m.

Class 3A: Brebeuf Jesuit (25-9) vs. New Prairie (26-5), 8 p.m.

SATURDAY

Class 2A: Providence (21-7) vs. Illiana Christian (21-9)

Class 4A: Mooresville (31-3) vs. Lake Central (24-9), 8 p.m.

How to watch IHSAA baseball state finals

All four state championship games be streamed on IHSAAtv.org via pay-per-view for $15 per game or $20 for all games.

Follow IndyStar high school baseball Insider Akeem Glaspie on X at @THEAkeemGlaspie.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Top players at Indiana high school baseball state championship games