Jake Hanley

Ohio Valley: Pre-Season Deep Dive of Prep Baseball Infielders This Spring

High school baseball is upon us, with Kentucky baseball starting last week and Michigan's baseball season already underway as this article is being posted. Early looks of the Kentucky season have shown positive signs for the few arms mentioned prior, as they are already flying with a great start to the season. This upcoming Saturday (March 25th), Ohio baseball season begins with many touted matchups that will be must-sees for the avid baseball lover in the Ohio area. If the weather cooperates, I will be in the fields watching the OHSAA (Ohio High School Athletic Association) Division-I reigning champions Archbishop Moeller start their season against Strongsville and will provide a live look later next week on the matchup.

Part three of our series continues here, analyzing the region's infield prospects. The Ohio Valley continues the trend from the last few years of us being spoiled with a few top-tier and toolsy prospects following the footsteps of Ohio Valley infielders Colt Emerson, Colston Montgomery, Henry Kaczmar, and Alex Mooney, who displayed their advanced baseball skills at the variety level to either hear their name called in July out of high school or became a high-level dude walking onto campus in the fall and fought for a spot in the lineup out of the gate. Further, we have one SS who could hear his name called early on day one this year.


The 2024 class for this prep baseball season is stacked with dudes who possess future major-league tools and who will have huge impacts on their respective college programs or clubs next season. All of these guys with future breakdowns are dudes I can see getting their names called in July or dudes to keep noted as potential future high-round selections in 2027. The honorable mention group of dudes is in the next tier of guys who I can see get their names called sometime in the 2027 or 2028 draft after some seasoning versus better competition or added time with maturity to grow their pro tools.


| 3B/SS Caleb Bonemer, Okemos HS (MI) |

| 6-foot-1 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Virginia | B/T:  R/R | Draft Day Age: 18 yr 9 mo |

Bonemer enters the 2024 draft cycle as the top high school infield prospect in the class due to his impressive combo of physicality, explosive tools, and massive stock bump from the 2023 prep showcase and summer circuit. Bonemer is the most prolific infielder we have seen in a hot minute to come out of the prep ranks in Michigan. Further, Bonemer has the chance of joining highly touted infielders like Colston Mongomery and Colton Emerson of being Ohio Valley infielders drafted in the first round in recent years - in short, save your seats now for Okemos high school baseball games this spring as there will not an open seat if you wait till Michigan's season to start with scouts soaring to Michigan with anticipation to watch him play.

Bonemer is a physical athletic specimen on the diamond with a muscular build that oozes projectable strength with strong hands, wrists, and quads/lower half. In the box, everything works in sync with a quiet load, a small front-foot-striking stride, and a shorter compact swing displaying minimal wasted effort attacking the baseball with eye-popping explosive bat speeds, triple-digit exit velocities, and barreling nearly everything he attacks. When he punishes baseball, he is typically pull-side happy with the power but has shown the ability to exhibit XBHs up the middle on occasion. Contact-wise, he can hit all over the zone and spray hits anywhere throughout the field. Due to previous looks, scouts this spring would like to see him lower the whiffs in the game from inferior competition (a similar issue we saw in the 2021 varsity season from a similar comp SS in Brady House). 

In the field, Bonemer is a very athletic and projectable infielder with a high likely chance to stay on the left side of the dirt with his soft hands, smooth fluid feet/motions towards the baseball, plus range, plus field awareness/baseball IQ, strong arm, good reactions, impressive composure/body control, and quick reactions to the baseball. Further, Bonemer allows his athleticism to play throughout his game without any hiccups (even during the challenging plays). Similar to Brady House, he is massive for his size. So, scouts will need to determine if the size will make him shift out of the middle and slide over to 3B or corner OF in the future when he hits physical maturity. 

Overall, Bonemer has shown everything that scouts typically look for from prep position players during the draft process and is a very polished high school prospect. So far, he has made a solid case to be considered a top 15 or even top 10 selection in the draft with his very high ceiling. Due to the strong college class this season, he could fall down the boards with teams looking for more maturity and quicker to show talent. If Bonemer has an eye-popping spring as he did over the summer, he may force the hand of an organization to take him higher than most rankings and mock drafts have him before the Michigan prep season. 

Preseason Draft Grade: Top 5 HS player & Top 25 overall draft talent; First-round grade w/ top 10 upside


| 1B/RHP Jake Hanley, William Mason HS |

| 6-foot-6 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | B/T:  L/R | Draft Day Age: 18 yrs 11 mo | 

Presumably, the most prominent and premier prep baseball athlete out of the Ohio Valley, Hanley early this year, attended the Prep Baseball's Super 60 event and impressed scouts in a showcase setting by blasting baseballs nearly 400 feet and recording triple-digit exit velocities (103.5 mph). Hanley physically stands out from the typical high school hitter with a 6-foot-5, 235-pound XL frame with loud upside tools and an even higher ceiling. Hanley has been a consistent workhorse out of a prolific baseball program at William Mason High School, which in recent years, has produced professional players in Nicholas Northcut and former first-round selection T.J Zeuch.

A few weeks back, we mentioned the pitching upside Hanley has made over the last calendar season, making him a difficult profile to project between being an offensive middle-of-the-order bat, a future high-velocity arm, or the unicorn of both. This week, we will dive into what we have seen since his early prep years as an uber-physical middle-of-the-order first baseman.


If you want to go back and see his pitching profile going into the Ohio prep season, you can see it Here

As mentioned above, Hanley is a large physical frame athlete who shows premium projectable upside as a professional ball player with muscular proportions and strength throughout his body. Hanley displays very simple and smooth operations at the dish, exhibiting an athletic balanced stance with a smooth load, quiet leg kick, soft stride, whippy hands, and a controlled barrel. When he attacks baseballs, his natural strength is loud, exhibiting a mixed lofty/upward violent swing that produces thunderous hard contact every time he puts the ball in play (92.9% hard-hit rate and an average of roughly 97 mph or more EVs). Further, he possesses violent bat speed (76 mph bat speed average), allowing his tall lefty frame to get into triple-digit exit velocities. The projection for him to stay as a middle-of-the-order bat is sustainable. However, Hanley will need to exhibit his lofty/upward violent swing more often and produce more XBHs in-game as too frequently, his hitting ability against tougher pitching competition leans more into straight line drives and hard ground balls due to his occasional neutral attack angle (or insufficiency of displaying on-plane efficiency) and his bat path becoming flat in his swing versus better competition from his need in making up for timing issues in his load and his lengthy bat path (all fixable attributes in his game). On the bases, Hanley is an average runner at best overall. 



Depending on the scout(s) you speak with, there are some who believe that the two-way potential is real within Hanley, and when he breaks through the next ceiling within his development, it will be more apparent. There is no question that the hit tool and the metrics that come with it are impressive, with above-average potential projections attached throughout. However, suppose Hanley would get drafted in July. In that case, it is more likely that he will be drafted because of the toolsy upside in his hitting abilities that he displayed over the winter showcase setting, a positive offensive spring performance, and an imaginable combine invite (with the off-the-field element of the money being right). Suppose Hanley gets the chance to go to Bloomington in the fall. In that case, the coaching staff will definitely tinker with his pitching potential and get him out on the mound next spring (I'm highly assuming Risedorph, Sinnard, and Foley are drafted this year and not coming back) while giving him at-bats in fall ball and early in the spring. 


In conclusion, I love to see players get their ability to achieve their dreams and get their money from the hard work they have put into baseball. Nevertheless, my selfish side would love to see him go to college and try the two-way ability out, as I can see him evolving into a Big Ten/Midwest version of Jac Caglianone or Brendon McKay because of the upside he has in his tools, both ways. Additionally, he wouldn't be the first Cincinnati native to pass on big money, double down, and prove themselves in college for a bigger payday if he did (Andrew Benintendi was drafted in the 31st round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2013 and then was a top 10 overall selection in 2015 by the Boston Red Sox. Further, Zeuch went down a similar route before being drafted 21st overall by the Toronto Blue Jays). Thus, seeing the hoops and challenging tasks for scouts to determine the future for the most polarizing, intriguing, and tooled-up athlete in the Midwest of this class in Hanley. 


Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 HS player; Day 2 grade but probably going to school. 



| C Hogan Denny, Mooresville HS (IN) |

| 6-foot-0 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | B/T:  R/R | Draft Day Age: 18 yr 8 mo |

A decorated multi-sport athlete from the Hoosier State, Denny is a two-time All-State backstop who has shown his physical athleticism from the diamond to the gridiron as his school's star quarterback (as an underclassman showed some advanced athleticism as a wide receiver for the football team). Denny is by far the best prep catcher in the region who has a strong accurate arm behind the dish and has displayed desirable power traits in the box. Like many others on these lists, Denny was a Prep Baseball Super 60 invitee and, during the event, displayed some of the most power in the country by blasting baseballs over 106 mph and demonstrating some of the most explosive bat speeds you will see slightly over 86 mph. Further, outside of being a star catcher for Mooresville HS and being arguably the most productive offensive juggernaut in Indiana prep baseball, Denny has displayed stuff on the mound by recording over 100 strikeouts as a lights-out reliever guiding his varsity squad as a year-in and year-out state championship contender. His current projection for his future is staying behind the dish, so below, we will stick with his offensive and defensive upside as a catcher.

In the box, Denny displays a sturdy physical build that shows strength throughout his frame. His advanced athleticism could be considered sneaky due to his build, but he is a tremendous athlete overall (he has swiped 67 stolen bases in varsity baseball and has made some appearances at SS). Operating in the box, Hogan now works with an athletic balanced stance where, in the past, he had a wide stance, but he has tinkered with his approach at the plate to harness more into his power profile. Further, he is a simple mover from the right side, displaying quick hands, a quiet controlled load, and a leg lift stride that blasts the barrel into the zone with oozing power from his lower half from a shorter swing. A very confident and good poised hitter. His swing/hands occasionally can get a little too early, but overall, it is on time with the barrel being in the zone for a long time at a linear level with intent. When watching him, many scouts have used the scouting vocabulary of Hogan having an “advanced approach and very disciplined.” If you are a nit-picky individual, you can say that he needs to be more rotational to generate more power. However, with this offensive profile, he already has enough natural strength to generate the long ball when needed (explains the change in stance). Overall, the power he has is ridiculous, with still more in the tank. In addition, his offensive profile is more of a gap-to-gap approach with XBH upside and the ability to spray it all over the field. Additionally, the bat works well in-game and outside of a contained environment (at the varsity level, he has produced over 35 XBHs and 19 long balls entering his senior year). His projection shows that he can stay in that middle-of-the-order stop in the lineup with a floor of a six-hole hitter. 


Defensively, behind the dish, Hogan's clear best attribute is his strong and accurate arm, recording arm speeds in the low 80s. Overall, he is an advanced catcher with pop times in the upper 1.80s and low 1.90s while displaying quick reactions, soft hands, strong lower half/knees, a quick release out of a short compact ¾ arm slot, exemplary athletic footwork, fast transfer abilities, and a high baseball IQ. The quarterback background comes into play with his ability to read the field/basepaths and make decisions on the fly very well in a quick process. He shows good field general qualities to stay behind the dish at the next level or even transition to the corner infield if needed. 

Hogan may get some scouts' looks this spring due to his decorated athleticism, track record of offensive production at the varsity level, and participation in previous high-level baseball events (Prep Baseball Super 60 and PG Nationals). I can easily see him being in the running for Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Indiana and be a strong candidate for the Johnny Bench Award (an award given to the top catcher at the high school level from the Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia region). Overall, I envision Hogan as a high-follow prospect from the Hoosier State with more 2027 MLB Draft upside than this summer. Henceforth, I see Hogan going to college this fall to better himself versus good Big Ten competition and making an impact behind the dish as a backup catcher his true freshman year before breaking out as the main dude behind the plate for the Hoosiers moving forward. Suppose the power potential makes a further jump in the near future, and his offensive profile translates at the college level. In that case, the Hoosiers may have another high-level athletic power profile backstop as they did nearly a decade ago with Kyle Schwarber. 



Preseason Draft Grade: N/A - Future college backstop


| Honorable Mentions |


| SS/OF Alex Koelling, William Mason HS (OH) |


| 6-foot-1 | 170 - pounds | Commit: Ohio State | B/T:  L/R |  Draft Age: 18 yr 1 mo |



| SS/3B Alex Martin, Boyd County (KY) |


| 6-foot-3 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Xavier | B/T:  R/R  | Draft Age: approximately 18 yr 0 mo |



| SS/3B Issac VanderWoude, Illiana Christian HS (IN) |


| 5-foot-11 | 188 - pounds | Commit: Virginia  | B/T:  L/R  | Draft Age: approximately 19 yr 0 mo |



| 3B/RHP Jackson Frasure, Chaminade-Julienne (OH) |


| 6-foot-2 | 225 - pounds | Commit: Akron | B/T:  R/R  | Draft Age: approximately 19 yr 0 mo |



| SS Parker Brzustewicz, St. Mary’s HS (MI) |


| 6-foot-3 | 185 - pounds | Commit: Notre Dame | B/T:  R/R | Draft Age: 19 yr 6 mo |



| SS/C/2B Parker Corbin, Cincinnati Country Day (OH) |


| 5-foot-9 | 180 - pounds | Commit: Maryland | B/T:  L/R |  Draft Age: 18 yr 11 mo |



| SS Ryder Kirtley, Troy HS (OH) |


| 6-foot-0 | 185 - pounds | Commit: Virginia Tech | B/T:  R/R | Draft Age: 18 yr 10 mo |


| 1B/RHP Sawyer Solitaria, Saint Ignatius (OH) |


| 6-foot-3 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Kent State | B/T:  R/R |  Draft Age: 18 yr 2 mo |


Ohio Valley: Pre-Season Deep Dive of Prep Baseball Right-Handed Pitchers this Spring

As of writing this piece, tryouts for the 2024 high school baseball season have begun, and players are starting to get ramped up for the upcoming Prep Baseball Season in the Ohio Valley. For our readers in the Ohio Valley and Midwest who are battling through the up-and-down weather and weekly snow squalls, I have decided each week until the varsity season begins to provide a pre-season deep dive of some 2024 prep prospects throughout the Ohio Valley to keep an eye on that are either guys I can envision getting their name called this July or potential impact college players in the near future. At the end of the prep season, I will re-evaluate and include dudes who have jumped this spring. 

For the avid readers of my upcoming content, nearly all of my content will be focused on either the prep or collegiate baseball within the Ohio Valley (the Ohio Valley in my content will pertain to the states of OH, MI, IN, KY, and sometimes WV) with some content focused on the higher level dudes outside of this region projected to go really high. Additionally, when we get into the summer months, I'll transition into breaking down some outstanding impact guys within the MLB Draft League, Prospects League, and Great Lakes League. 

After straying from the subject matter, we are starting this week with the RHP prep baseball players to watch for this spring. When diving into the pitching prospects of the Ohio Valley, the state of Indiana is loaded (no, seriously, Indiana may lead the scorecard in July for most high schoolers getting their name called in the Ohio Valley region). High school pitching in this region has seen a meteoric rise this winter and will start to get more attention when the playing season begins. Let's get down to business!


| Brayden Krenzel, Dublin Jerome HS (OH) |

#54 - Prospect Live 2024 MLB DRAFT: TOP 100 PREP PROSPECTS 01/11/24

| 6-foot-3 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Tennessee | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 6 mo. | 

Probably the most well-known and premier arm out of the Ohio Valley. A coined term that has been used a lot around Krenzel in the previous calendar year has been the word “intriguing” by many scouts. On the mound presents a smooth operation, a super clean arm, and displays natural deception within his delivery. A low-three-quarter arm slot that shows a lower release and exhibits a more extended whippy arm action. Further, he pitches with a “Hunter Greene-like” calming composure and confidence when on the mound. 


On the bump, he brings a 3-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). The FB usually sits low-90s, touching 94 MPH, showing arm-side run and occasional heavy sink. Regarding future projections, he still has enough in the tank to fill out and add to the FB velo with the expectation that it can sit in the mid-90s due to his projectable and physical frame/size. Subsequently, his slider is arguably one of the best in this prep class overall and is a typical go-to pitch that wipes out hitters in the box and locates very well down in the zone (a regular nightmare for RHHs). SL usually operates in the low-80s and has a sweeping shape that tunnels out of the hand very well with his CH. Works well on either side of the dish, and in recent outings and showcase appearances, the SL has made a recent jump in metrics. Lastly, the CH sits in the low-80s and is a little more fringy than you look for with higher projected pitching prospects and probably will be average at best moving forward, but with how it tunnels with the SL and how Krenzel mixes his arsenal, it will play.

Overall, Krenzel has a good feel for all of his pitches, isn’t afraid to pitch any of them, and frequently throws strikes. In previous live looks, he has been a usual tough at-bat that creates S/M for even the best hitters in Ohio and within the summer circuit to face. If the velo takes a jump this spring and holds well, we can see an arm in the Buckeye State that could get his name called early during All-Star Week. 


Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 selection (third - sixth round)



| Cameron Sullivan, Mount Vernon HS (IN) |

| 6-foot-2 | 200 - pounds | Commit: Notre Dame | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 3 mo. |

Probably the most electrifying arm in the Ohio Valley and an arm with the most helium going into the prep baseball season in the region. Recently, came off of Prep Baseball’s Super 60 event and impressed scouts in a showcase setting by dialing up the FB nearly to 97 mph and over 2600 RPMs of spin. Putting his name on draft boards and making it tough to find a seat at Mount Vernon games this spring.

Sullivan, on the mound, operates with a 3-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). The FB is a plus pitch that sits mid-90s that carries with life through the zone, and is frequently thrown for strikes. The off-speed/breaking-ball pitches are what I feel are going to separate him from the rest of this prep baseball class in the nation. The SL is an upper-80s breaking ball that touches 90 MPH that has sharp tilt and looks firm with high spin rates (upper 2800). Further, in the box, the slider displays a late lateral break that is disgusting to even go against, creating S/M. From a metrics standpoint, the pitch is enticing, but if he can show better command and hit his spots this spring against live ABs with the SL, he could jump further in the draft. Lastly, he delivers a low-90s CH that is firm and has shown occasional sink, which from a metric standpoint is a really good pitch (over 15 inches of separate and HM hitting over 20 inches) but does seem fringy at times in-game.

Overall, Cameron has a good feel for his pitches and pitches with a mission on the mound. Operates with a good tempo and a repeatable delivery. Further, he performs with a high leg kick, a high three-quarters arm slot, a short, quick arm action, and pitches with deception. The ball jumps out of his hand well. An obvious athlete on the mound and is a superb pitching talent. I easily envision him being a top 100 draft prospect and top 30 prep arm for this draft class in our next rankings update, and it is not an unrealistic projection that he jumps Krenzel by the end of the spring as the best RHP in the Ohio Valley. His draft status highly depends on his control and command this spring.


Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 selection (current ceiling of Compensation A round draft pick while sitting as a second - fifth round grade). 


| Jack Brown, Fishers HS (IN) |

| 6-foot-1 | 205 - pounds | Commit: Louisville | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 9 mo. | 

A dude who has been a prominent arm out of Indiana for a little while. Brown is a productive and efficient arm out of Noblesville, IN, who has accumulated over 190 Ks to 57 BB and under a 2.00 ERA during his Fishers HS career so far. An arm that reminds me of a current Louisville Cardinal, Colton Hartman, who is a premier talent on the bump and accumulates many praises for being a workhorse, but their athleticism isn’t limited to just the mound as there is two-way potential in them, as both in their HS career have displayed the ability to do damage in the box (for the sake of this article we are going to focus on the arm).

When on the bump, Brown operates with a smooth delivery with some up-tempo, a high leg kick, and when pitching does show some effort at release. Additionally, relies heavily on creating energy from the lower half that works until heel strike. The arm works out of a three-quarters slot that has quick action. Uber-athlete on the mound with physical and projectable traits. Overall, I would like to see the mechanics cleaned up to become more efficient and repeatable.


Brown, on the mound, operates with a 4-pitch mix of a fastball (4-SM and a 2-SM Sinker), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). Both FBs work in the low-90s, topping out around 95 MPH with arm-side run. Both FBs have been the primary pitches in his arsenal early on in counts he relies on the most, pitching low in the zone and inducing a high rate of groundballs. Next, he has a tight slider that displays some late slurvy action. The SL has become a solid and reliable put-away pitch for Brown, generating whiffs on both righties and lefties that step into the box. His SL is interesting as it bounces from different actions (sometimes 11/5 and other times 10/4) with improving metrics (roughly up to 2500 spin). In recent winter bullpen sessions, he has bumped the velocity up into the mid-80s T87. It's an offering within his arsenal that scouts will want to see this spring, as he's added roughly 6-8 MPH over the offseason. Lastly, Brown has a contentious CH from outing to outing, creating S/M. The CH operates in the mid-80s and works well with the FB. It shows some fade and downward movement, with an arm-side run. Brown has shown confidence in the CH and has demonstrated the ability to add/subtract velo with it, which can create issues for hitters. Across the board, Brown has a good feel for his arsenal, throws strikes, and has shown solid pitch ability against RHHs and LHHs. Additionally, he has the stuff and dedication to be developed into a high-level starting pitcher. Like Hartman last year, we can envision him being drafted, but he is probably a hard sign to get him out of his Cards commitment. 

Preseason Draft Grade: Day 2 grade but probably going to school. 



| Jake Hanley, William Mason HS (OH) |

| 6-foot-6 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 11 mo. | 

The most polarizing, intriguing, and tooled-up athlete in the Midwest of this class goes to the Cincinnati native. Once seen as only a projectable 1B prospect who has been more physical and stronger than most in his class for some time, is now unknown whether he will be a hitter, a pitcher, or both in the future. Being known for blasting baseballs into orbit and grabbing eye-popping metrics in showcase settings in the box, Hanley has made some serious strides as an RHP since the beginning of his junior year. Earlier this winter, just like Sullivan, Hanley came off of Prep Baseball's Super 60 event and impressed scouts in a showcase setting by dialing up the FB to nearly 95 MPH, appearing effortless and having room to further develop into an RHP. I will talk about his offensive abilities another day, but his pitching potential has skyrocketed within the last 16-18 months and lands him as one of the arms to see for the spring. 


On the bump, Hanley operates with a three-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), and a changeup (CH). The FB works with life in the low to mid-90s and carries into the zone. Hanely has displayed the ability to work inside on hitters and through any quadrant he pleases for strikes. The FB has shown plus signs of high spin but needs to be more consistent. Overall, scouts would like to see more movement, rise, or hop with his FB as, at times, it gets a little flat or dead zone, a troubling issue for pitching at the next level. Next, he works with an upper-70s and low-80s SL with average spin and some late 11/5  tilt towards the plate, creating S/M. Lastly, he has an average CH, which works in the low to mid-80s. 


Hanley operates with a smooth, effortless delivery and excellent athleticism. Exhibits a short loose arm action out of a three-quarter slot with some deception. Hanley towards the plate doesn't get much extension and works heavily on the upper body with "Brody Brecht-like mechanics." All the pieces are there for a program or team to work with him as a premium pitching project. As an underclassman, he has been given opportunities to pitch. Yet, many were short outings, leaving a potential stigma of him being an RP at the next level (total of 44 innings pitched in HS varsity). Cincinnati's Alpha Baseball has done another great job developing a premium athlete and a potential star pitcher for the next level. Ultimately, it goes down to Hanley being able to impress scouts this spring with his advances on the bump against quality ABs and for longer outings. If his name isn't called in July, the Hoosiers may get another steal from Cincinnati as they did with Devin Taylor.


Preseason Draft Grade: Top 100 HS player; Day 2 grade but probably going to school. 




| Kellan Klosterman, Archbishop Moeller HS (OH) |

| 6-foot-1 | 175 - pounds | Commit: Notre Dame | Draft Day Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |

A helium prep arm from the summer of 2022 for the Ohio 2024 class, Klosterman has become one of the top arms in the region after displaying his stuff at Prep Baseball’s Top Prospect Games in Ohio, dominating in PG's WWBA and, being a member of the highly touted Moeller Crusaders rotation that won a state title in 2023, who's looking to repeat. Kellan is an arm that may not get the serious MLB looks like the other four above will, but is an arm that, if he ends up in ND, will be a workhorse for their pitching staff with possible weekend upside and could further develop into being a dude getting their name called in 2027. If I'm an ND baseball fan, I'm ecstatic over this signing. 


Klosterman works with an advanced four-pitch mix of a fastball (FB), a slider (SL), a curveball (CB), and a changeup (CH). The FB works in the upper-80s and low-90s, displaying heavy sink and lower spin (1800). FB comes out of the hand with ease, and velocity is very effortless with more in the tank for future higher velocity. Kellan works the FB as a typical duo with his SL that tunnels well together. The SL is an upper-70s breaking ball (11/5 shape) with wipe-out abilities that have shown traits of being heavy with tight spin and tilt (roughly 2400 - 2500 spin), a true put-away pitch against hitters; with further development, this pitch can become a plus offering. Next, he brings an upper-70s CB, a pitch he doesn't display much, but it creates over 11 inches of HB and spins it very well (roughly 2300 - 2400 spin). Lastly, he delivers a CH that sits in the mid-80s with intriguing traits. CH has fading/depth action, creating over 17 inches of HM and bringing powerful features to the plate. Overall, he is consistent when on the mound. He has a good feel for most of his pitches, lands strikes, and has solid control.


On the mound, he works with an easy repeatable operation of a smooth & controlled delivery at a good tempo, with no effort in a calm/cool presence. Operates with a high leg kick, a snapping explosive quick arm, and a large extension towards the plate—pitches out of a ¾ arm slot that is loose with longer action. Everything mechanically on Klosterman is polished, fluid, and efficient and is probably one of the best in this category behind Krenzel. Physically, I like what ND is working with here, as there's room for him to grow out and add muscle with further stuff in the arsenal. Overall, the stuff is the real deal for Kellan to be an impactful starter at the college level that potentially will garner him looks for the professional level; only time will tell for Klosterman, but, at the moment, he is a fun arm to watch at the prep level. 


Preseason Draft Grade: N/A - future college arm


| Honorable Mentions |


| Brendin Oliver, Mooresville HS (IN) |

| 6-foot-4 | 195 - pounds | Commit: Cincinnati | Draft Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |



| Bryce Brannon, William Mason HS (OH) |

| 6-foot-3 | 205 - pounds | Commit: Duke | Draft Age: 18 yr. 8 mo. |



| Carson Rhodes, Salem HS (OH) |

| 6-foot-2 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Virginia Tech | Draft Age: 18 yr. 2 mo. |



| Carson Van Haaren, Tates Creek HS (KY) |

| 6-foot-1 | 200 - pounds | Commit: Eastern Kentucky | Draft Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |



| Griffin Tobias, Lake Central HS (IN) |

| 5-foot-11 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Indiana | Draft Age: approximately 19 yr. 0 mo. |



| Maximus McCellan , St. Edwards HS (OH) |

| 6-foot-7 | 215 - pounds | Commit: South Carolina | Draft Age: 18 yr. 3 mo. |



| Nash Wagner, Zionsville HS (IN) |

| 6-foot-5 | 215 - pounds | Commit: Alabama | Draft Age: 18 yr. 9 mo. |



| Nick Heitman, Mount Vernon (IN) |

| 6-foot-3 | 190 - pounds | Commit: Iowa | Draft Age: 18 yr. 10 mo. |



| Noah LaFine, Archbishop Hoban HS (OH) |

| 5-foot-11 | 175 - pounds | Commit: Vanderbilt | Draft Age: 18 yr. 11 mo. |



| Zakery Spurrier, Central Hardin (KY) |


| 6-foot-2 | 230 - pounds | Commit: Kentucky | Draft Age: 18 yr. 4 mo. |