Top Indiana 2019 MLB Draft Prospects

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State List Talent Ranking: ????
((Stars are listed on a 1 to 5 scale relative to what the state typically produces, with 1 being the weakest)

1. Drey Jameson, RHP, Ball State (BA RANK: 50)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-0 • Wt: 165 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

An undersized, draft-eligible sophomore out of Ball State, Jameson has a lightning quick arm with electric stuff out of a 6-foot, 165-pound frame. Jameson works with an up-tempo delivery and has been up to 97 mph with his fastball, although he’s more regularly in the 93-95 mph range. While it’s a plus offering, Jameson’s control of his fastball isn’t great, which leads to him pitching off of an average slider. He has better feel to throw strikes with his slider, but it’s not currently a wipeout pitch. Some scouts believe Jameson’s slider could turn into an above-average offering in a bullpen role, if he’s able to improve his fastball command and use his breaking ball as a chase pitch more regularly. His changeup might be his best pure secondary offering, as it flashes plus at times but remains wildly inconsistent at the moment. There are plenty of ingredients to like with Jameson, but he’ll need to continue sharpening his control moving forward and will always face reliever questions given his size.

2. Ryan Pepiot, RHP, Butler (BA RANK: 99)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 205 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

On the right day, Pepiot is a strike-thrower in complete command. But Pepiot also struggles with timing issues in his delivery at times and when that happens, his outings can go south quickly. Pepiot had a four-start stretch earlier this year when he struck out 39 and walked only one. He’d topped double digits in strikeouts five times by early May and ranked among the top 10 in Division I in strikeouts. But he followed that excellent stretch by walking seven in only 3.2 innings in his next start. A few starts later, he again walked seven while also hitting two batters. There is a minor head whack in Pepiot’s delivery, but he has long enough stretches of solid control to project that he may one day sort out his stretches of wildness with additional innings and maturity. Pepiot is a big-bodied righthander who can attack hitters with a 91-93 mph fastball that touches 95-96 mph. His changeup is a plus pitch as well, but one that multiple evaluators mentioned he relies on too often. It might actually be a little more effective in pro ball if he begins to use it a little more sparingly and uses his fringe-average, 80-82 mph slider and fringe-average, mid-70s curveball more often. Both will flash average or better as Pepiot shows a feel for spin, but he doesn’t use them all that much. That’s due, in part, because he doesn’t consistently locate them. Pepiot will likely go out in pro ball as a starter, but he has a solid fallback option as a power reliever with enough fastball, an ability to spin a breaking ball and a plus changeup.

3. Avery Short, LHP, Southport HS, Indianapolis (BA RANK: 127)
Source: HS • Ht: 6-1 • Wt: 208 • B-T: R-L • Commitment/Drafted: Indiana

If anyone convinces Short to forgo his commitment to Louisville, it will mean that team is confident there’s more to come from a lefthander with a four-pitch mix. At his best, Short already shows a future plus curveball and a fastball that can touch 92 mph. But he doesn’t show that velocity consistently and has generally been sitting at a below-average 86-89 mph in the lead-up to the draft. Short also throws a developing slider and changeup. The changeup has some promise as it has solid drop near the plate. Scouts have differing opinions on Short’s remaining projection. Some see him as a safe bet to add several ticks to his fastball over the next few years, while others are more inclined to let him enroll at Louisville and check back in a few years to pay him a larger signing bonus if he keeps improving.

4. Matt Gorski, OF, Indiana (BA RANK: 150)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-4 • Wt: 195 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

A toosly, high-upside center fielder, Gorski has an intriguing power-speed combination that scouts can dream on, but there are some real questions about the quality of his hit tool. A 6-foot-4, 195-pound righthanded hitter, Gorski has plus raw power and plus running ability, but after hitting .356/.404/.554 during his sophomore season in 2018, he was hitting .279/.385/.516 through his first 52 games this spring. Gorski has walked at a career-high rate, struckout at a career-high rate and also homered more this spring than he did in his first two seasons. His swing has some length to it, and his eye level shifts during a load that features a hand hitch and slight collapse of his back leg. Last summer in the Cape Cod League, Gorski featured a big leg kick that he attempted to quiet down, but he struck out 33 percent of the time in his 23-game stint with Harwich. Despite his speed, Gorski needs work to stick in center field, as scouts label his defense as shaky at the moment. He might fit best in a corner, and he has above-average arm strength that could allow him to fit in either spot.

5. Adam Lukas, RHP, Evansville (BA RANK: 228)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-4 • Wt: 210 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

Lukas is one of the hardest throwers in the draft class with a fastball that touches 97-99 mph and sits 94-96 regularly as a starter. He gets to that velocity reasonably easily and already sports a pro body at 6-foot-4, 230 pounds. But Lukas’ results don’t come close to matching his stuff. He one-hit Creighton for seven innings, striking out 12, but he tailed off badly as the season wore on. He didn’t make it out of the fourth inning in any of his final four starts as his ERA ballooned to 5.21. Lukas throws a mid-80s slider that is erratic. Sometimes it has some depth and bite, but other times it looks more like a cutter. Lukas also has below-average control, evidenced by his 5.3 walks per nine innings.

6. Cameron Junker, RHP, Notre Dame (BA RANK: 391)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-5 • Wt: 220 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

A 6-foot-5, 220-pound righthander, Junker struggled heavily with his control during his first two seasons with Notre Dame, but after transitioning to a full-time starting role this spring, has made big strides in that department. After walking 6.4 batters per nine over 35 innings as a sophomore, Junker has cut that rate to 4.1 in 14 starts and 74.2 innings as a junior, with 67 strikeouts. Junker throws a fastball in the 90-95 mph range and touched 96 at times down the stretch, with a slider that projects as an average pitch.

7. Michael Doolin, RHP, Andrean HS, Merrillville, Ind. (BA RANK: 411)
Source: HS • Ht: 6-3 • Wt: 200 • B-T: L-R • Commitment/Drafted: Vanderbilt

A 6-foot-3, 200-pound righthander who throws plenty of strikes and has a good feel for pitching, Doolin sits in the 88-91 mph range with his fastball, but has a physical, workhorse type body that will likely help him improve his velocity in the future. Doolin shows both a curveball and a slider, which both look like average pitches. What separates him is his ability to spot his fastball where he wants and change the eye level of hitters and change speeds effectively. Doolin is a Vanderbilt commit and has the polish to contribute right away.

8. John Baker, RHP, Ball State (BA RANK: 403)
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 235 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted

Drey Jameson gave Ball State a high-octane top draft prospect on the mound, but Baker is the Cardinals’ best starting pitcher. He pitched the first seven innings of a no-hitter against Ohio in early May . He was 7-3, 2.13 overall with 11.3 strikeouts per nine. His velocity was sometimes down into the high 80s this year after sitting 88-91 mph more normally. His fastball has always been fringy, and his delivery features a head whack and an arm wrap. But it all works. He is really intelligent on the mound. He mixes two breaking balls and a changeup that he’ll throw at any point in the count and he can locate all four pitches.

9. Cameron Dennie, RHP, Plymouth (Ind.) HS
Source: HS • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 180 • B-T: R-R • Commitment/Drafted: Arizona State

 

10. Ethan Vecrumba, OF, Edgewood HS, Ellettsville, Ind.
Source: HS • Ht: 6-4 • Wt: 200 • B-T: L-R • Commitment/Drafted: Indiana

 

11. Triston Polley, LHP, Indiana State
Source: 4YR • Ht: 6-2 • Wt: 195 • B-T: L-L • Commitment/Drafted: Never Drafted