Justin Kamm built a career in Information Technology.
At one point, Indiana University had Kamm running the internet for all its campuses across the state. That led to positions are software companies ExactTarget and Sales Force.
A former baseball coach at Park Tudor School in Indianapolis, Kamm opted to retire early from the IT industry.
“I decided to dedicate my time to teaching the game of baseball,” says Kamm, who took over the Indy Titans and became president of the travel organization which now fields 36 teams from 8U to 17U and founded Indiana Baseball Academy in Westfield, Ind. “I felt it led me to success in my life and I wanted to give that back to folks and the only way I knew how to do that was through coaching.”
Kamm is a 1992 graduate of North Central High School in Indianapolis, where Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Famer Tom Bradley was Panthers head coach his freshmen and sophomore years and Rick Shadiow his junior and senior seasons. Current Brownsburg (Ind.) High School head coach Dan Roman was a Shadiow assistant.
At Vincennes (Ind.) University, Kamm did not play baseball at the school he formed a relationship with the Trailblazers head coach Jerry Blemker, who went into the National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.
“There are lots of lessons learned from all those coaches,” says Kamm, who also went to Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis and Indiana Wesleyan University and earned a Business Management degree. “I learned to care about players as individuals and teach life lessons.”
At the end of January 2024, Kamm added head baseball coach at Warren Central High School on Indy’s east side to his diamond duties.
Eli Shaw (Class of 2023) is a right-handed pitcher at Indiana University. The team took a field trip March 28 to see him hurl at Butler University.
College baseball commits in the Class of 2024 include Justin Concepcion to the University of Northwestern Ohio and Jackson Hobbs and Lucas Hobbs both to Marian University’s Ancilla College.
Kamm’s Warren Central coaching staff features three returnees and three newcomers.
“I think it’s important to keep continuity,” says Kamm.
Fort Wayne Bishop Luers High School graduate Cardenas played at the University of Northwestern Ohio and independent pro ball.
Floyd Central High School graduate Hamsley played at Indiana Wesleyan and was a strength and conditioning coach in the Atlanta Braves organization. He runs Hamsley Performance out of Indiana Baseball Academy.
Summeier is a 2017 Warren Central graduate.
Betts played for the Indy Titans, North Central and at Kentucky State University.
The Warriors’ on-campus home diamond is Foreman Field. Kamm says he hopes a corporate partnership with LIFT Academy — a pilot and flight mechanic training company — will help with some upgrades to the facility.
Kamm says he had other coaching opportunities, but chose Warren Central because it aligns with his personal mission of developing baseball players.
“The landscape of east side baseball has changed drastically in the last decade,” says Kamm. “Part of my goal going forward is to bring back baseball in Warren and on the east side of Indianapolis because it seems to be dying right now.
Recent discussions have focused on creating a Sunday showcase program for 9U to 12U that is currently being called Warrior Baseball.
Justin and wife Tara Kamm, an avid Chicago Cubs fan and daughter of retired sportswriter Hank Lowenkron, have two children — daughter Megan Kamm is an accountant at Deloitte in Chicago and son Zach Kamm is a senior at Brebeuf Jesuit and a former baseball player.
With a devotion to development, Marcus LaSane knew just what he wanted to call his training and travel ball organization when it was established in 2013 — the Michiana Repetition.
Michiana because the operation is located in the area — north central Indiana and southwest lower Michigan — known by that name.
Repetition for what makes athletes better.
A 16-week training program starts in November. High school players go until March 10 (IHSAA practice begins March 11).
The Reps got going with a recreation travel team out of the South Bend, Ind.
After starting out with a spot in the former ICE Athlete Center in Mishawaka, Ind., Michiana Repetition — baseball and softball — now occupies part of the Edwardsburg (Mich.) Field House, leasing space from Dugout Dolls owner Trish Gardini.
Reps Softball and Reps Baseball are separately-run businesses. The latter has 14 travel teams 8U through 17U and about 200 players in 2023-24. There are three 13U squads.
The younger teams tend to play in eight to 10 tournaments a year or between 30 and 35 through July 1.
“We play at Grand Park (in Westfield, Ind., as well as Championship Park in Kokomo, Ind.) as much as we possibly can,” says LaSane, Michiana Repetition LLC owner and baseball director. “In my opinion, it’s the best facility in the world. We’re so fortunate to have it.
“The best tournaments from a recruiting standpoint are condensed (on one site) and (college coaches) can walk around and see whatever they want.”
LaSane says about 80 percent of baseball players come from Indiana, but there are some from Michigan.
Some players are also involved with other teams on weekdays.
“We’re still a big believer in rec ball for our younger guys,” says LaSane. “It really helps their development.
“If they’re going to do (travel ball) we want them to commit to it so they don’t miss any games or practices.”
The majority of coaches have boys on their teams.
“We have the development and all the normal things you want in terms of your kid growing in the program,” says LaSane. “But it’s super important for me for them to enjoy their time here.
“When we’re looking for coaches we’re trying to watch their demeanors. How are you handling your players?”
LaSane has a yearly coaches meeting to spell out his expectations.
There is about 6,000 square feet of space for baseball training and there is a strength area overseen by trainer Eric Forrest. Reggie Burton is a baseball instructor.
LaSane was born and raised in South Bend and is a 1992 Riley High School graduate who played junior college baseball.
Early in his coaching career, he was an assistant at Riley and for a short time at Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne (now Purdue Fort Wayne) for then-head coach Tony Vittorio (now head coach at Roncalli High School in Indianapolis) with Billy Gernon (now head coach at Western Michigan University) on the Mastodons staff.
Marcus and wife Brooke LaSane, a kindergarten teacher in the South Bend Community School Corporation, have four children — daughter Ayralynn (26) and sons Bryce (18), A.J. (15) and Christian (11). The boys are all on the Reps.
Ayralynn LaSane was on the softball team at Brandywine High School in Niles, Mich.
Bryce LaSane is a senior baseball and football player at Marian High School in Mishawaka.
A.J. LaSane is a freshman baseball and football player at South Bend Saint Joseph High School.
Marcus is in inside sales Ferguson Waterworks, where he has been employed since 1999.
Manny Lopez played professional baseball for the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Wizards. He was a righty-swinging outfielder for the Minnesota Twins affiliate 1998-2000.
The native of Santo Domingo, D.R., enjoyed the Summit City and its baseball community so much that he made it his home.
Lopez, 45, wears many hats. He is owner, senior baseball instructor and director of player development at The Diamond Baseball and Softball Academy, a 12,800 square-foot training facility at 3203 Saint Joe Center Road, and coaches for the Fort Wayne Diamondbacks travel organization.
“Why do I do it? I love it,” says Lopez. “I got the opportunity to stay in the game. It gives me an opportunity to make a living.
“But the main thing is it’s allowed me to help a lot of people who probably couldn’t do it in a different way.”
When Lopez was coming up in the Dominican, he met and began working with strength and conditioning coach Angel Presinal.
“I couldn’t really afford it,” says Lopez. “The way he did things is that you didn’t really pay him until you made it to the big leagues. So the big leaguers were the ones paying for the program. In the same way (The Diamond and the Fort Wayne Diamondbacks) to do some of that. I’m able to take care of some people that might have fallen into hard times.”
Lopez has received offers to join bigger travel organizations, but that’s not for him.
“When I’m in the cages and I’m on the field I’m in my element,” says Lopez. “I have a son (Manuel Lopez) who played college ball over at Rose-Hulman (in Terre Haute). But I just enjoy it.”
Baseball is such a big part of life for Lopez, who is divorced.
When he goes on vacation it’s often to see academies in the Dominican or to spring training to see how friends are coaching the game and keeping himself up-to-date on the latest training methods and drills.
“I love it,” says Lopez. “I live for it.”
As a player, Lopez was in the Twins organization for four years, hitting .256 with 19 home runs and 134 runs batted in 322 games, and then played four more years in independent ball with the Rio Grande Valley White Wings, San Angelo Colts, Fort Worth Cats, Winnipeg Goldeyes and Edinburg Roadrunners, hitting .327 with 29 homers and 190 RBIs in 291 games.
In 2000, Lopez got married and moved to Fort Wayne.
Manny concluded his playing career in the fall of 2003 and went to give instruction in Warsaw, Ind., at the request of Gary and Cindy Witt. In 2004, he coached the Warsaw Sluggers.
Javier DeJesus, who played for the Wizards in 1994 and was a pro pitcher 1992-2001 and local radio personality Charly Butcher started the Fort Wayne Cubs in 2004 and that fall DeJesus invited Lopez to join him and the Cubs had two teams 16U and 18U.
Along the way, the Cubs became the Diamondbacks.
The Diamond was on Keystone Drive for 11 1/2 years in a space that had been Extra Innings and changed locations in 2022.
Through the years, there have been between 175 and 225 on the travel teams and hundreds more come to camps and clinics or take lessons.
It’s common to have a whole team come in to practice.
“Our facility is open for all our players to come in and utilize it any way they want,” says Lopez.
Strength and conditioning means body weight movements at 13 or younger. Weight training is introduced at 14.
The plan is to field about a dozen teams ranging from 9U to 17U in 2024.
Coaches include Lopez, DeJesus, Christopher Clabaugh, Keith Deck, Justin Faw, Maxwell Foster, Derek Gordon, Shane Graft, Donnie Haire, Weston Hanks, Brad Knipp, Henry Lopez, Josh Loucks, Brian Maxey, Alexander McKinstry, Thomas Newhard, Brett Oribello, Jason Ott, Adam Robinson, Mike Ryan, Todd Taylor, Brian Thomas, Leaf Vanover and Doug Werling.
The Diamondbacks regularly play in events at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., and Championship Park in Kokomo, Ind., plus the Worthington Wood Bat Tournament in Ohio and events put on by the Cincy Flames. There’s also home games at the ASH Centre in Fort Wayne or diamonds in Decatur, Ind., or Kendallville, Ind., and fall showcases for the older players.
The younger players have a season that goes for about 15 weekends plus weekday games starting with the end of spring break. Older players go for up to nine weekends plus weekday contest beginning around the time of high school sectionals.
Not counting recent college commits, the organization has had about 275 players go on to college over the years.
The Fort Wayne Cubs/Diamondbacks have two players currently in the majors — outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and outfielder/infielder Zach McKinstry.
Manny Lopez. (Steve Krah Photo)
The Diamond Baseball and Softball Academy in Fort Wayne, Ind.
“It is the best tournament in the world for youth athletes,” says Held, who left the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006 and joined the Indiana Bulls travel organization as executive director in the fall of that year.
In the summer of 2018, Held left the Bulls to coach at Indiana University. In 2021 he left IU and returned to the Bulls as director of operations.
“It’s nice to have so many opportunities for the Indiana kids,” says Held. “That’s what I wanted (when I started Team Indiana).”
Not only is it a tournament where it’s the best of the best available 18U baseball talent but it draws coaches from all over college baseball. Every Major League Baseball organization sends multiple people, including scouting directors and cross-checkers.
“It makes it extremely impressive for the kids to play in that kind of environment and atmosphere,” says Held. “(Evaluators) make sure they take their notes, cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s.”
About two-thirds of Team Indiana Bulls roster played at the WWBA Worlds in 2022.
“Having experience the previous year in Jupiter is a huge asset,” says Held. “It’s such a big atmosphere that you can get caught up in it.”
Held says returnees know what to expect. They’ve seen all the golf carts, college coaches and pro scouts and it doesn’t overwhelm them.
Who gets to play on Team Indiana?
“We have an idea within our organization who we want to target,” says Held. “A misconception going around now is that we’re just an Indiana Bulls team. That’s not the reality of it.
“We’re trying to find the best players we can in Indiana. This year it turned out that we had a really good squad with the Indiana Bulls that we didn’t need to go (outside of the organization) as much.
“We’re always trying to identify the best players that we can and take down the best that we can.”
Fifteen of 19 tournament roster players in the Class of 2024 with position, high school and commitment status according to Perfect Game website): catcher Sage Adams (McCutcheon/Uncommitted), right-handed pitcher Ty Adamson (Westfield/Uncommitted), right-handed pitcher Collin Cirks (Lake Central/Uncommitted), third baseman R.J. Cromartie (Penn/Notre Dame commit), shortstop Josh Girvan (Zionsville Community/Wabash Valley), right-handed pitcher Jack Grunkemeyer (Batesville/Uncommitted), third baseman Drew Helton (Whiteland Community/Purdue Fort Wayne commit), shortstop Brayden Hibler (Westfield/Uncommitted), right-handed pitcher Gavin Kuzniewski (Fishers/Ohio State commit) and outfielder Jayce Lee (South Bend St. Joseph/Notre Dame commit), catcher D.J. Scheuneman (Mt. Vernon of Fortville/Ball State commit), right-handed pitcher Aiden Schwartz (Lafayette Harrison/Uncommitted), right-handed pitcher Griffin Tobias (Lake Central/Indiana U. commit), right-handed pitcher Nash Wagner (Zionsville Community/Ball State commit) and right-handed pitcher Simon Wilkinson (Zionsville Community/Illinois).
The four in the Class of 2025: shortstop Trevor Corbett (Noblesville/Uncommitted), outfielder Andrew Krupa (Center Grove/Uncommitted), right-handed pitcher Parker Rhodes (Greenfield-Central/Xavier commit) and shortstop J.D. Stein (Carmel/Louisville).
The Indiana Bulls — and Team Indiana — were created as a platform of exposure for players to show their skills in front of college coaches and pro scouts. With that in mind, they let those folks know who’s pitching through social media etc.
At Jupiter, Held tends to put the starting pitchers out there and leaves flexibility on the back end.
“We want to put our pitchers in the best situation to succeed,” says Held.
Looking at the talent pool as a whole, many of the players in Jupiter have already announced or are considering college offers at the NCAA Division I level. Some stay eligible for the next MLB First-Year Player Draft by going to a junior college.
Regardless of commitment status, the athletes are being watched.
“As a college coach you’re always evaluating all the players on the field,” says Held. “You’re just not actively recruiting the kids that are committed already. You always want to have some notes on everybody.
“The Transfer Portal is a thing and it’s real so you’ve always got to be prepared.”
Through their diamond associations, the families of Held and Scott Rolen have become close.
When Rolen was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer, the Helds were invited to stay at the Cooperstown resort where they were able to “hobnob” with Hall of Famers and attend the Cardinals party with owner Bill DeWitt and former St. Louis manager/Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa.
The 5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team went 4-2, making it to the Sweet 16 in the 104-team event at Oct. 4-9 at Roger Dean Complex in Jupiter, Fla.
The field featured another squad fullof players from the Hoosier State — Team Indiana Bulls. With an online tournament roster featuring standouts from Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, 5 Star/Top Tier Roos Mafia went 8-0 and won the title.
“Jupiter is the best tournament in the country every year for high school ballplayers,” says Bobby Morris, who served as hitting/assistant coach for the 5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team. “We had a good run.”
From the Class of 2024 looking at Indiana players (there were also eight from Illinois, three from Kentucky, one from Michigan and one from Nebraska on the 30-man online tourney roster), there was outfielder Cole Decker (Evansville North/Cincinnati commit), first baseman/third baseman/right-handed pitcher Josh Ferguson (Evansville Central/Marshall commit), right-handed pitcher Alex Graber (Homestead/Northern Illinois commit), middle infielder Reid Howard (Forest Park/Western Kentucky commit), right-handed pitcher/utility Christian Klug (Indianapolis Bishop Chatard/Navy commit) and left-handed pitcher Ethan Lund (Hamilton Southeastern/Uncommitted);
Also, catcher/third baseman/outfielder Thomas Lynch (Evansville Memorial/Purdue commit), right-handed pitcher Brendin Oliver (Mooresville/Cincinnati commit), catcher/first baseman J.T. Stiner (Indianapolis Cathedral/Uncommitted), right-handed pitcher/third baseman/middle infielder/outfielder Cameron Sullivan (Mt. Vernon of Fortville/Notre Dame commit), right-handed pitcher Conner Vander Luitgaren (Center Grove/Evansville commit), right-handed pitcher/first baseman Mason Weaver (Homestead/Uncommitted) and right-handed pitcher Max Winders (Carmel/Western Kentucky commit).
Representing the Class of 2025 were first baseman/left-handed pitcher/outfielder Mason Braun (Home schooler from South Bend/Uncommitted), first baseman/left-handed pitcher/outfielder Davian Carrera (Boone Grove/Indiana U. commit), right-handed pitcher/third baseman/shortstop Xavier Carrera (Boone Grove/Indiana U. commit) and first baseman/third baseman/right-handed pitcher Joshua Flores (Lake Central/Cincinnati commit).
According to their Prep Baseball Report file, travel affiliations for these Indiana players: Decker (Louisville Legends 2024 National); Ferguson (Indiana Nitro Gold); Graber (Elite Baseball Training-Chicago); Howard (Midwest Canes); Klug (Cubs Scout Team); Lund (Nitro Gold); Lynch (Indiana Bulls Black 16U); Oliver (Canes Midwest 17U); Stiner (Cubs Scout Team); Sullivan (Indiana Nitro); Vander Luitgaren (Canes Midwest); Weaver (17U Indy Sharks Lantz); Winders (Canes Midwest); Braun (Indiana Tucci Mustangs National); Davian Carrera (5 Star Great Lakes Chiefs National); Xavier Carrera (5 Star Great Lakes Chiefs National); and Flores (5 Star Great Lakes Chiefs National).
Morris, owner of the 5 Star Great Lakes Chiefs based in Crown Point, Ind., coached a 5 Star team with Carmel resident Jerry Cowan in Jupiter the past two years.
EBT, headquartered two miles west of Wrigley Field and developed by Chicago Cubs Director of Hitting Justin Stone, has a relationship with the MLB team and 5 Star had a WWBA World Championhip bid so the fall team became the 5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team.
“We have the blessing and the support of the Cubs,” says Morris. “They watch our team closely — not just our performance but from a scouting perspective.
“It’s really exciting for the kids. It’s a great opportunity.”
Morris, a Munster (Ind.) High School graduate who played in the Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers organizations, says the positives for the players are numerous.
A group high-level players — most NCAA Division I commits — gets to play together in elite tournaments and against top-notch teams prior to their trip to Jupiter. Hitters get to hone their skills with wood bats and against better pitching and there is the exposure to professional baseball and scouts from around pro and college baseball.
“I’d like to think they get very good coaching in the process,” says Morris, 50.
Tierney, 40, was the Cubs Scout Team’s director and pitching coach.
“What I spend a lot of my time doing is teaching these guys how to get high-level hitters out and pitch with more confidence,” says Tierney. “These guys are getting constantly challenged.”
Tierney says the level of talent the scout team sees in the fall is far superior to that seen in the summer.
“Whenever we go somewhere they usually put us against the top teams,” says Tierney.
Before Jupiter, the Cubs Scout Team competed in Prep Baseball Report tourneys at The Rock in Franklin, Wis., and Grand Park in Westfield, Ind., as well as exhibitions with Team Indiana, the Cangelosi Illinois Sparks, Chicago Scouts Association and Cincinnati Reds Fall Scout Team.
“It’s easy to collect a bunch of all-star-oriented kids but if they don’t get a chance to play together usually they’re not very effective in (the WWBA World Championship),” says Cowan. “A lot of teams will try to go down there with a collection of studs. We try to work with our kids all fall long. We play in five or six (elite) tournaments before we go down there so they get a chance to jell together.
“We as coaches have a better feel for what they can do in those team situations.”
Cowan, 55, had coached the 5 Star Midwest National team in 2022 and decided to focus his baseball attention on the fall team.
In forming a fall scout team, Cowan has forms a list of players who will be draft-eligible or headed to a top college program.
“We identify those kids early on,” says Cowan. “I’m already starting to identify the (Class of 2025 and Class of 2026 players) for next year.”
Since getting back from Jupiter, he has already 50 players reach out about getting involved next year.
“When you go down there and you’re one of the top 16 teams in the nation it’s a big deal,” says Cowan. “Now that we’re affiliated with the Cubs we’ve got kids calling us from all over the Midwest.
“It’s growing really fast.”
While the 2023 team was formed through invitations, Cowan says he can see area code tryouts being part of the team-building process in the future.
“It’s a select group,” says Cowan. “We’re looking for the best players.”
Jared Cowan — aka J.J. — is Jerry’s son and served as a Cubs Scout Team assistant. He played for Brad Lantz at Guerin Catholic High School and Jake Martin at Wabash College. The 25-year-old worked with Cubs Scout Team infielders.
And that’s not all.
“Jerry and Jared try to nurture these kids more than from just a baseball perspective,” says Morris. “I’ve got a lot of respect for how they handle things.”
Morris notes that just because an athlete has committed to a school that’s no reason for a coaching staff to take their eyes off of him.
“It’s so much more important for colleges to continue to watch players because of the introduction of the Transfer Portal,” says Morris. “These players have the opportunity of leaving one, two, three years down the road.
“The game has changed with Name, Image, Likeness (NIL money) being available for players. The dynamics are ever-shifting.”
Adds Cowan, “(a player’s) position within the program can change since the time they committed to it. A lot of times these kids are making decisions as sophomores and juniors and they’re babies.
“They’re having to make huge life-altering decisions and they just don’t have enough data points to possibly be making those decisions.”
Cowan has also witnessed what he calls re-recruiting.
School X may offer a 25-percent scholarship and School Y comes along proposing 50 percent.
Sometimes a player has not developed since their commitment and that original offer is rescinded or downgraded.
“Even players who sign (a commitment letter), it’s only a year-to-year contract,” says Cowan. “That contract is renewable (or revocable) every year.”
A dozen of the state’s best prep power hitters will swing for the fences in a bracket-style tournament this month at Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.
The JKR Baseball Bullpen Tournaments Hoosier Home Run Derby — brainchild of Indiana University senior Sport Marketing & Management major Jayce Riegling — is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 15 on Field 9 or 10.
The 12 that have accepted invitations are (with high school, travel ball affiliation and college commit status):
* First baseman/outfielder Eli Bennett (Indianapolis Cathedral Class of 2025/Canes Midwest National/Indiana U. commit)
* Shortstop/second baseman Bryce Brabender (Mooresville Class of 2024/Canes Indiana/Lincoln Trail commit)
* First baseman/left-handed pitcher Davian Carrera (Boone Grove Class of 2025/Five Star Great Lakes/Indiana U. commit)
* Catcher/infielder Hogan Denny (Mooresville Class of 2024/Canes Midwest National/Indiana U. commit)
* Shortstop/third baseman Huston Dunn (Fishers Class of 2025/Indiana Bulls/Uncommitted)
* Outfielder Jayce Lee (South Bend St. Joseph Class of 2024/Indiana Bulls/Notre Dame commit)
* Catcher/infielder Thomas Lynch (Evansville Memorial Class of 2024/Indiana Bulls/Purdue commit)
* First baseman/right-handed pitcher Zach McLean (Columbus North Class of 2024/Indiana Bulls/Uncommitted)
* Outfielder Micah Rienstra-Kiracofe (Indianapolis North Central Class of 2024/Canes Midwest National/Kent State commit)
* Catcher/outfielder Reed Robinson (New Prairie Class of 2026/Top Tier/Uncommitted)
* Catcher/first baseman D.J. Scheumann (Mt. Vernon-Fortville Class of 2024/Indiana Bulls/Ball State commit)
* Infielder Isaac VanderWoude (Illiana Christian Class of 2024/Indiana Bulls/Virginia commit)
In the single-elimination tourney, each player received 3.5 minutes per round with 1 timeout per batter per round.
The pitcher may throw the next pitch right away and there is a moneyball (2 points) for the final 45 seconds.
The field was chosen based on available metrics, stats and talks with experts — including those from Prep Baseball Report Indiana — who have scouted these players.
Riegling says the format allows for little down time — in other words more action with swinging more often — which is more fan-friendly and helps the event stay on-time.
He estimates that the Derby will wrap by 6 p.m.
Riegling played football, basketball and baseball at Lakeland High School in LaGrange, Ind.
Riegling went to IU with the goal of becoming a sports agent and has been involved in many events and internships. He launched The JKR Podcast in March 2021 and has rolled out 350-plus episodes so far, featuring conversations with some of the top baseball players and personalities not only in Indiana but the nation.
“It’s the relationships that I have with these guys,” says Riegling, who regularly shares texts with the Derby invitees. “If I was a high school ballplayer right now, especially one of the top guys in the state, I’d love to go out and compete against some of the other best power hitters.”
IHSBCA members may vote for up to four coaches and three players/contributors. Deadline for returning the ballot is Oct. 20. Inductees will be honored at the State Clinic Jan. 18-20, 2024 at Sheraton at the Crossing in Indianapolis.
Ballots that were emailed or those in the October IHSBCA newsletter are to be mailed to IHSBCA/Brian Abbott, 2340 Guilford Street, Huntington IN 46750. They can also be emailed to babbot@ctLnet.com or faxed to 260-356-3031.
IHSBCA HALL OF FAME
2024 BALLOT
Coaches
Brian Jennings
(Griffith — Retired)
Jennings is a 1987 graduate of Whiting High School and a 1991 graduate of Indiana State University.
He began his baseball coaching career at Whiting in 1996 before moving on to Griffith High School in 1999.
During his time at Griffith, his clubs won 14 sectional titles, four conference titles and made a trip to the state championship game in 2001 before losing to Indianapolis Cathedral.
During his 27 seasons as a varsity coach, he won 448 games.
He is a four-time Conference Coach of the Year, and he has been named “District Coach of the Year” once during his career.
He has had over 40 players go on to play college baseball and has had seven North/South All-Stars, as well as have four players play professionally, including Kody Hoese who was a first round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019.
The Griffith High School baseball field was renamed Brian Jennings Field in the spring of 2023.
He has served on numerous IHSBCA committees during his time, served as a coach of the 2012 North/South All-Star game in Jasper, and organized the 2016 North South Series in Whiting.
Jennings has announced the IHSAA baseball state finals for several years on the IHSAA Champions Network via both radio and television.
He currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Griffith High School and resides in Crown Point with his wife, Luann. Brian has two stepchildren: Ashley and Steve.
Doug Jennett
(Benton Central/Milligan University — Retired)
Jennett coached at Benton Central High School from the day the school opened in 1968 until 1985. Doug served as the head baseball coach from 1971 until 1985 compiling a 304-123 record.
In addition to winning an average of 20 games a year, his teams won nine sectionals and three regionals in his 15 years as head coach of the Bison. In his three semi state appearances in the one class era, his teams lost in 1973 to eventual state runner-up Laporte; in 1981 to eventual state champion Ben Davis; and in 1985 to eventual state champion Kokomo.
During his tenure at Benton Central, he had five pro signees, 86 collegiate players, and he was a 1985 North All-Star coach.
Six of his Bison players were named to the Indiana North All-Star team. Fourteen of his former players went into high school coaching while three coached at the collegiate level, including Todd Bacon who is still active as the head coach at Marian University.
Even though Doug has not been an Indiana high school coach since 1985 he was a charter member joining in 1972 and is still an active member of the IHSBCA.
While coaching the Bison he served the IHSBCA as a district director, all-star selection committee member, and poll member.
Doug won 271 games at Milligan University in Tennessee. He coached two NAIA All Americans and was named district Coach of The Year once
and TVAC conference COTY three times.
He had 12 Buffs sign pro contracts including three from Indiana: Yankees Danny Johnston (Indianapolis Manual), Twins Jayson Best (Benton Central), and Red Sox Eddie Kidwell (Madison). Most of the Milligan Baseball coaching staff were Indiana natives as well.
Doug heavily recruited Indiana high school players to play at Milligan. During his 15 years he had 58 players from the Hoosier State which represented 30 different Indiana high schools. In his best season at Milligan, 15 of his 29 players were from Indiana.
Doug spent the last 14 years of his career as Athletic Director at Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers, Fla. He was the PA announcer for the Minnesota Twins spring training games in 2015 and 2016. In 2017 and 2018 he came home from Florida and was an assistant coach for Jake Burton at Twin Lakes High School.
Doug’s health forced him to retire from coaching at the age of 74. He remains active in high school baseball as the PA voice for the Florida High School State Baseball championships doing all 32 games each year. In addition, he is the PA voice for Florida Southwestern State College basketball and baseball.
He was an associate scout for the Chicago Cubs for 10 years. In 2004, Doug was appointed by the Governor of Florida to a task force to study recruiting in high school sports.
Doug and wife of 52 years Pam, have recently moved back to West Lafayette, Ind., and are the parents of a daughter Keli, a business owner in Monticello, Ind., and a son Kraig, an attorney in Washington, D.C.
Joe Decker
(Silver Creek — Retired)
Decker is a 1987 graduate of Silver Creek High School and a 1991 graduate of Hanover College.
He began his coaching career at Brown County High School in 1992 before moving to Silver Creek in 1996. He also was the head coach at Indiana University Southeast from 2003-2006.
He has amassed an overall head coaching record of 634 – 344 over his 30-year coaching career. At the high school level, he has an overall record of 553 – 256. His teams have won 16 conference championships (including a current 65 game winning streak in the Mid-Southern Conference), 12 sectional championships (six straight), four regional championships, two semistate championships and one state championship in his final game in 2023.
Decker has been named Conference Coach of the Year 16 times and District Coach of the Year twice. He has over 40 players go on to play at the next level, eight All-State players, six North-South All-Stars and four Academic All-State players.
He has served on numerous IHSBCA committees as well as serving as a coach on the North/South All-Star series at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2022.
Joe teaches math at Silver Creek High School and lives in Sellersburg, Ind., with his wife Stephanie who is a motivational speaker. They have three children: Nolan (25), Dominic (20), and Reese (17).
Randy Roberts
(Washington Township — Active)
Roberts graduated from Warsaw Community High School and Grace College. At Grace he was a four-year letter-winner and was an all-conference performer at third base. He was a member of the last Lancer championship team in 1984.
He began his coaching career in Puerto Rico before taking over the reins at Washington Township in 1997.
At Wesleyan Academy he inherited a team that won two games the previous season. In his first season his team won the B division championship and lost in the opening round of Island championship.
In his second season they again won the B division and defeated 3 larger division A school to win the PRHSAA island championship. This was the first time a B division team had won the Island championship. He coached against many Puerto Ricans that went on to play professionally.
At Washington Township he took over a program that had two winning seasons in 57 years and a winning percentage of .213.
Since becoming the head coach they have had 23 winning seasons and a winning percentage of .627. During his time with the Senators, he has won 452 games with 10 sectional titles, five regional crowns, two semi-state titles, and one state championship.
During that time his teams also won six Porter County Conference titles. Roberts has been named District Coach of the Year for the IHSBCA several times over the years.
Randy has been a fifth grade teacher at Washington Township for 27 years and the head coach for 26 of those years. He also has organized Little League, Babe Ruth, and Cal Ripken at WTS for 25 years. Randy has three children: Sophia (27), Max (26) and William (21).
His son Max is currently pitching in the minor leagues with the Seattle Mariners organization.
Dave Ginder
(Fort Wayne Carroll — Active)
Ginder is a graduate of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne and Anderson University. He enters his 22nd season as Carroll head coach and has won 446 games against 154 losses.
During that time, his teams have captured seven Northeast Hoosier Conference crowns, 11 sectional titles, four regional titles, two semistate championships, and two state titles in 2010 and 2011.
Ginder has been named State COTY twice (2010 and 2011), NHC COTY (2003, 2011, and 2013), and District COTY in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2022.
Dave is an active member in the IHSBCA serving as an assistant North All-Star coach in 2011 and Head Coach in 2022 and a member of the 4A Poll Panel for many years.
He is also involved with local baseball camps and clinics, along with being a member of the ABCA and Northeast Indiana Baseball Association where he was inducted into their HOF in 2022 and serves on the NEIBA board.
Ginder teaches Mathematics at Carroll High School. He resides in Fort Wayne with his wife, Kristen, a Registered Nurse at Parkview, and Certified Health Coach. They have three children: Langston (24), Drezdan (22) and Jantzyn (19).
Tim Terry
(South Vermillion — Active)
Terry is a Clinton (Ind.) High School graduate who played baseball, basketball, and football. He attended Indiana State University, where he
played baseball until an injury sidelined him. He received his B.S. in 1978 and M.S. in 1983.
Tim has been coaching high school baseball for 45 years. He began his head coaching journey as an assistant, then became the head coach in 1980 at Turkey Run. He was an assistant again at South Vermillion in 1981 before becoming the varsity coach in 1982.
He has over 600 wins with eight Sectional Championships, 10 Conference titles, and one trip to the Final Four. He has also won 20-plus games in 10 seasons and has been named conference Coach of the Year 10 times.
Coach Terry has twice been named IHSBCA District Coach of the Year. He has been a member of several IHSBCA committees and served as a North/South All-Star coach twice.
Tim has also been involved in baseball outside the high school program. He has coached many little leagues, including Pony League, Babe Ruth, and travel ball teams.
His past coaching career has also included being the varsity football coach for three years and girls basketball for 34 years. He has accumulated over 900 varsity victories, coaching the three sports.
Tim was an industrial arts, driver’s education, physical education, and health teacher and has been the Athletic Director at SVHS since 2014. His wife Kim teaches science at South Vermillion. They have four boys, and the oldest three are also high school coaches.
Kyle Kraemer
(Terre Haute South Vigo — Active)
Kraemer is a 1986 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School. He was an IHSBCA First Team All-State Selection after his senior year and played
in the 1986 IHSBCA North-South All-Star Series.
Kyle then played collegiately for four years at Purdue University under legendary IHSBCA Hall of Famer Dave Alexander. Kraemer was named team captain and lead the Boilermakers with 10 home runs his senior season.
Kraemer will begin his 30th year as the head at his alma mater this year. He has accumulated a 550-266-2 career record.
Coach K was also an assistant varsity coach at West Lafayette Harrison High School in 1992 as well as an assistant varsity coach at Terre Haute South Vigo in 1993 and 1994, prior to taking over as head coach in 1995.
Kraemer has sent 76 former players on to the next level — primarily in baseball. Eight of his former players have played professionally and 66 of his players have been all-conference selections (42 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference and 24 Conference Indiana).
Eight players have been named to the IHSBCA Academic All-State team and 12 players have participated in the IHSBCA North-South All-Star Series. Five players have been recognized as IHSBCA First Team All-State.
Kyle was a member of the first two Terre Haute South Vigo baseball teams to ever win sectional and regional championships in 1985 and 1986 and since then, he has coached the Braves to eight Conference Championships (six in the MIC, two in CI), 10 sectional championships, four regional
championships and two Final Four appearances.
He was also selected as the MIC Coach of the Year six times and the CI Coach of the Year twice.
Coach K is an active member of the IHSBCA. He has served as the District M Representative for over 20 years.
He acted as the host for the 2006 IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series, was an assistant coach for the South All Stars in the 2008 IHSBCA All-Star Series and has served as a member of the South All-Star Selection Committee on numerous occasions. He was a member of the 4A poll panel for the last seven years.
Kraemer teaches in the CTE Department at Terre Haute South Vigo. He lives in Riley, Ind. with his wife Valerie, who is a fourth grade teacher in Vigo County. They share three children together: Koby Kraemer and his wife Seyma, Ali Gonzalez and her husband Rigo and Jacob Givens as well as five grandchildren — Kali and Khalil Kraemer, Liam and Leia Givens and Mila Gonzalez.
Players/Contributors
Wallace Johnson
(Retired)
Johnson is a 1975 graduate of Gary Roosevelt High School and a 1979 graduate of Indiana State University playing for legendary coach Bob Warn.
He was co-captain of ISU’s first Missouri Valley Conference championship team and their first appearance in NCAA postseason play. Wallace led the nation in hitting (.502 in regular season) during that season and holds a .422 career average. He was elected to the ISU Hall of Fame in 1985.
Johnson was selected in the sixth round of the 1979 draft by the Montreal Expos.
He was MVP of the Florida State League and a member of the 1981 (Denver) and 1986 (Indianapolis) Triple-A championship teams.
Johnson made his major league debut in 1981 with the Expos and was their all-time pinch hitter leader with 86 hits. His MLB totals were .255 batting average, five home runs and 59 runs batted in over 428 games. Upon retiring as a player, he was the third base coach for five seasons with the Chicago White Sox.
Josh Phegley
(Retired)
Phegley spent eight seasons in the big leagues playing for three teams — the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs.
On his way to playing in the major leagues, Josh was the epitome of a hard-working Hoosier. He started as a freshman for the Terre Haute North Vigo High School Patriots behind the plate.
Josh took to the defensive side of the game instantly, and, offensively, finished his high school career hitting .592 as a senior with 13 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
His accomplishments on the field led him to being named to the South All-Stars as well as the Indiana High School Player of the Year for 2006.
He and his South teammates swept the North in the annual series, and he was selected as the MVP for the North-South Series which was played on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
After high school, Phegley went to Indiana University on a baseball scholarship. As a Hoosier, Phegley excelled on the diamond hitting .344 as a junior with 17 homers and 59 RBIs leading him to being drafted 38th overall by the White Sox.
Josh made his major league debut on July 5, 2013, at Tropicana Field vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.
He wasted no time in getting acclimated to the big leagues collecting a hit in his first game and hit his first home run (off David Price) on his third day as a major leaguer. Phegley hit his first grand slam (off Anibal Sanchez) in his first week in the senior circuit.
After playing two seasons with the White Sox, Phegley was traded to the Athletics. During his five seasons in Oakland, Phegley became the everyday catcher. He played his last season in the major leagues for the Cubs in 2020. He announced his retirement on Feb. 3, 2021.
Bryan Bullington
(Retired)
Bullington attended Madison Consolidated High School where he was a two-sport athlete.
As a sophomore he had a 6-3 record while compiling 74 strikeouts. In 1998, as a junior, he was 10-1, with a 1.69 ERA and 65 strikeouts.
During his senior season, in 1999, Bryan was an impressive 15-0 with a 1.49 ERA and 127 strikeouts. He led his team to the 1999 3A state championship where he threw a one-hitter.
Following the 1999 season he was named Indiana’s Hoosier Diamond Mr. Baseball, MVP of the IHSBCA North-South All-Star Series and drafted in the 37th round by the Kansas City Royals.
Bullington decided to forego Major League Baseball at that time to attend Ball State University. In three seasons at Ball State, he had a career record of 29-11 with 348 strikeouts. He was named first team all- Mid-American Conference all three years at BSU and was named MAC Pitcher of the Year in both the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Upon leaving Ball State, Bullington held school records for most career wins (29), single-season strikeouts (139), career strikeouts (357) and single-season wins (11). He still holds the MAC conference record in career and single-season strikeouts.
In 2001, he was chosen to pitch for the United States National Team. In 2014, Bullington was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame.
In the 2002 MLB Draft, Bullington was chosen as the first overall pick and signed to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since the start of
the MLB draft in 1965 there have only been two No. 1 overall picks that call Indiana home.
His pro career lasted 12 seasons, but he missed the 2006 season due to labrum surgery and rehab. In seven seasons of Minor League Baseball, he was 61-38 with a 3.68 ERA and had 602 strikeouts.
In 2010, he signed a contract to play professional baseball in Japan. Over 5 seasons with the Hiroshima Carp he was 46-48 with a 3.25 ERA and 550 strikeouts.
Bullington continues to stay connected to the game of baseball as a scout for the Milwaukee Brewers. He lives south of Chicago with his wife and three children.
Clayton Richard
(Retired)
Richard played high school baseball for Hall of Fame coach Jake Burton at McCutcheon High School where he participated in football, basketball and baseball.
In football, he was four-time All-State, an All-American and was awarded the Indiana Mr. Football Award in 2002. He lettered four years in basketball and is a member of McCutcheon’s 1,000-point club and set rebound records.
In baseball, he played varsity all four years. He led the state in pitching his senior year while allowing only one earned run all season en route to the Mavericks’ second state championship in five years.
Clayton was awarded with the Mr. Baseball award following that season, becoming the first Hoosier athlete to win both Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball. During his time at McCutcheon, he was a valedictorian of his class.
He went on to play football and baseball at the University of Michigan. He played two seasons of football and one of baseball before being chosen by the Chicago White Sox in the eighth round of the 2005 MLB Draft. He was promoted in 2008 and made his debut for the White Sox in July.
He played baseball professionally from 2005-2019. He spent most of his career as a starter for the San Diego Padres.
Clayton Richard lives in Lafayette, where he coaches quarterbacks during the fall and is the head baseball coach at Lafayette Jefferson High
School.
He also owns Captain Spiffy Golf Carts. He is married to Ashley, and they are the proud parents of three children: Cashton (10), Cannon (9) and Kile (6). He is very appreciative of the support he has received through the years from all the members of the Lafayette community, especially Barry, Cindy, Casey, and Taylor.
A.J. Reed
(Retired)
Reed is a 2011 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School and was coached by Kyle Kraemer.
He was a three-time All MIC honoree, first team 4A All-State (2010 and 2011) and was the Indiana High School Baseball Player of the Year in 2011 along with being an IHSBCA South All-Star and the North-South All-Star game MVP. He is listed in the top 10 in the IHSBCA record book for Base on Balls in a season (1st) and Home Runs in a season and career (6th).
His collegiate career at the University of Kentucky was capped off his junior year in 2014 with a series of honors including: SEC Player of the Year; the Golden Spikes Award for the nation’s top amateur baseball player; the Dick Howser trophy; ABCA and Baseball America College Player of the Year; the John Olerud Trophy; several first team All-America teams; and the Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year.
In 2012, he was also the recipient of several first team Freshmen All-America team honors. In 2014, he was a second-round draft pick of the Houston Astros and was the recipient of Minor League All-Star honors in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
He is a two-time recipient of the Joe Bauman minor league baseball home run award and the Rookie of the Year and MVP with Lancaster in the California League in 2015.
A.J. retired from baseball in March 2020. He currently resides in Riley, Ind., with his wife Shelby and their two dogs.
David Taylor
(Indiana Bulls — Active)
Taylor was an outstanding baseball player at Southmont High School and went on the play collegiately at Wabash College where he was a team captain.
He began his coaching career while a college student and this included Little League, Babe Ruth, high school, AAU and American Legion baseball.
During an AAU coaching stint in Florida, he realized the level of travel baseball and how Indiana was underrepresented in this area. It was at this time he formed the Indiana Bulls travel organization with the vision of providing Indiana high school players with the opportunity to pursue their college and MLB dreams.
In 1992, the Bulls sponsored two teams and David coached the 18-and-under team with future MLB players Scott Rolen and Todd Dunwoody. He continued to coach the Bulls for four more seasons, served as the president for 10 years, and officer for 20 years, and has been a director since 1992.
His vision for creating a platform for Indiana high school baseball players was realized.
Over 170 Bulls players have been drafted (12 in the first round) and over 300 players have received Division I scholarships. The Bulls have won 22 national titles, a professional staff that works 12 months a year, and currently field 25 teams from ages 8 to 17.
Several of these teams are coached by former professional who were Bulls players.
David resides in Brownsburg, Ind., and is a leading insurance defense trial attorney. He has served 20 years as a certified MLBPA agent and represented more than 100 professional players and continues to represent former players in various legal matters.
For the past decade the Indiana Braves have been making an impact on the travel baseball scene.
The organization established in 2014 held tryouts a few weeks ago and head into 2023-24 with seven baseball teams: 10U, 13U, 14U, 15U, 16U and two 17U/18U squads.
Indiana Braves vice president Koby Hennessy played for Coughlan at Mooresville High School. He graduated from there in 2019 and went on to earn a Kinesiology degree at the University of Indianapolis and is now studying at Indiana State University to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He coaches the 15U team and is strength and conditioning coach.
Anthony Rossok, who played at Anderson (Ind.) University, is head coach of one 17U/18U team and Caden Oliver (Vincennes, Ind., University) leads the other.
Kameron Leach (University of Indianapolis) is pitching director. Caden Bradley (Marian University in Indianapolis) and Craig Perry (Indiana University Purdue University-Columbus) are assistant coaches.
Coughlan took over the 12,000-square foot training space that houses Players Performance Factory, 740 S. Indiana St., Mooresville (on the back side of The Village Shopping Center), in November 2019.
Players Performance Factory with areas for throwing, hitting and strength training and the development-focused Indiana Braves are two separate entities. PPF is a business and the Indiana Braves call it home. Coughlan is the president of both.
Being part of the Indiana Braves — or for those who are not — word of mouth is how most come to the facility to work out and take lessons. While many are local, some come from as far as 80 miles one-way.
“We’re really helping the community and area baseball and softball players,” says Coughlan. “I don’t use this as my main source of income. That’s why we don’t have 30 teams. This isn’t my full-time job.
“We use this more for the program and for the kids.”
While it may not be shiny and new, the facility is a place to get better.
“I feel like we get it done with grit and hard work more than anything,” says Coughlan. “Guys know they can’t come in here and mess around.”
Hennessy sees players at 14 and seven 17 or 18 that are newcomers to strength training.
“We’re getting guys to fall in love with the weight room,” says Hennessy. “Getting your swings in is important but being physically ready to go out and play baseball is as important as anything else.”
Hennessy wants players have have an attacking mindset and a drive to improve.
“I like to see the growth that guys have while they’re here in the weight room along with the baseball stuff,” says Hennessy. “Seeing those guys find themselves in here is super fun.”
With limited space to do top speed work, Hennessy has players concentrating on acceleration — so they can quickly get out of the (batter’s) box and run down fly balls in the outfield etc.
“It’s a good mix of agility, strength, acceleration, change of direction and all that stuff,” says Hennessy. “One of the big buzzwords in the baseball strength and conditioning world is rotational power. How fast and how strong can you rotate? Rotational power is kind of our baseline of what we try to focus on.”
This is done with things like a rotational medicine ball throw, barbell presses with a Landmine Jack plus other jumping and throwing motions with rotation.
Coughlan does his best to get players a place to play at the next level.
“One of the biggest holes I’ve noticed in travel baseball is when leave big programs at 17 they’re still not signed,” says Coughlan. “Ninety percent of college players aren’t signed until the fall or spring or their senior year.
“So what we’ve been doing the past couple of years is picking up on the 18U guys and really helping them get signed.
“It’s just helping those guys figure out what fits them education-wise and then honing in on a school where they’re a good fit.”
Over the years, Coughlan has cultivated good relationships with college coaches.
The 17U/18U Indiana Braves will scrimmage at a college for additional exposure and it often results in multiple offers.
Coughlan expects to see plenty more signings from the Class of 2024 while they play and train with the Indiana Braves.
“We kind of owe them this,” says Coughlan of those who have yet to commit. “They need that mentorship and that help. Having a facility gives them a home to come to and work out all the time.”
Right-handed pitcher Bradley Brehmer (Decatur Central Class of 2018/Wright State) is now with Delmarva in the Baltimore Orioles organization.
From the Class of 2023, there’s Kaden Barr (Decatur Central/IU-Kokomo), Brayden Coffey (Decatur Central/IU-Kokomo), Darius Compton (Monrovia/IUPU-Columbus), Judah Hennessy (Mooresville/IU-Kokomo), Grant Kessler (Morristown/Mount St. Joseph), Will Lewis (Pike/IUPU-Columbus), Cooper Martin (Plainfield/Pepperdine), Alec Murphy (Brownsburg/IU-Kokomo), Bryce Pax (Plainfield/Eastern Florida State), Matt Ritter (Avon/DePauw), Pryce Rucker (Franklin Community/Clark State CC), Jaren Sanders (Greenwood Community/Community Christian College), Nate Simpson (Avon/Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne), Zach Warrum (Speedway/IUPU-Columbus), Donovin Woodall (Whiteland/Lincoln Trail) and Andrew Youmans (Southport/IU-Kokomo).
There’s also baseball players Miles Alexander (Avon/Frontier CC), Chase Alford (Beech Grove/Kaskaskia), Erik Brandow (Center Grove/Franklin College), Eric Braughton (Indian Creek/Northwest Florida State), Charez Butcher (Kokomo/IMG Academy/Tennessee), Nick Caplinger (Monrovia/Goshen College), Austin Carr (Franklin Central/Grace), Connor Christopher (Jeffersonville/Olney Central), Brady Coram (Mooresville/Danville Area CC), Andrew Coughlan (Mooresville/Lincoln Trail), Cameron Crick (Greenwood Community/Asbury), Jaylen Decker (Mooresville/Danville Area CC), Brayden DeMier (Bloomington South/Southern Indiana), Chris Dobbs (Roncalli/Rose-Hulman), Conner Dove (Eastside/Trine), Braden Feltner (Plainfield/Indiana Wesleyan), Jalen Frais (Indianapolis North Central/IU South Bend), Cole Graverson (Hamilton Southeastern/Butler) and Parker Gryskevich (Brownsburg/Wittenberg);
In addition to Brian Harding (Kokomo/Rock Valley), Cooper Harrington (Decatur Central/Earlham), Jack Hart (Avon/Earlham), Tanner Haston (Mooresville/Purdue), Luke Helton (Whiteland/Morehead State), Kaden Hill (Zionsville/Montevallo), Jake Holzhausen (Whiteland/Ancilla), Luke Houin (South Bend St. Joseph/Purdue), Jordan Kistler (Avon/Olney Central), Jackson Kurrasch (Mooresville/IUPU-Columbus), Tarron Lawson (Danville Community/Eastern Illinois), Bryce Lewman (Decatur Central/Frontier CC), Corbin Maddox (Daleville/Anderson U), Jeren Maxwell (Monrovia/Olney Central), Riley Mertl (Westfield/Frontier CC), Andrew Miles (Cascade/Knox College), Blake Mills (Danville Community/Ancilla), Alex Mitchell (Decatur Central/Indiana Tech), Austin Mitchell (Decatur Central/Indiana Tech), Brennan Moran (Covenant Christian/Spring Arbor) and Wendell Mosteller (Avon/Concordia University Chicago);
Plus Andrew Neff (Mooresville/Cincinnati), Cooper Noel (Monrovia/Kankakee CC), Brenden Oliver (Mooresville/Cincinnati), Caden Oliver (Mooresville/Vincennes U), Conner Jelley (Monrovia/Piedmont), Braedon Payne (Avon/Olivet Nazarene), Garison Poteet (Ben Davis/Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne), Kyren Power (Avon/Heartland CC), Dawson Read (Indian Creek/Kalamazoo College), Ethan Reed (Brebeuf/Finlandia), Tyler Rhoades (Hamilton Southeastern/Hanover), Bryce Robbins (Mt. Vernon-Fortville/Indiana Wesleyan) and Jack Robinson (Mooresville/Vincennes U);
Also, Ethan Shafer (Danville Community/Indiana Wesleyan), Carson Shelton (Monrovia/Rend Lake), Brandon Smalling (Mooresville/Earlham), Krae Sparks (Greenwood Christian/Indiana Wesleyan), Dylan Sprong (Indian Creek/Wabash College), Spencer Strobel (Avon/Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne), Keenan Taylor (Guerin Catholic/Butler), Cooper Thacker (Edgewood/Southern Indiana), Mason Thomas (Fishers/Fayetteville Tech), Riley Weston (Danville Community/Clark State CC), Jackson White (Eastside/Franklin College), Jackson Wynn (Danville Community/Parkland), Jacob Young (Bloomington South/Dallas Baptist) and Sy Zickler (Brownstown Central/Clark State CC).
Baseball players from outside the state include Mitch Duncan, Nik Johnson, Brendan Killeen and Logan Smith.
Softball player Madi Kammer (Franklin County/Hanover) is another Class of 2023 commit. Because so many players have moved on, the Indiana Braves will not field a softball team in 2024, but softballers still train at PPF.
College players come back and train at the facility free of charge. Before Jonathan Miles Jr. (Indianapolis Cardinal Ritter/Ivy Tech Northeast/Dillard University) moved to Florida he worked out at PPF. Sometimes former Indiana Braves players are asked to talk to younger teams to give their perspective on baseball.
“The young guys really look up the old guys,” says Coughlan.
In July, the Indiana Braves went 2-1 in the 18U Perfect Game National Challenge in Florida.
Many players come back to coach or contribute to the organization.
Tommy O’Connor, who Coughlan coached at Mooresville and now plays for the University of Cincinnati, came during winter break last year to help direct Driveline training.
“Developing those guys into respectable young men has been our biggest thing,” says Coughlan.
The Indiana Braves mission statement is on the team’s website (indianabraves.com). In part, it says: “Teams will work hard to win games, but winning will never become more important than player development. The Braves will ask players to work toward excellence, not perfection.
“Baseball is a fun and challenging game that requires players to develop the ability to overcome mistakes and to look forward to their next opportunity.”
Joe Coughlan and Koby Hennessy. (Steve Krah Photo)
Players Performance Factory in Mooresville, Ind. (Steve Krah Photo)
The Indiana Braves train at Players Performance Factory in Mooresville, Ind. (Steve Krah Photo)
Evan Jurjevic is where he wanted to be in the world of baseball.
“It was my ultimate dream to work with a professional baseball team,” says Jurjevic. “Although I didn’t get to play for them I’m still able to be involved with baseball and the organization I grew up watching which is pretty awesome.”
That’s where the White Sox conduct spring training and wear the Arizona Complex League team plays during the summer.
Jurjevic helps players with rehabilitation to get them back to their team within the organization.
After the season, it tends to be less busy but it is a year-round job.
While each player is different, Jurjevic says the majority of injuries for pitchers are shoulder to elbow. The most common ailment for position players is hamstring pulls.
“We make sure they go through a throwing progression or a mound progression for pitchers,” says Jurjevic. “We make sure position players do a full baseball program and that they are ready for game play.
“The prime goal for us is to get them back to what we feel like is their full self.”
Jurjevic looks to get position players’ shoulders strong and stable and will often have them use plyoballs with light throwing movements followed by a throwing plan.
“We want to get them back to making the throws they are used to making in a game situation,” says Jurjevic.
Player development and upper management personnel decide where the athlete goes after physical therapy. Big leaguers sometimes are sent on a rehab assignment to a lower affiliate in the system.
White Sox farm teams are in Charlotte, N.C. (Triple-A), Birmingham, Ala. (Double-A), Winston-Salem, N.C. (High-A) and Kannapolis, N.C. (Low-A) with rookie clubs in Arizona and the Dominican Summer League.
“With an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament injury) or Tommy John (elbow rehab) they’re obviously going to spend more time out here, but we want to make sure they’re ready to go and get them out as quick as possible,” says Jurjevic. “Their job is to play baseball.”
Also in Glendale, the organization has a rehab pitching coach (Michael Bradshaw) and the pitching coach assigned to the ACL White Sox (former Mishawaka, Ind., Marian High School, Valparaiso, Ind., University and White Sox minor league pitcher Drew Hasler).
“We try to integrate guys to make sure they don’t feel they’re just in rehab,” says Jurjevic. “They are still a part of the White Sox organization. They are not out on an island by themselves just doing rehab.”
Depending on where they are in the process, players will go physical therapy and then do weight lifting and conditioning.
“We’re working on the entire body and not just the injury,” says Jurjevic. “Once that injury is healed, their entire body is ready to perform.”
After graduating from LaPorte in 2010, Jurjevic played at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tenn., where he was an all-South Atlantic Conference selection and a two-time team captain.
He graduated with a B.S. in Exercise Science and M.S. in Education with an emphasis in instruction and curriculum and later earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the Rinker-Ross School of Health Sciences at Trine University in Angola, Ind.
Before going to the White Sox, Jurjevic spent two years at Parkview Athletic Rehabilitation in Fort Wayne, Ind., working with athletes.
He owns a number of certifications, including CSCS (Strength and Conditioning Specialist), VBT (Velocity Based Training Certification) and C-PS (Champion Performance Specialist).
Jurjevic, 31, is also owner and director of Diamond Performance Academy in Fort Wayne, which operates out of Empowered Sports Club, 12124, Lima Road, and oversees the Indiana Chargers 14-18 travel baseball teams.
“Taking my playing experience and my education and working with wide range of athletes I’m able to provide my players with information I wish I had at their age,” says Jurjevic. “I see everyday what it takes to get to the next level and I’m put an emphasis on it for younger kids.
“Ultimately, they are athletes that want to excel. Providing them with proper information helps them reach their end goal.”
“Any baseball player who is high school age can come train with us,” says Jurjevic, who comes back to Indiana a few times during the off-season and has hired Reese Kuhns and Brett Wiley as lead instructors. Fort Wayne Snider High School graduate Kuhns was a catcher at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. Huntington North High School alum Wiley played middle infield at the University of Evansville and Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo., and in pro ball.
Kuhns has been the with Indiana Chargers for three years. This is Wiley’s second year.
“They’re doing a very good job of developing players and continuing what (founder) Joel Mishler’s mission was with the Indiana Chargers. What he set in place in 2008 is the correct way of doing things.
“Our goal is to help players maximize their baseball skill set in areas that scouts are looking for: Are you fast? Do you have a good arm? Do you have good fielding actions? Do you hit the ball to all fields with power?
“We do a combination of baseball skill training and also strength and conditioning. We feel like that will help improve baseball performance.”
The Indiana Chargers fielded six teams in 2023. The plan is for four in 2024.
The driving force is development.
“Winning rings is fun and makes the experience cool,” says Jurjevic. “But, ultimately, college coaches aren’t looking for trophies. They’ve looking for quality characteristics in baseball players and good skills.
“They want quality people who are also really good at baseball.”
An opportunity to make a difference has led Dan Turner back to the Indianapolis neighborhood where he grew up. Turner was raised two blocks from the Children’s Guardian Home. “I had a good friend that lived here,” says Turner. “We used to sneak in here and play basketball.” That building just inside the I-465 circle on the near east side now houses Irvington Preparatory Academy and Turner is in his second season as the Ravens head baseball coach. IPA is the high school portion of Irvington Community Schools and is a charter school with a diverse student population. “Many students come from low-income families or part of the 21st Century Scholars program (which makes college affordable based on need and other factors). “We want to provide a safe learning environment and raise students who are respectful and prepared for the modern world,” says Irvington Prep principal Jana Goebel. “We want them to be good citizens, hard workers and successful in their life after high school. “We want everyone can go to college, but we know that college isn’t for everyone. We have a few kids every year that join the military, several do apprenticeships for the trades and some just go right into the workforce. But I would say probably 60 percent are college bound. “You don’t have to go to college, but you have to have a plan.” Says Turner, “High school baseball can’t be the pinnacle of our life.” It’s the education-focused model and a chance to better the lives of young people that that drew Turner to the school. “I think the world would be much better if we just took a little pocket and changed our pockets or our neighborhoods,” says Turner, who was hired by former Irvington Prep athletic director Teddy Rogers. “It’s about doing good. It’s about changing the culture. It’s getting kids off the gerbil wheel and making them understand that there’s opportunities in this world and we can make a difference. “If we all made a difference in our communities the big world problems would go away. This is why I like it here.” Diversity also means different ethnic and social backgrounds. Turner does not want those to be a stumbling block to learning and a successful baseball program. “We have to understand we’re all the same race,” says Turner. “We just have different skin colors. We’re all human race.” After playing no games in 2020 (COVID-19 pandemic) and 2021 (low numbers), the Ravens went 10-7 and won the Greater Indianapolis Conference title in 2022 with a roster of 14. The win total is a school record. Before the season started, several Irvington players took part in a National Scouting Report Metrics Combine at Roundtripper Sports Academy in Westfield. The 2023 team is off to a 3-1 start. Turner has high standards. “I’m tough on my guys and I’m brutally honest,” says Turner. “I don’t pull punches. “Accountability is huge. I don’t put up with excuses. One of my favorite sayings is ‘excuses are a justification for failure.’ We’ve got to make our kids better on the field and in the classroom or we’re in trouble.” Irvington Prep (enrollment around 360) is a member of the Greater Indianapolis Athletic Conference (with baseball-playing schools Crispus Attucks, Eminence, Indianapolis Washington, Purdue Polytechnic and Tindley). The Ravens are part of an IHSAA Class 2A sectional grouping in 2023 (up from 1A) with Heritage Christian, Indianapolis Scecina, Park Tudor and Triton Central. Irvington has not yet won a sectional title. IPA plays and practice three miles from campus at McNulty Park on Raymond Avenue — home to Irvington Sports Baseball & Softball. That’s the same grounds where Turner played Little League. Hans Lassiter, who played baseball at North Carolina State A&T University, is Chief Executive Officer of Irvington Community Schools. “He’s going to give us the resources to be a handful here on the east side of Indianapolis,” says Turner. “We’re going to be good. “We’re going to drive this thing to be a good program — a program that’s based off education first.” Victories are a priority for the coach. “Winning is important,” says Turner. “I think losing becomes acceptable. And when losing becomes acceptable we transfer that into our lives outside baseball.” The Ravens coaching staff also includes Orien Ogg (father of pro pitcher Kenny Ogg), Warren Belton, Jim Ellis, Roger Rebbnack and oldest son Brandon Turner. “I look at all of us as co-coaches,” says Dan Turner. “This is a team. This is a family.” Turner is a 1983 graduate of the former Indianapolis Howe Community High School. Dan and wife Trischa have been married since 1986. She is a 1984 Warren Central High School graduate who now serves as Vice President for Perioperative Services for Methodist Hosptials. The couple has four children — daughters Courtney and Brittany and sons Brandon and Bradley. All went to Mt. Vernon High School in Fortville, Ind. Brandon Turner played college baseball at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati and Bradley Turner at the University Saint Francis in Fort Wayne. Turner, who is regional sales manager for TW Sales and splits his time between Indiana and Florida, has been in the travel baseball world for many years. He started with the Mt. Vernon Vipers then was with Harold Gibson (father of big leaguer Kyle Gibson) and the Indiana Bandits. Around 2010, Turner helped start the Indy Stix. The organization will field 16U, 17U and 18U teams this summer. Supplements have allowed inner-city kids to play travel ball with a chance to go to college. K.J. Rankin (Irvington Prep Class of 2024) is on the IPA and Indy Stix 16U rosters. Turner also started Lead-Off Consulting, which helps players and the parents though the college recruiting process. A few years ago, Turner went to Arsenal Tech High School in Indianapolis to assist Titans head coach Bob Haney. “I always knew the inner-city needs help — not just on the field but they need a lot of other things,” says Turner, who used his travel team to start a clothing drive when he found a player wrapped in a bed sheet to stay warm because he had no coat. “These are the things that eat at me,” says Turner. “We’ve got to make a difference.”
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