Hoosiers Sign Top-15 Recruiting Class for 2025
11/25/2024 1:00:00 PM | Baseball
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana head baseball coach Jeff Mercer put together one of his best recruiting classes to date, stocking up on physical, versatile Midwest talent. Highlighted by the addition of some nationally-ranked arms, the Hoosiers added 13 players on National Signing Day (Nov. 15).
IU signed a trip of top-200 ranked prep pitchers, led by Blane Metz of Floyd Central High School (Floyd Knobs, Ind.). Metz is the No. 47 overall prospect in the class and the No. 9 right-handed pitcher by Perfect Game. He is the highest ranked pitcher to sign with the Hoosiers since at least 2009.
He's one of four top-100 national recruits that Mercer has signed during his time in Bloomington: Andrew Wiggins (No. 37 – 2023), Colson Montgomery (No. 39 – 2021), Devin Taylor (No. 78 – 2022). In total, IU signed 10 prospects in the top 400 of Perfect Game's national rankings.
The Hoosiers' class clocks in at No. 15 in the Perfect Game team rankings. IU is the northern most team in the rankings and one of two Big Ten program (USC) in the top-20. Mercer and staff will add a handful of non-scholarship players to round out next year's group.
Elijah Bennett • 6-3 • 1B/LHP • Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral (Canes Midwest National)
• No. 313 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 11 Overall Player in the State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 2 First Baseman in State of Indiana by PBR
• 2.77 combined ERA with a 12-3 record over 26 appearances at Cathedral High School
• 83 games played at the varsity level in high school (60 hits, 43 RBI, 10 doubles, 5 home runs)
Davian Carrera • 6-3 • 1B/OF • Valparaiso, Ind./Boone Grove (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 393 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 13 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 426 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Recorded 96 hits and bats .417 at varsity level for Boone Grove
• Compiled 78 runs, 92 RBI, 25 doubles, 5 triples and 7 home runs through junior year of high school
• Twin brother – Xavier – also signed with Indiana
Xavier Carrera • 6-3 • RHP • Valparaiso, Ind./Boone Grove (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 169 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 6 Overall Player – No. 2 Pitcher – in Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 152 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Didn't appear in junior season of high school
• Been up to 95 mph on the mound during travel ball
• All-Tournament team at 2024 WWBA 17U National Championship
Mateo Noto • 5-10 • SS/2B • Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day (Team Elite Scout)
• No. 373 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 233 Overall Prospect by PBR
• No. 12 Overall Prospect in the state of New York by Perfect Game
• High school teammates with fellow signee Owen Ten Oever
Alex Barr • 6-3 • LHP • Demotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 199 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 9 Overall Player – No. 2 LHP – in Indiana
• No. 75 Overall Prospect by PBR, No. 8 LHP
• Topped out at 95 mph at the 2024 Perfect Game WWBA World Championships
• Collected over 50 hits in high school with 40 RBI, 33 runs and a .325 average
• Racked up 116 strikeouts on the mound in first three years of high school
Matthew Fisher • 6-3 • RHP • Newburgh, Ind./Evansville Memorial (Artillery Baseball)
• No. 19 Overall Prospect in Country by PBR
• No. 15 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• 2023 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American Team
• Touched 92 mph at the 2024 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship
• Also plays quarterback for Evansville Memorial High School – threw for over 5,500 yards
• Career 1.95 earned run average in high school (9-5, 22 app., 3 CG, 135 strikeouts)
Landen Fry • 6-1 • 3B • Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 18 Overall Prospect in Indiana – No. 1 Ranked Third Baseman
• 2024 WWBA 17U National Championship All-Tournament Team
• Picked up 103 hits, 71 RBI, 23 doubles and four home runs in high school career so far
• Three-sport varsity athlete at Snider High School in Fort Wayne (Football, Baseball and Basketball)
Owen Ten Oever • C • Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day (Team Elite Scout)
• No. 323 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 10 ranked player in State of New York by Perfect Game
• No. 413 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Played in the 2023 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American Games
• High school teammates with fellow signee Mateo Noto
Cal Gates • 5-11 • OF • Beford, Ind./Bedford North Lawrence (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 20 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana – Perfect Game
• No. 268 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Dual-sport athlete in high school (Football, Baseball)
• Career .374 hitter in his prep career at Beford North Lawrence
• One of five players from Canes Midwest 18U National to sign with Indiana this year
Blane Metz • 6-3 • RHP • Floyds Knobs, Ind./Floyd Central (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 47 Overall Prospect in the Class of 25 – the No. 9 Overall RHP
• No. 2 Ranked Prospect in the State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 233 Overall Prospect by PBR
• All-Tournament Team Selection at 2024 Perfect Game WWBA World Championship
• "Mature Approach" – Fastball up to 95 mph at Perfect Game World Championship
• Highest ranked pitcher to sign with Indiana in Perfect Game Rankings (since at least 2011)
• Consensus top-50 prospect in the country
• Struck out 18 batters in a seven-inning no-hitter for Floyd Central in 2024
• One of the fastest rising players in the entire country
Noah Drake • 6-1 • OF • Newburgh, Ind./Castle (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 363 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game – No. 12 in State of Indiana
• All-Tournament Team at 2024 Perfect Game WWBA World Championship
• Played for Chicago Cubs Scout Team with multiple of his fellow IU signees
Kellan English • 6-9 • RHP • Evansville, Ind./Evansville North (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 27 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana
• Native of Evansville, Ind. – high school teammate of freshman Cole Decker
• The tallest player in the signing class (6'9")
• Also, a member of the Chicago Cubs Scout Team (D. Carrera, X. Carrera, Drake)
Owen Shinada • 6-0 • RHP • Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg (FTP Phillies National 2025)
• No. 12 Overall Prospect in Ohio
• No. 5 RHP in State of Ohio
• Prep Baseball's "Most Projectable Arm" in Ohio
IU signed a trip of top-200 ranked prep pitchers, led by Blane Metz of Floyd Central High School (Floyd Knobs, Ind.). Metz is the No. 47 overall prospect in the class and the No. 9 right-handed pitcher by Perfect Game. He is the highest ranked pitcher to sign with the Hoosiers since at least 2009.
He's one of four top-100 national recruits that Mercer has signed during his time in Bloomington: Andrew Wiggins (No. 37 – 2023), Colson Montgomery (No. 39 – 2021), Devin Taylor (No. 78 – 2022). In total, IU signed 10 prospects in the top 400 of Perfect Game's national rankings.
The Hoosiers' class clocks in at No. 15 in the Perfect Game team rankings. IU is the northern most team in the rankings and one of two Big Ten program (USC) in the top-20. Mercer and staff will add a handful of non-scholarship players to round out next year's group.
Elijah Bennett • 6-3 • 1B/LHP • Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral (Canes Midwest National)
• No. 313 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 11 Overall Player in the State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 2 First Baseman in State of Indiana by PBR
• 2.77 combined ERA with a 12-3 record over 26 appearances at Cathedral High School
• 83 games played at the varsity level in high school (60 hits, 43 RBI, 10 doubles, 5 home runs)
Davian Carrera • 6-3 • 1B/OF • Valparaiso, Ind./Boone Grove (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 393 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 13 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 426 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Recorded 96 hits and bats .417 at varsity level for Boone Grove
• Compiled 78 runs, 92 RBI, 25 doubles, 5 triples and 7 home runs through junior year of high school
• Twin brother – Xavier – also signed with Indiana
Xavier Carrera • 6-3 • RHP • Valparaiso, Ind./Boone Grove (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 169 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 6 Overall Player – No. 2 Pitcher – in Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 152 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Didn't appear in junior season of high school
• Been up to 95 mph on the mound during travel ball
• All-Tournament team at 2024 WWBA 17U National Championship
Mateo Noto • 5-10 • SS/2B • Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day (Team Elite Scout)
• No. 373 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 233 Overall Prospect by PBR
• No. 12 Overall Prospect in the state of New York by Perfect Game
• High school teammates with fellow signee Owen Ten Oever
Alex Barr • 6-3 • LHP • Demotte, Ind./Kankakee Valley (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 199 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 9 Overall Player – No. 2 LHP – in Indiana
• No. 75 Overall Prospect by PBR, No. 8 LHP
• Topped out at 95 mph at the 2024 Perfect Game WWBA World Championships
• Collected over 50 hits in high school with 40 RBI, 33 runs and a .325 average
• Racked up 116 strikeouts on the mound in first three years of high school
Matthew Fisher • 6-3 • RHP • Newburgh, Ind./Evansville Memorial (Artillery Baseball)
• No. 19 Overall Prospect in Country by PBR
• No. 15 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• 2023 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American Team
• Touched 92 mph at the 2024 Perfect Game 17U National Elite Championship
• Also plays quarterback for Evansville Memorial High School – threw for over 5,500 yards
• Career 1.95 earned run average in high school (9-5, 22 app., 3 CG, 135 strikeouts)
Landen Fry • 6-1 • 3B • Fort Wayne, Ind./Snider (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 18 Overall Prospect in Indiana – No. 1 Ranked Third Baseman
• 2024 WWBA 17U National Championship All-Tournament Team
• Picked up 103 hits, 71 RBI, 23 doubles and four home runs in high school career so far
• Three-sport varsity athlete at Snider High School in Fort Wayne (Football, Baseball and Basketball)
Owen Ten Oever • C • Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day (Team Elite Scout)
• No. 323 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game
• No. 10 ranked player in State of New York by Perfect Game
• No. 413 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Played in the 2023 Perfect Game Underclassmen All-American Games
• High school teammates with fellow signee Mateo Noto
Cal Gates • 5-11 • OF • Beford, Ind./Bedford North Lawrence (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 20 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana – Perfect Game
• No. 268 Overall Prospect by PBR
• Dual-sport athlete in high school (Football, Baseball)
• Career .374 hitter in his prep career at Beford North Lawrence
• One of five players from Canes Midwest 18U National to sign with Indiana this year
Blane Metz • 6-3 • RHP • Floyds Knobs, Ind./Floyd Central (Canes Midwest 18U National)
• No. 47 Overall Prospect in the Class of 25 – the No. 9 Overall RHP
• No. 2 Ranked Prospect in the State of Indiana by Perfect Game
• No. 233 Overall Prospect by PBR
• All-Tournament Team Selection at 2024 Perfect Game WWBA World Championship
• "Mature Approach" – Fastball up to 95 mph at Perfect Game World Championship
• Highest ranked pitcher to sign with Indiana in Perfect Game Rankings (since at least 2011)
• Consensus top-50 prospect in the country
• Struck out 18 batters in a seven-inning no-hitter for Floyd Central in 2024
• One of the fastest rising players in the entire country
Noah Drake • 6-1 • OF • Newburgh, Ind./Castle (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 363 Overall Prospect by Perfect Game – No. 12 in State of Indiana
• All-Tournament Team at 2024 Perfect Game WWBA World Championship
• Played for Chicago Cubs Scout Team with multiple of his fellow IU signees
Kellan English • 6-9 • RHP • Evansville, Ind./Evansville North (5 Star/Chicago Cubs Scout Team)
• No. 27 Overall Prospect in State of Indiana
• Native of Evansville, Ind. – high school teammate of freshman Cole Decker
• The tallest player in the signing class (6'9")
• Also, a member of the Chicago Cubs Scout Team (D. Carrera, X. Carrera, Drake)
Owen Shinada • 6-0 • RHP • Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg (FTP Phillies National 2025)
• No. 12 Overall Prospect in Ohio
• No. 5 RHP in State of Ohio
• Prep Baseball's "Most Projectable Arm" in Ohio
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