Indiana Baseball Receives No. 25 Ranking In Baseball America Preseason Poll

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana baseball has made a NCAA Tournament regional in the last two seasons and one national publication believes the Hoosiers have what it takes to make it three in a row.

Baseball America released its preseason top 25 poll on Monday and Indiana is ranked No. 25.

Indiana has a lot to offer in its everyday lineup. Devin Taylor is the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year after he hit .357 with 20 home runs and 54 RBI in 2024. Taylor is MLB draft eligible after the 2024 and is projected to be a first round draft pick. Taylor is the first Indiana player to be All-Big Ten first team in his first two seasons.

Baseball America also named Taylor its Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year.

Indiana also has All-Big Ten shortstop Tyler Cerny (.315, 10 HR, 60 RBI) back. He is one of three returning infielders as second baseman Jasen Oliver (.285, 10 HR, 37 RBI) and third baseman Josh Pyne (.315, 3 HR, 39 RBI) are also back.

Catcher Jake Stadler (.278, 1 HR, 27 RBI) and designated hitter Andrew Wiggins (.309, 3 HR, 15 RBI), also return.

Indiana could have more to offer via transfers and incoming freshmen. First baseman Jake Hanley, from Mooresville, Ind., was named the Preseason Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Outfielder Korbyn Dickerson (.235 in limited action) is also expected to contribute.

A.J. Shepard will not be back as Indiana announced he took a medical waiver. A top 400 recruit, he only played three games before he was injured near the start of the 2024 season.

Where Indiana has a big question mark is its pitching. Indiana had a 6.53 ERA in 2024. None of Indiana’s primary starters from 2024 return in 2025.

Jacob Vogel (2.31) and Drew Buhr (3.31) have the best ERAs of any returning Indiana pitchers – both were relievers in 2024. Indiana will hope Southern Indiana transfer Gavin Seebold (7-2, 3.93 ERA), Saint Louis transfer Jackson Yarberry (6-3, 6.33 ERA) and Indiana State transfer Cole Gilley (6.61 ERA) will bring something to the table.

Seebold, Gilley and Yarberry are possible starters along with Ben Grable, a Northwestern transfer who missed the 2024 season, and Aydan Decker-Petty (6.32 ERA).

Indiana will also hope for a bounce back season from senior pitcher Ryan Kraft. He was a first-team All-Big Ten relief pitcher in 2023 with a 2.48 ERA, but his ERA jumped to 7.27 in 2024. He could be in the mix to be in the starting rotation as well.

Indiana was 33-26-1 in 2024 and advanced to the Knoxville Regional at Tennessee. The Hoosiers went 1-2 in the Knoxville Regional. Indiana defeated Southern Mississippi in the opening round, but then lost to the host Volunteers, and then to Southern Miss in an elimination game rematch.

Indiana is the second-highest ranked Big Ten team in the poll. Oregon is the top-ranked Big Ten team in the No. 19 spot. The Ducks were a Super Regional team in 2024 and they return eight of their nine everyday players.

National runner-up Texas A&M is ranked No. 1 in the poll.

Indiana has made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances twice in program history – from 2013-15 and 2017-19.

Related story on Indiana baseball

TAYLOR PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Indiana outfielder Devin Taylor was named a preseason All-American. CLICK HERE.