15 CLASS 4A BASEBALL PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2024
 

DECLAN BATTLE, LOUISBURG

Battle earned All-State and All-Frontier second team honors as a junior last year. The senior pitcher/outfielder racked up 32 runs scored, 17 stolen bases, five doubles and three triples with a .429 batting average. Battle, who has started since his freshman year, currently has 32 stolen bases in his career. 
 

BOSTON BRUCE, ATCHISON
 
Bruce earned All-State and All-Meadowlark first team honors as a junior last year. He also earned his league’s player of the year award. Bruce will make the move from third baseman to shortstop for his senior year while also providing the team another arm at pitcher as well. He drove in 27 runs with a .581 batting average on 36 hits, including 16 extra-base hits while only being struck out twice last year. On the mound, he struck out 27 batters across 19 innings as he filled the role of closer and the second starter for doubleheaders. As a sophomore, Bruce was named All-State honorable mention. He’s also been first teamer for his league all three years of his high school career so far.
 

SCOTTY CARR, ROSE HILL
 
Carr helped Rose Hill win 16 games last season, batting .448 with a .515 on-base percentage. He scored 20 runs and was successful in all 12 of his stolen-base attempts. The senior primarily plays in the outfield and some at first base. A three-sport athlete, Carr was named to the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches’ All-Class 4A second team and also earned All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division IV first-team honors as an outfielder.
 

BRADY HOPE, LARNED
 
Hope was part of a mostly underclassmen team that knocked off Central Kansas League champion Pratt 1-0 in the regional finals to earn a Class 4A state berth last season. The right-hander was on the mound that game, striking out three in a 78-pitch shutout. He finished the season batting .395 with 25 RBI and 13-of-13 stolen bases, and struck out 36 in 42 innings. A first-team All-CKL selection who also plays both middle-infield positions, Hope is working to heal from a knee injury he sustained in football.
 

LARSEN KOESTER, CHANUTE

Koester earned All-State and All-SEK first team honors as a junior last year. The senior first baseman drove in 25 runs last year with a .462 batting average and leading the team in doubles and triples heading into state. The Comets ultimately finished as the state runner-up team in 4A. Koester has started since his freshman year when he hit .350 with 14 RBI. 

 

HUNTER LOETHEN, PAOLA

Loethen earned All-State and All-Frontier first team honors as a sophomore last season. The junior pitcher/infielder tied with now-graduated Keaton Matlick for most wins on the mound for the Panthers last year at five. Paola finished fourth at state last year after finishing third each of the previous two seasons.
 

ROCCO LOFFREDO, FORT SCOTT

Loffredo earned All-State first team and All-EKL first team honors as a junior last season. The senior pitcher/first baseman/outfielder struck out 53 batters on his way to an 1.44 ERA across 43 innings last year. At the plate, Loffredo earned a .307 batting average. He and junior infielder Lennox Vann return for a Fort Scott team which finished third at state last year.
 

TREVOR MCGRAW, TONGANOXIE
 
McGraw earned All-State and All-Frontier first team honors as a junior last season. On the mound, McGraw struck out 48 batters and maintained a 1.36 ERA across 36 innings, finishing with a 4-1 record with two saves. At the plate, he had a .476 on-base percentage while racking up 26 hits, including five extra-base hits. As sophomore, McGraw was the only starter from his Class of 2024 on that year’s team, which finished as the state runner-up. He’s committed to play baseball at Kansas City Kansas CC. 
 

SHANE MCGUIRE, AUGUSTA
 
McGuire was named to the All-Class 4A second team and All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division III first team at designated hitter after helping the Orioles post a 13-9 record last season with a loss to Clay Center in the regional finals. He is one of five returning players for Augusta who earned all-league recognition.
 

COLE PLADSON, CLAY CENTER

Already committed to Oklahoma State as a junior, Pladson helped lead Clay Center to a 21-2 overall record and the Tigers’ third straight appearance at the Class 4A state tournament where they were upset in the quarterfinals 1-0 by Chanute. Pladson led the Tigers with a .552 average, belting 8 home runs with 52 RBI – the home run total a school single-season record. A first-team All-Class 4A and All-North Central Kansas selection in the outfield, Pladson also was effective on the mound, posting a 2.40 ERA with 49 strikeouts and just 10 walks.
 

IAN RAZAK, MCPHERSON
 
Razak enters his junior season trying to help McPherson earn a three-peat in Class 4A. The southpaw posted a 6-0 record in six starts last season with a 2.10 ERA while allowing opponents just a .185 batting average. His 37 strikeouts helped him earn all-state honorable mention and All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division III second-team honors. Razak will also see time at first base.
 

BRENDAN SCRIPSICK, BUHLER
 
Scripsick batted .448 and drove in 29 during Buhler’s 15-7 campaign a year ago that ended with a loss to eventual 4A champion McPherson in the regional final. A first baseman and pitcher, Scripsick also posted a .525 on-base percentage. He earned All-Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail Division III first-team and All-Class 4A second-team honors. With fellow all-stater Jeffrey Neill sidelined indefinitely by a broken ankle he sustained in the Crusaders’ final basketball practice, Scripsick’s role is magnified.
 

STOCTON TIMBROOK, ABILENE

Timbrook has helped lead Abilene to back-to-back Class 4A state tournament appearance with the Cowboys going 15-8 overall last year and falling 3-2 in the state quarterfinals to Fort Scott last spring. Timbrook has started at shortstop for the duration of his career and has a career .398 average, just missing that mark a year ago when he finished with a .387 average. He hit 4 home runs, drove in 30 and had 20 stolen bases last year and for his career has 8 home runs and 79 RBI. He also pitches and went 1-1 last year with a 3.45 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 24.1 innings and has struck out 136 in 81.1 career innings. Timbrook earned first-team All-North Central Kansas League honors at infield last year after being honorable mention in 2022 and has signed with Cloud County Community College.
 

DAEGAN VINDUSKA, ROCK CREEK

Vinduska was the ace for a Rock Creek team that took a 21-1 record in last year’s Class 4A state tournament before getting upset in the first round by Paola. The senior lefty went 6-1 and set a school record for season ERA with a 0.40 mark, striking out 47. His 13 career wins are tied for fourth all-time in Mustang history, just six wins away from breaking the school record of 18 set by Shane Adams from 2010-13, and his 95 career strikeouts also rank fourth. Vinduska also plays first base when not pitching and hit .385 with 21 RBI and 30 runs scored and he was a first-team All-Class 4A and first-team All-Mid-East League selection.
 

BRADY WELKER, SCOTT CITY

Welker will look to cap an impressive career with a strong senior season. He hit .574 with 5 home runs, 9 doubles, 6 triples and 21 runs driven in. Welker struck out just five times last season. Welker plays catcher, shortstop and also pitches. On the mound, he finished 6-2 with a 2.01 ERA and 49 strikeouts last year. He owns several school records for a single season, including ERA, batting average and runs scored. All of his single-season records were set in different seasons. He has earned All-3A honors in each of his first seasons, receiving honorable mention last season as a catcher. Scott City, 14-5 last year, is headed up to 4A this season.