With the IHSA season underway, the ScoutConnect scouting staff will be out and about in full force throughout the spring, providing quality coverage to high school athletes on a game-to-game basis. Aside from the social media aspect of our scouting, we’ll release our ‘Scout Notes’ the day after each game, which will provide a more detailed analysis of some players that stood out to our staff on that given day.
Continue reading below to learn more about a few names that stood out to our staff in a cross-state matchup between No. 1 Triad and CBC on Thursday, April 17th, which the Knights won 10-0.
NO. 1 TRIAD KNIGHTS
Gabe Deaver, OF, 2025, McKendree commit
Lean, athletic frame with plenty of room to continue adding strength. Starts in center field and hits leadoff for the Knights, has been one of the more productive bats in the Metro East thus far into the season. Easy, fluid, and rhythmic left-handed bat, keeps his barrel through the hitting zone and creates leverage through contact. Notable jump off the barrel and consistently backspins the baseball gap-to-gap. Jumped on the first pitch he saw in this game and sent it straight over the right-center wall for a no-doubt home run. Almost left the yard later in the game, banging a double off the center field wall. Finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI, and stole a base. Sets the table for the area’s top offense and is firmly on our ‘Player of the Year’ radar.
Hayden Bernreuter, OF/LHP, 2025, John A. Logan JC commit
Physical frame with strength throughout, started in right field and hit out of the two-hole for Triad in this look. Swings one of the area’s most impactful barrels, regardless of class, creating easy bat speed from the left side with a long, level, and fluid left-handed stroke. Hammered a triple in his first at-bat of the day that really carried deep into the right-center gap, floating around the bases in the process. Also has huge arm strength on the mound, touching 92 mph with his fastball in a look earlier this spring. One of the area’s top two-way talents.
Jaxson Vaughan, 1B, 2027, Uncommitted
Strong, physical left-handed presence, hit out of the eight-hole and DH’d. Had a productive day at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 with a run scored and four RBI. Loose, athletic, and strong hands that work in rhythm. Keeps a long, level barrel through the hitting zone, creates leverage through contact and can elevate gap-to-gap. Had a double in this game and capped it with a laser home run off the scoreboard to secure the short game win.
Keegan Seipp, 1B, 2027, Uncommitted
Mature 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame with physicality and strength throughout. Hits fifth and starts at first base for the Knights. Went 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI. Drove in his two runs by working a deep count in a tough left/left matchup and flicking a two strike pitch deep into the left-center gap for a two-run single. One of the area’s top sophomores that is starting to blend feel to hit with a heavy, impactful barrel.
CBC CADETS
Patrick Effer, INF, 2026, Uncommitted
Compact frame with strength throughout, started at third base and hit fifth for the Cadets. Barreled an outer-half pitch to right field for a single in his first at-bat for CBC’s lone hit of the day. Strong hands with a high-intent operation, long through the hitting zone with a level barrel.
