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 Southwestern Conference matchup between Edwardsville and Belleville West, which the Maroons won in extra-innings 2-1.
BELLEVILLE WEST MAROONS
Ethan Hofmeister, OF, 2025, SWIC commit
Strong, compact, sturdy frame, hit out of the three-hole and started in right field for the Maroons. Was on the barrel twice, including a hard pull-side single that put the Maroons on the board in the top of the third inning. Strong hands with a fluid, rhythmic load, stays in sync. Level path with barrel length through the zone, two-hand finish.
Casey Fultz, INF, 2025, Lewis and Clark CC commit
Athletic, well-proportioned frame with lean strength. Led off and started at shortstop for Belleville West, finishing 2-for-4 with a pair of singles, drew a walk. Started this game off with a single to center field, would push one through the left side of the infield later on for his second hit of the game. Short, simple, and direct right-handed swing, doesn’t try to do too much and covers the plate. Clean, athletic actions on the infield, able to cover ground up the middle and stay in sync on the move. Arm plays short from a ¾ slot, quick release. Came out of the ‘pen and fired two scoreless innings in a winning effort, allowing two hits with one strikeout and no walks. A strong two-way showing that heavily contributed to Belleville West beating Edwardsville on this day.
Braden Fournie, C, 2026, Uncommitted
Compact frame with strength throughout. Continues to look the part as one of the premier defensive backstops in the area. Soft hands with strong wrists, works down-to-up and handles both corners of the plate well when presenting the baseball. Square blocker, chests up the baseball and consistently works to both sides of the plate. Arm continues to be an asset; short, quick release, threw a runner out by a few feet easily at second base in this look. Checks every box of a true impact defender behind the plate that’s still uncommitted.
Chase Boente, LHP, 2026, Uncommitted
Lean, athletic levers with upside, high waist. Threw the ball well over six strong innings for the Maroons, allowing a run, which was unearned, on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Deceptive look, hides the baseball on the backside and works across his body towards the first base side. Stayed mostly on the arm side corner of the plate, worked his fastball that way and then would backfoot a slurvy-type breaking ball to right-handed hitters off it. Athletic pitchability left-handed arm that understands his strengths and pitches to them.
EDWARDSVILLE TIGERS
Joe Chiarodo, RHP/OF, 2025, Alabama commit
Athletic frame with strength throughout, particularly in the lower half. Started in center field and hit out of the three-hole for the Tigers, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI. Drove in Edwardsville’s only run of the game with a barreled single through the left side. Drove a pitch deep to the center field wall in his first at-bat that missed a home run by a few feet and legged out a bloop hustle double to right-center field later in the game. Strong athletic hands with bat speed and bat strength. Short right-handed swing with leverage and balance through contact, polished feel for the barrel, works on it often. Above-average runner and mover in center field, showed easy arm strength with carry out the hand in I/O. Also a high-follow arm on the mound that can pitch in the low-90s with three quality secondaries. One of the area’s top all-around players that continues to perform at a high level for the Tigers.
Max Waltenberger, C, 2025, Uncommitted
Proportionally strong frame with physicality throughout, DH’d and hit fourth for Edwardsville in this look. Finished 3-for-4 and was on the barrel for all three of his hits. Sent a line drive back up the middle in his first at-bat, turned around an inner-half pitch for a hard infield single in the 6.5 hole later in the game. After a rain delay in extra-innings with two outs in a big spot, barreled a backside double to put himself into scoring position. Strong hands, level path with length through the zone, uphill finish.
Hunter Baugh, INF/RHP, 2026, Uncommitted
Lean, wiry athlete with plenty of room for continued maturity and added physicality. Has thrown the ball really well for the Tigers this spring and did so again in this look, punching out eight over six innings of work, allowing an unearned run on five hits with two walks. Repeats an athletic drop/drive type delivery, gets on his backside early and stays connected with the rubber to front footstrike. Level shoulders, stays closed and finishes in-line to the plate. Clean, continuous arm path, high ¾ finish. Fastball played at 83-85, touching 86 mph, with four-seam backspin and some arm-side action, strikes. Confidence and feel in a 71-73 mph breaking ball with depth, landed it for strikes and created glove-side swing-and-miss. High level competitor, doesn’t shy away from a big moment and comfortable pitching in pressure situations.
