A number of former Indian Hills Baseball standouts are making an impact on the professional level. Seven alums are currently competing throughout the country while three alums are serving on coaching staffs.
Take a look at how former Indian Hills standouts fare in the early portion of the season.
Olivier Basabe | Kansas City Monarchs (American Association of Professional Baseball)
An eighth round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2017, Basabe has appeared in 10 games for the second-place Monarchs this year and has connected on a pair of home runs, both coming over the span of his last three appearances. Basabe was signed by the Monarchs on April 4.
A member of the 2015 and 2016 Indian Hills squads, Basabe wrapped up his collegiate career at Faulkner University before being drafted by the Padres. In five professional seasons, Basabe has appeared in 368 games with 309 hits and 152 career RBI.
Olivier Basabe goes deep for the Kansas City Monarchs
Zac Fascia | Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland Guardians Single-A Affiliate)
Fascia has appeared in 27 games in the Carolina League and has collected 18 hits, including five for extra base hits. Fascia, who is in his third season of professional baseball, has recorded a Minor League career-high 84 at bats this year.
A two-way player for Indian Hills from 2017-18, Fascia played in 112 career games before moving onto Purdue University where he appeared in 107 games. Fascia was drafted in the 2021 MLB Draft by the New York Mets and has appeared in 59 games in three professional seasons.
Zac Fascia connects on first home run of the year for the Hillcats
Nick Green | Chicago Dogs (American Association of Professional Baseball)
Green, in his ninth season of professional baseball has made five starts on the year and ranks fourth on the team with 24.2 innings of work on the mound for the third-place Dogs. Green struck out a season-high 10 batters vs. Kane County and recently picked up a road win with at Cleburne, allowing just two earned runs and four hits with six punchouts in six innings of work.
A member of the 2014 Indian Hills team, Green was drafted in the seventh round by the Texas Rangers in 2014. Green has racked up 33 career professional wins while making 134 appearances on the mound.
Nick Green makes the barehand snag for The Dogs
Justin King | Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee Brewers High-A Affiliate)
King, in his second season in the Brewers' organization, ranks third on the team with 14 appearances, all out of the bullpen. The lefthanded hurler owns the top earned run average on the team with an impressive 1.17 mark in 15.1 innings of work. King has struck out 28 batters with just nine walks issued.
King played for Indian Hills from 2017-18 before finishing his collegiate career at the University of Louisiana Monroe. King signed with the Brewers in 2022 and has made 24 appearances as a primary reliever over the last two seasons of pro ball.
King slams the door to pick up the save for the Timber Rattlers
Jacob Rhinesmith | York Revolution (Atlantic League of Professional Baseball)
Rhinesmith, in his sixth season of professional baseball, has appeared in 35 of the 39 games for the second-place Revolution. The outfielder ranks fourth on the team with 35 hits, including eight doubles and three home runs. Rhinesmith has driven in 23 runs while scoring 26 times on the year, tied for second-most on the team.
Rhinesmith, who ranks in the top-five in a number of categories during his time at Indian Hills (2016-17), finished his collegiate career at Western Kentucky University, was drafted in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals. In four seasons of pro ball, Rhinesmith has played in 326 games with 307 hits and 156 career RBI.
Rhinesmith delivers first home run of the season for the Revolution
Wyatt Wendell | Visalia Rawhide (Arizona Diamondbacks Single-A Affiliate)
In his first full season with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization, Wendell ranks third on the Rawhides with nine appearances, 34.2 innings of work, and 40 strikeouts on the year. Four of Wendell's starts this year have resulted in one earned run or less. Over his last six starts, Wendell has lowered his earned run average by more than a full run.
Wendell, who owns the most career wins at Indian Hills since 1994 with 15, moved onto Purdue University before signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2022.
Will Zimmerman | Sussex County Miners (Frontier League)
Zimmerman is in his third season of professional baseball, and second with the Miners of the Frontier League. Zimmerman is hitting .256 in 24 games for the first-place club and ranks second on the team with 18 runs scored. Zimmerman's 19 stolen bases rank second among all Frontier League players and recently tied the league record with five stolen bases in a single game. Zimmerman is also tied for first on the team with seven doubles.
Zimmerman played at Indian Hills from 2017-18 and finished his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota-Crookston. Zimmerman has been a threat on the bases over the last two seasons of pro ball in the Frontier League, swiping 48 bases.
Ruben Gotay | Indianapolis Indians – Pittsburg Pirates Affiliate (AAA)
Gotay took over as the Indianapolis Indians' bench coach and infield coach in 2023 after previously serving as the hitting coach for the Greensboro Grasshoppers. The Indians are 28-33 on the year, but have outscored their opponents by 36 runs this season.
An Indian Hills Hall of Famer who played four seasons in the MLB between the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets, Gotay was promoted to the Pirates' AAA ranks to start the 2023 season after previously serving as the hitting coach for the Greensboro Grasshoppers.
Jonathan Mathews | Fort Wayne Tincaps – San Diego Padres Affiliate (High-A)
Mathews was named the manager of the Tincaps to start the 2023 season, a club he previously served as hitting coach with for three seasons from 2018-2021. The Tincaps are currently 27-30 on the year and sit in fourth place in the Midwest League's East Division.
Mathews was a member of the 1991 and 1992 Indian Hills teams and also previously served as an assistant coach in Centerville before joining the professional ranks.
Ramon Vazquez | Boston Red Sox – MLB
The Indian Hills Hall of Famer was named the bench coach of the Boston Red Sox prior to the start of the 2023 season. The Red Sox Sox are currently 33-34 on the year. Vazquez spent nearly 10 years as a player in the MLB and has been with the Red Sox coaching staff since 2018.
Vazquez was a member of the 1995 Indian Hills JUCO World Series club.
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