‘The coaching staff stood out’: Mooresville baseball star Hogan Denny on commitment to IU
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — You could say Mooresville’s Hogan Denny was born to play baseball – the Indiana University commit was introduced to the game by his dad, Tim, at the young age of three.
“Sports are in our DNA, ” Denny said about his family. “My family is a family of six that is always on the go. My mom, Sherry, and father, Tim, always are sacrificing a lot financially to allow my brothers and me to play the sports we love. My sister, Madelynn, is currently going to school at IU, but she has had her fair share of playing sports and received a scholarship to run track before transferring to IU. My family is very competitive and loves to compete.”
Denny also played football and basketball, as well. He was the starting quarterback for Mooresville High School, but baseball has always been his bread and butter.
By the time he was 7, Denny was already playing travel ball for the Indiana Bulls, one of the premier travel baseball programs in the Midwest. College coaches came calling in middle school.
“When I got to my 8th-grade year, I received a phone call from a college after a showcase put on by the travel team I played for at the time. I realized that my dream of playing baseball at the next level was coming true and very realistic,” Denny said.
In his teen years, Denny traded the Bulls organization for the nationally-ranked Canes Midwest program.
Not too long after, Denny, a catcher, committed to play college baseball for IU.
When looking at the school, Denny said the coaching staff stood out like any other school he talked to. “Coach Jeff Mercer created a great relationship with not only me, but my parents. Playing for the state I grew up in and representing them at a very high college level also sparked a lot of interest and honor in playing for IU. My decision to commit to IU also was influenced by the opportunity for family and close ones to come down and watch me play as much as possible.”
Denny fits in well with Coach Mercer’s plans to turn IU into a national powerhouse as Denny is one of the top players in the state in the 2024 class.
Perfect Game, a leading scouting service, described Denny like this: “Hogan Denny is a 2024 C/RHP/3B with a 6-0 190 lb. frame from Mooresville, Ind., who attends Mooresville. Strong and physical build. Right-handed hitter, has a simple and short swing that develops very good bat speed, hands-driven swing with a busy hand start, has a short shift to his front side and will get out early at times, gap-to-gap swing approach, swing approach worked very well in games and was on time and on barrel consistently. 6.93 runner in the sixty.”
Denny said he has big goals for his senior season, and he’s proud to be from Mooresville. “The community never fails to come out to support the sports team in big games and always makes playing with Mooresville on your jersey fun!” he said.
There is no doubt that IU and Coach Jeff Mercer are definitely getting a gamer.