By Ethan Silverman
Missouri Scouting Director

Team Missouri has shown high level talent in the first two years of the invitation only Midwest Future Games Powered by Under Armour event.  Two players off of the inagural 2011 team were drafted in June’s MLB draft; Tanner Murphy (C, Malden HS) in the 4th round by the Braves and Drew Bridges (1B/3B, Carthage HS). In adiiton to the MLB draftees, 16 other members of Team Missouri have accepted scholarships to high level D1 and D2 schools.

Last year’s team was the talk of the Midwest Future Games, and saw several Missouri players set Midwest Future Games records: Jack Benninghoff with an event record of 92-mph from the outfield and Storm Rynard with a top throw of 90-mph acorss the diamond. C/OF Colby Fitch was also names the Future Games MVP. To date, 13 members of last year's team have committed to D1 schools, including LSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Missouri State, and Louisville. The 2013 roster, like the past two years, had high end talent which includes Shane Benes from Westminster and Alex lange from Lee's Summit West, and was by far the most talented squad Missouri has entered into the Midwest Future Games to date.

This year’s roster will feature 17 players currently ranked in the Top 20 in the 2015 class.

A quick look at Team Missouri’s roster:

Missouri

Name	State	School	Class	Pos	Commitment
Jake Brown	MO	Clayton	2015	C
Michael Bruhin	MO	n/a	2015	LHP
Tanner Cantrell	MO	Houston	2015	1B
Storme Cooper	MO	Timberland	2015	SS
Justin Dirden	MO	Ft. Zumwalt North	2015	OF
Marquise Doherty	MO	Winnetonka	2015	OF
Jeremy Eierman	MO	Warsaw	2015	SS
Collin Fraley	MO	Ozark	2015	RHP
Justin Gellman	MO	Clayton	2015	3B
John Howard	MO	Clayton	2015	RHP
Ryan Mantle	MO	Linn	2015	3B
Luke Matheny	MO	Westminster Christian Academy	2015	RHP
Michael (Mike) Million	MO	Christian Brothers College High School	2015	C
Ian Nelson	MO	Timberland High School	2015	SS
Alex Roy	MO	Bowling Green High School	2015	2B/MIF
CJ Schaeffer Jr	MO	Timberland	2015	C
Jacob Schlesener	MO	Logan-Rogersville	2015	LHP
Brian Sharp	MO	Liberty North	2015	C
Matthew Vierling	MO	CBC	2015	OF
Logan Wiley	MO	Kickapoo	2015	RHP

Indiana University is the host for 2013 and provides first-class facilities. Bart Kaufman Field opened just in time for this past season, which turned out to be a historic one for the Hoosiers as they became the first Big Ten team to advance to the College World Series since Michigan in 1984. Indiana opened the College World Series by knocking off Louisville, but was eliminated with back-to-back losses to eventual champion Mississippi State and Oregon State. The Hoosier’s stadium can hold 2,500 fans and has a turf playing surface.