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MOKAN Preseason All-State: Quick Hits

February 17, 2023
By: Diego Solares & Andy Urban
PBR Missouri & Kansas Staff

On Sunday, February 12th, the PBR Missouri and PBR Kansas traveled to the Mac N Seitz facility in Kansas City, MO, to host the MOKAN Preseason All-State. This invite-only event, which is in its fourth year, hosted several of the most talented 2023-to-2026 graduates from across the two states. Players will participate in a pro-style workout in front of our scouts, gathering verified measurables as well as advanced data through the help of our tech partners.

To see a complete up-to-date roster of the players that attended this event, click HERE.

Shortly after the event’s conclusion our staff put together several statistical leaderboards to highlight the names that put up numbers and paced their peers. We created those within our ‘Stat Story’, which you can find by clicking HERE.

Today, after compiling our notes and digesting the day as a whole, we’ve put together these ‘Quick Hits’ to shine some light on some of the day’s top performers. Below you’ll learn more about which players really stood out at this year’s event.

KANSAS

+ OF Austin Selenke (Bishop Carrol, 2024) keeps getting better every time we see him. The quick twitch OF was near the top of the list in all of the running and jumping categories as well as exit velo (96.2). The 5-foot-9, 165-pound RHH profiles as a center fielder who can captain an OF with an elite 10 yard split allowing for quick jumps on the ball and strong arm that should hold runners from going first-to-third. Offensively, he is a weapon with a power/speed combination at the top of the order at the next level. 

+ RHP Sam Bettis (Washburn Rural) , a recent Kansas State commit, showed just why the Wildcats made an offer before the event at the MOKAN PSAS. At 6-foot-5, 205-pounds, the 2025 right-hander has impressive feel for his body and keeps improving at a rapid rate. Bettis featured the fastball in his pen, up to 87.7 and never dropping below 86. Bettis also flashed a tight spinning slider and a changeup. One of the highest ceilings in the region, Bettis shows no signs of slowing. 

+ One of the top receiving catcher at the event was C/INF Boston Bruce (Atchison, 2024) Bruce has impressive flexibility and agility to go along with soft hands and feel for framing that make him a catcher pitchers want to throw to. Bruce produced showcase pop times of 1.93-2.03 thanks to quick feet and clean exchanges. Offensively, the right-handed hitter did not produce as loud of rounds as we have seen from him before, but the swing is one that will continue to play at the next level.  

+ The Graves brothers are a fun pair to watch as even in a showcase setting they show polished skills and a high IQ, which is no surprise with their bloodlines.  Kyle Graves (Free State, 2024) putting up a 3.87 30 which projects to a well under 7.0 60 and 87 mph infield velo to go along with clean hands and feet still projects as a two-way prospect, but he shined even brighter on the mound at the MOKAN PSAS. The right-hander led the event in strike percentage, absolutely dominating the zone with the FB (up to 84) and CH especially. Ben Graves (Free State, 2026) has always been an elite defender with feel for the barrel and now sees the measurables taking a tick up to match. Ben turned in a 4.05 30 which projects to a 60 just over 7.00 and a max exit velo of 88 mph. The improved metrics paired with his polished INF skills makes him an elite must follow SS prospect. 

+ We have said it before and we will say it again, RHP/1B Yale Griffiths (St. Thomas Aquinas, 2024) gets better every time we see him and the MOKAN PSAS was no different. The high-end athlete improved nearly all of his metrics yet again. A toolsy position player with pop in the bat, posting a 93.7 EV, Griffiths is even more impressive on the mound where he ran his fastball up to 88.1. We expect the 6-foot-3, 187-pound right-hander to continue to polish his delivery and see the stuff continue to tick up. 

+ One of the fastest rising prospects in the midwest, OF/1B Richard Quinn Groebl (Blue Valley North, 2024) produced another eye popping round of BP at the MOKAN PSAS. Per usual, the uber physical 6-foot-4, 220-pound athlete sent line drives to all parts of the cage with a top exit velo of 101.3 and average of 85 mph. Defensively, Groebl is just as at home in the outfield as at 1B with the athleticism and arm strength to project on the corners at the next level. 

+ The Kansas 2026 class is shaping up to be one of the better classes the state has seen in a while and RHP/OF Max Hamilton (Olathe West) is one of the reasons that class is so special. The right-hander filled up the strike zone with an easy-effort fastball up to 86 and also mixed an advanced slider and changeup as well. Although Hamilton is physically advanced at 6-foot-1, 185-pounds, the clean arm action and easy delivery would suggest more velo to come. Like most good young athletes, Hamilto is also a position player who shows pop from the right side (89 mph EV) and arm strength that plays in the OF as well. 

+ 3B/RHP Beau Peterson (Mill Valley, 2026) is one of the highest ranked KS prospects in recent history at 7th in the country. The Nebraska commit showed why he is ranked that high putting up some of the best metrics of the ethe mound, the right-hander worked up to 90.4 with elite avg spin metrics of 2315 on his FB and 2584 and 2692 on his CB and SL respectively. Offensively, the left-handed hitter produced a max exit velo of 91.8 and average of 87.2. Defensively, Peterson showed confident actions at 3B with clean hands and feet and an infield velo of 90. 

+ C/3B Willam Howard (Basehor Linwood, 2025) looks much more physical in person than his 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame would suggest on paper. The right-handed hitter posted one of the top EVs of the day at 100.1. Howard also posted the top catcher velo at 83 mph. As he continues to polish his game, look for Howard to continue to springboard up our rankings. 

+ RHP Carter Liezert (Olathe East, 2024) who has steadily gotten better over the last few months. The 6-foot, 195-pound right-hander ran his fastball up to 85.3 while absolutely dominating the bottom of the strike zone. More impressive that the fastball was the consistently fading changeup that he showed elite command of. He also spun a consistent breaking ball with depth. As Liezert continues to tick up in velo and command, he will make a nice addition to a staff at the next level. 

+ RHP Ty Miller (Olathe West, 2025) was as polished as a Kansas pitcher comes in mid Feb at the MOKAN PSAS. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound right-hander mixed his FB to both sides of the plate with above average spin (2267) with ease. He also landed his sinking changeup and tight mid 70s slider at will. One of the most projectabel arms in the region,  Miller committed to Nebraska shortly after the event. 

+ RHP Whit Rhodes (Heston, 2024) did not throw the best bullets he has produced lately, but was still plenty impressive. The Wichita State commit commanded the strike zone at 88-90 mph. Most impressive from Rhodes was the 2739 avg spin on his breaking ball thrown in the upper 70s with command. A workhorse starter frame at 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Rhodes has the body and stuff to log some big innings at the next level. 

+ RHP Colton Roberts (Rose Hill, 2025) draws immediate comparisons to recent 3rd round draft pick Karson Milbrandt at the same age. It is hard to ever project that kind of talent, but it;s not so much of a reach with Roberts. Up above 86 with the fastball, Robers also spins a tight slider into the low 80s and shows consistent depth on his changeup in the low 70s.  Of all the young arms in the state, Roberts could be poised for the biggest velo jump this spring. 

+ RHP Zachary Sharshel (Washburn Rural, 2023) showed his has made yet another big step forward sitting in the upper 80s with the fastball also with an above average changeup and slider. What is most intriguing about the Cloud County commit is not what he can currently do on the mound, but how much room remains on his 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame to add size and strength and in turn, move velocity.

+ INF/RHP Kaleb Wellshear (Washburn Rural, 2024) is a two-way prospect committed to Barton County to do both, but it is his strides on the mound that have him making our list of top performers. The 6-foot-1, 165-pound athlete showed excellent feel on the mound, pounding the strike zone with a fastball up to 87.4, a solid changeup, and one of the best slider of the event in the mid 70s with near 2400 average spin. 

+ One of the most improved players we have seen over the past year is RHP/OF Brenden Lee (Shawnee Mission Northwest, 2025). The right-hander jumped 8 mph on the mound to a top velo of 86.2. Offensively, the right-handed hitter posted a max exit velo of 93.7 and average of 84.3. Lee has also seen his speed take a tick up posting a near 4.0 30. At 6-foot-3 Lee has plenty of projection left in his frame to allow for another jump. 

MISSOURI

+ Still uncommitted, two senior prospects that attended this event came away as winners: OF Dylan Atherton (Lee’s Summit North, 2023) and OF Ben Kerby (Truman, 2023). Atherton, who’s a switch-hitter with strength tacked onto an athletic 6-foot, 185-pound frame, generated some of the day’s loudest bat speed, and he consistently peppered line drives to all fields in the process. He also jumped 29.4 inches in our vertical test, which was one of the event’s highest marks, and was up to 85 mph from the outfield. Kerby, a left-handed bat that stands at 5-foot-11, 183-pounds, launched one of the event’s firmest batted balls, sending his final barrel 346 ft. at 93.4 mph. Both are amongst the top uncommitted names in Missouri’s senior class.

+ Sunday provided our staff an up-to-date at two of the premier talents in Missouri’s 2024 class, both of which are respective high-end names nationally, too: INF Trey Snyder (Liberty North; Tennessee commit) and INF Drew Dickerson (Lee’s Summit West; Missouri commit). Snyder, the state’s top-ranked junior and currently slotted at 65th nationally, has grown and added strength since we’ve seen him last, now boasting a more physical 6-foot-2, 197-pound frame. He’s extremely athletic, posting one of the day’s quickest 10-yard splits (1.65) and 30-yard dash  times (3.84) as well. Snyder’s hand speed (24 mph) and rotational acceleration (27 g) were also high-level metrics, and he took one of the day’s best BP rounds, spraying line drives from a loose right-handed swing. His arm played more lively than we’d seen across the diamond previously, peaking at 94 mph on his best bullet. Dickerson, who slots in at No. 3 overall in Missouri and No. 69 overall nationally, oozes future upside onto one of the more projectable 6-foot-4, 203-pound frames you’ll see. He hammered the baseball on repeat, posting well above-average batted ball marks both at peak (98.5 mph) and on average (91 mph), while creating noticeably explosive hand (25.9 mph) and bat (80.5 mph) speed. You won’t find many prospects in the Midwest’s 2024 cycle better than these two, and both are most certain to garner professional attention heading into their respective draft circuits. 


+ Perhaps the day’s biggest winner, impressing our scouts thoroughly on both sides of the ball: RHP/OF Lucas Redd (Rockhurst, 2024). At 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, Redd’s physical frame and added strength since the fall aided him in generating some of the loudest outputs of our entire winter calendar, both on the mound and at the plate. Redd confirmed the positive reports we’d heard on him throughout the winter in his ‘pen, pumping his fastball at 88-91 mph, topping at 91.8 mph on his firmest bullet. He spun a sharp slider with depth and late snappy break at 70-73 mph, averaging nearly 23 inches of horizontal movement on the pitch. Redd also featured a firm 83-84 mph changeup that played with gradual arm-side action, rounding out a powerful three-pitch arsenal from the uncommitted junior. He swung a loud right-handed barrel to pair off his talents on the mound, squaring up the hardest hit ball of the entire event (101.8 mph) and elevating one 370 feet, per TrackMan. Redd’s set to generate plenty of buzz heading into his junior season, and he’ll certainly play a big role for a talented Rockhurst squad this spring. 


+ OF/RHP Jackson Stettnisch (Blue Springs South, 2024) showed one of the strongest arms in attendance, both positionally and as a pitcher. Stettnisch nearly led the event in all throwing velocities, popping a 94 mph max on his firmest throw home from the outfield. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior hopped on the mound afterwards, pitching at 86-87 mph with his fastball, spinning it at 2426 RPM at peak. He generated some carry up in the zone (18.3 IVB) with minimal horizontal action, backspinning it into the upper quadrant at its most effectiveness. Stettnisch also spun a slider with intent in the upper-60s, averaging nearly 2300+ RPM, and he limited spin on a 77-79 mph changeup as well. He’s yet another top prospect on this Blue Springs South high school squad.

+ C/CIF Brodie Short (Lutheran St. Charles, 2024) represented Team Missouri at the PBR Future Games and is amongst the most physical left-handed bats in the state’s 2024 class. The 6-foot-1, 212-pound junior backspun baseballs to the opposite field from an uphill and optimized attack angle, finding the sweet spot 64% of the time, per TrackMan. Short’s strength carried over defensively, firing an 85 mph high across the infield, and his firmest bullet from the chute topped at 79 mph. Short’s poised for a big spring, and he’ll likely propel a Lutheran St. Charles’ team that’s coming off a 20-6 season.

+ RHP Cooper Hudson (William Chrisman, 2024) also represented Team Missouri at the PBR Future Games, and the 6-foot-3, 200-pound junior provided us another strong look last Sunday. Hudson’s fastball peaked at 87.6 mph, sitting in the mid-to-high-80s and spinning at 2200+ RPM. Hudson killed lift on his slider, generated 13 inches of horizontal movement at max, and pitching at 68-71 mph with it. He also effectively limited spin and rise on his low-70s changeup, throwing at near fastball arm speed on average. Hudson is one of the top uncommitted arms in Missouri’s 2024 class.

+ Another name-to-know backstop in the state’s junior class that’s still on the market: C Jack Kesler (Lee’s Summit North, 2024). Kesler’s build offers projection, standing at 6-foot, 177-pounds with room to add strength moving forward. He thoroughly impressed defensively, recording the event’s second-highest bullet from the chute (80 mph) and tying for one of the event’s quickest pop times (1.94) too. Kesler’s athleticism is evident at the plate too, as he swings an easy, low-effort right-handed swing that produced up-the-middle line drive contact throughout his BP round.

+ OF Aidan Howladar (Blue Springs South, 2024) came away from this event as one of its biggest winners, and is a name-to-know uncommitted junior from the Kansas City area. A strong, compact 5-foot-9, 182-pound athlete, Howladar generated noticeable hand speed (25.9 mph) throughout BP, and he also produced one of the day’s highest batted balls, topping at 95.3 mph. Howladar worked all over the barrel, finding the sweet-spot 72.7% of the time, per TrackMan, and he almost exclusively stayed through the baseball, producing line drives at a 54.5% clip. He also showed advanced arm strength from the outfield, firing an 88 mph high on his best bullet home.


+ RHP/3B Gabe Rogers (Blue Springs, 2024) offers plenty of future upside attached to a highly projectable, long-levered 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. On the mound, Rogers pitched at 84-85 mph with his fastball from a short, tight arm window, generating both ride (16.1 IVB) and run (18.6 HM) throughout his ‘pen. His lone secondary was a short wrinkle breaking ball at 71-73 mph that he landed around the zone. Rogers swung a projectable right-handed bat in BP, favoring the pull-side and working long through the zone on a level path. 


+ One of the day’s biggest winners, regardless of class: OF Jack Quetschenbach (Liberty, 2025). At 6-foot-2, 185-pounds, Quetschenbach controls his levers well for his age and size, and he showed arguably the day’s most polished left-handed bat in BP. The poise, balance, and ease offensively are certainly noteworthy, and his ability to backspin the baseball to the pull-side stood out amongst his peers. As Quetschenbach adds strength and fills out his frame he’ll almost certainly impact the baseball with more authority, and his 92.4 mph max exit velocity is a number we’re expecting to climb as a result. He’s definitely a name-to-know sophomore in the state, and one we’ll be monitoring closely heading into the spring season. 


+ OF Brandon Hill (Lee’s Summit North, 2025) is a highly athletic sophomore that has regularly impressed our staff, including in this up-close look. Built at a strong 5-foot-9, 185-pounds, Hall generated easy bat speed from a loose, effortless right-handed swing, working line drives off his barrel and favoring the opposite field. He’s a smooth mover in the outfield too with athletic feet and swift actions to gather, playing through the baseball at release.


+ Two backstops to know from this event, both in the 2025 class: C Mason Jeffers (Liberty) and C Easton Phillippe (Staley). Jeffers oozes physical projection with long, lanky levers on a lean 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame. He controls his body well for his age with loose hands, and there’s still more untapped raw power within his right-handed swing. Jeffers improved defensively since our last look too, popping a 1.94 on his best bullet and increasing his max catcher velocity (74 mph) as well. Phillippe is a more compact, yet still projectable, athlete, standing at 5-foot-8, 155-pounds with added strength since our fall look. He swung one of the day’s better left-handed bats, staying on the barrel and working line drives back up the middle from a loose, highly repeatable swing. His defense has always been advanced and that proved true on Sunday, when he consistently popped in the 1.96-to-2.00 range while topping at 77 mph from the chute - a five mph jump since last September.


+ 1B/RHP Ashton Nance (Blue Springs South, 2025) was one of the more physical athletes in attendance, standing at 6-foot-4, 210-pounds with plenty of strength tacked on. Nance turned heads on the mound, bumping his fastball up to 86.3 mph, while sitting at 84-85 mph and generating both ride (17.5 IVB) and run (17.6 HM) on his fastball at peak. Nance turned over a changeup at 73-74 mph, and he showed some horizontal action on a 67-69 mph slider as well. He showed upside at the plate, swinging a fairly loose right-handed swing balance at the plate and line drive feel. Playing on one of the state’s premier high school programs, Nance is certainly talented enough to positively contribute for the Jaguars this spring.

+ OF Reign Williams (Lee’s Summit) really caught our attention in this look, and the 5-foot-10, 175-pound sophomore is a name-to-know in the class moving forward. Williams really looks the part in a uniform, and he sprayed line drive contact off a repeatable left-handed swing, staying on plane and barreling line drives as a result. Williams athletic testing measurables are noticeable - he posted a 1.68 10-yard split, ran a 3.90 30-yard dash, and jumped 31.4 inches in the vertical. His athleticism, polish at the plate, and future upside all make Williams an intriguing prospect to follow.

+ INF William Bologna (Liberty North) really looked the part on Sunday and firmly cemented himself as a high follow prospect in the state’s senior class. The 5-foot-9, 145-pound freshman took an extremely polished round of BP, repeating a short, simple right-handed swing with all sorts of rhythm throughout. He peppered line drives off his barrel and, while he’s not thumping the baseball entirely right now, should add more power as he continues to fill out his frame. Bologna’s sure-handed on the infield too, ranging well laterally and comfortably playing on the move, topping at 79 mph across the diamond. 

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