The Missouri high school baseball season is set to kick off shortly, with ‘Opening Day’ set for March 17th. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2023 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2023 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Jackson
2022 Record: 21-5
Conference: Southeast Missouri
Classification: 6A
Head Coach: Josh Roach

X-FACTOR

Caden Bogenpohl, OF/RHP, 2023, Missouri State signee: Few in the state raised their prospect stock more this winter than the hulking 6-foot-5, 230-pound Bogenpohl. There is no shortage of physicality by any means and he has professional level tools on both sides of the ball. Bogenpohl recently reached a max exit velocity of 108.7 mph in BP at the A’s Scout Day, and his furthest batted ball traveled 405 feet. Aside from his inherent strength at max, Bogenpohl averaged 99.1 mph per batted ball, and his 348 foot average batted distance is often higher than most peaks. His sheer strength translates to the mound, and his fastball sat 94-95 mph over two different looks to our staff in February, spinning a bullet-like slider in the low-80s at 2500+ RPM. Heading into his final season with serious momentum, Bogenpohl’s tools are almost certain to draw scouts to games this spring. He’s capable of taking over a game on both sides of the ball and is an early ‘Player of the Year’ candidate in our eyes.

An on-the-rise #MLBDraft standout from the @AdidasAsBSB Scout Day: OF/RHP Caden Bogenpohl (@JHS_Indians, 2023; @MSUBearBaseball).

FB sat 94-95 mph, spun 78-82 mph SL at 2500+ RPM.

108.7 mph max EV, 405 ft. peak.

6-foot-5, 230-pounds. @ShooterHunt | @NickHerrinsAs pic.twitter.com/Bvx5Z7QJt1

— PBR Missouri (@PBRMissouri) February 27, 2023

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Jaiden Glency, MIF, 2024: A junior, Glency deepens Jackson’s roster, joining the varsity squad as an athletic up-the-middle prospect. We saw him for the first time at the A’s Scout Day a few weeks ago, where he showed an athletic skill set within a 5-foot-11, 167-pound frame. Glency is a 6.77 runner, one of the event’s fastest times, and swung an athletic right-handed bat in BP, working short and directly on the barrel throughout his round. He averaged 89.1 mph per batted ball, registering a 93.9 mph high, and primarily peppered elevated contact to all fields. Additionally, his arm played at 86 mph across the infield, and he hopped on the mound afterwards, running his fastball up to 87.3 mph with three secondaries to pair.

STAT RAT

7 - The number of returning starters that are committed to play baseball at the collegiate level on this Jackson team.

OUTLOOK

The Indians finished last spring with 21 games, dropping in the District semi-finals, falling to a Lindbergh team that finished as a state semi-finalist. They’ll be under new leadership this spring, as head coach Josh Roach inherits a talented group that’s ready to take the next step and compete for a 6A state championship.

Matching up with Bogenpohl at the top of this rotation is RHP John-Paul Sauer (2024; Tulane), who shined as a sophomore last spring and did nothing but solidify his status as one of the premier arms in MSHSAA. Sauer starred at the PBR Future Games with Team Missouri, dominating over his two-inning start and committing to Tulane shortly afterwards. He’s always performed in game, pounding the strike zone with an upper-80s fastball that we’ve seen reach 91 mph. He spins a devastating slider at 77-78 mph with hard late break that’ll garner whiffs on repeat this spring, while also having a 75-76 mph changeup at his disposal. Sauer is a frontline arm that’ll give Jackson a chance to win each game he toes the rubber.

John-Paul Sauer

Around that potent duo is an experienced bunch of seniors that’re formidable prospects in their own right. Catching these powerful arms will be C Baden Hackworth (2023), a Saint Louis signee with power inside his right-handed bat that also excels defensively behind the plate. Their left side of the infield is made up by two seniors: SS Henley Parker (2023; Jefferson JC) and 3B/RHP Quinton Borders (2023; Crowder JC). Parker is a savvy defender at the dirt’s most important position, and he swings a quality right-handed bat that’ll regularly produce within this lineup. Borders can also pick it at the hot corner with the arm strength to stick there long term and also provide quality contributions on the mound, and he adds another physical bat to a lineup full of them.

Three other seniors that’ll contribute to this year’s team: OF Steven Schneider (2023; Maryville), RHP Kaden Kendle (2023; State Fair CC), and 1B Clayton Ernst (2023). Schneider brings elite wheels to this lineup and in the outfield, running as fast as a 6.58 60 at our events in the past. Kendle is a competitive strike thrower with a three-pitch mix that regularly plays around the zone, while Ernst stands at a hulking 6-foot-8, 225-pounds and was also a standout on the Indians’ basketball team this winter, eclipsing the 1,000 points scored mark for his career.

BOTTOM LINE

The Indians have several ingredients to craft a winning recipe in 2023 - star power, experience, and depth. They’re going to be battle tested heading into the postseason, with a competitive schedule that’ll pit them against some of the state’s best teams, while also squaring up against tough opponents on the Illinois’ side. Jackson will look to make some noise at the 6A level in coach Roach’s first season.

Follow along @PBRMissouri for complete coverage of the 2023 high school season.

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