Missouri Class of 2027 Rankings: More Names To Know

December 26, 2023
By: Kevin Moulder & Diego Solares
PBR Missouri Staff

Last week, the PBR Missouri staff unveiled our inaugural rankings for the state's 2027 class. This initial board featured 15 players from the 'Show Me' state that have impressed our staff throughout their brief prep careers, whether it be in event, at PBR Tournaments, or as members of Team Missouri during the prestigious PBR Junior Future Games.

It is still extremely early to be forecasting Class of 2027 prospects, especially since they have yet to play a high school spring season. We are fully aware that these prospects are nowhere near their future potential ceiling but there are a number of prospects who have emerged throughout 2023 in the state that look to be the next crop of high-level players to come through the state. Several of the high-end talents should also be known on a national level as well. There are a plethora of names that are not presently on our rankings who will make strides over the next couple of years as they continue to physically mature, ultimately finding themselves on our board.

To read more about the names that make up our top-10, click HERE. For a full look at the Missouri 2027 rankings, click HERE.

Below we take a look at the players that slot at No. 11 through No. 15 within these rankings, as well as a handful of other name-to-know 2027s that just missed the cut.

BACK OF THE RANKINGS

More info on the prospect that make up spots 11 through 15 on our 2027 rankings.

Jalen Gipson 3B / Nixa, MO / 2027

Strong, physical 5-foot-10, 185-pounds. Clear bat speed from the right side with advanced bat strength to pair for his age, too. Gets off intentful hacks with consistency, looks to elevate gap-to-gap.

Carter Martin SS / Warrenton, MO / 2027

5-foot-10, 155-pound athlete with strength. Polished with three-pitch feel. Fastball has touched 83 mph in our looks, playing in the low-80s, with plenty more to come from a loose, clean high 3/4 slot. Tight spin with feel to land breaking ball for strikes. Has also flashed feel for a running changeup. Owns one of the higher ceilings on the mound in the class.

Warren Robertson OF / Rockhurst , MO / 2027

Physical 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame with present strength and room to add more. Long and leveraged swing, creates lift through contact with advanced bat strength to pair - posted a 92.6 mph max exit velocity at the PBR Junior Future Games this summer.

Luke McAtee C / DeSmet Jesuit, MO / 2027

Boasts a strong, physically advanced 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame and the freshman backstop from the St. Louis’ area. Like others on this list, McAtee also represented Team Missouri at the PBR Junior Future Games this past summer. He has notable bat speed and juice at the plate from a long, intentful, and aggressive right-handed swing. Defensively, McAtee’s arm has flashed accuracy from the chute in previous looks, popping in the 2.01-to-2.09 range at his best.

Cameron Crumble 3B / Pattonville , MO / 2027

Physical 5-foot-9, 180-pound athlete that impressed at the Missouri Fall Games this past September. Crumble has juice and bat speed at the plate from a quiet and balanced look while also having a middle-of-the-order type presence to him in the box.

ON THE RADAR...

These prospects missed out on our initial board, but they're still talented names in their own right that are firmly on the prospect radar in the state for this class.

Nicholas Long OF / Kickapoo , MO / 2027

Strong, durable 5-foot-11, 190-pound athlete. Short and compact right-handed swing, works direct to contact with line drive feel. Fastball plays in the upper-70s to low-80s for strikes. Big bend on curveball, also throws a changeup in the low-70s. Represented Missouri at the PBR Junior Future Games this past summer.

Nathanael Eakins SS / Rogersville, MO / 2027

Lean, well-proportioned and projectable 5-foot-11, 150-pound athlete. Flat barrel through the zone, comfortable going the other way. Was also up to 82 on the mound at the Junior Future Games in the summer, pitching at 77-81 mph.

Howie Donoho 3B / Chillicothe, MO / 2027

6-foot-1, 170-pound athlete that really looks the part in a uniform and offers plenty of physical projection. Long and flat barrel through the zone, gap-to-gap approach. Steady actions on the infield, confident in his hands. Athletic on the mound, simple in-line delivery. Clean arm with a fastball that plays at 78-81 mph and big bend on a 62-65 mph breaking ball.

Evan Magnuson RHP / Platte County, MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "... toes the rubber at a highly projectable 6-foot-3, 160-pounds. His arm plays loose with some arm speed out front, though there’s plenty more to dream on as he continues to mature physically. Magnuson’s fastball touched 80 mph at this event and he showed a 68-72 mph slider with slight lateral tilt off it."

Jayden Flores OF / Northpoint, MO / 2027

5-foot-8, 145-pounds, highly athletic for age. Top-of-the-order type of profile with a fast and direct right-handed swing that's comfortable spraying line drives to all fields. Quick agile mover in the outfield, 7.19 runner in the 60.

Tucker Lee OF / Liberty, MO / 2027

Strong 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame. Polished left-handed swing with intent to elevate the baseball, works gap-to-gap. Also a follow on the mound that's reportedly pitched into the low-80s.

Max Jones RHP / Seckman , MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "...is certain to be a follow name on the mound, both presently and in the foreseeable future. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Jones bumped his fastball up to 82 mph, showing downer spin on an intentful 69-72 mph curveball with above-average future traits. He rounded his arsenal out with a 70-72 mph changeup that he threw confidently at arm speed, fading it naturally."

Connar Lucas RHP / Saint Louis University, MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "...came away from this event as a high-follow in the state’s current freshman group. At 6-foot, 170-pounds, Lucas showed easy bat strength from a clean, balanced, and athletic right-handed swing, driving his deepest ball 344 feet, with four other 300+ ft. batted balls that traveled into both gaps, respectively. The ease in which Lucas generated these batted ball outputs, given his age, is especially impressive and they are metrics that are likely to keep trending upward as he adds strength. Lucas flashed on the mound too, pumping his fastball up to 82 mph with true backspin carry. He threw his slider at 73-75 mph, a well above-average velocity band for his age and usually an indication that an uptick in overall velocity is coming sooner rather than later. Lucas looks the part of a must follow name in Missouri’s 2027 class."

Owen Hughes OF / Rockhurst, MO / 2027

Lean and lanky 5-foot-11, 150-pound left/left athlete. Quick arm, fastball plays in the upper-70s, touching 80 mph at the Building Champions Scout Day this year. Spins two different breaking balls; a low-to-mid-60s curveball with more gardual spin off a 1/7 plane, and a tighter, laterally spun low-70s slider that he's also able to spin for strikes. Also plenty projectable as a position player. Clean and rhythmic left-handed swing with balance through contact and line drive feel. A name-to-know two-way prospect from the Kansas City area.

Luke Boyer OF / Marquette, MO / 2027

Strong compact left/left athlete. Aggressive and intentful hacks at the dish, ball jumps off the barrel to the pull-side. Arm appears to be an asset from the outfield, touching 82 mph in a workout setting, with real arm speed and carry out the hand.

Triton Crocker C / Central R3, MO / 2027

Long-levered 6-foot-3, 160-pound frame with lean, projectable limbs. Simple swing with balance throughout, doesn't try to do too much and controls his levers well for his age. Accurate and on the bag from behind the plate defensively, too.

Colston Lyon OF / St. Michael the Archangel, MO / 2027

Athletic build at 5-foot8, 140-pounds, 7.19 runner in the 60. Quick right-handed swing that works direct and on top of the baseball. Comfortable spraying line drives to all fields, doesn't try to do too much.

Chase Rogers SS / Francis Howell, MO / 2027

Another propsect highlighted within that represented Missouri at the PBR Junior Future Games this past summer. Advanced actions defensively on the infield with footwork feel and soft hands. Level right-handed swing that flashes barrel feel in BP with a middle-in approach.

Matthew Bell 3B / Valley Park, MO / 2027

Strong, highly physical 6-foot-3, 215-pounds. Short left-handed swing that works uphill to contact at times, flashes bat speed with gap-to-gap feel. High motor, gamer-type that consistently competes at the plate and in game.

Blake Hollrah C / Orchard Farm, MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "...stands in at a hard to miss 6-foot-2, 185-pounds with noticeable physicality. Hollrah flashed future power potential in this look, controlling his levers well given his age and stature, while swinging a long, level right-handed barrel."

Blake Schiller OF / Francis Howell , MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "...is another offensive name to follow from this event. Schiller showed a simple and athletic right-handed swing that comfortably used the whole field throughout BP, making for a hitterish feel throughout."

Jackson Jercinovic 1B / St Pius, MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "...is a rotational hitter with strong hands that produced the fourth highest max exit velocity (87.3 mph) amongst 2027 grads at this event."

Henry Ladenberger 3B / Chaminade College Prep, MO / 2027

From 9/20/23: "...consistently got off aggressive uphill hacks in his round, showing noticeable bat speed and strength for his age, while authoritatively driving balls deep into the pull-side gap."

Zach Partney C / Hillsboro, MO / 2027

From 6/12/23: "...is stronger in stature, standing at a physical 5-foot-11, 178-pounds with bat strength to pair from an aggressive, uphill right-handed swing."

Brady Vermilye C / Vianney , MO / 2027

From 10/9/23: "...looks like an athletic backstop to follow in Missouri’s 2027 class. The 5-foot-10, 145-pound left-handed hitter swung an uphill barrel through the zone, favoring the pull-side throughout his round with balance through contact. Vermilye is quick to release from behind the plate, and he’s an active defender on the infield too, playing through the baseball with a sure-handed glove to pair."