The 2024 Missouri high school baseball season is quickly approaching and, as usual, excitement is abound throughout the state. Players and coaches have been working in preparation for the upcoming season and, as is the case each year, there are some very talented players and teams across Missouri. 

Teams across the state have goals and aspirations to finish their seasons in Ozark come early June, but there is plenty of work to be done before that becomes reality. We hope to familiarize our readers with many of the teams across the state as we preview individual teams across Missouri. We will take you right up to first pitch this season with these team previews, eventually releasing our Preseason team rankings that’ll carry us into the opening week of action.

Please keep checking back throughout the season as we will be your one-stop shop for everything related to high school baseball across the state, and we’ll be releasing daily content to ensure our top-tier coverage of the ‘Show Me’ state. 

Our 2024 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Webb City
2023 Record (Playoff Finish): 22-15 (Class 5 Final Four)
Conference: Central Ozark Conference
Classification: 5A
Head Coach: Andrew Doennig

UPPERCLASSMEN TO KNOW

• INF/OF Drew Vonder Haar (2024; Missouri Southern)
• C/1B Shaun Hunt (2024)
• 2B Sam Weller (2024; Crowder JC)
• 1B/OF Christian Brock (2024)
• OF Shadrach Salizar (2024)
• UTL Payton Marshall (2024)
• RHP Landon Fletcher (2025)
• LHP Luke Beverlin (2025)
• SS Cohen Epler (2025)
• OF Andrew Young (2025)

UNDERCLASS FOLLOWS

• C Mason Williams (2026)
• RHP Brennan Burgess (2026)

OUTLOOK

You can count on Webb City to be a title contender at the Class 5 level each year. They’ve won their District each of the past two seasons, including a fourth place finish at the state semifinals last spring. Like any state finalist, the Cardinals lost a handful of key players due to graduation, but they do return a strong core that’ll look to make a repeat run at Ozark this spring. 

The Cardinals are comfortable with the arms they’ll trot out each game - it’s an experienced group that’s deep, too. RHP Landon Fletcher (2025) is back following an excellent sophomore campaign where he struck out 49 batters over 44 ⅓ innings of work with a 2.21 ERA. Another sophomore, LHP Luke Beverlin (2025), drew starts last season and consistently fills up the strike zone with three pitches. Though he’s mostly known for his offense - .315 batting average with an .865 OPS and 11 doubles last year - INF/OF Drew Vonder Haar (2024; Missouri Southern) returns a 2.33 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 45 innings from last spring. Aside from this trio, Webb City does have a handful of other arms they’re confident in getting consistent outs for them throughout the season. 

Offensively, the Cardinals will have a blend of notable returners and fresh faces in their lineup this spring. C/1B Shaun Hunt (2024) led them in home runs (3) and RBIs (27) in 2023, slashing .296/.403/.426 as their starting catcher. He’ll see time behind the plate this year and at first base too, paving the way for talented sophomore backstop Mason Williams to get rips in at the catcher position. 

Shaun Hunt

All good teams are strong up the middle of the field and this Cardinals’ club fits that bill nicely with SS Cohen Epler (2025) and 2B Sam Weller (2024; Crowder JC) playing at their respective positions. Epler will take over as the everyday shortstop this spring and is an athletic, sure-handed defender that’ll provide value there with the glove. Weller’s left-handed bat fits nicely near the top of this lineup and he returns a .302 batting average with a .421 OBP. He led the teams in run scored (32) last season and was also 17 for 17 in stolen base attempts. 

Look for OF Andrew Young (2025) to be a welcomed addition to this club after missing a majority of the 2023 season. A standout at the Kansas City Preseason ID, Young can really run (6.74) and should have no problem holding down center field for the Cardinals. His left-handed adds more polish and versatility to this lineup as well. 1B/OF Christian Brock (2024), OF Shadrach Salizar (2024), and UTL Payton Marshall (2024) are three seniors to know on this roster. 

Andrew Young

BOTTOM LINE 

Webb City has proven that, come the playoffs, the Cardinals are never going to be an easy out. The depth on their pitching staff coupled with some experience in the lineup makes this 2024 team no different from those that came before them. 

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