Missouri Signing Day Special: Division I Prospects
November 10, 2022
Yesterday, November 9th, players across the country signed their national letters of intent to play baseball at the collegiate level. This day is one of the most renowned days on the baseball calendar, as it’s a complete culmination of the hard work, effort, and dedication to playing the sport at the next level.
We’ve taken the time below to highlight several Division I signees across the state of Missouri and where they officially signed to play at the next level. Learn about where the top talents in the ‘Show Me’ state are headed, below.
ARKANSAS
The Razorbacks have, once again, recruited the state of Missouri quite well. Three of the top five prospects in Missouri’s senior class are committed to the Razorbacks, including No. 1 and No. 2, with LHP Adam Hachman (Timberland, 2023) and INF Nazzan Zanetello (Christian Brothers College, 2023), and they round out their Missouri crop with RHP Tate McGuire (Liberty North, 2023). All three of these players have high ceilings that should catch pro attention this spring and while the Razorbacks coaching staff would be ecstatic to get this trio to campus, it’s equally likely that all three hear their name called in July:
+ Hachman is the crown jewel of this crop, slotting just outside the top-10 on our national rankings as the second highest ranked recruit in this Arkansas class nationally. His high-90s heat and devastating slider should charm professional scouts into selecting him rather early come July, but getting him to campus would be a monumental win for the Razorbacks.
+ Zanetello recently committed to Arkansas after being the top uncommitted prospect in the Midwest for quite some time. He’s a wiry, explosive athlete that’s headed to the Super 60 in February where he’ll likely put up some of the loudest numbers of the entire event. He floats around the infield, is athletic enough to roam the outfield, and has borderline elite bat speed at the plate from the right side. Expect Zanetello to get plenty of draft looks as one of the highest ceiling athletes in Missouri.
+ Another productive off-season could have McGuire rising up local draft boards quickly, as the 6-foot-3, 185-pound uber projectable Kansas City native offers plenty to like on the mound. A huge piece to Liberty North’s state championship team, McGuire pitches in the low-90s with his fastball while spinning a sharp upper-70 slider and fading a changeup to left-handed hitters primarily. A starter at the next level with three quality pitches, adding a few ticks of velocity to his fastball should help McGuire significantly from a draft standpoint. Should he make it to campus, however, McGuire could find himself pitching in Arkansas’ rotation sooner rather than later.
MISSOURI:
Per usual, the Tigers are keeping home several top-end prospects across the state of Missouri. Five of the top-15 prospects in the 2023 class are headed to Columbia and this class looks more than capable of helping the Tigers compete for an SEC championship down the road:
+ It starts at the top for Mizzou with three players slotted inside the top-10, headlined by LHP Wil Libbert (Blair Oaks, 2023). Libbert nearly took home our state ‘Player of the Year’ award last year and is the early favorite to do so in 2023, dominating the MSHSAA landscape yet again. He’s a high pitchability southpaw with loud stuff, bumping his fastball as high as 93 mph in our looks. Libbert will land a quality breaking ball for strikes and feature a mid-80s changeup that plays with natural arm-side action. His makeup, mound demeanor, and feel to pitch have Libbert headed towards a future weekend spot for the Tigers, though he will generate draft interest in the spring.
+ 1B Brett Norfleet (Francis Howell, 2023) and OF Kaden Peer (Christian Brothers College, 2023) are two high-end names in this class. Norfleet, who stands at 6-foot-7, 230-pounds, is a four-star tight end recruit that also mashes baseballs on the diamond. He paced the state in home runs last year on a 30+ win Francis Howell team and is a real middle-of-the-order power threat given his size/strength profile. Peer is a 6-foot-2, 178-pound that wields inherent strength from the left side with feel to hit, 6.88 speed in the 60, and plus arm strength from the outfield (95 mph).
+ Though both 3B Jack Holubowski (Marquette, 2023) and RHP Ben Smith (Springfield Catholic, 2023) sit just outside the state’s top-10, both of them are more than fair prospects in their own right. Holubowski swings one of the most physical right-handed bats you’ll find across Missouri and he’ll look to make a real impact for a talented Marquette team this spring after an injury hampered him last season. Smith appears to keep trending upward on our board, rising a few spots this most recent update after positive reports from the fall. He’s a physically built 6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect with low-90s stuff, touching 94 mph, while spinning two quality breaking balls and an effective mid-80s changeup.
+ Two right-handed arms round out this deep recruiting class: RHP Charlie Miller (Russellville, 2023) and RHP Trenton Roehler (Blue Springs South, 2023). At 6-foot-3, 185-pounds, Miller is an upside athlete we’ve seen pitch in the upper-80s with more to come in the tank, pairing his heater with a tightly spun low-70s breaking ball. Roehler works with intent and aggression down the mound, pumping his fastball as high as 90 mph in our looks while typically pitching in the upper-80s. He’s shown our staff swing-and-miss spin with his breaking ball as well, most recently at the Creekside Summer Championships this June.
KANSAS:
The Jayhawks have plucked a few prospects from the Kansas City area in recent years and they’re bringing a duo of travel ball teammates to Lawrence next fall, both of whom attended the PBR Future Games: OF Colton Wemhoff (Rockhurst, 2023) and INF Ty Wisdom (Liberty North, 2023).
+ Wemhoff has all the tools to be an impact bat for the Jayhawks. He’s built like a linebacker at 6-foot-2, 205-pounds with clear strength and athleticism. We saw him clobber a few loud home runs at Creekside this summer, patrol the outfield grass with ease, and show off a potent arm with a few loud throws as well. He’s a high ceiling bat with the athleticism to be a key piece down the road for Kansas.
+ Wisdom was a catalyst for the Eagles in their 6A state championship season last spring, bringing a versatile do-it-all skill set to the table. He’ll play anywhere on the diamond, routinely produce at the plate from the left side, and can even hop on the mound to get competitive outs in key situations. The Jayhawks are getting a type of player that can help a program win in multiple ways, both on and off the field.
MISSOURI STATE:
Coming off a successful season in 2022 that included a relatively deep playoff run, the Bears are keeping five Missouri prospects in-state, all of which slot inside the top-40 on our 2023 board:
+ Headlining this class is OF/RHP Caden Bogenpohl (Jackson, 2023). At 6-foot-5, 235-pounds, Bogenpohl wields one of the loudest left-handed sticks in the state and he’s a highly impressive athlete for his stature, running a 6.95 60-yard dash this past winter. We’ve seen him blister balls in the upper-90s with regularity, peaking at 100.9 mph on his loudest barrel. His strength translates to the outfield (92 mph) and on the mound (90-92 mph) as well. There’s no denying the upside that Bogenpohl brings to the diamond.
+ Back to back on our state’s 2023 rankings are a pair of position players that signed with Missouri State: C William Zareh (Webster Groves) and INF Curry Sutherland (Logan-Rogersville). Zareh is a strong, athletic 6-foot, 185-pound backstop with real arm strength behind the dish, peaking at 89 mph from the chute at an event last winter. At 6-foot-4, 205-pounds, Sutherland offers inherent strength from the right side with upside in the power department. He’s physical, intentful at the plate, and consistently performs, helping lead Logan-Rogersville to the state playoffs this spring.
+ INF Maloy Heaghney (Eureka, 2023) and LHP Brody McNeil (Hartville, 2023) cap this class off. Athletically, Heaghney has a chance to stick up the middle with advanced arm strength to pair, and he swings a loose, easy right-handed bat, too. McNeil has put up some dominant numbers at the high school level for Hartville and at 6-foot-3, 185-pounds is an upside southpaw to follow for the Bears.
Saint LOUIS:
Three local products join this Billikens recruiting class and will look to contribute towards a program that won 29 games last season:
+ C/OF Baden Hackworth (Jackson, 2023) offers power and intensity packed into a strong 6-foot, 180-pound frame. He’s athletic at the plate with advanced rotation out of load, finding loud barrels on the regular. Hackworth’s showed our staff arm strength from behind the plate (79 mph) and the outfield (89 mph) in the past as well.
+ RHP Joshua Cunningham (DeSmet Jesuit, 2023) pumps the strike zone, fanning 49 batters over 29 ⅔ innings this past spring, walking only nine. We’ve seen him up to 87 mph at our events, spinning it at 2500+ RPM, and he features a low-70s breaking ball at 2400+ RPM at peak, too.
+ RHP Jackson Yarberry (Timberland, 2023) stands at a strong, sturdy 6-foot-3, 215-pounds. He pounds the zone with a heavy sinking mid-to-high-80s fastball, working down in the zone with efficiency. He’ll flip in a 73-75 mph breaking ball with depth for strikes, changing paces off that aforementioned heater. Yarberry’s set to start at the next level and showed capable of shouldering a workload this spring with Timberland.
WICHITA STATE
The Shockers tapped into Missouri this year, bringing three players over from their neighboring state in this 2023 class:
+ INF Kamden Durnin (Camdenton) has steadily been one of the top up-the-middle prospects in Missouri’s 2023 crop over the past few years. He swings a fast right-handed barrel that stays in the zone, generating hard contact on average with bat speed. Durnin’s athleticism and actions will keep him on the infield long term, and his 91 mph arm strength should comfortably play on the left side at the next level. A gamer that can help a team win in multiple ways, Durnin could contribute for the Shockers relatively quickly once he makes it to campus.
+ Physical is an understatement when describing INF Gannon Snyder (Parkway West, 2023), who’s one of several PBR Future Game alums mentioned inside this article. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound corner infielder thumps balls off a heavy barrel, showing natural bat speed from the right side as well. He’s a proven in-game performer, batting .355/.455/.570 with 11 extra-base hits and 27 RBI this past spring.
+ INF Jake Rice (Lee’s Summit North, 2023) oozes upside on a 6-foot-1, 170-pound lean, wiry frame. Rice’s left-handed swing is silky smooth, and he’ll show easy hand speed with present line drive feel. He covers the plate at an advanced rate with low swing-and-miss, barrel adaptability, and could be a future top-of-the-order type of hitter.
ARKANSAS STATE
Arkansas State draws three Missouri prospects, the most they’ve had since their 2020 recruiting class:
+ RHP Jackson Downing (Liberty North, 2023) has a chance to impact this Red Wolves’ staff almost immediately. He was excellent for the Eagles’ championship quest this spring and impressed our staff at Creekside as well, showing an uptick in stuff we hadn’t seen from him prior. He’ll use his entire arsenal, often pitching backwards, and fills up the zone with an upper-80s fastball that’s been up to 90 mph.
+ RHP Collin Maloney (Mehlville, 2023) is another right-hander headed to Jonesboro. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior slots inside the top-40 prospects on our rankings, and he’s physical in stature while proving this spring he’s capable of shouldering a starter’s workload. Maloney punched out 82 batters over 55 frames, walking just 15 with a 3.31 ERA. His fastball sits in the mid-to-high-80s, turning to a mid-70s slider as his primary secondary pitch.
+ INF Aidan Houseworth (Chaminade, 2023) is hitterish from the left side, repeating gap-to-gap line drive contact with clear hand speed. Houseworth’s hands and feet work on the infield, and he’s shown wiry arm strength at events in the past, peaking at 88 mph across the diamond this past winter.
POWER FIVE SIGNEES:
SEC
Two southpaws from the ‘Show Me’ state are headed to the SEC next fall:
+ LHP Dane Bjorn (Lindbergh, 2023) put together a phenomenal junior season for the Flyers, helping pitch them deep into the MSHSAA state playoffs. Bjorn, who’s built at an athletic 6-foot-2, 190-pounds, is a strike-thrower with advanced control of the zone with an upper-80s fastball. He spins a more firm mid-70s breaking ball with depth, bend, and some sweep on occasion, while also confidently turning over a fading changeup to right-handed hitters.
+ LHP Kaiden Wilson (Raymore-Peculiar, 2023) is the epitome of projection - a long, lanky 6-foot-2, 195-pound southpaw with plenty of room to fill out his frame. Wilson helped lead the Panthers to the state playoffs and provided our staff a quality up-close look at Creekside this summer as well, pitching well at the Area Code Games as well. He pitches in the upper-80s with his fastball, climbing up into the low-90s at times, and spins a big breaking ball with high arch in the low-70s.
ACC & BIG 12
A pair of top-10 recruits, both of which are PBR Future Games alums, are headed to these two major conferences, respectively:
+ INF Addison Smith (Liberty, 2023; Oklahoma State) was a winner at multiple stops this season. He played a major role in Liberty’s run to a district championship, broke out at LakePoint during the National Program Invitational, consistently produced at Creekside, and also stood out to our staff at the Area Code Games. Here’s what Shooter Hunt had to say about his showing in San Diego:
“...polished off a stellar summer with a strong performance in San Diego. Utilizing a larger leg hang to gain ground through impact from both sides, he was consistently on-time throughout with a flat path that delivered gap-to-gap strength with some pull side power potential . The wiry-thin, 6-foot-1, 175-pound shortstop has plenty of room to continue adding strength, and while he is not dynamic on the infield, he is as consistent as they come with the glove, and has a quick release with adequate arm strength that is likely a future average tool.”
+ LHP Camron Poe (Christian Brothers College, 2023) was a breakout winner at the 2021 PBR Future Games, winning over several scouts in attendance and ultimately committing to Duke. Poe oozes projectability, standing at 6-foot-3, 200-pounds with present strength and room to add more. We’ve seen Poe pitch regularly in the low-90s, spin a bullet slider with sweep, and occasionally flash a quality changeup, too. The Blue Devils have developed a few left-handed arms over the last few years and Poe could be next to follow in those footsteps.
BIG 10
Five players from Missouri will join Big 10 programs next fall:
+ RHP Seth Benes (Liberty-Wentzville, 2023) sits inside the top-10 on our senior class rankings and rightfully so. At 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, Benes works the zone with his entire arsenal and has big league lineage on the diamond. We saw him at Creekside this summer, having this to say about the future Indiana Hoosier:
“...showed his usually impressive stuff in a brief outing for the St. Louis Prospects last weekend. The 6-foot-2, 200-pound right-hander pitched at 86-90 mph with his fastball and showed polish for his secondaries, something we’ve become accustomed to seeing from him at this point. Benes, who’s physical stature and family pedigree on the diamond make for a relatively high future on the hill, is one of the top arms in Missouri’s 2023 group.”
+ RHP Will Moore (Ladue Horton Watkins, 2023) is set to join Purdue after his senior year. A dual-sport athlete that’s 6-foot-3, 207-pounds, Moore brings upside to the table attached to his projectable frame. He pitched for Team Missouri at the Future Games in 2021, featuring an upper-80s fastball and a high-60s breaking ball with high arch off an 11/5 plane.
+ RHP Tanner Paschke (Fort Zumwalt North, 2023) is another Future Games alum that’ll join the Big 10 next fall by route of the Hawkeyes. Paschke enjoyed a successful spring season with Fort Zumwalt North, punching out 74 batters across 45 innings while pitching to a 2.80 ERA. He’s a lean, athletic 6-foot, 175-pound prospect we’ve seen up to 91 mph with a quick arm, a sharp breaking ball, and a changeup with natural arm-side run.
+ Few left-handed bats in Missouri have the juice that Nebraska signee 1B Case Sanderson (Nevada R5, 2023) owns. A PBR Future Games alum, Sanderson blisters baseballs on the regular, displaying that natural raw juice at Creekside this summer during the Midwest Premier Super 17. Our report on him from that week long surge:
“...status as an upper tier left-handed bat in Missouri has become evident to our staff over the last calendar year and he did nothing but cement that at the Super 17. Sanderson juiced a few loud balls off the barrels throughout the weekend, including two monster home runs in a playoff win for Marucci Midwest. The second of those two came in a clutch spot, as it ultimately gave his team a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Standing at a physically built 6-foot-2, 200-pounds, Sanderson looks like a middle-of-the-order masher at the next level. He’s committed to Nebraska.”
+ Recent Northwestern commit RHP Garrett Shearer (Saint Louis University HS, 2023) completes this bunch of prospects headed to the Big 10. Shearer has the prototypical size of a starting pitcher, standing at 6-foot-3, 205-pounds, and a quality three-pitch mix to pair. His mid-to-high-80s fastball flashes late arm-side run, he’ll fade a high-70s changeup off that fastball plane, and also spins a low-70s slider with depth around the zone. Shearer saw plenty of success this past high school season, posting a 2.88 ERA across 48 ⅔ innings while striking out 52. He’ll be a quality addition to a Northwestern program that’s looking to compete in the Big 10.
MID-MAJOR SIGNEES
AAC
Two high-end prospects and former PBR Future Gamers will head to the AAC eager to make an impact for their respective clubs:
+ RHP Tommy Lapour (Blue Springs South, 2023) could be a rotation anchor for the Cincinnati Bearcats down the road. Lapour certainly has the size and strength to do so, comfortably holding muscle on a 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame. He’s capable of pitching in the low-90s, pumping the lower-half of the zone efficiently from a high arm slot and creating natural tilt on his fastball. Lapour’s bread-and-butter pitch is one of the best splitters in the Midwest - an offering that naturally tumbles from his arm angle with swing-and-miss action.
+ MIF Tyler Macon (Kirkwood, 2023) is an upside prospect that’s a part of Memphis’ recruiting class. A dual-sport athlete at Kirkwood, Macon ran a 6.78 60 at the Future Games and showed fluid athleticism on the infield, particularly in his hand gather and footwork. Offensively, Macon’s loose hand feel translates to the box and we’ve seen him impact the baseball upwards of 95 mph previously.
BIG EAST
+ A pair of right-handed arms signed with Big East programs yesterday: RHP Eric Podgorny (MICDS, 2023; Xavier) and RHP Simon Linde (Liberty, 2023). Podgorny has physical projection attached to a 6-foot-2, 187-pound frame and has previously pitched in the upper-80s, flashing sharp spin on a breaking ball as well. Linde’s aptitude to spin a swing-and-miss breaking ball separates him as a top right-handed arm in the state, and the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Kansas City native pitches in the mid-to-high-80s with his fastball as well.
BIG SOUTH
+ C/INF Tyler Lang (Parkway West, 2023) signed with USC - Upstate yesterday. He’s a physical right-handed bat who had an incredibly successful year this past spring, slashing .462/.604/.769 with 17 extra-base hits. Lang showed a quick release behind the plate at an event this past winter and sure-handed actions on the infield, too.
IVY LEAGUE
+ Headed to the Ivy League is RHP Marco Dumsky (Rockhurst, 2023), who’s a 6-foot-4, 220-pound physical specimen on the hill. Dumsky showed upper-80s heat with his fastball at the National Program Invitational at LakePoint in June from a high slot, spinning a sharp 78-81 mph slider as well.
METRO ATLANTIC
+ INF Landon Harwell (Vianney, 2023; St. Peters) is a lean, high-waisted athlete with more physical projection to come. We saw Harwell in the spring with Vianney against Lindbergh in the playoffs, and again at Creekside, where he was an offensive winner from the Fall Championships.
MISSOURI VALLEY
A duo of Missouri products signed with Missouri Valley clubs yesterday:
+ A Future Games alum, C/RHP Cole Chace (Blue Springs South, 2023) helped lead the Jaguars deep into the MSHSAA season and proved capable of impacting the game in multiple areas. Chace has one of the smoothest right-handed swings in Missouri and generates easy power as a result. His arm strength and accuracy behind the plate is obvious, and it translates to the mound, where Chace has pitched in the upper-80s in previous looks. Chace joins an Indiana State program that hasn’t had a losing season since 2008.
+ LHP Kenton Deverman (Fort Zumwalt West, 2023) has some of the highest pitchability in Missouri, routinely pumping the strike zone from the left side. He put together a spectacular spring season, logging 52 ⅔ innings with a 1.59 ERA and 71 strikeouts. Deverman dominates with a three-pitch mix, changing speeds effectively and using his entire arsenal around the zone. He’s headed to Evansville next fall.
OHIO VALLEY
Schools in the Ohio Valley have recruited Missouri well in the past few years and there’s four prospects that signed with the conference yesterday:
+ Staying in-state, INF Brooks Kettering (Glendale, 2023) rose up our prospect list after a quality showing at the Midwest Mavericks Scout Day and he committed to Southeast Missouri State not too long after. A left-handed hitter, Kettering is a 6.76 runner in the 60 with a clean, upside left-handed swing and equally projectable 5-foot-11, 160-pound frame. Kettering’s actions on the infield are sound and should keep him on the infield down the road.
+ RHP Wyatt Brown (Affton, 2023; Eastern Illinois) is a highly projectable 6-foot-3, 180-pound athlete with lean, lanky limbs. Brown, who pitched with Team Missouri at the Future Games in 2021, oozes upside and future promise on his arsenal. He threw well for Affton this spring, fanning 70 batters over 34 ⅓ innings with a 2.04 ERA. In Brown, the Panthers are getting a ceiling arm that’ll look to make an impact for them in the future.
+ Parkway Central rode momentum throughout the MSHSAA playoffs to a state appearance, and a lot of that came from the offensive production the Colts received from C Sean Kang (2023; Southern Illinois - Edwardsville). Kang performed as a top-tier right-handed bat in the St. Louis area last spring, slashing .430/.562/.645 with nine strikeouts to 20 walks. He consistently hits with authority in-game and translates the power we’ve seen from him in BP to game-like setting rather easily. Kang crosses over to southern Illinois, joining a Cougars’ club that’s bringing in a talented group in 2023.
+ RHP Quinn Council (Chaminade College Prep, 2023) stays in-state too, joining the latest Division I program by signing with Lindenwood. Council’s presence on the mound is felt, bringing a hulking 6-foot-7, 240-pound frame to the slope when he toes the rubber. We’ve seen him up to 89 mph with his fastball and Council has a track record of performing in-game, too. He dominated for Chaminade in the spring, posting a 0.82 ERA over 51 ⅓ innings, walking just 12 batters throughout.
SUN BELT
+ Arkansas - Little Rock plucked OF Trey Gardner (Kennett, 2023) from Missouri. Gardner has easy balance at the plate, repeating his smooth left-handed swing with relative ease. There’s more physical projection left to come on a 6-foot-2, 183-pound frame, which could enhance Gardner’s future power profile down the road. He’ll be one to watch at the next level.
WESTERN ATHLETIC
+ Committed to New Mexico State, 1B Jeter Mauzey (Hamilton, 2023) has one of the highest ceilings in the state. He was a standout name at the Kansas City Program Invitational, where our scouts had this to say about him:
“...power projection is undeniable, standing at 6-foot-4, 185-pounds with long, whippy levers that generate juice and loft to the pull-side. Mauzey turned on a few baseballs with intent throughout the weekend, finishing his final KCPI tournament with an absolute no-doubt blast over the left field fence on Sunday afternoon. Mauzey is committed to New Mexico State, where he could be a middle-of-the-order contributor for the Aggies down the road.”
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