SBLive Missouri all-state baseball teams: Liberty's Karson Milbrandt is player of the year

Honoring the top Missouri baseball players

By Cody Thorn | Photo courtesy of the Liberty Courier-Tribune 

Another high school baseball season is in the books in Missouri. Now, it’s time to honor those players who made the season memorable.

We have named a player, coach and newcomer of the year as well as picked first- and second-team all-state teams. 

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PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Karson Milbrandt | Liberty | SR

The Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year had a banner season and is in the mix to be a top-three round pick in the MLB Draft this month. The Vanderbilt signee went 7-1 with a 1.66 ERA with 91 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

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COACH OF THE YEAR

Ryan Stegall | Liberty North

He guided the Eagles to a Class 6 championship and finished with a 33-9 record. The No. 1-ranked team had to defeat No. 5-ranked Liberty, No. 9-ranked Ray-Pec, No. 3 Francis Howell and No. 2 Blue Springs South in order to reach the pinnacle. Perfect Game ranked the Eagles No. 47 in the nation in the final poll.

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NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Leo Humbert | Francis Howell | SR

He helped the Vikings reach the Class 6 semifinals and a third-place finish with two RBIs in the final game. Humbert was one of two freshmen to earn all-state honors in the state’s largest classification, making the second team as a DH/utility selection. He hit .385 with a team-high 41 hits and also had 15 multi-hit games along with a team-high 16 doubles.

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FIRST TEAM

Pitchers

Karson Milbrandt | Liberty | SR

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior right-hander helped the Blue Jays go 29-9 and he was often the main attraction when he started with scouts from numerous MLB teams watching him throw. He gave up only 12 earned runs all season, walked only 14 and batters hit .192 against him.

Tate McGuire | Liberty North | JR

Now a two-time all-state pick, the right-hander got the nod in the state championship game, which he picked up the victory by striking out five in five innings. McGuire was 6-0 with an ERA of 1.01 and had 60 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings. He has committed to Arkansas.

Ben Smith | Springfield Catholic | JR

The Big 8 Conference East Player of the Year, Smith struck out 98 batters in 61 innings for the Class 3 runners-up. The future University of Missouri hurler had a 1.14 ERA for the Irish and had a complete-game 11-strikeout showing in the semifinals against Valley Park.

Brody McNiel | Hartville | JR

The left-handed tossing McNiel helped Hartville reach the Class 3 playoffs, but lost in the first round to Springfield Catholic. The future Missouri State hurler was 6-3 with 89 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched and had a 1.23 ERA.

Trey Mulholland | Aurora | SR

A talented two-way player, Mulholland put up some of the best numbers ever in state history. The right-hander was 10-0 on the mound with a 0.58 ERA - 18th best in a single-season in the record books. The Crowder College signee struck out 95 in 72 1/3 innings.

Catchers

Gavin Siegfried | Staley | SR

The Class 6 all-stater hit .365 with an OPS of 1.001, while collecting 72 hits. That total included 15 doubles and five home runs, while driving in 63 runs. Siegfried will play at Crowder College next year.

Jake Knudsen | Platte County | SR

The Pirates' backstop combined for five of the team’s nine RBIs during the run to the Class 5 title. For the season, the right-handed hitter sported a .421 batting average, an on-base percentage of .515 and was second on the team in RBIs with 22. He also didn’t have an error in 140 total chances.

Infielders

Trey Snyder | Liberty North | SO

The future Tennessee shortstop hit .386 for the Class 6 champions. He had 54 hits, which included 15 extra-base hits. He drove in 33 runs and swiped 23 bases. He is ranked the No. 1 player in the Class of 2024 in the state.

Addison Smith | Liberty | JR

A two-time all-stater, Smith posted a .372 batting average for the Blue Jays and had a .392 mark with runners in scoring position. He finished with 45 total hits, scored 32 times and had 16 hits for extra bases, including four home runs. The future Oklahoma State player also had 31 RBIs, stole 18 bases and had a school-record 86 assists.

Grant Hollister | Blue Springs South | SO

Like Smith, Hollister is another two-time all-state pick and this year helped his Jaguars reach the Class 6 finals. The third baseman had a .357 batting average with 37 hits, 10 doubles, 23 RBIs and also drew 21 walks.

Reese Robinett | Kennett | SR

The 6-foot-4 corner infielder had a .513 batting average and helped Kennett return to the Class 4 final four. The Arkansas signee showcased some of the best power in the state with 12 doubles and 10 home runs - two more than the rest of his team had combined. He drove in 38 runs and showed a cautious eye with 18 walks and striking out only five times.

Jake McCutcheon | Francis Howell | SR

The Missouri State signee hit .482, while having a .799 slugging percentage with six home runs and five triples. The shortstop had 67 hits and scored 52 runs for the Vikings, a third-place finisher in Class 6.

Outfielders

Ryker Edwards | Smithville | JR

Edwards backed up a solid 2021 with an even better 2022. The center fielder had a .423 batting average and an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.146. Edwards had 41 total hits, including 12 doubles. The right-handed hitter drove in a team-high 38 runs, earning all-state honors for the second year in a row.

Austin Stewart | Columbia Rock Bridge | SR

Stewart hit just south of .500 this year for the Bruins with a .467 average, while sporting a .571 on-base percentage. He had a school-record 57 hits, while scoring 45 - second all-time in school history. He added 28 RBIs and had 19 stolen bases, fifth best all-time.

Daniel Wissler | Ft. Zumwalt West | SR

A two-way star, Wissler had a .417 batting average with 37 runs scored, stole 26 bases and drove in 31 runs for the Jaguars. The Missouri signee was the Gateway Athletic Conference South Division Player of the Year.

Chase Littrell | Liberty | JR

The left-handed hitter got on base more than half of his at-bats (.511 OBP) and swiped 18 bases and drew 22 walks. He had 42 hits and scored 27 times, while driving in 19 runs. He is uncommitted going into summer ball.

Case Sanderson | Nevada | JR

The Big 8 Conference West Division player of the year hit .516 with an OPS of 1.538. The left-handed hitting, left-handed throwing Sanderson had 14 doubles and drove in 33 runs for the Tigers. He has committed to Nebraska.

Utility

Brysen Nepute | Francis Howell | JR

Yet another Viking on the list, the junior was a two-way starter that was named the St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro Pitcher of the Year. He had seven wins and struck out 78 batters in 65 1/3 innings. In five postseason starts, he gave up only five earned runs in 24 2/3 innings and struck out 22. At the plate, he hit .339 with 41 hits, 27 RBIs, nine extra base hits and stole 18 bases in his first year at the school after transferring from CBC.

Ty Wisdom | Liberty North | JR

A Collegiate Baseball All-American, Wisdom stood out playing second base for the Eagles, hitting .398 with 49 hits, 17 doubles, driving in 33 runs and coaxing 25 walks. The Kansas pledge was also the closer for the Class 6 champs, securing four saves to go with a 5-0 record and an 0.87 ERA. He fanned 32 in 24 2/3 innings.

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SECOND TEAM

Pitchers

Caden Bogepohl | Jackson | JR

The 6-foot-5 right-handed pitcher was 8-0 with 72 strikeouts and posted a 1.94 ERA for the Indians, a Class 6 school that was 21-5. The Missouri State pledge was the SEMO Conference Pitcher of the Year.

Dane Bjorn | Lindbergh | JR

The southpaw helped guide the Flyers to the Class 6 tournament by winning five of the team’s 20 games. The Tennessee pledge had a 1.70 ERA and struck out 104 in 61 2/3 innings. Batters posted a .151 average against him.

Ross Lawrence | Logan-Rogersville | SO

One of only three sophomores to earn first-team all-state honors in Class 4, the left-handed throwing Lawrence went 8-1 with a 1.69 ERA. The Missouri commit struck out 80 in 57 2/3 innings and his six-strikeout, five-inning shutout against defending Class 4 champion Kennett sent the Wildcats to the title game.

Brock Lucas | St. Elizabeth | SR

Closed out his banner high school career with an 11-strikeout performance in the Class 1 title game against Oran. The Missouri signee was 6-2 with a 1.74 ERA and racked up 104 strikeouts with 56 1/3 innings. Also had a .581 batting average for the Hornets.

Keith Piepmeier | Nixa | SR

The Central Ozark Conference Pitcher of the Year, the right-hander posted a 7-0 record with one save and a 1.17 ERA. He held batters to a .174 average and fanned 55 in 48 innings of work.

Catchers

Cole Martin | McDonald County | SR

The Cowley College signee hit .484 with 12 doubles, four home runs and drove in 25 runs for the Mustangs, a team ranked as high as No. 4 in the Class 4 poll this year.

Noah Wilkinson | Springfield Kickapoo | SR

The backstop was named the Ozark Conference Player of the Year after hitting. 367 with an OPS of 1.119. He had 12 doubles, five home runs and drove in 36 runs. He will play at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College next year.

Infielders

Lucas Wietholder | Father Tolton Regional Catholic | FR

The Trailblazers won the Class 3 state championship game and the ninth grader was a big part of it. The shortstop hit .429 with 30 hits, drove in 28 runs and scored 26 times.

Jaret Nelson | Nixa | SR

Made the all-state team as an infielder, a year after being an all-state pick at catcher. The Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College signee hit .467 with a 1.307 OPS with 19 extra-base hits and 42 RBIs. The Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year was also named a College Baseball All-American, one of four in the Show-Me State.

Braden Hemmer | Columbia Hickman | JR

The third baseman hit .474 and added an on-base percentage of .579 for the Kewpies. The Missouri commit had 45 hits, 13 doubles, three home runs, scored 34 times and drove in 38 runs.

Kam Durnin | Camdenton | JR

The right-handed hitting shortstop hit .424 and was on base 54 percent of the time. He finished with 25 extra-base hits, drove in 21 runs and scored 36 runs. The Lakers’ standout has committed to Wichita State.

Grant Richars | St. Dominic | SR

He hit .494 with an .873 slugging percentage for the Crusaders, with nine doubles, three triples, five home runs and 36 RBIs, with team leads in triples and home runs. The Coastal Carolina signee was also a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen bases.

Outfielders

Owen Bushnell | Willard | JR

The right-handed hitting Bushnell hit seven home runs and drove in 45 runs for the Class 5 third-place finishers. He had a .393 batting average with a .510 on-base percentage and a 1.202 OPS.

Jeff Chitwood | Valley Park | JR

The infielder-turned-outfielder hit .512 and had an .803 slugging percentage for the Hawks, who took fourth in Class 3. The middle-of-the-lineup hitter scored 32 times, hit two home runs, drove in 29 runs and was 27-for-29 in stolen-base attempts.

Payton Messer | Columbia Rock Bridge | SR

An all-state pick last year for the Bruins, the left-handed hitting Messer had a .360 average with 11 doubles, two triples, drove in 21 runs and swiped 42 bases. The two-time all-state pick had a .521 on-base percentage thanks to a combined 38 walks or hit by pitch. He has signed with Central Missouri.

Zach Stewart | Lebanon | SR

The Ozark Conference Position Player of the Year, Stewart hit .403 with a .598 on-base percentage. The two-time all-state pick - at infield last year - scored 29 times, hit five home runs and drove in 23 runs. Stewart will play at Missouri State.

Carter Karotka | Southern Boone County | SR

The left-handed hitting Karotka helped lead Southern Boone County to the Class 4 title this year. He was named a Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove winner after the season for his play in center field. He hit .375 with 36 hits - 10 of those for extra bases - 19 RBIs and 19 stolen bases.

Utility

Charlie Miller | Russellville | JR

The junior who has committed to Missouri helped his school win the Class 2 title. Miller hit .381 with 35 RBIs and scored 41 runs, while on the mound, he was 5-2 with two saves in 15 games. The right-hander struck out 99 in 61 1/3 innings and sported a 1.26 ERA.

Sam Wyrick | Jefferson City Helias Catholic | SO

The shortstop hit .376 with 20 RBIs, 21 runs and seven stolen bases for the Crusaders. On the mound, he went 4-2, an 0.64 ERA and racked up 56 strikeouts in 43 innings.