SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Missouri State baseball head coach Keith Guttin announced Thursday (Nov. 21) the receipt of official commitments from nine high school standouts and one junior college transfer during the NCAA's regular signing period. The Bears' signing class features five players ranked among the top 25 prep seniors in their respective states.

The new additions to the Bears' 2020-21 roster are highlighted by five pitchers, including junior college transfer Ethan Axman (Roeland Park, Kan.), prep lefty Ace Akers (Nixa,Mo.) and right-handers Noah Burkey (Poplar Bluff, Mo.), Eric Loomis (Brentwood, Mo.) and Caden Wilson (Kansas City, Mo.). Additionally, MSU added infielders Cole Hill (Owasso, Okla.), Spencer Nivens (Columbia, Mo.), Cole Robinson (High Ridge, Mo.) and Beau Stuckey (Fayetteville, Ark.) and catcher Zach Dillson (Lee's Summit, Mo.).

"Overall, we feel this class is a strong one," Guttin commented. "It addresses our future needs on the infield and features quite a bit of speed to compliment what figures to be an experienced group of returners next fall."  

Ace Akers (LHP, 6-1, 180, Nixa, Mo., Nixa High School)               
A local mound standout from Nixa (Mo.) High School, Akers is coming off a dominant junior campaign that saw the left-hander post 84 strikeouts in 43 innings for a 23-3 squad. He finished the season with a perfect 8-0 mark to go along with a 1.45 earned run average and earned the COC's Pitcher of the Year honor, as well as honorable mention Class 4 all-state recognition. Akers was also an all-tournament selection at Perfect Game's 17U World Series, WWBA 17U Elite and National Championships this past summer.

Bears Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Akers:
"We think Ace brings a good deal of pitchability to the table. He can spin a good breaking ball, to go along with an effective changeup, and he could have future starting potential for us."

Ethan Axman (RHP, 6-3, 205, Roeland Park, Kan., Bishop Miege High School/Jefferson College)                          
The lone junior college product in this year's recruiting class, Axman will join the Bears after concluding his two-year stay at Jefferson College. Axman, a right-handed pitcher from Roeland Park, Kan., went 4-0 with a 4.64 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 12 appearances for a Vikings club that finished 47-10 and captured a NJCAA Region XVI title last spring. As a prep standout at Bishop Miege High School, Axman led the Stags to a Kansas Class 4A state runner-up finish, earning all-state honors as a senior.

Bears Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Axman:
"Ethan has a chance to come in as a junior college transfer and pitch on the weekends for us. He's worked in the 90-92 MPH range, with a plus breaking pitch. He's a strong kid and should have a solid spring for Jeff Co, then could have the opportunity to come in compete for a rotation spot early."

Noah Burkey (RHP, 6-3, 185, Poplar Bluff, Mo., Poplar Bluff High School)                                         
Burkey, a product of Poplar Bluff (Mo.) High School, comes to Missouri State as a third-generation Bear, following his father Stacey Burkey, who lettered in baseball for the Bears in 1985-86 and grandfather John Burkey, a 1963 football letterman at MSU. Coming off a 2019 season in which he helped the Mules to a SEMO Conference title by going 5-1 on the mound with a 2.34 ERA and 47strikeouts in 31.2 innings, Burkey enters his senior prep campaign shooting for a third-consecutive all-conference and all-district nod. Ranked by Perfect Game as the No. 11 right-hander in the state of Missouri's 2020 recruiting class, he also picked up all-tourney recognition at PG's WWBA World Championship over the summer.

Bears Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Burkey:
"Noah is a guy who's been to our camps and has continued to progress over the last few years. He's a strong kid and what I would consider a strike-thrower with a clean delivery, typically working in the upper 80's (MPH). He also has a good feel for pitching, a strong background growing up around the game and deep family roots in the University."

Zach Dillman (C, 6-1, 195, Lee's Summit, Mo., Lee's Summit West High School)                         
A two-year starter for Lee's Summit (Mo.) West High School, Dillman will bring his reputation as a versatile athlete capable of playing nearly anywhere on the diamond to the Missouri State program. Dillman, a two-sport athlete for the Titans, played in every game for West's junior varsity squad last spring, recording hits in all 22 contests while logging a pair of complete-game, one-hit shutouts on the mound. The No. 7 rated catcher in the state of Missouri according to Prep Baseball Report, he also competed in football for the Titans.

Bears Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Dillman:
"Zach will bring added athleticism and depth to the catcher position, as well as potential on the mound because of his arm strength."

Cole Hill (IF, 5-8, 165, Owasso, Okla., Rejoice Christian High School)                         
A three-year letterwinner as a middle infielder and right-handed pitcher, Hill has helped lead Rejoice Christian High School to the first two district titles in program history during his prep career. A first-team All-Pinnacle Conference pick and the No. 4 shortstop prospect (Prep Baseball Report) in the state of Oklahoma, Hill hit .487 with a .606 on-base percentage and 23 steals for the Eagles regional final-qualifying squad this past spring. The Owasso, Okla., product also received an Area Code Trials invitation and has been a two-way starter for Rejoice Christian's football squad.

Bears Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Hill:
"Cole is a multi-sport athlete who can really defend and play the game fast. His feet and arm strength will allow him to play on the left side of the infield and he figures to put pressure on defenses with his speed as well."

Eric Loomis (RHP, 6-1, 180, Brentwood, Mo., Christian Brothers College High School)                         
A two-year letterman for St. Louis CBC High School, Loomis enters his senior prep season as the No. 10 right-handed pitcher in the state of Missouri (Perfect Game). As a junior, he completed a 4-0 ledger with a 1.79 ERA while holding the opposition to a .180 batting mark for the year. Loomis was a second-team All-Metro Catholic Conference pick and received PG Underclass All-America recognition each of the last two years.
       
Bears Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Loomis:
"Eric is a competitive kid from a strong high school program who uses a loose, three-quarters arm slot to generate a lot of life on the ball. He works in the upper 80's (MPH) with a slurve-like curveball, and we think he can come in and be competitive for us."

Spencer Nivens (IF, 5-11, 180, Columbia, Mo., Rock Bridge High School)                                    
Missouri's No. 3 prep shortstop in the class of 2020 according to Prep Baseball Report, Nivens enters his senior campaign for Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge High School with a pair of all-state citations and two of the top five single-season hit totals in school history already on his resume. Last spring, he was a first-team MHSBCA Class 5 All-State honoree after hitting .381 with 45 hits and 38 runs scored while leading the Bruins to a 29-8 mark and a state quarterfinal appearance. As a sophomore, Nivens batted .454 with 44 hits and a program record 29 walks to pick up all-district and honorable mention all-state recognition. A member of Missouri's Junior Sunbelt Team, he also earned MHSBCA Academic All-State recognition last spring for Rock Bridge.

Bears Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Nivens:
"Spencer is a versatile, left-handed hitting infielder with some physicality and bat speed, as well good as instincts and toughness. He's a multi-sport athlete with great athleticism."

Cole Robinson (1B, 6-3, 245, High Ridge, Mo., Rockwood Summit High School)                         
The consensus pick as Missouri's top prospect at first base in this year's recruiting class, Robinson is rated as the No. 16 overall prep player in the state by Perfect Game. A product of Rockwood Summit High School, he has already compiled an impressive list of achievements for the Falcons, including three straight all-conference nods and a pair of all-district citations to start his high school career. Robinson already ranks second in program history with 14 career home runs and 72 RBIs, in addition to picking up PG Underclass All-America laurels last spring and all-tourney recognition at the WWBA 17U national Championship over the summer.

Bears Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Robinson:
"Cole is a right-handed hitting first baseman gifted with tremendous power. We feel he has a great deal of offensive potential for us."

Beau Stuckey (IF, 5-10, 165, Fayetteville, Ark., Fayetteville High School)                                          
A three-year letterwinner for Fayetteville (Ark.) High School, Stuckey is rated as the No. 3 shortstop in Arkansas' 2020 recruiting class by Perfect Game. He helped guide the Bulldogs to their second Arkansas 6A West Conference title in three seasons this past spring, serving as team captain and earning first-team all-conference recognition. Stuckey also lettered as a freshman for Fayetteville's conference championship club in 2017, before garnering PG Underclass All-America citations each of the last two seasons.

Bears Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Stuckey:
"Beau is an athletic middle infielder who can really run. He showed athleticism and speed as a multi-sport guy for Fayetteville and he's played for a highly-competitive summer baseball program, so we like his potential to step in and help us on the infield."

Caden Wilson (RHP, 6-2, 205, Kansas City, Mo., Liberty North High School)                                         
Rated as the No. 8 overall recruit in the state of Missouri by Perfect Game, Wilson earned honorable mention MHSBCA Class 5 All-State recognition after helping Liberty North (Mo.) High School to a 23-9 season as a junior. A two-time all-conference pick as a right-handed pitcher and utility player, he also helped the Eagles to a conference title in 2018, logging 49 innings for an 18-5 club. This past summer Wilson pitched for the Royals Scout Team 2020, earning all-tournament honors at both the WWBA 17U National and World Championships.

Bears Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Wilson:
"Caden is big, strong-bodied converted catcher, who has progressed well over the last year on the mound. He pitched well in a number of roles over the summer for the KC Royals Scout Team, touching 93 (MPH), while usually working in the upper 80's to low 90's with an improved breaking ball. We feel he can come in and potentially fill a variety of roles for us early in his career."

Missouri State opens the 2020 season Feb. 14 at Central Arkansas and expects to return 20 letterwinners from its 2019 squad, including a total of six All-Missouri Valley Conference performers.