SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State head baseball coach Keith Guttin announced Friday the commitments of 11 high school standouts and one junior college transfer to next season's roster.

The new additions for the 2021-22 roster include left-handers Ty Blecha (Shawnee, Kan.) and Reece Lang (Boonville, Mo./Crowder College), prep righties Jack Hunke (Foristell, Mo.), Kaden Joggerst (O'Fallon, Ill.) and Parker Johnson (Breese, Ill.), infielders Hayden Moore (Edwardsville, Ill.), Liam Moreno (Sun Prairie, Wis.), Jeremy Rader (Springfield, Mo.) and Carlos Vasquez (Lawrence, Kan.), catcher Mason Roehr (Granite City, Ill.), and outfielders Liam Stumpf (Dodgeville, Wis.) and Drew Townsend (Kansas City, Mo.).


Ty Blecha • 6-4 • 180 • LHP • Shawnee, Kan. • Shawnee Mission Northwest High
A versatile athlete who plays in the outfield in addition to pitching, Blecha (pronounced Bleck-uh) spent time in Shawnee Mission Northwest's rotation as a sophomore, and has steadily improved on the summer circuit since last throwing in a high school game in 2019. Also a forward for the Cougars' basketball team, Blecha will be a second-generation college athlete as his father, Rodney, played baseball at Oklahoma City University.

Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Blecha:
"Ty is an athletic lefty that consistently throws strikes and competes well. As he continues to fill out and gain strength the velocity will come. He has thrown in a lot of big games for his select team and being a LHP he can come in and fill a role as a freshman."


Jack Hunke • 6-3 • 185 • RHP • Foristell, Mo. • Wentzville Holt High
From the same high school that produced former Bear and first-round pick Ross Detwiler, Hunke (pronounced Hunk-ee) was a team captain his sophomore season and posted a 1.97 ERA and .158 opponent batting average with 15 strikeouts in 10.2 innings. He pitched three innings on the varsity as a freshman, fanning three batters and helping the Indians set a school record for strikeouts by its pitching staff.

Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Hunke:
"Jack is a tall, very projectable right-hander that has a chance to become a power pitcher. He is dedicated to his craft and has made noticeable gains in velocity over the last year. With improved command and developed secondary stuff he should flourish in our program."


Kaden Joggerst • 6-3 • 185 • RHP • O'Fallon, Ill. • O'Fallon Township High
From the same high school as current Missouri State junior Hayden Juenger, Joggerst made four appearances for the Panthers as a sophomore in 2019. He struck out seven batters in 7.1 innings of work that season, and is considered one of the top pitching prospects in southern Illinois. He has impressed in summer ball while pitching for the St. Louis Pirates Baseball Club.

Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Joggerst:
"Kaden is continuing to develop and has thrown well late this summer and again this fall in competitive situations. His arm works and we see him continuing to make strides to be able to compete for innings as a freshman."



Parker Johnson • 6-3 • 195 • RHP • Breese, Ill. • Breese Mater Dei Catholic High
A tall right-hander, Johnson was named Mater Dei's most valuable pitcher as a sophomore when he helped the Knights to a regional championship by striking out 60 batters in 37 innings over seven starts with a season high of 11 Ks. Johnson fanned 32 batters in 26 innings with a season high of 10 strikeouts as a freshman and has also played in the outfield during his prep career. He also plays forward on Mater Dei's basketball team, which advanced to the Class 2A semifinals in 2020.

Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Johnson:
"Parker is another pitcher that we feel can come in and compete for innings as a freshman. His velocity continues to progress, and he possesses a very good breaking ball and a good feel for pitching."


Reece Lang • 6-3 • 190 • LHP • Boonville, Mo. • Boonville High/Crowder College
Lang will play for Crowder College this season after leading Jefferson College in innings pitched during the shortened 2020 season. As a junior college freshman, Lang went 3-2 with a 3.09 ERA and 22 strikeouts for JeffCo, yielding just 12 hits in 23.1 innings for a .154 opponent average. A member of four conference championship teams at Boonville (Mo.) High, Lang tied a school record with 85 strikeouts as a senior. He earned conference pitcher of the year honors that season and went 7-3 on the way to second-team all-state recognition. Lang earned an all-district nod as a junior, helping Boonville to a 26-3 record and state semifinal appearance.

Pitching Coach Paul Evans on Lang:
"Reece is a left-handed pitcher that we see coming in and challenging for a weekend rotation spot in 2022. He is a consistent strike thrower with a solid 3-pitch mix and will have started first at Jefferson College in 2020 and should do the same for Crowder College in 2021."


Hayden Moore • 5-11 • 165 • OF • S/R • Edwardsville, Ill. • Edwardsville High
A switch hitter and multi-sport athlete from Edwardsville High, Moore was a first-team all-conference and second-team all-area performer as a sophomore, hitting .377 with a .542 on-base percentage and .667 slugging average with a conference-leading 55 runs scored. Moore added four homers, 25 RBIs and 26 stolen bases while helping the Tigers to a state championship and No. 26 national ranking. Rated as the fifth-best outfielder in Illinois by Prep Baseball Report, Moore was an all-tournament selection at the Perfect Game World Series as a freshman.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Moore:
"Hayden is a versatile and athletic ball player. He plays fast on both sides of the ball and is a plus defender. His speed and toughness make him a natural run scorer."


Liam Moreno • 5-9 • 195 • IF • R/R • Sun Prairie, Wis. • Sun Prairie High
One of the top high school players in Wisconsin, Moreno is a two-time all-conference selection on the infield, helping the Cardinals to a conference title as a freshman and state runner-up finish as a sophomore with a combined 49-12 record. Rated as the top third baseman and eighth overall player in the Badger State by Prep Baseball Report, Moreno attends the same high school that produced current MSU infielder Walker Jenkins. Moreno's father, Leovic, played baseball collegiately at Wisconsin-Stout.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Moreno:
"Liam can really hit. He has some versatile defensive skills that will help him make an impact early in his career."


Jeremy Rader • 5-11 • 175 • IF • R/R • Springfield, Mo. • Springfield Catholic High
A starter for the Springfield Catholic Irish since his freshman season, Rader was a second-team all-state pick as a sophomore after hitting .364 with 12 extra-base hits and a 6-1 record on the mound. He hit .300 on the varsity as a freshman, and was one of eight players selected for the 2017 MLB Junior Home Run Derby held at Marlins Park in Miami prior to that season, where he hit eight homers in the 14U age group. Following the cancellation of the 2020 high school season, Rader hit .364 with 25 extra-base hits, 51 RBIs and 48 runs scored for the Midwest Nationals in summer ball. He is also the student body co-president at Springfield Catholic this year.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Rader:
"Jeremy is a strong kid with power as a right-handed hitter. He has made a big jump over the last year with the bat which is a testament to his work ethic and athleticism, traits that make him a good fit at Missouri State."


Mason Roehr • 6-0 • 218 • C • R/R • Granite City, Ill. • Granite City High
Roehr is a multi-sport athlete who has excelled on the diamond, the hockey rink and the football field during his prep career. Roehr hit .364 with 22 RBIs, 25 runs scored, a pair of walk-off home runs and was 13-for-14 in stolen bases as a freshman, and hit .250 with a .394 slugging average his sophomore year while swiping 12 bases in 14 tries. A three-time Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association all-star, Roehr has scored 95 career goals on the ice, including eight playoff goals and two in the title game for Granite City's championship team. He played linebacker for the Warriors' football team as a freshman and finished second on the varsity in tackles.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Roehr:
"Mason is a powerful athlete as a hitter and an athletic catcher who can also play outfield at a high level.  His athleticism and toughness at the catcher position will help him be a major contributor for us."


Liam Stumpf • 6-0 • 180 • OF • R/R • Dodgeville, Wis. • Mineral Point High
Stumpf has started for the Mineral Point High baseball, football and basketball teams since his freshman year, and was a preseason all-state pick in Wisconsin as a junior before the season was canceled due to COVID-19. He hit .489 with a 1.661 OPS, 12 homers, 47 RBIs and 48 runs scored for a state runner-up squad, earning second-team all-state honors from the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association. Stumpf hit .507 with 36 RBIs and 35 runs during a first-team all-conference freshman campaign and is ranked by Prep Baseball Report as the No. 2 outfield prospect in Wisconsin. He is a starting forward for the MPHS basketball team and has played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back on the football team, which has gone 34-5 and 20-0 in conference play during his career.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Stumpf:
"Liam is an exceptional athlete. He is a smooth runner with arm strength. His feel for hitting and ability to play all three outfield spots give him the skills to help us immediately."


Drew Townsend • 6-2 • 205 • OF • L/R • Kansas City, Mo. • Park Hill Senior High
A first-team all-Suburban Conference Gold selection as a sophomore, Townsend hit .323 with a .482 on-base percentage, 14 RBIs and 18 runs scored and was named Park Hill's team MVP following his most recent season on the diamond. Ranked as the No. 3 outfield prospect in Missouri by Prep Baseball Report, Townsend also plays post for the Trojans' basketball team. Townsend's parents were both college athletes – his father, Rob, played football at Missouri Southern, and his mother, Jenny, played basketball at Saint Louis and Pittsburg State.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Townsend:
"Drew's size, strength, and swing from the left side make him an exciting corner outfielder coming to campus. He's had offensive success at the national level through his select team and has continued to improve throughout his high school career."


Carlos Vasquez • 6-1 • 200 • IF • S/R • Lawrence, Kan. • Lawrence High
Ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect and No. 2 shortstop in Kansas according to Prep Baseball Report, Vasquez hit .405 while starting every game as a sophomore, helping the Lawrence Lions to a Sunflower League title. Vasquez started 12 games as a freshman and hit .550 during summer ball in 2020 after his high school junior season was cancelled due to the coronavirus. His father, Carlos, played baseball at St. Francis College in New York.

Assistant Coach Matt Lawson on Vasquez:
"Carlos is a physical switch-hitting shortstop. He has instincts for playing on the infield with a good arm and soft hands. Carlos' versatility as a hitter and on the infield will be extremely valuable to our roster."