November 12, 2026 | Baseball
SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State head coach Joey Hawkins announced Thursday the commitments of 10 players, with eight high school standouts and a pair of junior college players set to join the Bears in the 2027-28 school year.
Missouri State's newest commitments include:
Connor Bloomer • 5-9 • 180 • L/R • MIF • Kerrville, Texas • Tivy High
Braylen Brown • 6-2 • 195 • R/R • RHP • Staunton, Ill. • Staunton High
Landon Klee • 6-3 • 185 • L/R • OF • Lebanon, Mo. • Lebanon High
Logan Lynch • 6-1 • 190 • R/L • LHP • Dalton City, Ill. • St. Teresa High/Parkland CC
Adrian Norris • 6-4 • 225 • L/L • LHP/OF • Omaha, Neb. • Westview High
Bridger Schmidt • 6-6 • 245 • L/R • OF/1B • Marion, Iowa • Linn-Mar High
Jonathan Silva • 5-8 • 175 • L/L • LHP • Garland, Texas • Sachse High/Northern Oklahoma College-Enid
Gavin Thomason • 6-0 • 200 • R/R • OF • Fair Grove, Mo. • Fair Grove High
Evan Wallace • 6-2 • 200 • L/R • RHP • Oakville, Ontario • Garth Webb Secondary School
Brady Yates • 6-2 • 205 • R/R • 3B • Springfield, Mo. • Glendale High
Head Coach Joey Hawkins on the signing class:
"We're thrilled to officially welcome our 2027 signing class to Missouri State Baseball. I want to thank Coach Jimenez, Coach Johnson, and Coach Cliff for the miles they traveled, the calls they made, and the relationships they built to bring this class together. We recruited with our immediate needs and the long-term future of our program in mind, and we're excited about what this group brings to our roster.
On the position player side, I love the athleticism we added up the middle and the power we signed at the plate. We brought in hitters who already have the power to help shape our offensive identity. On the mound, we signed two high-level junior college left-handers we expect to make an immediate impact. Our high school pitching class gives us a mix of arms we believe can help us early and pitchers with the upside to become key pieces of our staff as they develop in our program.
Recruiting is as competitive as ever, and I'm proud we were able to sign some of the best talent close to home, strengthen our ties across the Midwest and continue to build on our Canadian pipeline. The future is bright for Missouri State Baseball."
Player Summaries:
Connor Bloomer • 5-9 • 180 • L/R • MIF • Kerrville, Texas • Tivy High
Bloomer has started each of his first three seasons for the Tivy High Antlers, batting .280 or better each season with a high-water mark of .333 as a junior in 2026. He was an honorable mention all-district pick as a freshman and earned second-team status following his sophomore and junior seasons.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Bloomer:
"Connor is a left-handed-hitting middle infielder who plays with relentless energy. He generates excellent bat speed, gets on base and hits for power. Defensively, he sets the tone up the middle with the way he competes, and his plus speed makes him a threat to steal bases. He can impact the game in every phase."
Braylen Brown • 6-2 • 195 • R/R • RHP • Staunton, Ill. • Staunton High
Brown has been a regular on the mound throughout his first three seasons a Staunton High, accumulating 126 strikeouts in 92.1 innings so far in his career. He went 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA and 21 Ks with a .237 opponent average as a freshman, then went 3-1 with a 4.33 ERA, .200 opponent average and 29 strikeouts in 21 innings as a sophomore. During his junior year, Brown fanned 76 batters in 45.2 innings, holding the opposition to a .143 average with a 2.14 ERA.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Brown:
"Braylen has huge upside on the mound with really exciting raw stuff. His fastball has been up to 94 mph and his ability to spin the baseball really stands out. He is a strong competitor, and we look forward to having him on the mound."
Landon Klee • 6-3 • 185 • L/R • OF • Lebanon, Mo. • Lebanon High
Klee is coming off a junior season at nearby Lebanon High in which he hit five triples in 17 games, batting .345 with a .905 OPS as a second-team all-Central Ozark Conference selection. He played for Camdenton (Mo.) High as a sophomore in 2025, hitting .314 with a .776 OPS, one home run, 24 RBI, 37 runs and 17 stolen bases. As a freshman at Osage High, Klee was an all-conference and all-district pick, hitting .309 with a .474 on-base percentage and .967 OPS with two homers and 23 runs scored.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Klee:
"Landon is a left-handed hitter who consistently put together multi-hit games on the summer circuit. His combination of size and speed makes him a tough out, and we see room for him to get even stronger as he matures. His versatility gives us options in the outfield, up the middle and at the corner infield spots."
Logan Lynch • 6-1 • 190 • R/L • LHP • Dalton City, Ill. • St. Teresa High/Parkland College
Lynch is entering his sophomore season at Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., where he struck out 20 batters in nine innings in 2026 for a Cobras club that advanced to the JUCO Division II World Series. As a senior at St. Teresa High in Decatur, Ill., Lynch was a first-team all-conference pitcher after striking out 106 batters in 80 innings with a .132 opponent average.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Lynch:
"Logan is an extremely high upside left-handed pitcher that really stood out to our staff this fall. His combination of velocity and ability to spin the baseball make him a really tough matchup. He will have the opportunity to impact our team from day one."
Adrian Norris • 6-4 • 225 • L/L • LHP/OF • Omaha, Neb. • Westview High
Norris played at Millard North High in Omaha before moving to Westview High for his senior season. He was part of a state runner up club as a sophomore and batted .260 for a state championship club as a junior in 2026.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Norris:
"Adrian is an exciting talent who can impact the game on both sides of the ball. As a left-handed pitcher, he is up to 93 mph with a developing slider. As a hitter, he has a smooth swing with huge power potential. We are excited to get him in our system and watch him develop."
Bridger Schmidt • 6-6 • 245 • L/R • OF/1B • Marion, Iowa • Linn-Mar High
Schmidt began his high school career with a .437 average and honorable mention all-Mississippi Valley Conference honors as a freshman, then batted .300 for the Linn-Mar Lions as a sophomore. He played Inevitable A's, a top-ranked travel program, in the summer of 2026, batting .374 with a 1.314 OPS, 13 homers, 19 doubles and 65 RBI in 131 at bats.
Recruiting Coordinator Kyle Cliff on Schmidt:
"Bridger is a big, physical left-handed hitting first baseman who possesses some of the top raw power in the country, with exit velocities reaching up to 113 mph. His power is a true separator, and we can't wait to get him into our offensive development system to continue building on an already impressive tool set. We see Bridger having the opportunity to compete for at bats as a freshman with his ability to change a game with one swing."
Jonathan Silva • 5-8 • 175 • L/L • LHP • Garland, Texas • Sachse High/NOC-Enid
Silva was a two-time first-team all-district pick for Sachse High, helping the Mustangs to district titles in each of his final two seasons. He ranked sixth in Texas with a 0.39 ERA as a junior, striking out 49 batters in 35.2 innings. He posted an ERA just above 1.00 his senior year and was named the club's pitcher of the year for the second consecutive season. As a freshman at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid, Silva went 6-1 with a 4.55 ERA in 57.1 innings, fanning 55 batters for the Region 2 champs.
Recruiting Coordinator Kyle Cliff on Silva:
"Jonathan is an undersized but competitive left-handed arm who brings valuable experience to our pitching staff, having logged over 50 innings as a freshman at NOC Enid. He works 90-91 with his fastball from a low slot and can really spin the baseball with his slider. We are excited to get Jonathan into our program, and we see him being a left-handed arm who will give us valuable innings next year."
Gavin Thomason • 6-0 • 200 • R/R • OF • Fair Grove, Mo. • Fair Grove High
Already a three-time all-state selection for nearby Fair Grove, Thomason enters his senior season having led the Eagles to a pair of deep runs in the state tournament in addition to two conference and district titles. He slashed .333/.545/.598 with three homers, 41 runs, 33 walks and 38 stolen bases as a freshman to earn third-state all-state recognition. His sophomore year, the Eagles were state runners up to conclude a 28-6 season during which he hit .358 with a .496 on-base percentage and .579 slugging mark, hitting two home runs with 34 hits, 26 walks and 16 steals as a first-team all-state pick. He repeated as a first-team all-stater his junior year, slashing .378/.565/.784 with six round-trippers, 28 RBI and 24 walks in addition to going 6-1 with 77 strikeouts and 1.11 ERA in 52.2 innings on the mound. Thomason has also been a first-team all-conference and all-district selection in all three prep seasons.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Thomason:
"Gavin is a physical, tough right-handed-hitting outfielder and a natural leader who also quarterbacks his high school football team. He has the athleticism to play all three outfield positions and the speed to steal bases. We see Gavin as a player who has the ability to make the jump to the D1 level both physically and mentally immediately."
Evan Wallace • 6-2 • 200 • L/R • RHP • Oakville, Ontario • Garth Webb Secondary School
The latest in a line of high-level Canadian prospects to join the Bears, Wallace has played for the Fieldhouse Pirates of the Canadian Premier Baseball League, with his career highlighted by a no-hitter and top pitcher honors at the 2025 Perfect Game Canadian National Championships.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Wallace:
"Evan really stands out for his quality pitch mix and ability to pound the strike zone. He made huge strides over the summer and performed well against quality competition. Up to 94 mph, he has all the makings of a future weekend starter."
Brady Yates • 6-2 • 205 • R/R • 3B • Springfield, Mo. • Glendale High
A Springfield native who is the No. 1 prospect in Missouri's class of 2027 according to Prep Baseball Report, Yates was a Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association first-team all-state selection as a junior in 2026 in addition to being one of Prep Baseball's Missouri Player of the Year finalists. Yates batted .457 with a .627 on-base percentage and 1.141 slugging figure that season, smashing 14 home runs with 56 RBI, 49 runs and 39 walks in 34 games. Yates burst onto the scene as a freshman, earning the MSHBCA Louisville Slugger Newcomer of the Year award and first-team all-state honors in 2024 after batting .411 with a 1.182 OPS while leading the Falcons to a school-record 26 wins and 9-0 record in the Ozark Conference. As a sophomore, Yates batted .278 with a .767 OPS as a second-team all-conference pick.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Yates:
"Brady is a physical right-handed hitter with some of the best power in the country. His flat swing and plus bat speed allow him to drive the ball to all fields, and we believe that approach will help him make an early impact in our lineup. Defensively, he brings a strong arm and the baseball instincts to handle multiple positions. We are fired up to keep the number one player in the state at home in Springfield."
Missouri State's newest commitments include:
Connor Bloomer • 5-9 • 180 • L/R • MIF • Kerrville, Texas • Tivy High
Braylen Brown • 6-2 • 195 • R/R • RHP • Staunton, Ill. • Staunton High
Landon Klee • 6-3 • 185 • L/R • OF • Lebanon, Mo. • Lebanon High
Logan Lynch • 6-1 • 190 • R/L • LHP • Dalton City, Ill. • St. Teresa High/Parkland CC
Adrian Norris • 6-4 • 225 • L/L • LHP/OF • Omaha, Neb. • Westview High
Bridger Schmidt • 6-6 • 245 • L/R • OF/1B • Marion, Iowa • Linn-Mar High
Jonathan Silva • 5-8 • 175 • L/L • LHP • Garland, Texas • Sachse High/Northern Oklahoma College-Enid
Gavin Thomason • 6-0 • 200 • R/R • OF • Fair Grove, Mo. • Fair Grove High
Evan Wallace • 6-2 • 200 • L/R • RHP • Oakville, Ontario • Garth Webb Secondary School
Brady Yates • 6-2 • 205 • R/R • 3B • Springfield, Mo. • Glendale High
Head Coach Joey Hawkins on the signing class:
"We're thrilled to officially welcome our 2027 signing class to Missouri State Baseball. I want to thank Coach Jimenez, Coach Johnson, and Coach Cliff for the miles they traveled, the calls they made, and the relationships they built to bring this class together. We recruited with our immediate needs and the long-term future of our program in mind, and we're excited about what this group brings to our roster.
On the position player side, I love the athleticism we added up the middle and the power we signed at the plate. We brought in hitters who already have the power to help shape our offensive identity. On the mound, we signed two high-level junior college left-handers we expect to make an immediate impact. Our high school pitching class gives us a mix of arms we believe can help us early and pitchers with the upside to become key pieces of our staff as they develop in our program.
Recruiting is as competitive as ever, and I'm proud we were able to sign some of the best talent close to home, strengthen our ties across the Midwest and continue to build on our Canadian pipeline. The future is bright for Missouri State Baseball."
Player Summaries:
Connor Bloomer • 5-9 • 180 • L/R • MIF • Kerrville, Texas • Tivy High
Bloomer has started each of his first three seasons for the Tivy High Antlers, batting .280 or better each season with a high-water mark of .333 as a junior in 2026. He was an honorable mention all-district pick as a freshman and earned second-team status following his sophomore and junior seasons.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Bloomer:
"Connor is a left-handed-hitting middle infielder who plays with relentless energy. He generates excellent bat speed, gets on base and hits for power. Defensively, he sets the tone up the middle with the way he competes, and his plus speed makes him a threat to steal bases. He can impact the game in every phase."
Braylen Brown • 6-2 • 195 • R/R • RHP • Staunton, Ill. • Staunton High
Brown has been a regular on the mound throughout his first three seasons a Staunton High, accumulating 126 strikeouts in 92.1 innings so far in his career. He went 3-1 with a 4.26 ERA and 21 Ks with a .237 opponent average as a freshman, then went 3-1 with a 4.33 ERA, .200 opponent average and 29 strikeouts in 21 innings as a sophomore. During his junior year, Brown fanned 76 batters in 45.2 innings, holding the opposition to a .143 average with a 2.14 ERA.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Brown:
"Braylen has huge upside on the mound with really exciting raw stuff. His fastball has been up to 94 mph and his ability to spin the baseball really stands out. He is a strong competitor, and we look forward to having him on the mound."
Landon Klee • 6-3 • 185 • L/R • OF • Lebanon, Mo. • Lebanon High
Klee is coming off a junior season at nearby Lebanon High in which he hit five triples in 17 games, batting .345 with a .905 OPS as a second-team all-Central Ozark Conference selection. He played for Camdenton (Mo.) High as a sophomore in 2025, hitting .314 with a .776 OPS, one home run, 24 RBI, 37 runs and 17 stolen bases. As a freshman at Osage High, Klee was an all-conference and all-district pick, hitting .309 with a .474 on-base percentage and .967 OPS with two homers and 23 runs scored.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Klee:
"Landon is a left-handed hitter who consistently put together multi-hit games on the summer circuit. His combination of size and speed makes him a tough out, and we see room for him to get even stronger as he matures. His versatility gives us options in the outfield, up the middle and at the corner infield spots."
Logan Lynch • 6-1 • 190 • R/L • LHP • Dalton City, Ill. • St. Teresa High/Parkland College
Lynch is entering his sophomore season at Parkland College in Champaign, Ill., where he struck out 20 batters in nine innings in 2026 for a Cobras club that advanced to the JUCO Division II World Series. As a senior at St. Teresa High in Decatur, Ill., Lynch was a first-team all-conference pitcher after striking out 106 batters in 80 innings with a .132 opponent average.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Lynch:
"Logan is an extremely high upside left-handed pitcher that really stood out to our staff this fall. His combination of velocity and ability to spin the baseball make him a really tough matchup. He will have the opportunity to impact our team from day one."
Adrian Norris • 6-4 • 225 • L/L • LHP/OF • Omaha, Neb. • Westview High
Norris played at Millard North High in Omaha before moving to Westview High for his senior season. He was part of a state runner up club as a sophomore and batted .260 for a state championship club as a junior in 2026.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Norris:
"Adrian is an exciting talent who can impact the game on both sides of the ball. As a left-handed pitcher, he is up to 93 mph with a developing slider. As a hitter, he has a smooth swing with huge power potential. We are excited to get him in our system and watch him develop."
Bridger Schmidt • 6-6 • 245 • L/R • OF/1B • Marion, Iowa • Linn-Mar High
Schmidt began his high school career with a .437 average and honorable mention all-Mississippi Valley Conference honors as a freshman, then batted .300 for the Linn-Mar Lions as a sophomore. He played Inevitable A's, a top-ranked travel program, in the summer of 2026, batting .374 with a 1.314 OPS, 13 homers, 19 doubles and 65 RBI in 131 at bats.
Recruiting Coordinator Kyle Cliff on Schmidt:
"Bridger is a big, physical left-handed hitting first baseman who possesses some of the top raw power in the country, with exit velocities reaching up to 113 mph. His power is a true separator, and we can't wait to get him into our offensive development system to continue building on an already impressive tool set. We see Bridger having the opportunity to compete for at bats as a freshman with his ability to change a game with one swing."
Jonathan Silva • 5-8 • 175 • L/L • LHP • Garland, Texas • Sachse High/NOC-Enid
Silva was a two-time first-team all-district pick for Sachse High, helping the Mustangs to district titles in each of his final two seasons. He ranked sixth in Texas with a 0.39 ERA as a junior, striking out 49 batters in 35.2 innings. He posted an ERA just above 1.00 his senior year and was named the club's pitcher of the year for the second consecutive season. As a freshman at Northern Oklahoma College-Enid, Silva went 6-1 with a 4.55 ERA in 57.1 innings, fanning 55 batters for the Region 2 champs.
Recruiting Coordinator Kyle Cliff on Silva:
"Jonathan is an undersized but competitive left-handed arm who brings valuable experience to our pitching staff, having logged over 50 innings as a freshman at NOC Enid. He works 90-91 with his fastball from a low slot and can really spin the baseball with his slider. We are excited to get Jonathan into our program, and we see him being a left-handed arm who will give us valuable innings next year."
Gavin Thomason • 6-0 • 200 • R/R • OF • Fair Grove, Mo. • Fair Grove High
Already a three-time all-state selection for nearby Fair Grove, Thomason enters his senior season having led the Eagles to a pair of deep runs in the state tournament in addition to two conference and district titles. He slashed .333/.545/.598 with three homers, 41 runs, 33 walks and 38 stolen bases as a freshman to earn third-state all-state recognition. His sophomore year, the Eagles were state runners up to conclude a 28-6 season during which he hit .358 with a .496 on-base percentage and .579 slugging mark, hitting two home runs with 34 hits, 26 walks and 16 steals as a first-team all-state pick. He repeated as a first-team all-stater his junior year, slashing .378/.565/.784 with six round-trippers, 28 RBI and 24 walks in addition to going 6-1 with 77 strikeouts and 1.11 ERA in 52.2 innings on the mound. Thomason has also been a first-team all-conference and all-district selection in all three prep seasons.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Thomason:
"Gavin is a physical, tough right-handed-hitting outfielder and a natural leader who also quarterbacks his high school football team. He has the athleticism to play all three outfield positions and the speed to steal bases. We see Gavin as a player who has the ability to make the jump to the D1 level both physically and mentally immediately."
Evan Wallace • 6-2 • 200 • L/R • RHP • Oakville, Ontario • Garth Webb Secondary School
The latest in a line of high-level Canadian prospects to join the Bears, Wallace has played for the Fieldhouse Pirates of the Canadian Premier Baseball League, with his career highlighted by a no-hitter and top pitcher honors at the 2025 Perfect Game Canadian National Championships.
Pitching Coach Cale Johnson on Wallace:
"Evan really stands out for his quality pitch mix and ability to pound the strike zone. He made huge strides over the summer and performed well against quality competition. Up to 94 mph, he has all the makings of a future weekend starter."
Brady Yates • 6-2 • 205 • R/R • 3B • Springfield, Mo. • Glendale High
A Springfield native who is the No. 1 prospect in Missouri's class of 2027 according to Prep Baseball Report, Yates was a Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association first-team all-state selection as a junior in 2026 in addition to being one of Prep Baseball's Missouri Player of the Year finalists. Yates batted .457 with a .627 on-base percentage and 1.141 slugging figure that season, smashing 14 home runs with 56 RBI, 49 runs and 39 walks in 34 games. Yates burst onto the scene as a freshman, earning the MSHBCA Louisville Slugger Newcomer of the Year award and first-team all-state honors in 2024 after batting .411 with a 1.182 OPS while leading the Falcons to a school-record 26 wins and 9-0 record in the Ozark Conference. As a sophomore, Yates batted .278 with a .767 OPS as a second-team all-conference pick.
Associate Head Coach Geoff Jimenez on Yates:
"Brady is a physical right-handed hitter with some of the best power in the country. His flat swing and plus bat speed allow him to drive the ball to all fields, and we believe that approach will help him make an early impact in our lineup. Defensively, he brings a strong arm and the baseball instincts to handle multiple positions. We are fired up to keep the number one player in the state at home in Springfield."
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