Once again the Ozarks was loaded with high-level baseball talent this spring. We break down some of the best, including eight division-1 commits, four of which are headed to Missouri State.
Player of the Year
Wyatt Sparks, Aurora, Sr
Pitcher of the Year
Tyler Martin, Webb City, Sr
Hitter of the Year
Logan Thomazin, Walnut Grove, Sr
Coach of the Year
James Hoffman, Aurora
1st Team
Mason Auer, Kickapoo, Jr – Auer has one more year of high school and will then likely have the choice of playing pro baseball or heading over to Missouri State. Fastball in the 90s, Auer was the Ozark Conference MVP, going 3-4 with a 2.06 ERA and 92 strikeouts in 54.1 innings with 11 total starts.
Forrest Barnes, Ozark, Sr – Barnes was the COC Large Co-Pitcher of the Year. The Missouri State signee went 8-1 with a 1.48 ERA and 92 strikeouts despite facing one of the toughest schedules in the state.
Cade Coffman, Mtn Grove, Sr – Coffman did a little bit of everything for the Panthers and did it all at a high level. The SCA Player of the Year hit .521 with 31 RBis along with a 6-0 mark on the mound and a 1.57 ERA.
Brett Hammit, Nixa, Sr – Hammit is considered one of the area’s top prospects at the next level and showed it during his senior season. The Nebraska signee and slick-fielding shortstop earned COC Large Player of the Year with a .446 avg, 6 HR, 24 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Tyler Martin, Webb City, Sr – Big, strong arm and a lefty; Martin put it all together for his senior season. The Nebraska signee earned COC Large Co-Pitcher of the Year, going 8-0 with a 1.26 ERA and 73 strikeouts.
Gage Singer, Aurora, Jr – Singer is one of the top shortstops in the area and is the cleanup hitter for the state champ Houn’ Dawgs, bashing it to the tune of a .478 avg with 6 HR and 40 RBI. He added pitching to the repertoire this season and went 4-0 with a .824 ERA with a fastball touching the 90s.
Corey Spain, Monett, Jr – Spain improved on a solid sophomore season by going 8-2 with a .898 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 62.3 innings this season. Spain enters his senior season as one of the area’s top pitchers before playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks.
Wyatt Sparks, Aurora, Sr – All business on the mound and he was nearly unhittable this season, winning sectionals, quarterfinals and the semifinal game in Aurora’s state championship run. The Missouri State signee and draft prospect went 11-1 with a .933 ERA and 143 strikeouts in 75 innings. He also hit .357 at the plate.
Logan Thomazin, Walnut Grove, Sr – Thomazin was even better than advertised. The Missouri State signee hit .556 this spring with 7 HR, 35 RBI and 26 stolen bases. On the mound he was 8-1 with a .49 ERA, striking out more than two batters per inning (116 K, 57.2 IP).
2nd Team
Jackson Beaman, Lincoln, So – .557 avg, 7 HR; 39.2 IP, .529 ERA, 75 K
Luke Burk, Galena, Jr – .514 avg, 7 HR, 18 RBI, 19 SB
Tony Caldwell, Strafford, Jr – No stats provided
Ryan Carmack, New Covenant, Jr – Mark Twain Conference MVP; 8-1, 1.41 ERA, 89 K, 49.2 IP
Spencer Greene, Mansfield, Sr – Signed to Crowder College; .424 avg, 6 HR; 4-2, 2.35 ERA, 52 K, 44.2 IP
Braden Mahurin, Dixon, Sr – Signed to Missouri S&T; Frisco League MVP; .528 avg, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 37 R; 8-1, 1.58 ERA, 57.2 IP, 84 K
Garrett Rice, Willard, So – Verbal to Mizzou; .336 avg, 9 HR, 41 RBI, 14 SB; 4-1, 2.97 ERA, 36 K, 23.2 IP
Case Tucker, Lamar, Fr – .548 avg, HR, 24 RBI, 18 SB; 2-1, 1.78 ERA, 43 K, 39.3 IP
Ty Wilmsmeyer, Glendale, Jr – Ozark Conference Position Player of the Year; .447 avg, 6 HR, 29 RBI; 3-2, 1.60 ERA, 43 K, 43.2 IP
3rd Team
Jared Alverson, Exeter, Jr – .456 avg, 49 R, 58 SB (single season state record, 33 away from career record)
Noah Argenta, Fair Grove, Sr – Signed to Butler CC; threw out 11 of 16 potential base stealers; 6-3, 1.15 ERA, 77 K, 50.1 IP; .357 avg, 19 R, 10 SB
Hunter Gilkey, Walnut Grove, Sr – .494 avg, 3 HR, 46 RBI, 37 R, 38 SB
Mason Lile, Skyline, Sr – 6-1, 1.48 ERA, 55 K, 47.1 IP; .474 avg, 38 RBI, 29 R
Hayden McCarthy, Halfway, Jr – .537 avg, 31 RBI; 3-2, .53 ERA
Matthew Miller, Aurora, Sr – Signed with Missouri Southern; .394 avg, 7 HR, 42 RBI, 25 R, 12 SB
Ethan Paschke, Glendale, Sr – Signed with Missouri Southern; 6-0, 1.17 ERA, 45 K, 47.2 IP
Corbin Reese, Lincoln, Sr – Signed with Southwest Baptist; .512 avg, 44 RBI, 24 R; 9-1, 1.29 ERA 98 K, 65 IP
Trevor Russell, Skyline, Jr – 10-4, .84 ERA, 109 K, 67 IP; .386 avg, 19 RBI, 31 R
