St. LOUIS – The Missouri Valley Conference released its annual preseason baseball poll Monday, and the league’s coaches voted Missouri State as the preseason favorite as well as Caden Bogenpohl and Nick Rodriguez to the preseason all-conference team in the Bears’ final season in The Valley.
The Bears received five first-place votes and 90 total points and were closely followed Southern Illinois (86) and Murray State (84).
Bogenpohl was a consensus Freshman All-American and honorable mention all-league choice in 2024 and is hitting .333 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 18 games this year. The sophomore outfielder from Jackson, Mo., leads the MVC with 19 walks and owns a .477 on-base percentage and .580 slugging figure.
Rodriguez was the MVC’s first-team second baseman last year and is batting .314 with a .424 on-base percentage this season. The senior from Tampa, Fla., has scored 17 runs while posting a stellar .988 fielding percentage and ranking second in the MVC with 50 assists.
The Bears (7-11) visit Arkansas State at 3 p.m. Tuesday before opening league play this weekend against Bradley at Hammons Field. Game times for the Bradley series are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
MVC Preseason Poll
1. Missouri State – 90 (5)
2. Southern Illinois – 86 (4)
3. Murray State – 84 (1)
4. Illinois State – 72
5. Evansville – 49
6. Indiana State – 49
7. UIC – 46
8. Belmont – 39
9. Bradley – 39
10. Valparaiso – 19
