Southeast Missouri well-repped on All-State baseball squads

Southeast Missouri didn’t lack representation at this spring’s MSHSAA Baseball State Finals in Springfield, as four of the six classes (Cooter in Class 1, Chaffee in Class 2, Portageville in Class 3, and Jackson in Class 6) had Semoball-area teams competing in the Final Four.

The same can be said for the 2023 MHSBCA All-State teams, which were released on Monday.

Southeast Missouri had 23 athletes honored from eight different schools, including 11 players that earned First Team recognition.

Among those top 11 players were four Jackson High School players, including senior Caden Bogenpohl, who was selected as a Designated Hitter/ Utility player.

“I think he is the best (high school) player in Missouri,” one veteran Missouri high school baseball coach told Semoball.com of Bogenpohl recently. “I think he’s going to get drafted (in the 2023 Major League Baseball Draft).”

That remains to be seen in early July, but regardless of his future, this spring was a pretty special time for Bogenpohl.

“He can do it on both sides (of the diamond),” first-year Indian coach Josh Roach said this spring of Bogenpohl. “He’s fantastic on the mound, a high-velocity guy, who has turned into a really, really good pitcher. Offensively, he is just a special talent. He hits the ball all over the place and has power to all parts of the field.

“And he is a fantastic base runner. He is incredibly smart on the bases and is very fast.”

Bogenpohl, who was named to the Class 6 First Team, was joined by Indian teammates John-Paul Sauer (junior, pitcher), Baden Hackworth (senior, catcher), and Cooper Rhodes (sophomore, outfielder) on that team.

Other First Team honorees included Cooter High School standouts Luke Barnes (senior, pitcher), Rhoads Lynn (senior, outfielder), Hayden Nazerenus (senior, designated hitter/utility), who were named to the Class 1 squad; Chaffee’s Levi McKinnie (junior, pitcher), who was named to the Class 2 team; Greenville’s Trey Porter (Class 2, junior, infielder), Portageville High School standouts Mason Adams (Class 3, junior, infielder), and Aaron Dunlap (junior, outfielder).

“We have a lot of really nice players on our team,” seventh-year Bulldog coach Tyler Trover told Semoball.com this spring. “(And) A lot of really good kids. But Mason, and it is not just in baseball, he is such a humble kid in the classroom. He’s a great student. He is humble in the hallways and treats everybody with respect.

“He goes out and plays with all his heart no matter what he does.”

As for Dunlap, Trover said his evolution into an elite player really took off this spring.

“Aaron is probably the most improved kid on our team over the course of this year,” Trover said. “He is a grown man this year. He has the athleticism and maxed 300 pounds on the bench press (this spring).

“He needs to understand just how good he can really be. He has the potential to go to the next level and be a very special player.”

Seven area players earned Second Team honors, including Oran seniors Kolten Payne (Class 1, pitcher) and Nic Massey (catcher), Chaffee sophomore Easton Fowler (Class 2, infielder), Greenville junior Easton Evans (Class 2, outfielder), East Prairie senior Peyton Hodges (Class 3, pitcher), Portageville senior Trey Benthal (Class 3, designated hitter/utility), and Jackson senior Quinton Borders (Class 6, infielder).

Earning Honorable Mention honors were: Oran senior Luke Peterson (Class 1, outfield), East Carter senior Jacob Saffle (Class 2, pitcher), Greenville junior Talan McDaniel (Class 2, infielder), Chaffee junior Carson Spies (Class 2, outfield), and Portageville senior Thomas Frakes (Class 3, infielder).