The annual Columbia Tournament will take place in the latter half of this week on April 11th, 12th, and 13th. This event will feature 15 teams from across the state that will participate in pool play games on Thursday and Friday, with the tournament’s playoffs slated for Saturday afternoon. Year over year, the Columbia Tournament is one of the more competitive in-season events on the MSHSAA calendar. 

Prep Baseball Missouri will provide boots-on-the-ground coverage of this event throughout its duration. Games will take place at four different locations: Rock Bridge, Hickman, Battle, and Southern Boone. 

Continue reading below to learn more about each of the teams that we’ll see in the 2024 Columbia Tournament. 

BATTLE (3-10) 

The Spartans are slated to host No. 1 Staley and No. 2 Fort Zumwalt West this upcoming weekend as part of the Columbia tournament. 

Star sophomore RHP/INF Tyler Putnam (2026) is a true impact talent for Battle on both sides of the ball. He’s a long, loose-levered 6-foot-5, 180-pound athlete that’ll easily run his fastball into the mid-to-upper-80s on the mound with plenty more in the tank. Additionally, Putnam swings a fast, physical right-handed barrel that’s proven it can perform in game from the middle of this Spartans’ lineup. 

Tyler Putnam

OF Patrick Nkongoro (2024), INF Samuel Buechter (2024), and INF/RHP Brayden Groseclose are three names to watch for Battle this upcoming weekend. 

BLAIR OAKS (13-2) 

Blair Oaks will enter the Columbia tournament on an eight game winning streak and the Falcons are currently the No. 3 overall team on our ‘Small School’ rankings. 

At the plate, the Falcons are led by 1B Hayden Lackman (2026), who’s hitting .364 and getting on base at a .491 clip in 55 plate appearances. He’s driven in 10 runs and has as many walks (6) as strikeouts (6), while also swiping six bags. RHP/INF Harrison Lear (2024) has hit .444 over 44 plate appearances, driving in 12 runs and walking more than he’s struck out. C Nolan Laughlin (2025), INF Warren Davis (2026), and INF/OF Colten Bryan (2024; Moberly CC) are all producing at the plate. 

RHP Jacob Tellman (2024) has been the unquestioned ace of the Falcons’ staff thus far. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior has yet to allow a run over 21 innings, striking out 35 batters while walking just four. 

CBC (8-9) 

The Cadets’ strength is a lineup that, as a group, has performed well on the year and is able to do damage from top to bottom in any given at-bat. With eight wins entering the weekend, CBC will play Sedalia, Grain Valley, and Southern Boone this weekend. 

C Logan Winkleman (2024; Lake Land JC) and CIF Tyler Ellis (2024; Lindenwood) are two senior bats that each have OPS above the 1.000 mark. Winkleman has hit to a .370 batting average with eight doubles and 10 RBI, while Ellis owns a .385 mark and six doubles. OF Jake McGhee (2024; Oklahoma) leads the Cadets with 17 RBI, homering twice on the year with a .333/.419/.556 triple-slash. Though he hasn’t had a full workload, OF Derrick Pitts (2024; Cincinnati) is a dynamic athlete with right-handed bat strength and a real impact arm in center field. 

MIF Bryce Edmiston (2025) and MIF Anthony Tocco (2025) play up the middle of the infield on a regular basis for this club. Edmiston has 18 hits in 52 at-bats (.346) and he also gets on base often (.426). Standout sophomore GT Taylor (2026; Mizzou) currently has the team lead in home runs with three and he’s also stolen 10 bases. 

GT Taylor

EUREKA (11-3)

Eureka is one of the top teams in the state - they’re at No. 8 overall on our ‘Large School’ team rankings and own an 11-3 record. Their offense is potent and there isn’t an easy out from top to bottom, coupled with some real firepower in the middle. 

INF Kyle Rehg (2025) kicks things off from the top, rocking a .341 batting average with a .455 OBP to pair. He’s drawn as many walks (8) as strikeouts (8) and swiped 11 bags, all while serving as the team’s starting second baseman on a regular basis. OF/1B Brady Picarelli (2024; Mizzou) and C Dominic Anselmo (2024; Bradley) have yet to hit their full stride on the young season, but the senior pairing each offer plenty of bat strength and power upside in any given at-bat. 

Brady Picarelli

INF Craig Ringe (2026) and C John Nisbet (2024; Quincy) are tied for the team lead with 15 RBI each. Ringe is a heady sophomore that does all of the little things right and is advanced for his age, while Nisbet is an asset behind the plate and also leads this team with a .410 batting average. C/OF Gavin Bradley (2024; McKendree) is another veteran bat that helps create offense, and others like OF Ty Munk (2024), OF Will Fieser (2024), and INF Brodie Hunt (2024) are regular contributors. 

Turning to the mound, the Wildcats have a handful of arms that consistently live in the zone and get outs. RHP Cole Edmiston (2024) has pitched to a 1.29 ERA in 16 ⅓ innings of work, punching out 13 with just five walks. RHP Ralph Gianino (2025) recently threw well in a win over Lindbergh, and he’s posted a 2.57 ERA over a 16 ⅓ inning workload. The sophomore pairing of RHP Jaxson Joggerst (2026) and LHP Dane Greis (2026) has proved fruitful for the Wildcats - the two have allowed a combined four earned runs over 28 innings this season with 18 strikeouts to eight walks. 

Jaxson Joggerst

FRANCIS HOWELL (12-4) 

Francis Howell’s reputation as a juggernaut across the state is well known. They’re the No. 3 team on our in-state rankings right now and entered this year with lofty expectations, those that included a repeat trip to Ozark after a runner-up finish in 2023. 

The talent on this roster speaks for itself and the top of their lineup rivals that of anyone in Missouri. UTL Tytus Cissell (2024; Mizzou) sets the table from the top, slashing .358/.477/.509 with seven extra-base hits, 11 walks, and 17 stolen bases, all while playing quality defense at shortstop on a regular basis. Few in the state share the right-handed power that OF Leo Humbert (2025; Mizzou) has and the Vikings’ star junior has been their main run producer this spring, leading the club with 19 RBI. 

Tytus Cissell

OF Jackson Vaughn (2025; Wichita State) swings one of the more polished left-handed bats in the state, regardless of class, and OF Brennon Wibbenmeyer (2024; Missouri S&T) has been a regular middle-of-the-order bat. Sophomore INF Brady Tanner (2026) is off to a strong start to his varsity career, batting .314 with a .510 OBP and nine stolen bases. 

Brady Tanner

RHP Alex Bryan (2024; Maryville) headlines one of the deeper pitching staffs in Missouri. He’s logged a 1.27 ERA over a 22 inning workload, fanning 18 with just four walks. Fellow seniors RHP Adam Shipley (2024; St. Louis), RHP Grayson Coleman (2024; John Wood CC), and RHP Quinn Redfield (2024; Jefferson JC) have all thrown well in their time on the mound. RHP Eli Skidmore (2025; St. Louis) features one of the better breaking balls in the state, a real swing-and-miss slider, and LHP Braden Ray (2025) has two saves in three appearances. 

Eli Skidmore

Then there’s the sophomore pairing of RHP Dylan Curtis (2026) and RHP Jake Brettschneider (2026), each of which are near the top of our recently updated sophomore class rankings. Curtis has made four starts and logged a 2.17 ERA in 19 ⅓ innings, punching out 24 with just four walks. His high pitchability, coupled with plenty of projection on a 6-foot-5, 170-pound frame, make him a must-follow prospect in the state. Brettschneider is plenty formidable in his own right - he’s a power-armed 6-foot-4, 195-pound athlete with an upper-80s to low-90s fastball that also spins a dynamic swing-and-miss slider. He has a 1.50 ERA on the year with 18 strikeouts in 14 innings of work. 

Jake Brettschneider

FORT ZUMWALT WEST (13-5) 

The Jaguars have done nothing but earn the recognition they’ve gotten this spring. They’re up to No. 2 on our updated team rankings and won the Troy tournament earlier in the year as well as the Midwest Classic. This group doesn’t beat themselves often and they often play one of the more difficult schedules in the state, matching up with Staley and Battle in this Columbia tournament this weekend. 

INF Nolan Sissom (2026; Mizzou) is the heartbeat of this Jaguars’ club as just an underclassmen. He starts at shortstop and does nothing but produce from the top of their lineup, slashing .386/.571/.545 with six extra-base hits, three times as many walks (15) as strikeouts (5) and he’s also swiped 13 bags. 

Nolan Sissom

Paired with Sissom on the infield are two upperclassmen in INF Nick Alagna (2024; St. Charles CC) and RHP/INF Carter Perry (2025). Alagna can defend at any spot on the infield at a high level and he’s been productive at the plate as well, hitting .379 with a .478 OBP. Perry has started to see more consistent playing time as the season’s gone on, batting .316 in 38 at-bats. Others like OF Nolan Whiteside (2024), INF Kyle Feiste (2025), Brant Deverman (2025), and OF Michael Wolff (2027) are having strong seasons at the plate. 

Michael Wolff

RHP Tanner Sullivan (2024; St. Charles CC) has pitched like a top-of-the-rotation arm for Fort Zumwalt West thus far into the season. He owns a 1.50 ERA with 33 strikeouts to eight walks in 28 innings and has consistently performed well in key games. LHP Jeter Rupp (2024; St. Charles CC) owns a 0.70 ERA over 20 innings and has been a necessary weapon out of the ‘pen. RHP Cole Harris (2024) has made five starts on the year, tossing 24 ⅔ innings with a 1.70 ERA and 32 strikeouts to just seven walks. 

Tanner Sullivan

GRAIN VALLEY (9-6) 

Grain Valley has won five of their last six games, including victories over Kearney and ranked Liberty North. This weekend, the Eagles will face off against No. 5 Southern Boone, Smith-Cotton, and CBC. 

The top of the Eagles’ lineup features MIF Kaden Crandall (2025) and 1B Logan Bennett (2026), a physical 6-foot-2, 220-pound left-handed hitting sophomore that’s slotted anywhere between the second, third, and fourth spots in the order. Senior backstop Brek Sloan (2024; Missouri Southern) captains the pitching staff from behind the plate and hits in the three-hole, while INF Maxwell Snyder (2025) is another middle-of-the-order threat to know. 

Grain Valley has a real top-of-the-rotation arm in RHP Dennis Leonard (2025), who’s one of the top uncommitted juniors in the state. He’s a power arm that’s in the zone consistently too, featuring an upper-80s to low-90s fastball with feel to spin a breaking ball for strikes. LHP/OF Ian Kamstra (2024; Crowder JC) pitches in the mid-to-upper-80s from the left side and impressed our staff in a start earlier this spring, while RHP Aaron Barr (2025) has turned in strong efforts on the mound for the Eagles as well. 

Dennis Leonard

HICKMAN (5-7) 

One of the host teams for the event, the Kewpies enter this upcoming weekend with games No. 3 Francis Howell, No. 9 Willard, and the third ranked team on our ‘Small School’ list in Blair Oaks. 

Hickman’s offense is mostly fueled by a senior heavy core that starts at the top with OF Weston Howe (2024) and CIF Zane Kuhlmann (2024). INF Kaelin Tindall (2024; Columbia College) swings a strong right-handed barrel with impact potential, and C/INF Carson Shettlesworth (2024; William Woods) has been a mainstay in the middle of this lineup. 

On the mound, the Kewpies have a talented pairing of junior arms in RHP Tanner Graham (2025; Evansville) and RHP Kyle Haynes (2025). Graham, a PBR Future Games participant last summer, has long been known for his pitchability and he’s grown a reputation for his consistency within the strike zone. Haynes, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound athlete, showed a mid-to-upper-80s fastball at one of our events this winter with budding feel for his secondaries. 

Tanner Graham

JEFFERSON CITY (5-9)

The Jays have one of the state’s top talents on their roster, as INF/RHP Jordan Martin (2025; Arkansas) is a high-end producer on both sides of the ball. Martin represented Missouri at the inaugural Prep Baseball All-American Game in late September and features a low-90s fastball while also swinging an impact right-handed barrel. 

Jordan Martin

Additionally, prospects like OF/LHP Ethan Lipp (2025), C Jackson Koch (2025), CIF/RHP Mason Wall (2025), CIF/RHP Eli Miller (2025), and INF Bode Schenewerk (2027) are other names to follow on this roster. 

ROCK BRIDGE (13-4)

Perennially one of the more competitive programs in the state, Rock Bridge enters the Columbia tournament at No. 14 on our ‘Large School’ rankings. They’ve won four of their last five, including a two-game sweep of ranked Nixa, and recently took down a tough Capital City club, too. 

Names like OF Will Kimes (2025),  INF Cullen Snow (2024), CIF Andrew Hill (2024), and C/OF Crew Norden (2025) headline an offense that’s scored eight or more runs in eight games this spring. 

Crew Norden

SEDALIA (10-6) 

The Tigers have won seven of their last eight games, dating back to March 29th, and are set to play Southern Boone, CBC, and Grain Valley at this event. 

Star sophomore C Kendall Hagedorn (2026) is the engine that drives this offense. On the year, Hagedorn is slashing .316/.354/.526 in 65 plate appearances with seven extra-base hits, 15 RBI, and 12 stolen bases. Aside from his talents at the plate, Hagedorn’s also a real impact behind the dish and has one of the strongest arms from the chute in the state’s 2026 class. 

Kendall Hagedorn

OF Hayden Zeiler (2025) and INF Cooper Woolery (2026) are each everyday regulars that are batting over .340 while finding ways to consistently get on base. C Jackson Bates (2025) is also producing at the plate, slashing .310/.434/.548 in 53 plate appearances. 

Jonathan O’Connell (2024) leads the Tigers with 21 ⅓ innings pitched, posting a 2.30 ERA in that span. Woolery has pitched to a 2.33 ERA in 21 innings of work, while RHP Brayden Butts (2024) and RHP Jakobe Linn (2025) are two other arms to know on this staff. 

SOUTHERN BOONE (12-3) 

You can always count on the Eagles to be contenders in Class 4 and this year is no different. They’re 12-3 on the year and are at No. 5 on our ‘Small School’ rankings this week with upcoming matchups against Grain Valley, Smith-Cotton, and CBC. 

The core of this Southern Boone team are seniors that all made positive contributions to last year’s 25-win team. OF/LHP Austin Evans (2024; Jefferson JC) jumpstarts the offense from the top of the lineup, and he’s followed by names like MIF Chase Morris (2024), INF Ryker Zimmerman (2024), and INF Jace Reynolds (2024). 

RHP Blaine Hargis (2024) is also a middle-of-the-order bat for the Eagles, but he’s mostly known for his work on the mound, where he’s been a steady mainstay in this Southern Boone rotation. RHP Jackson Woodward (2026), RHP Brayden Beckmann (2025), and Jace Wren (2025) are other names to know on the mound for the Eagles. 

STALEY (10-4) 

We’ll see the state’s top-ranked team in Columbia this weekend, as the No. 1 Falcons will square off against Fort Zumwalt West and Battle on Friday. 

OF Kenton Unruh (2024; Bradley), 1B/LHP Jackson Glueck (2024; Pima CC), and C Easton Philippe (2025; Wichita State) are all regular mainstays in a lineup that rivals that of any in the state. Unruh is off to a scorching hot start to his senior year, slashing .439/.538/.902 in 52 plate appearances with four home runs and 22 RBI. Glueck has done nothing but hit throughout his entire high school career, slashing .415/.458/.561 with six doubles. A left-handed hitting backstop, Phillippe has five extra-base and 12 RBI, striking out just five times to go along with a .396/.463/.562 triple-slash. 

Easton Phillippe

The offense extends past that trio, however. MIF Lukas Wilson (2024; Johnson County CC) often sets the table from the top of the lineup, hitting .341 on the year while also playing excellent defense on the infield. OF Johnny Mcgowan (2024; Baker) and C Brandon Moore (2024; St. Charles CC) are two more seniors that have performed well thus far into the season. 

Staley’s depth and talent is especially evident on the mound, where the Falcons can trot out a litany of arms on any given day. LHP/OF Brody Irlbeck (2025; Iowa) leads the team from a workload perspective (19 ⅔ IP) and he’s pitched particularly well, fanning 30 batters with just four walks and a 1.06 ERA. Glueck fills up the strike zone often, posting a 2.80 ERA on the year over 15 innings, while both RHP Jacob Allinder (2024; Crowder JC) and RHP Kyle Pearcy (2025) have each thrown well in 10+ innings of work. RHP Jake Thomas (2025; Butler), LHP Hunter Hampshire (2024; Johnson County CC), RHP Aidan Bahn (2024; Crowder JC), RHP Adam Miller (2024; Central Methodist), and RHP Jacob Garcia (2025) are all quality arms that put an exclamation mark on the depth this pitching staff has. 

Brody Irlbeck

TRUMAN (6-8)

The Patriots enter this weekend with back-to-back wins, where they’ve scored 13 or more runs in each of the contests. At this event, Truman will match up with No. 14 Rock Bridge, No. 8 Eureka, and Jefferson City. 

Truman’s offense features a multitude of 2025 graduates that headline it. INF Caden Deeney (2025) serves as the leadoff man and also starts at shortstop. Paired with him up the middle is INF Anthony Manfredi (2025), though the junior two-hole hitter will move around the infield if need be. OF Nomar Garcia (2025), OF Nicholas Dawson (2025), and C/OF Cole Pleacher (2025) all provide the thump from the middle of the lineup. 

WILLARD (12-1) 

Winning is the standard for Willard and the Tigers are off to a hot start this spring, having won all but one of their games. They won’t have an easy draw this upcoming weekend with matches against Blair Oaks, Francis Howell, and Hickman on the horizon. 

Pitching continues to be a strength for this club as they’re talented with depth across the rotation. LHP Hayden Larson (2024; Fort Scott CC), OF/RHP Cameron Jennings (2024; College of the Ozarks), LHP Will Merryman (2024), RHP Kaelin Adams (2024), and OF/RHP Levi Hilton (2026) have headlined a group that’s allowed two runs or less in seven of their 13 games. 

Turning to the plate, names like INF Matthew Angel (2025), INF Landon Moore (Northern Arkansas, 2024), INF Drew Quinlan (2024) and the aforementioned Hilton and Jennings make up an offense that’s able to manufacture runs in many ways under head coach Scott McGee. The Tigers have scored 9+ runs in five games this spring, though they’ve also found themselves on the winning end of several tight contests. 

VENUES 

+ Columbia Rock Bridge HS: 4303 S Providence Rd #7198, Columbia, MO 65203
+ Battle HS: 7575 E St Charles Rd, Columbia, MO 65202
+ Columbia Hickman HS: 1104 N Providence Rd, Columbia, MO 65203
+ Southern Boone HS: 14520 S Crump Ln, Ashland, MO 65010

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