Prep Baseball Report

Missouri Class of 2026 Rankings: More Names To Know


By: Kevin Moulder & Diego Solares
PBR Missouri Staff

Earlier this week, our staff unveiled the first set of rankings for Missouri’s 2026 class after the conclusion of this year’s baseball circuit.

We touched on the top of the board in that initial release, spotlighting several names that are molding what appears to be yet another talented class in the ‘Show Me’ state. You can find that story by clicking HERE.

Today we’re going to be shining some light on players that just missed out on cracking the top 10, yet are still more than deserving of some recognition and make up the rest of our board. Learn about a handful of names-to-know in the state’s current freshman class below.

THE TOP 15

+ Lining up just outside the top 10 is LHP Grant Mehrhoff (Crosspoint Christian, 2026; Louisville). The 6-foot-1, 165-pound highly projectable southpaw has arm talent advanced his years, bumping his fastball up to 84 mph at an event this past winter, and we’ve heard reports that he’s climbed up higher than that in the recent months. There’s plenty to project on with Mehrhoff’s secondary pitches, primarily a sharply spun breaking ball and split-change that he showed our staff this past winter. The Louisville commit certainly has one of the highest ceilings on the mound in this class.

Grant Mehrhoff

+ C Logan Studer (St. Louis University, 2026) had a promising showing at the PBR Junior Future Games in August, slotting into the 12th spot on these first rankings. At 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, Studer was all over the barrel in both BP and gameplay at LakePoint, serving as a true middle-of-the-order threat for a talented Team Missouri squad. His ability to hit the ball hard to all fields is natural, and as his body continues to physically progress so will his inherent bat strength. Studer can captain a team behind the plate as well, receiving the ball with soft hands and chesting dirt balls up on the regular. He’s accurate from the crouch as well, finding the bag with consistency during his defensive workout. Studer is capable of impacting the game in multiple ways, and we’re eager to see him again this winter after a productive off-season. 

 

Logan Studer


+ RHP/1B Jake Brettschneider (Francis Howell, 2026) is another high-ceiling prospect on the mound in this class, and he’ll check in at 13th on these rankings. At 6-foot-3, 170-pounds, Brettschneider produced easy low-80s heat at LakePoint with Team Missouri, working from a loose, clean, high ¾ slot. He’ll spin a tightly spun breaking ball that’ll flash late break at times, and he’s capable of landing it for strikes or spotting it beneath the zone for whiffs, too. Brettschneider has some intrigue at the plate as well, with long loose levers that create leverage and extension through contact.

Jake Brettschneider


+ An athletic left/left prospect that impressed at the Junior Future Games with Team MOKAN, OF Micah Patterson (Lees Summit, 2026) occupies the 14th spot here in this release. Patterson’s twitchy and loose at the plate, repeating a short, simple stroke with line drive feel to all fields. He’s the type of player to hit towards the top of a lineup and compliments that offensive skill-set while swiftly moving around the outfield, providing plenty of value in that regard, too.

Micah Patterson


+ Concluding our top 15 is OF Stone Marion (North Point, 2026). Marion is another name on this list to represent Team Missouri at the Junior Future Games this past summer. There, the 5-foot-10, 150-pound freshman served as a table-setter type on offense, reaching base in a multitude of ways throughout the event. He swings a compact right-handed barrel with some length to contact, producing mostly pull-side line drives while working to the opposite field on occasion. Marion’s most valuable asset on the diamond may be his defense in center field, as he effortlessly ranges to baseballs and covers ground confidently, all while patrolling the outfield with leadership. 

Stone Marion

MORE NAMES TO KNOW

+ Though we’ve yet to see RHP Jack Smith (Springfield Catholic, 2026) up close at an event, the talented right-hander is a name we’ve heard positive reports on. He’s committed to Mizzou already, following in the footsteps of his older brother RHP Ben Smith (Springfield Catholic, 2023; Missouri), who’s a power arm that’s towards the top of our current 2023 state rankings.

+ OF/RHP Tyler Cook (Liberty-Wentzville, 2026) is another athletic two-way follow to know in this class. Cook is a 7.20 runner in the 60, an advanced time for his age, and that athleticism is evident at the plate. He swings one of the more projectable right-handed swings we’ve seen thus far with loose hands and barrel feel. Cook is equally as impressive defensively on the infield and outfield with advanced actions for his age at both spots. It’s worth mentioning his upside on the mound, where he fluidly moves downhill and pumps his fastball from a clean, easy arm.

+ INF/RHP Jaymeson Forest (Gateway Legacy Christiam Academy, 2026) is a physical 6-foot-2, 185-pound two-way follow in this class. Forest’s bat strength from the left side slots towards the top of this class, and the ball sounds different off his barrel when he finds the sweet-spot. Forest has upside on the mound as well, pitching in the upper-70s with his fastball.

+ An athletic up-the-middle prospect, INF Carson Twellman (Troy Buchanan, 2026) also represented Team Missouri at the PBR Junior Future Games. Twellman’s athleticism stands out at first glance, and he ran a 7.33 60-yard dash at LakePoint with an impressive 32 inch vertical jump. He hacks with intent at the plate, generating aggressive rotation out of his load with hand speed and barrel whip to pair. Twellman’s athletic on the infield, ranging well laterally and syncing his lower half up at gather, too.

+ Most recently, UTL/RHP Landon Matthews (Lafayette, 2026) stood out at the Recruits Scout Day, and did so after showing well with Team Missouri at LakePoint in the summer. He wields a short, athletic right-handed swing that projects while working with relative ease at the plate. Matthews can move around the diamond, playing both the infield and outfield, and he’s a strike-thrower that’s been up to 80 mph on the mound, too.

+ 1B Cooper Montgomery (St. Dominic, 2026) is another left-handed bat to know in this class. At 5-foot-10, 170-pounds with plenty of room to grow and add strength, Montgomery proved he’s capable of producing at the plate at the PBR Junior Future Games. It's present raw power from the left side, nearly breaching the 90 mph exit velocity mark already, and his hand speed is well advanced for someone his age (25.1 mph max).

+ OF/1B Austin Jones (Lindbergh, 2026) profiles to hit towards the top of a lineup down the road. Jones, who’s built at a lean 5-foot-9, 145-pounds, has barrel and line drive feel from a short, clean left-handed swing. He repeats his swing at an advanced rate for his age and does have some lift through the zone, too. Jones is another name on this list to represent Team Missouri at the Junior Future Games, and he saw success down there offensively against quality competition his age.

+ C/RHP Drew Parsons (Jackson, 2026) has upside attached to a lean, lanky 5-foot-10, 150-pound frame. Parsons works flat to the baseball with some length to contact and it's easy to see him impacting the baseball off his barrel to the pull-side once he adds strength down the road. He’s an asset behind the plate defensively in multiple ways, including an accurate release to the bag and feel to block the baseball. Parsons' ultimate future may be on the mound, however, where we’ve seen him up to 81 mph with feel to spin a breaking ball.

+ INF William Bologna (Liberty North, 2026) swings a highly athletic right-handed bat, working direct and on top of the baseball with clear line drive feel. He's a top-of-the-order type of offensive profile that'll help set the table for a lineup down the road. Also, Bologna brings added value on defense, where he's comfortable on the move with sure-handed actions to pair.

**CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL MISSOURI 2026 RANKINGS**

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