Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

It was another stellar season for baseball in the Your Prep Sports area.

City High returned to the Class 4A state tournament for the third straight season advancing to the semifinals for the second time in that span.

Liberty High set a program record for single season wins and advanced to a substate title game and West High won eight of its final 12 games and reached a 4A substate championship.

Solon won 28 games, the fourth straight 20-plus win season for the Spartans and Clear Creek Amana went 23-18 and advanced to a 3A substate final.

There were a lot of stellar individual performances that led to all that team success.

The annual Your Prep Sports area baseball team is a way to recognize some of those players for their performance on the diamond this season.

This year’s 21-member Your Prep Sports area team features Division I recruits, all-conference performers, school record holders and state qualifiers.

The 2024 Your Prep Sports all-area team has seven repeat selections from last year’s team highlighted by Solon senior Brett White who is the team captain and a four-time Your Prep Sports all-area team pick.

Other repeat selections are City High’s Talon Young and Jake Mitchell, Liberty High’s Ryan Schmierer and Mason Waterbury, Regina senior Jack Clark and Clear Creek Amana junior Kaden Phan.

White is the 2024 captain after capping an incredible career with an impressive senior season in which he hit .398 and ranked in the top 10 in the state in home runs (13), runs (57), total bases (101) and walks (38).

The Baylor recruit closed his five-year varsity career with a .402 batting average, .578 on-base percentage, 239 runs and 189 RBI.

White had 107 career extra-base hits including 29 home runs and 114 stolen bases.

The 2024 Your Prep Sports Area Baseball Team

P – Mason Waterbury, Jr., Liberty High: Following a breakthrough sophomore season Waterbury cemented his status as one of the top pitchers in the state with a dominating junior season in which he was named Mississippi Valley Conference Mississippi Division athlete of the year. The left-hander posted a perfect 10-0 record, allowing just three earned runs in 61 innings pitched ranking second in 4A in wins and ERA (.79) and third in WHIP (.79).

P – Talon Young, Jr., City High: Young continued to cement this status as one of the best and most reliable pitchers in the state leading City High in innings pitched for the second consecutive season. The right-handed throwing Young went 6-3 with a 1.85 ERA and 1.07 WHIP while striking out 47 in a career-high 64 1/3 innings pitched.

P – Kyle Cherry, Jr., West High: Among the most consistent and durable pitchers in the state the left-handed throwing Cherry led West High in innings pitched for the second straight season in a strong junior season. Cherry was 6-5 with a 2.98 ERA and 1.39 WHIP with 56 strikeouts and ranked third in 4A with 12 starts and fourth with 65 2/3 innings pitched.

P – Andrew Olthoff, Jr., Liberty High: After getting his feet wet at the varsity level last season Olthoff had a breakthrough junior season earning all-MVC Mississippi Division second team honors after going 5-2 with a 1.88 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while striking out 34 in 48 1/3 innings pitched.

C – Jack Clark, Sr., Regina: A four-year starter for the Regals behind the plate Clark put together an impressive senior season posting career-highs in batting average (.370), runs (26), walks (33), on-base (.545) and slugging percentage (.489) on his way to earning first-team all-River Valley Conference South Division honors.

INF – Drake Obermueller, Jr., City High: In his first varsity season Obermueller came up huge in helping City High win 34 games and advance to the Class 4A state semifinals. Obermueller started games at third base, shortstop, pitcher and outfield hitting .309 with eight extra-base hits, 22 runs scored, 23 RBI and 22 stolen bases also had a 4.38 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched.

*INF – Brett White, Sr., Solon: One of the best hitters in the state White capped a brilliant career with a stellar senior season in which he was named WAMAC East Division Player of the year for the third straight season. A Baylor recruit, White led Solon in batting average (.398), on-base percentage (.560), slugging percentage (.856), hits (47), runs (57), doubles (13), home runs (13), extra-base hits (27), RBI (42) and walks (38).

INF – Maclane Morgan, Jr., Clear Creek Amana: Morgan continued to produce at a high level, hitting over .400 for the second consecutive season while earning WAMAC West Division first team honors. The junior second baseman hit .445 with 15 extra-base hits and 31 RBI and led Clear Creek Amana with 52 runs scored 25 stolen bases and a .560 on-base percentage.

INF – Ty Fuller, Jr., Clear Creek Amana: After starting last season as a sophomore Fuller had a breakthrough junior season earning unanimous all-WAMAC West Division first team honors. Fuller hit .445 with 17 extra-base hits, 40 runs, 30 RBI and a .578 slugging percentage.

INF – Reese Trepanier, Sr., West Branch: A three-year starter Trepanier led West Branch in batting average for the second time in the past three seasons on his way to being named to the RVC South Division second team. Trepanier batted .361 with 21 runs scored and 26 RBI posting a .454 on-base percentage and .434 slugging percentage.

INF – Nolan Seagren, Jr., Solon: A starter last season as a sophomore the breakthrough came this summer for Seagren who earned first team all-WAMAC East division honors. The junior shortstop hit .354 with 11 doubles, 44 runs, 28 RBI and a team-high 35 stolen bases while posting a .466 on-base percentage.

INF – Evan Schmierer, Soph., Liberty High: Schmierer burst onto the scene earning unanimous MVC Mississippi Division first team honors following an impressive debut season in which the sophomore second baseman hit .356 and led the Lightning with 22 stolen bases. Schmierer had 27 runs, 18 RBI and 14 walks while posting a .440 on-base percentage.

INF – Kael Kurtz, Sr., City High: A strong senior season from Kurtz was critical in City High posting a 34-8 record and advancing to the Class 4A state semifinals for the second time in the past three seasons. The senior second baseman hit a career-best .300 with seven extra-base hits, 24 runs, 19 RBI and 18 stolen bases on his way to earning second-team all-MVC Valley Division honors.

OF – Jacob Koch, Sr., West High: A three-year starter Koch had the best season of his career this summer leading the Trojans in extra-base hits, RBI and slugging percentage. Koch raised his batting average for the second consecutive season hitting a career-high .315 with 14 extra-base hits including three home runs, 32 RBI and a .484 slugging percentage.

OF – Ryan Schmierer, Sr., Liberty High: Schmierer was a unanimous MVC Mississippi Division first team pick after leading Liberty High in batting average for the second straight season while helping the Lightning to a program-record 25 wins and a spot in the 4A substate title game. Schmierer hit a career-high .386 and led Liberty High in runs (36), RBI (23) and slugging percentage (.425) and was second on the team with 21 stolen bases and 18 BB.

OF – Kaden Phan, Jr., Clear Creek Amana: A unanimous WAMAC West Division first team pick, Phan emerged as one of the top two-way players in Class 3A this season. Phan hit .376 with 25 extra-base hits, six home runs and 44 RBI posting a .482 on-base and .701 slugging percentage and also went 5-1 with a 1.99 ERA and .98 WHIP while striking out 51 in a team-high 38 2/3 innings.

OF – Jake Mitchell, Sr., City High: A versatile piece of the puzzle for City High Mitchell produced at the plate and on the mound while being named to the MVC Valley Division second team. Mitchell batted .306 with 12 extra-base hits, 29 runs, 20 RBI and 21 walks and also went 4-0 on the mound with a save posting a .86 ERA and .89 WHIP with 28 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings.

OF – Zach Logsdon, Sr., West High: Logsdon was a key piece of the lineup for West High leading the Trojans in hits and batting average on his way to earning MVC all-Valley Division honorable mention honors. Logsdon hit .328 with 23 runs scored, 23 RBI and 13 walks.

UTIL – Cooper Hughes, Jr., Liberty High: A starter last season as a sophomore Hughes had a breakthrough junior season in which he produced at the plate, on the field and on the mound. Hughes batted .347 with 22 runs scored, 21 RBI and 13 stolen bases and also went 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 22 innings pitched.

UTIL – Jaxton Schroeder, Jr., City High: One of the most uniquely talented two-way players in the state Schroeder established himself as one of the best all-around players in the state with an impressive junior season in which he was a unanimous MVC Valley Division first team pick.

Schroeder led City High in batting average (.379), hits (39), runs (29), doubles (11), home runs (2), extra-base hits (16), walks (26), stolen bases (35), on-base percentage (.508), slugging percentage (.602) and also went 7-1 with a 1.69 ERA and .85 WHIP while striking out 54 in 45 2/3 innings.

UTIL – Vince Steinbrech, Sr., Solon: Few players had as big of an impact on the success of their team as Steinbrech who was a first team all-WAMAC East Division pick after a strong senior season on the mound and at the plate. Steinbrech did his best work on the mound going 8-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 55 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings and also hit .303 with 10 extra-base hits, two home runs and 32 RBI.

*– Denotes Team Captain

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