The Missouri high school baseball season is set to kick off shortly, with ‘Opening Day’ set for today, March 17th. Over the next two weeks, leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2023 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications.

Perennially, we’ve submitted a Preseason Questionnaire to high school head coaches across the entire state. Their responses have been flooding in and we’re using the detailed insight they’ve provided in our team-by-team preseason analysis.

Our 2023 preseason coverage continues today.

Team: Rock Bridge
2022 Record: 29-10
Conference: Central Missouri Activities
Classification: 6A
Head Coach: Justin Towe

X-FACTOR

Ty Thompson, INF, 2025, Tennessee commit: Thompson earned the MHSBCA Newcomer of the Year award after an excellent freshman season in 2022, taking home all-conference, all-district, and all-state honors in the process. He batted .347 and scored 46 runs, swiping 36 bags while also posting a 0.84 ERA on the mound. The state’s top-ranked sophomore, Thompson’s a dynamic athlete that’s long proven himself as an upper-tier prospect nationally, dating back to his days at the PBR Junior Future Games with Team Missouri in 2021. Primed for an even bigger year in 2023, Thompson’s already a star and brings so much impact to the field for Rock Bridge.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH

Crew Norden, C/OF, 2025: Norden’s amongst the more physical athletes in Missouri’s current sophomore class, boasting a 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame with clear strength that translates to the football field, too. We’ve seen him ambush baseballs with regularity, both in a showcase setting and during gameplay, and he’s a high motor competitor to pair. Our most recent look at Norden came in late February, where he impressed thoroughly once again. He’s another sophomore on this team that’s capable of making an impact, and we’re eager to see how he performs in his first taste of varsity action:
 

From 3/1/23: “...continued to show an extremely physical offensive skill-set to the plate. At 5-foot-11, 200-pounds, Norden posted the day’s highest exit velocity (101.6 mph) and averaged one of this event’s highest marks (94.3 mph), staying flat and on top of the baseball from a strong, yet simple, right-handed swing. His inherent strength translated to the field, where Norden was up to 89 mph from the outfield, a three tick uptick from the Preseason All-state, and he topped at 79 mph behind the plate, which was also a three mph increase from early February. Norden will look to make an impact for a talented Rock Bridge squad this spring, and he’s amongst the top catching prospects in the state’s 2025 class.”

Crew Norden

OUTLOOK

Rock Bridge finished the 2022 campaign at 29-10, dropping a tight 2-0 contest to Blue Springs South in the district final. They return six starters from last year’s group and add a few talented names that can help them build off that success in 2023.

Bolstering this squad on both sides of the ball is MIF/RHP Dane Gray (2023; Jefferson JC). A senior, Gray was a two-way standout for the Bruins, batting .326 with 30 hits, and he scored 23 runs, too. He also pitched to a 6-0 record on the mound, pitching to a 1.56 ERA, and he earned all-conference, all-district, and all-state honors in the process. CIF Andrew Hill (2024) returns after his sophomore year, and he’s a physical right-handed bat that’s performed for us in the past, flashing bat strength at our events. CIF Preston Jesse (2023), RHP Owen Wise (2023), and INF Cullen Snow (2024) are all returners to note from last year’s group, too.

There’s a few fresh faces to note joining Rock Bridge for the first time. 1B Cooper Siebuhr (2025) is a clean, polished left-handed bat that stood out at the Preseason All-State, adding another talented bat to this group. RHP Cade Luetkemeyer (2024) and LHP/OF Braedyn Boatright (2023; State Fair CC) deepen this rotation, while C Bradley Morgan (2023) and OF/RHP Xander Leger (2024) are two more position players to know.

Cooper Siebuhr

BOTTOM LINE

Rock Bridge returns experienced pieces from their success last season, and the talent this team has in their underclass ranks supplements that core well. They’re going to compete day in and day out, and though they play in a tough district, the Bruins have a team capable of working their way to Ozark this year.

Follow along @PBRMissouri for complete coverage of the 2023 high school season.

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