Q&A with St. Louis Commit Max McKenna
February 12, 2026
RHP Max McKenna (Shawnee Mission South) is a front-line arm for one of the top rotations in the state, currently sitting at No. 20 in our rankings. McKenna put together a breakout spring and summer during his junior year, earning a spot on Team Kansas at the 2024 Prep Baseball Future Games, where he helped lead the squad to a victory over Team Missouri. He features a riding fastball that reaches into the low 90s, pairing it with a strong slider/changeup mix that allows him to miss barrels and keep hitters off balance.
We recently had the chance to talk to McKenna about his recruitment process, along with some other fun topics, below.
Our Q&A
Prep Baseball: What were your expectations about the recruiting process? What were you looking for out of a college program to continue your baseball career at?
Max: I expected the recruiting process to be challenging but I knew that if I performed at the level I wanted to be at during the summer following my junior year good things were going to happen. I was looking for a college program that had a strong coaching staff along with a winning team and a good culture.
PB: What do you like most about the program you chose, and what were the key factors in making your decision?
M: What I like most about the program is the coaching staff, the team culture, and the opportunity to develop as a player with the strong coaching and facilities SLU has.
PB: What advice would you give to young baseball players striving to get where you are?
M: Don’t compare yourself to other players. Set your own personal goals and learn to enjoy the grind that it takes to get there.
PB: Did location or distance from home play a factor in your decision?
M: I would say location was one of the last deciding factors. What came first was culture, coaching, and the overall environment of the school.
PB: When did the recruiting process really start to heat up for you? Where did the school you committed to first see you play?
M: I started talking to schools when recruitment opened up on August 1 of my junior year. Saint Louis watched me play early on in the summer going into my senior year at the university and reached out to me a few days after my outing.
PB: What other schools were on your short list before you made your final decision?
M: Arkansas St., Illinois St., Missouri St., Yale, Campbell, and Dartmouth.
PB: Who is the best player you have faced in your state? What about them makes for a tough opponent?
M: Micheal Winter is the best player I’ve faced in the state. His ability to command the zone and his arsenal is what makes him so dominant.
PB: If you could steal any tool or quality from another player in the state, what would it be and who would it be from?
M: I would steal Micheal Winter's slider.
PB: Who is the next talented young player to keep an eye on out of your high school or travel program?
M: The next talented player to keep an eye on out of my high school is Luke McKenna.
PB: At what point in your career did you realize you were a college-caliber player and became serious about taking your game to the next level?
M: I realized I could compete at a high level sophomore year when I made a big velo jump and got invited to [the] Futures [Games].
PB: What is the most memorable moment in your baseball career to this point?
M: My most memorable moment in my baseball career was closing for Team Kansas in Future Games against Team Missouri.
PB: Preview your high school team's season for us. How do you feel your team will be?
M: I feel our team will very strong this year. We have a lot of talent and a deep pitching rotation, which gives us a great chance to go far in the state tournament.
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