The Missouri high school baseball season kicks off on Mar. 20, opening day for regular season action under MSHSAA regulations. Leading up to opening day, we’ll be publishing our team previews ahead of the 2026 spring season, touching on programs spanning all state classifications, counting down to the official Prep Baseball Missouri Preseason Power 25 Rankings.

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 2026 preseason coverage continues today.

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2026 SEASON OUTLOOK

No. of Returning Position Players: 6 starters, 11 total
No. of Returning Pitchers: 2 starters, 5 relief pitchers

Top Returners:

• Danny Henke (2026) - SS, 6'3, 195 lbs, R/R.
  • .333/.504/.511
  • HM All State, 1st Team All District
• AJ Flamm (2026) - 1B/OF, 6'4, 200 lbs, R/R
  • Moberly Area CC commit
  • .486/.750/.595
  • 1st Team All State, 1st Team All District 
• Cooper Montgomery (2026) - 6'1, 210 lbs, RF/1B
  
  • .253/.405/.494, 5 Home Runs, Honerable Mention All State, 1st Team All District
• Chris Eggering (2026) - C, 6'1, 180 lbs, R/R
  • McKendree commit 
  • .300/365/.360
  • Starting Catcher that will anchor our defense with his + Arm and defense
• Kolt Hopper (2026) - CF, 5'11, 190 lbs.
  • .261/.354/.391
  • Starting CF that will patrol the outfield with + Speed and Defense
• Noah Price (2026) - SP, 6'4, 190 lbs.
  • Drury commit
  • Mid 80s FB with a ++ Changeup and Breaking ball. Go to SP. 
• Nolan Struckman (2027) - SP, 6'7, 200lbs
  • Mid 80s FB with + CH and BB. Extremly projectable and talented.
• Chase Spurgeon (2026) - SP/RP, 6'0, 185 lbs
  • Mid 80s LHP with ++CH and BB. Will most likely be our 3rd or 4th Starter or our go to guy out of the Pen. 

Top Newcomers:

• Jaxson Czerniewski (2028) - 3B, 6'1, 180lbs
  • Started playing with us half way through the year last year and he will be looked upon as a leader. 90+ arm from the field and + bat to ball skills on offense. He will be looked as a two way player, potentially a closer or a starter on the mound.
• Max Chadbourne (2028) - 1B, 6'3, 220
  • Will hopefully be an impact bat for us day 1 as a DH type player and possible pitcher. Mid 80s arm and 100+ EV with the bat.

Key Players Lost:

• Brennan Swindler
• Alex Alsop  - St. Charles CC
• Trey Peroutka 
• Evan Maysent

Coach’s Insight: “The 2026 St. Dominic Crusaders enter the season with a clear identity built around an elite offensive Senior starting core that provides a massive foundation of high-level production and on-base consistency. This veteran leadership is flanked by an extremely talented group of Sophomores and Juniors who bolster the lineup and ensure the team excels defensively across the diamond. The pitching staff mirrors this balance, featuring a Senior core anchored by efficiency and command, complemented by talented younger arms that offer both depth and velocity. This staff is further strengthened by a dedicated group of seniors who, after seeing limited action in previous years, are now prepared to step into key roles and contribute to the team's success. Collectively, this blend of proven veteran experience, emerging young talent, and defensive reliability should make us a formidable opponent on any given day. The 2026 season looks to be like a complex puzzle that we are preparing to solve. We aren't searching for missing talent because we already have every necessary piece on the table to be an elite ballclub. Our primary challenge as a coaching staff is simply finding the right way to assemble those pieces so that the veteran senior core, the high potential underclassmen, and the seniors stepping into new roles all fit exactly where they need to be. We are focused on making sure our defensive rotations are seamless and our pitching roles are clearly defined, ensuring that every individual piece is placed in the specific position that best serves the strength of the collective whole.” – Cie Arell, head coach

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Find more information on the 2026 St. Dominic program below:

+ Follow them on X: @SDHSVBaseball
+ Visit Prep Baseball Missouri’s 2026 MSHSAA Team Previews page to learn more.

+ If you are a high school coach and didn’t receive our questionnaire, please click HERE to fill out the form

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