The summer season is officially underway as the 15U to 18U divisions begin their summer seasons. This 113-team event spans four divisions, ranging from 14U through 18U.

The Slugfest is hosted across two state-of-the-art, fully illuminated complexes located just 15 minutes apart, offering a combined total of 14 fields. Creekside Baseball Park, features six turf-infield fields, batting cages, turf bullpens with plyometric walls and mounds, a full concession stand, covered dugouts, and bleachers. 

Homefield Baseball Complex, boasts eight fully turfed diamonds, batting cages at every field, turf bullpens and mounds, two concession stands, covered dugouts, bleachers, and numerous nearby hotels, restaurants, and amenities. 

Slugfest History

The 2020 KC Slugfest marked the inaugural event at the Creekside complex and has since evolved into the Prep Baseball KC Slugfest, set to take place this weekend. Over the years, the event has showcased elite talent and featured some exceptional baseball teams. Staying on the topic of history, let's get into last years tournament champions.

Past Champions 

14u: The Leawood Thunder went on a cinderella run from the last overall seed upsetting the #1 and #4 overall seeds before claiming their title in 8-3 fashion in the championship. 

15u: Veteran Bat 2028 utilized a high powered offense to claim the #2 seed in pool play and run the bracket to take home their title. Veteran's bracket run included scoring over 10 runs in all three bracket play games. 

16u: Omaha Jr. Bluejays fought tooth and nail to bring home their KC Slugfest banner in a thrilling 10-9 finish to their weekend in the championship bout.

17/18u: Carpet Land (Lincoln East) went on a dominant run in the 17/18u ranks last year running up a +54 in the run differential column on their way to a KC Slugfest title. 

Now, let's look ahead into the top players and teams from this weekend, as well as the players that have continued to perform well on the year with our returning players from the standout list. 

Top Players 

below is a list of all the players ranked in the top 25 in their class in their state, this list will be sorted by class down below: 

2029

2029 3B/RHP Mason Hiatt (Lincoln Hotel Group) #1 (NE)

2029 SS/RHP Easton Vesey (KC Crush) #1 (KS), #167 in the country.

2029 SS/OF Brennen Reiser (RoughRiders Schofield) #3 (CO).

2029 SS/RHP Brecken Reed (RoughRiders Schofield) #7 (CO)

2029 LHP/OF Thomas Walter (Grays) #8 (KS)

2029 LHP/OF Zion Ova (Shawnee Stars) #9 (KS)

2029 SS/RHP Emry Gates (RoughRiders Schofield) #10  (CO)

2029 C/3B Oliver Bouse (Inevitable A's National 15u) #10 (MO)

2029 RHP/3B Bennett Bass (KC Crush) #12 overall  (KS) 

2029 OF/SS Kaeden Villanueva (Inevitable A's National 15U) #12 overall (MO)

2029 RHP/3B Kael Fisher (Shawnee Stars) #13 overall (KS)

2029 OF/RHP Halston Hicks (Inevitable A's National 15U) #16 overall (MO)

2029 RHP/SS Anthony Hann (Westside Sluggers) #19 overall (KS)

2029 C/OF Tucker Hupp (KC Crush) #20 overall (KS)

2029 LHP/OF Will Barthol (15U KC Prodigy Teal) #22 overall (KS)

2029 3B/RHP Aiden Toland (15U Cavaliers - Maroon) #25 overall (KS)

2028

2028 OF/LHP Carter Cole (Bedlam Baseball) #2 (OK)

2028 RHP/SS William Pepper (Mac N Seitz 16u Black) #3 (KS)

2028 C Bradyn Erickson (Carpet Land Lincoln East) #10  (NE)

2028 LHP/1B Brayson Fox (Sanford Sports 16u Red) #14 (SD)

2028 3B/RHP Karson Wiskur (4D Train - Marcum) #20 (MO) 

2028 SS/RHP Bryor Schultz (16U Cavaliers - Maroon) #21 (KS)

2027

2027 3B/RHP Brady Yates (Inevitable A's National 17u) #2 (MO), #93 in the country. (Missouri State Commit) 

2027 RHP/SS Kalai Larsen (Carpet Land Lincoln East) #6 (NE) (Nebraska - Omaha Commit)

2027 LHP/OF Chase Stieferman (Inevitable A's National 17u) #6 (MO) (Missouri Commit)

2027 LHP/OF Matthew Gorman (Gene's Auto and Truck) #7 (NE) (Miami Commit)
 
2027 RHP/1B Jake Busse (Canes GP KC Scout - Elder) #8 (KS) (Oklahoma Commit)

2027 RHP/OF Maddux Munson (Sanford Sports 17u Red) #10 (SD)

2027 SS/RHP Nick Cantrell (Inevitable A's National 17u) #11(KY)

2027 SS/OF Jeremiah Jones (Inevitable A's National 17U) #16 (AR) (Central Arkansas commit)

2027 C/3B Opland Sonnichsen (Sanford Sports 17U Red) #16 (SD)

2027 OF Bryson Rhodes (Carpet Land Lincoln East) #17 (NE)

2027 OF/SS Landon Klee (Inevitable A's National 17U) #18 (MO) (Missouri State commit)

2027 RHP/OF Bryson Prussman (Sanford Sports 17U Red) #19 (SD)

2027 OF/RHP Gavin Thomason (Inevitable A's National 17U) #22 (MO) (Missouri State commit)

2027 MIF Beckett York (Inevitable A's National 17U) #23 (MO) (Missouri commit)

2026

2026 OF Dele Odulate (Carpet Land Lincoln East) #19 overall (NE) (Nebraska-Omaha commit)

2026 OF/MIF Brodie McIntire (Carpet Land Lincoln East) #24 overall (NE) (University of St. Thomas commit)

2025

2025 OF/RHP Griffin Novacek (Post 52 Pinnacle Bank) #17 overall (NE) (Iowa Western CC)

2025 MIF Carter Harmes (Carpet Land Lincoln East) #20 overall (NE) (South Dakota State)

Standouts list 

Below are the players that have come into the PBKC circuit and proven to play at a higher level than the rest of their tournament competition. As this is the first summer event of the year, this list will be limited to the 2030's who have been with us all Spring. 

Catcher 

2030 C Blake Samson (Inside Edge - Asher)

2030 C Chase Thomas (HWY 36 Aces)

2030 C Blake Bowden (Mac N Seitz)

2030 C Ryker Graverson (Staley Sluggers) 

Infielder

2029 MIF Kingston Calhoun (SPY Wolfpack)

2030 INF/C Eli McDaniel (Inside Edge - Asher)

2030 INF Casey Beck (Engaged Athletics - Black) 

2030 INF Greyson Wilson (Prime 27:17 Black)

2030 INF Julius Walston (SPY Wolfpack)

Outfielder

2030 OF/SS Hudson Findlay (Inside Edge - Asher)

2030 OF Jude Johnson (Engaged Athletics - Black) 

2030 OF Creighton Lutt (Prime 27:17 Black) 

2030 OF Vince Fuhrken (Building Champions)

2030 OF Paxton Pruid (Building Champions) 

2030 OF Lucas Nichols (Building Champions)

Utility 

2030 UTL JJ Lundell (Prime 27:17 Black) 

Pitcher

2030 Drake Bush (Prime 27:17 Black)

2030 Henry Windberg (Building Champions)

2030 Easton Weishaar (Buiding Champions)

2030 Easton Berry (Building Champions) 

2030 Charlie Vap (Staley Sluggers - Thornton) 

Two-Way 

2030 UTL/RHP Fabian Palomarez (Staley Sluggers)

2030 RHP/1B Kaysen Barber (Inside Edge - Asher) 

2030 SS/RHP AJ Gutierrez (Prime 27:17 Black)

2030 RHP/1B Brody Thomas (Building Champions)

2030 MIF/RHP Carter Duvall (Building Champions)

Teams to Watch

14u

Prime 27:17 Black is the winningest of the teams returning in the 14u ranks this weekend with 4 tournament wins on the year so far. With key OF Lorin Sapp returning to the lineup after coming back from injury and the steady production of top of the order bats JJ Lundell and Creighton Lutt, look for Prime to find themselves deep into the Sunday slate this weekend. 

The Staley Sluggers hold 2 tournament wins in the PBKC circuit this year as they look to come back and fight for a third in the KC Slugfest. With the run producing trio of Fabian Palomarez, Ian Thornton, and Ryker Graverson, look for Staley's offense to carry them deep into the Slugfest this weekend, 

15u 

With Roughriders - Schoenfeld holding onto 3 of the top ten players in CO's 2029 class in Brennen Reiser, Brecken Reed, and Emry Gates bolstering their ranks, leaving them out of a teams to watch list would be unthinkable. The Roughriders are a must watch team coming into the weekend.

Inevitable A's National fields an impressive roster this weekend in their own right. The A's claim 3 of the top 20 players in MO's 2029 class in Oliver Bouse, Kaeden Villanueva, and Halston Hicks. Look for the A's to lean on these three to lead a high powered offense deep into a bracket run this weekend. 

16u 

Mac N Seitz - Black currently brings eight top 100 players in KS's 2028 class into the weekend with a full stable of arms in the pen ready to deliver a championship in the Slugfest. Look for Will Pepper and company to make a deep run into the Slugfest this weekend. 

Bedlam Baseball is primed and ready for a long weekend in the Slugfest with their five top 100 players in OK's 2028 class. Led by #2 OVR Carter Cole, look for Bedlam to produce at an overwhelming rate on their way to a shot at the title this weekend. 

17/18u 

Canes GP KC Scout - Elder boasts five top 100 athletes in the state of KS in their respective classes. Being position player heavy, look for Canes KC to deliver an offensive onslaught on their way to a strong showing in the Slugfest. 

Inevitable A's National delivers with a ridiculous 18/18 with their players all being ranked in the top 300 for their class in their respective state, with 12 of them being found in the top 50. Look for the 1-2 punch of Brady Yates and Chase Stieferman to lead this Juggernaut of a roster deep into a Slugfest run this weekend.