We caught up with Missouri State Baseball Bears head coach Joey Hawkins to see how things are shaking out on the diamond after their NCAA Regional run in Lawrence, Kansas. While most people think of June and July as downtime, college baseball has transformed into a year-round sprint. Between the immediate madness of the transfer portal and the looming MLB Draft, Coach Hawkins has been burning up the phone lines to build the next great Bears roster. This morning, we dive into how the Bears are reloading.

The Return of Cale Johnson

One of the biggest headlines of the offseason is the addition of new pitching coach Cale Johnson. Hawkins and Johnson share a deep history rooted in professional baseball. Johnson was actually Hawkins’ very first pitching coach when he played in the St. Louis Cardinals system. Later, the two worked together on the Cardinals staff before transitioning to the college ranks. We believe this hire is a home run. Not only will his expertise elevate our current arms, but having a pro-level developer on staff is a massive chip to play on the recruiting trail.

Navigating the Draft and Transfer Portal

With the transfer portal officially closed for new entries, the coaching staff is putting the final touches on paperwork today. The next major hurdle is the MLB Draft. All eyes are on Max Knight. Hawkins notes that Knight has a major professional path ahead of him as a pitcher, but the Bears have a premier plan ready for him if he returns to campus under Cale Johnson’s guidance. Additionally, three high school recruits—Noah Powell, Brody Wilson, and Ethan Lindor—are drawing draft interest, though Hawkins emphasizes that the modern draft landscape favors staying in school unless you are a top-three-round lock.

Upgrading the Staff and Local Ties

We didn’t shy away from the truth: pitching has been a tough spot for the Bears the last couple of seasons. To fix that, Hawkins went hunting for serious upside and electric stuff. Local fans should be thrilled to hear about Tristan Hunter, a Forsyth, Missouri native transferring in from Kentucky who has been absolutely dealing in the Cape Cod league this summer. The Bears also added serious size and velocity with Fisher Cantrell, a 6’5″ righty from Jacksonville State hitting 96 mph, and Cal State Bakersfield lefty Brock Adamson. Combined with returning arms like Owen Slater, Michael Yusypchuk, and Ross Felder, the Bears are bringing real heat to the mound.

Dynamic Bats and Summer Leagues

On the offensive side, the Bears return a battle-tested core featuring Logan Fyffe, Jax Ryan, and Charlie Carter. To surround them, Hawkins made big-time portal moves, grabbing Jalen Hernandez from Winthrop, Mikey Rodriguez from Bethune Cookman, Ball State’s .400 hitter Brady Davidson, and Kaden Peer from Mizzou. As our guys spend the summer shining in elite environments like the Cape Cod League and the MLB-sponsored Appy League, the groundwork is being laid for another championship push.