Bill Rowe started it all in 1964. His pupil Keith Guttin carried on the proud Bears tradition in 1983. The two Missouri Sports Hall of Famers are the reason Missouri State baseball is where it is and has produced 136 professional signees in its over half-century existence.
The list of accolades is a mile long; 37 All-Americans, 17 Major Leaguers, five first-round draft picks, three World Series champions, one National League MVP and one American League batting champ. Hundreds of talented baseball players have worn the Bears jersey over the years, and on the eve of the program’s third NCAA Super Regional appearance, we’re taking a crack at listing the 10 greatest.
This list is based on the players’ success both with the Bears and later in their pro careers.
Top 10 Missouri State Baseball Bears
1. Ryan Howard (1999-2001) – “Big Ryan” may not have had the greatest three years of anyone at MSU (although they were pretty good, MVC Freshman of the Year, 50 career home runs), but he certainly did as a pro. The 6-4, 215 lb lefty from St. Louis was given the unenviable task of replacing Jim Thome in Philadelphia. In 2005 the former 5th round draft pick was named National League Rookie of the Year. The following year he blasted 58 home runs, driving in 149 on his way to MVP honors. Howard, who signed a Minor League deal with the Braves this spring, is a three-time all-star and was top 10 in MVP voting six times during his 13 year career. His 382 home runs rank 67th all-time. He is the only former MSU player to have jersey retired.
2. Brad Ziegler (2000-2003) – Underrated and overlooked throughout his career, the Odessa, Mo. native has worked his tail off to become one of baseball’s best relief pitchers. At Missouri State, he was the ace on the Bears’ 2003 College World Series team, earning MVC Pitcher of the Year and 3rd Team All-American honors with a 12-2 record and 4.22 ERA. He left MSU as the career leader in innings pitched (365), games started (49), strikeouts (330) and wins (32). He wasn’t selected until the 20th round in 2003. Five years later, a near career-ending injury and a switch to sidearm later Ziegler made his debut with the Oakland A’s. He would set the American League record for consecutive scoreless innings to start a career (39). In 10 years so far, playing for four different teams, Ziegler is 35-30 with a 2.58 ERA and 85 career saves.
3. Bill Mueller (1990-1993) – Mueller didn’t hit a lot of home runs or drive in a lot of runs or steal a lot of bases, but wow could he hit! The St. Louis native still owns the record for highest batting average in a four year career (.376). Selected by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round in 1993, Mueller worked his way to the big leagues and hit it big (literally) in 2003, winning the American League batting title with a .326 average for the Red Sox. The following year he became the first former Bear to win a World Series. Mueller, who is now the assistant hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, left MSU as the all-time leader in nine different offensive categories including hits (289), runs scored (234) and total bases (398).
4. Matt Cepicky (1997-1999) – Another link to the St. Louis recruiting pipeline, Cepicky is arguably the greatest power hitter in Bears history. The 6-1, 215 lb outfielder bashed 30 home runs in 1999 to lead the nation and earn 1st team All-American honors. His 100 rbi and 90 runs rounded out the MVC triple crown, easily capturing the conference’s Player of the Year. Cepicky left MSU after his junior year, selected in the fourth round by the Montreal Expos in 1999. Three short years later he became the fifth former Bear to reach the Majors, playing five seasons for three different clubs.
5. Jake Burger (2015-present) – We don’t yet know what the future holds for this likely early-round draft pick, but if his college career is any indication, expect greatness. After being snubbed for Valley Player of the Year in 2016, the junior from Chesterfield, Mo. left no doubt in 2017, blasting 22 home runs and scoring 69 runs, both currently rank 6th in the nation. Also a slick-fielding third baseman, Burger’s long list of honors includes MVC Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, given to the best player in college baseball.
6. Shaun Marcum (2001-2003) – Marcum was hard-nosed, eye-black-smearing, hard-hitting shortstop in his college years, who did a little pitching on the side. But the Toronto Blue Jays saw something different in the Kansas City native, drafting him as a pitcher during the 2003 College World Series run. Marcum needed just two years to refine his game and reach the Majors. From there he spent the next nine seasons in the bigs, pitching for the Jays, Brewers, Mets and Indians, racking up 61 career victories and a 3.93 ERA. Following his pro career Marcum took up college coaching.
7. Nick Petree (2011-2013) – Best pitcher in MSU history? It’s hard to argue when you look at the Clinton, Mo. native’s credentials. Petree was the first Bear to receive first team All-American honors three years in a row, including 2012 when he was named Louisville Slugger Division 1 Player of the Year. During that season he obliterated the school record by not allowing an earned run in 73 straight innings. Petree went 27-7 in his three seasons with the Bears sporting a miniscule 1.76 ERA. His relatively small frame and high-80s fastball lowered his pro stock, but the St. Louis Cardinals took a chance on Petree in the 9th round in 2013. He made it to Double-A Springfield quickly, but injuries ultimately ended his pro career too soon.
8. Jason Hart (1996-1998) – The pride of Fair Grove, Mo., Hart burst onto the college baseball scene in 1996 with 15 homers and 52 RBIs. That stat line would earn the 6-3, 225 pound first baseman freshman All-American honors, but the best was still to come. No sophomore slump, Hart hit 20 bombs in 1997. He would belt 28 homers in his third and final season with the Bears to become the school’s all-time career leader. Somehow, that combined with a .416 average and 91 RBIs was only good enough for 2nd team All-American honors. The Oakland A’s like what they saw and took Hart in the 5th round that year. He had a couple great Minor League seasons before being traded for Carlos Pena. Hart got a cup of coffee with the Rangers in 2002, seeing action in 10 games, but he would spend the next four seasons battling in the minors before ultimately retiring in 2006. He currently serves as hitting coach for the Texas Rangers Double-A affiliate, the Frisco RoughRiders.
9. Steve Hacker (1993-1995) – Hacker hit 37 home runs in 1995. That’s pretty much all you need to know about the St. Louis native. Six-foot-five, 233 lbs, Hacker is one of the Valley’s all-time great power hitters. His spectacular 1995 season led to consensus All-American honors and Valley Player of the Year. During that campaign he set school records for hits (96), RBIs (95), slugging percentage (.957), total bases (225) and extra base hits (55). He hit .409 that season to finish with a .360 career mark. Hacker was taken by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round that year. He made it as high as Triple-A with the Twins, but never cracked the Majors.
10. Mark Bailey (1980-1982) – Bailey laid the groundwork for what was about to come at MSU. He was the first Bear to reach the Majors, playing for the Houston Astros in 1984. The Springfield Glendale product played both baseball and basketball at then Southwest Missouri State. His ambidextrous abilities allowed him to play all over the field and hit from both sides of the plate, leading the 1982 Bears to the Division-2 World Series. The .369 career hitter found his ultimate calling as a catcher in the Majors, playing 949 career games for the Astros and Giants, catching Nolan Ryan the third most of any catcher. Bailey currently serves as the Houston Astros Minor League Catching Coordinator.
Honorable mention (no particular order): Tate Matheny, Bob Zimmerman, Ross Detweiler, Jeremy Eierman, Jon Harris, Mike Kickham, Jarrod Mays, John Rheinecker, Chad Mulholland, Brett Sinkbeil, Scott Carroll, Ben Carlson, Buddy Baumann, Pierce Johnson, Matt Hall, Kevin Medrano, Jeff Gray, Matt Palmer, Bart Evans, Bryan Young, Luke Voit, Scott Bailes, Brian Mahaffey, Dant’e Brinkley
