The reputation of Monroe County and the surrounding area as a baseball haven continues, as evidenced by the number of former high school standouts competing on college diamonds this spring. 

There are five locals currently playing in NCAA Division I baseball,  with several others taking the field for colleges at various other levels. 

The list begins with pre-season All-American pitcher Dominic Voegele of Columbia, who is playing his sophomore season at the University of Kansas. The right-handed fireballer is 2-1 in four starts for the Jayhawks (14-1), with 27 strikeouts in 19 and two-thirds innings pitched.

Another former Columbia pitching star is Jackson Holmes, who is now playing for Missouri State after transferring from Saint Louis University. Holmes is 1-3 in four starts for the Bears (5-9), with 19 strikeouts in 18 and two-thirds innings pitched.

A third Columbia High School graduate, Kyle McConachie, is now playing for the University of Akron after success at Highland (Kan.) Community College. The junior infielder has five hits and seven runs in 12 games (11 starts) for the Zips (5-10). 

A Waterloo High School grad playing DI is Marcus Heusohn. He’s a senior infielder for McNeese State after playing at Illinois-Chicago last spring. Heusohn is hitting .234 with three doubles and 11 RBIs in 14 games for the Cowboys (11-3).

Valmeyer High School grad Jacob Rowold is a senior outfielder for Bellarmine (2-12). In six games (one start), Rowold is hitting .333 with a double and four RBIs.

Several locals are playing NCAA Division II baseball this spring. 

Quincy University has three former Monroe County prep standouts. Columbia’s Logan Mueller is 1-0 in eight mound appearances with a 3.75 ERA in 12 innings pitched. Gibault grad Tim Reinholz is a senior lefty reliever for the Hawks with a 4.15 ERA and one save in five appearances totaling eight and two-thirds innings. Waterloo grad Evan Davis is a sophomore infielder at Quincy (10-8), with two hits in five games (four starts).

Another Columbia grad, Adam Wibbenmeyer, is pitching at the University of Illinois-Springfield (7-7). The senior righthander is 2-0 with seven strikeouts in four appearances totaling nine innings. 

Valmeyer grad Philip Reinhardt is a redshirt senior lefty reliever at Maryville University (6-7). He’s 1-1 with a save in five appearances totaling four and two-thirds innings.

Waterloo grad Drake Downing is a senior pitcher at the University of Indianapolis after transferring from Maryville. The righty has collected three saves in seven innings pitched with a 2.57 ERA for the Greyhounds (6-9).

Columbia grad Reed Drabant is a sophomore outfielder at Truman State (3-12) after playing last season at Vincennes University. In 13 games (12 starts), he has five hits and four RBIs.

Lucas Riebeling of Columbia is a freshman pitcher at Missouri S&T (8-5), but has not yet seen action.

Brayden Biggs of Millstadt is a sophomore pitcher at McKendree University (2-12), but has likewise not yet seen action.

At the NCAA Division III level, Porter Fike of Columbia along with New Athens natives Jared Lischer and George Schneider are members of a Greenville University baseball squad that is 5-5. While Fike and Lischer have not yet seen much action, Schneider is hitting .257 while playing the outfield.

At Illinois College (6-4), Columbia’s Logan Sabo is a freshman pitcher who has not yet seen varsity action.

At Millikin University, Red Bud’s Max Simpson and Will Simpson are pitchers this spring on a 5-5 squad. Both have thrown about three innings. 

At Webster University (7-5), Ben Stedman of Millstadt is hitting .250 in eight games and Connor Jackson of Smithton has a 3.37 ERA in two pitching appearances.

Valmeyer’s Elijah Miller is a sophomore outfielder at Westminster College (5-9), though he has not yet seen varsity action. 

In the junior college ranks, a few recent local high school grads are seeing time on the field. 

At Southwestern Illinois College, Waterloo grads Nate Phillips and Nolan Veto are freshman pitchers for the Blue Storm (10-5). Phillips is 1-0 in four appearances (one start) with a 2.25 ERA in 12 innings. Veto is 1-0 in one inning pitched.

At Jefferson College (10-7) in Hillsboro, Mo., Columbia’s Brady Mathews has seen mound duty. The southpaw is 0-1 with a save in four appearances totaling eight innings pitched.