Monroe County has long been rich in baseball talent, and 2023 served as a major showcase at the high school level. 

Two teams – Gibault and Columbia – played in state finals, and then there were three locals named to all-state teams. 

Here’s a look at what is a very impressive R-T All-Local Baseball Team.

FIRST TEAM

Dom Voegele, Columbia. This year’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch All-Metro Baseball Player of the Year, this hard-throwing and power-hitting graduating  senior was selected to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 2A All-State Team. Voegele, a University of Kansas commit, went 10-0 on the mound with a 1.04 ERA and St. Louis-area leading 111 strikeouts. At the plate, he led the entire area with 12 home runs, 20 doubles, 51 RBIs and 57 runs in addition to hitting .488 with a .961 slugging percentage and 23 stolen bases. Oh, and he was also all-state in football for the Eagles. Don’t be shocked if his name is called next week in the Major League Baseball Draft.

Evan Davis, Waterloo. Another all-stater in both football and baseball, Davis had a fantastic senior baseball season for the Bulldogs. He hit .504 with three home runs, five triples and 15 doubles this spring to go along with 44 RBIs and 38 runs. He also collected four saves as a relief pitcher.

Kameron Hanvey, Gibault. The third all-stater on this list, Hanvey was also an all-state basketball player for the Hawks. This graduating senior helped win state titles in both sports for Gibault. On the diamond, Hanvey hit .405 with 47 runs and 22 stolen bases this spring and was 10-3 with a 2.88 ERA in 65 and two-thirds innings pitched this season. He was the winning pitcher in the Class 1A state semifinal. 

Daniel Darin, Gibault. An all-stater his junior year, Darin was the big bopper for the state champion Hawks this spring. He hit .393 with a .585 on base percentage, five home runs, 30 RBIs and 40 runs scored. In limited mound duty, the hard-throwing southpaw also pitched well and closed out Gibault’s thrilling state semifinal win. Darin will be playing college ball at Lindenwood  University.

Bryce Reese. Waterloo. An all-stater in football, this graduating senior showed his toughness this spring on the ball diamond. In addition to stellar catching duties, Reese hit .396 with a .508 on base percentage, 12 doubles and 28 RBIs for the Bulldogs. He was a first team All-Mississippi Valley Conference selection.

Hudson Blank, Gibault. A key member of state champion basketball and baseball teams for the Hawks, this senior-to-be rose to the occasion in key moments. He hit .395 with a .640 slugging percentage, four homers, 39 RBIs and 37 runs. 

Alex Schreckenberg, Columbia. A McKendree University commit, this graduating senior was smooth on infield defense and also hit .386 with a .481 on base percentage, three homers, 11 doubles, 37 RBIs and 40 runs for the state runner-up Eagles. He also swiped 32 bases.

Nate Phillips, Waterloo. A second team all-conference selection, this right-handed senior-to-be went 8-1 with a 1.05 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 53-plus innings pitched in addition to hitting .316 for the Bulldogs. Look for even better numbers next spring.

Jack Steckler, Columbia. This graduating senior excelled in soccer and basketball before showing his all-around athleticism on the diamond this spring. He hit .370 with a .453 on base percentage, 11 doubles, 25 RBIs and 39 runs for the Eagles. 

Elijah Miller, Valmeyer. Another graduating senior closes out the first team, representing the Pirates. He hit .337 with a  .482 on base percentage and 23 runs in addition to leading the St. Louis area in stolen bases with 51. On the mound, Miller went 5-5 with a 3.98 ERA.

SECOND TEAM

Ty Rosencrans, Columbia. Another graduating senior for the state runner-up Eagles, he hit .381 with a .464 on base percentage and 20 runs. 

Brady Biffar, Gibault. This deceptive lefty shined when it mattered most, winning both the supersectional game that sent the Hawks to state and the Class 1A state final. The senior-to-be went 5-4 with a 2.96 ERA in 71 innings pitched. At the plate, he drove in 23 runs and scored 28.

Brody Landgraf, Columbia. With so much senior leadership, having a freshman come in and provide what Landgraf did for the Eagles this spring was icing on the cake. He hit .367 with a .446 on base percentage, two home runs and 33 RBIs. The future most certainly looks bright.

Nolan Veto, Waterloo. A senior-to-be, Veto hit .370 for the ‘Dogs with 16 runs and 16 RBIs. On the mound, he went 3-2 with a 2.39 ERA in 38 innings pitched.

Lucas Riebeling, Columbia. Another senior-to-be, Riebeling went 7-1 with a 1.25 ERA in 50-plus innings pitched this spring. He’ll help lead the Eagles staff in 2024. 

Chance Hunter, Dupo. He was the top hitter and pitcher for the Tigers this spring, posting a .349 average and going 3-2 with a 2.28 ERA on the mound. 

Koby Osterhage, Waterloo. Another two-sport threat, this senior-to-be followed up a strong football season by hitting .356 with 18 runs and 17 RBIs in the spring. 

Jack Roessler, Waterloo. A senior-to-be, Roessler was solid on offense and pitching for the ‘Dogs. He went 5-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 40 innings pitched and hit .322 with four homers and 31 RBIs.

Logan Stevens, Dupo. He hit .347 with 18 runs and 21 stolen bases for the Tigers after shining on the football field this past fall. 

Landon Roy, Valmeyer. A junior-to-be, Roy hit .326 with a .402 on base percentage, 27 runs and 35 stolen bases. He also pitched valuable innings for the Pirates. 

SPECIAL MENTION

Aidan Gaither (Columbia), Riley Etherton (Columbia), Reed Drabant (Columbia), Ty Frierdich (Gibault), Jack Keeven (Gibault), Brandon Moseley (Waterloo), Brady Mathews (Columbia), Max Oswald (Waterloo), AJ Sensel (Waterloo), Porter Fike (Columbia), Jorri Kelling (Dupo), Deegan Prater (Dupo), Luke Blackwell (Valmeyer), Ripken Voelker (Valmeyer), JJ Kinsey (Gibault)