D1Baseball gives Bogenpohl All-American nod, further building résumé

Missouri State's Caden Bogenpohl swings through a pitch during a Tuesday, March 12, 2024 game between the Saint Louis University Billikens and the Missouri State Bears baseball teams in St. Louis.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

The postseason honors keep on coming for former Jackson standout and rising Missouri State star Caden Bogenpohl, as the freshman sensation reeled in one of his biggest accolades to date on Friday.

As part of its string of seasonal honors, D1Baseball tabbed Bogenpohl as one of its first-team freshman All-Americans, joining an elite club in the outfield.

One of just 10 position players selected, and one of an even more exclusive three outfielders picked to the list, Bogenpohl was recognized as one of the top three freshmen outfielders in the nation.

D1Baseball is one of the most reliable sources for college baseball information, establishing itself as one of the top weekly pollers and is among the leaders in coverage of Division I baseball.

The award enters Bogenpohl’s metaphorical trophy case for his college accolades, sitting alongside a second-team freshman All-American nod from the NCBWA and an MVC honorable mention nomination.

Among others selected by D1Baseball were outfielders Drew Burress of Georgia Tech and AJ Gracia of Duke, both hailing from top-level Atlantic Coast Conference programs.

Burress garnered a reputation for being one of the top sluggers in the country, and for great reason. He bashed 25 homers in 2024 with the ninth-best slugging rate in America.

Gracia joins him there as one of the top outfielders in the ACC, making up two of the three from an elite power conference – which leaves the lone spot to “Bogey” out of the Missouri Valley Conference.

To make such an impression that you crack a list with these guy says a lot, and he earned it as he turned up the heat in a phenomenal debut campaign with the Bears.

Bogenpohl led Missouri State in OPS with a 1.085 mark, with a lead of more than 50 points as he clubbed his way to a ridiculous season in his first year among the Division-I ranks.

As a true freshman, Bogenpohl finished second among the Bears with 20 season home runs, creating a team-high slugging percentage of .639, an excellent number for a first-year player.

The longest home run Bogenpohl hit this year, by our records, flew a ridiculous 453 feet to right field on a 113 mph bullet against Illinois-Chicago back in April.

The local Jackson High School standout started all but one game this season, getting immediate trust from the coaching staff right away as his tremendous impact got him that playing time.

A changing of hands at the top of the organization, with longtime head coach Keith Guttin retiring after 42 years with the program.

Potentially feeding the idea that Bogenpohl may look for other options, that idea was swatted down quickly as new coach Joey Hawkins’ team meetings brought good news.

Bogenpohl pledged his commitment to the program to Hawkins, suggesting he’ll be back with the Bears next season, first reported via Twitter by Wyatt Wheeler of the Springfield News-Leader.

With such a breakout in his freshman year, the Bears will likely rely heavily on the production of a sophomore Bogenpohl to guide him a year from now as he looks to double down on his first-year success.