By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
St. Joseph Mustangs baseball is just around the corner, and the Mustangs have announced their roster for the 2025 season, filled with several key players that were part of last year's championship winning team.
Two former MINK league MVPs will be returning to the team in 2025 in Lafayette alum Brayden Luikart, the 2023 MVP, and Darius Freeman, last years MVP. Luikart hit .292 with 25 RBIs in 2023 with the Mustangs and is back with the team after not playing last season. Freeman hit .327 with the Mustangs last season, and also produced a team high 25 stolen bases.
Also returning to the team are the 2024 Co pitchers of the year, Sam Pitts, one half of the Pitchers of the Year, threw a perfect game last season, and will be joined by his brother Max on the roster this year. The other half of the returning Pitchers of the Year duo is East Buchanan graduate Bronco Whitt, who tied for the team lead with 40 strikeouts in 2024.
The lineup will also feature several local familiar faces in 2025. Local returnees include Benton alum Carson Schmidt, Bishop LeBlond alums Frank Gall and Jaren Guck, Central alum Logan Miller, Lafayette alum Jayden Little, Savannah alum Truman Bodenhausen, and East Buchanan alum and Missouri Western's Gage Busby.
Mustangs Manager Johnny Coy will not be the only Coy in the dugout this season; he will be joined by current Benton senior and University of Nebraska-Omaha commit Chris Coy. Jase Johnson, son of former Mustangs Manager and St. Joseph Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Johnson, will return for his third season.
The roster has also some international flair, with pitcher Noah Thomas returning to the team. Thomas hails from British Columbia.
Also of note, several players will be returning for their third, or more, season with the Mustangs including Trevor McCollum, Easton Bruce, Michael Infranca, Aron Harrington, Ryker Curry, Andrew Clark, as well Little, Gall, and Guck.
“We’re excited to defend our title in 2025. These players are ready to get to St. Joseph and play in front of the great fans. We have some really talented players and they all have options on where they want to play each summer, and it says a lot about this community that they choose Phil Welch Stadium to spend their summers,” said Mustangs manager Johnny Coy says in a news release from the Mustangs.
Mustangs Opening Day is set for Wednesday, May 28th.