| Members: Bradley, Dallas Baptist, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Wichita State. |
| Team to Beat: Dallas Baptist. Last year’s Patriots raised the bar for the program, earning a No. 1 regional seed and hosting for the first time ever. They’ll have a tough time duplicating those feats after losing seven players to the draft—five of them pitchers—but DBU should still be a force in a very competitive MVC. The Patriots were the Valley’s top power hitting team a year ago, and their lineup still boasts at least five players with above-average power at the college level, headlined by outfielders Justin Wall (12 homers) and David Martinelli (10). Energetic junior shortstop Camden Duzenack is also back, anchoring the defense and serving as the team’s emotional center. The pitching staff has more holes to fill, but the Patriots have high hopes for lefty Colin Poche, an Arkansas transfer and unsigned fifth-round pick out of high school in 2012. Returners Dalton Higgins and Sean Stutzman both finished well last year and round out what should be a solid rotation. |
| Player of the Year: Jake Burger, 3b, Missouri State. Coming off a Freshman All-America season last year in which he hit .342/.390/.518, Burger looks set to be the Valley’s best player, combining power with a feel for hitting and standout defense at the hot corner. |
| Pitcher of the Year: Sam Tewes, rhp, Wichita State. Shoulder inflammation cost Tewes most of his sophomore season—he was granted a medical redshirt—but he’d posted a 2.42 ERA in five starts, showing command of a four-pitch mix. He’s ready to lead what should be a stout Shockers rotation in 2016. |
| Freshman of the Year: Jeremy Eierman, ss, Missouri State. Last year’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year for the state of Missouri, Eierman brings quality athleticism and strength as he steps in as the Bears’ everyday shortstop. |
| Notable Storylines: Missouri State lost plenty of star power off last year’s super regional team with dual aces Matt Hall and Jon Harris, as well as all-conference center fielder Tate Matheny, leaving in the draft. Nevertheless, the Bears still have the talent to be a regional team again, as five of their top seven hitters are back with Burger as the centerpiece. While they won’t be as dominant on the mound as they were last year and will be relying on some unproven arms in the rotation, they won’t be without quality options either, particularly with veteran closer Bryan Young (7-0, 1.31, 16 saves) still in the fold … Wichita State struggled to a 26-33 overall record in coach Todd Butler’s second season last year, but the Shockers played much better towards the end of the year and opposing coaches felt they were better than their record indicated. Missing top starters Tewes and Willie Schwanke for most of the season hurt, but they’re both back for 2016 and should combine with righty Chase Williams, who opted not to sign with the Padres as a 25th-round pick last year to come back as a senior, to give the Shockers one of the Valley’s most formidable rotations. Wichita State also added this fall the 25th-ranked recruiting class, its second straight Top 25 class … Bradley is moving star closer Matt Dennis (3-0, 1.51, 12 saves) to the front of its rotation as a junior as the Braves look to build off last year’s trip to regionals. They need some former role players to step up after losing two of their top three hitters, but they do bring back junior third baseman Spencer Gaa (.351/.387/.500) and will be counting on a bounce back year from shortstop Tyler Leffler, who hit .354 as a sophomore in 2014 but slumped to .196 last year. |
| Tournament: Eight teams, double elimination, May 25-28 at Sycamore Stadium in Terre Haute, Ind. |
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