ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Griffon Baseball head coach Michael Keeran has announced his 2026-27 signing class.

Coming off of the program's first winning season since 2018, Griffon Baseball has signed 27 transfer players – 15 pitchers and 12 position players.

Eleven of these transfers come from NCAA Division I programs, while 13 come from the junior college level, one from NCAA Division III and two from fellow NCAA Division II institutions.

"I'm extremely proud of our coaching and support staff for the effort they put into this class," Keeran said. "I'm excited to coach these guys and continue building relationships with them while they're in the Black and Gold."

"The last 14 months (since being hired at MoWest) have been a whirlwind, but we have a great opportunity to accomplish things we didn't last season, and I'm looking forward to school starting so we can get going and build off of last season's success."

This Griffon Baseball signing class earned the No. 2 portal class ranking by 64Analytics heading into 2026-27.
 
Aidan Lopez (Grambling State) - Utility
Hometown: Eagle Pass, TX

Lopez batted .341 last season with a 1.016 OPS. While hitting at the top of the line-up, Lopez had 37 free passes while only striking out 24 times. Lopez also played in the West Coast League this past summer for the Wenatchee Apple Sox.

Nelphie Lopez (Stetson University) - Middle Infield
Hometown: Bronx, NY

Nelphie batted .316 last season for Stetson, and started 50 games over the last three seasons for the Hatters. Lopez was an All-Star in the new England Collegiate Baseball League for the North Adams Steeplecats. His father, Pedro Lopez, played professional baseball with the Chicago White Sox. Lopez also won gold glove awards, being recognized for his defensive play.
 
Drake Cobb (Shorter University) - Infield
Hometown: San Diego, CA

Cobb batted .380 this past season with 11 home runs and an OPS over 1.200. Cobb also worked 39 free passes while only striking out 29 times. Cobb played for the Clarinda A's this past summer, batting .459 with three homers, having one of the best seasons across the MINK League in 2026.

Kale Jensen (Illinois-Chicago) - Utility
Hometown: Central City, NE

Jensen played for UIC in 2026. In both 2024 and 2025, Jensen previously played at Northeast CC (NE), where he had a great career, being named an All-Conference performer. Jensen hit a combined .344 with an OPS of 1.078, tallying 56 extra base hits, including 22 home runs. Jensen had a great summer with the Clinton Lumberkings of the Prospect League, batting .333 with seven doubles, two triples and three homers. He had an OBP of .511 and a slug of .636.

Eric Harper (Lipscomb University) - Utility
Hometown: Nashville, TN

Harper played in 30 games in 2026 at Lipscomb, and now reunites with head coach Michael Keeran, who he played for in 2025 at Northern Oklahoma College. In the 2025 season, Harper was an All-Region player, batting .361 with 12 home runs and 29 stolen bases. Harper played for the Richmond Flying Mummies of the Northwoods League in 2026, and had 22 stolen bases. Harper's father, Nick, played in the NFL.

Tommy Mathay (Queens University) - Outfield
Hometown: The Woodlands, TX

Mathay started 47 games this past season at Queens, and was ranked as one of the best defensive outfielders last season. Mathay hit .242 with a home run and eight stolen bases. Mathay hit .323 with 20 stolen bases in 2025 for Wharton County CC.

Bodee Mausser (Northern Oklahoma College) - Outfield
Hometown: Glen Rose, TX

Mausser reunites with head coach Michael Keeran after playing for him in 2025 at Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa. Mausser had one of the best two-year careers at NOC-Tonkawa, batting .338 with 13 home runs and 37 stolen bases over a combined two seasons. Mausser also had a 1.059 OPS in his two-year career.
 
Austyn Peak (Morehead State University) - Utility
Hometown: Louisville, KY

Peak played in 39 games over the past two seasons while hitting .284 with two home runs and nine stolen bases. Peak had a breakout summer in the Northwoods League with the Minot Hot Tots, hitting .364 with a .930 OPS and 14 stolen bases.

Ketch Mills (Illinois College) - Infield
Hometown: Hillsboro, IL

Mills had one of the best seasons in NCAA Division III baseball this past year, while breaking several school offensive records and earning All-Conference honors. Mills hit 29 extra base hits (12 of them HRs), and hit .386 with an OPS of 1.113 in 2026.

Easton Dean (Sam Houston State University) - Catcher
Hometown: Coldspring, TX

Dean played in 45 games over the past two seasons while hitting two home runs at Sam Houston State. Dean was a standout in his prep career at St. Pius X High School, rated as No. 51 catcher in Texas by Perfect Game.

Brady Grabowski (Murray State University) - Outfield
Hometown: Troy, IL

In 2025, on Murray State's College World Series team, Grabowski hit .283 with a HR, playing in 17 games. That summer for the Trillville Thrillbillies, Grabowski hit .303 with two home runs. This past summer in the Prospect League, Grabowski played for the Decatur Bean Ballers.

Tristen Wargo (Lewis & Clark) - Infield
Hometown: Benld, IL

Wargo had a great junior-college career, hitting over .330 both years and stealing 33 bases. Wargo is also known for his defense, winning the MWAC Gold Glove award at SS. Wargo played for
the Alton River Dragons of the Prospect League this past summer and hit over .400.
  Aiden Hansen (North Carolina A&T)
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN

Hansen was in the top three in many statistical categories on the mound for North Carolina A&T in 2026, tossing 27 innings and striking out 16 in 10 appearances. Hansen played for Michael Keeran in 2025 at Northern Oklahoma College, where he was a third team JUCO All-American, pitching 61 innings with 85 strikeouts and only 15 walks, boasting a 6-1 record. Over three summers in the Northwoods League, Hansen was 7-2 with two saves for the Willmar Stingers.

Jace Kirby (Southern Illinois)
Hometown: Spring Hill, TN

Kirby pitched in 11 games this past spring for Southern Illinois. He reunites with Griffon pitching coach Connery O'Donnell-Smith, who coached Kirby in 2025 at Walters State CC, where Kirby was 2-2 with a save across 28 innings. Kirby struck out 38 batters that season – a season where Walters State played in the NJCAA World Series. Kirby played this summer in the Coastal Plains League for the Peninsula Pilots.

Michael Lujan (Seward County CC)
Hometown: Midland, TX

Michael Lujan led the KJCCC in strikeouts during the regular season with 91 while only walking 35 batters in 2026. Lujan already has familiarity with St. Joseph while he played for the St. Joseph Mustangs of the MINK league this past summer. He struck out 22 batters over 13 innings of work.

Danny Harris (Mesa CC)
Hometown: Phoenix, AZ

Harris was top three in appearances across the last two seasons in the ACCAC with 44 strikeouts, while having a 3-5 record and six saves. Harris also had a great summer in the Northwoods League for the Richmond Flying Mummies going 4-3 with a 3.30 ERA and 28 strikeouts.

Brayden Carter (Fort Scott CC)
Hometown: Platte City, MO

One of the most experienced arms the past two years in the KJCCC, Carter threw 115 innings over the past two seasons at Fort Scott CC. Carter was 12-1 with 88 strikeouts and only 44 walks.

Brayden Hindes (Missouri State West-Plains)
Hometown: Overland Park, KS

Hindes was the Grizzlies' top arm the past two seasons, throwing 110 innings and striking out 129. Hindes was an All-Star in the Ban Johnson League this summer for the Regal Plastics, and finished his summer with the St. Joseph Mustangs in the MINK League.

Reagan King (South Suburban CC)
Hometown: Manhattan, IL

King had one of the best strikeouts per nine innings figures in Junior College baseball last season with 15.55 K/9. King was 1-1 on the mound with 53 Ks in 30 innings. In his freshman season, King had 26 Ks in 25 innings while playing for one of the best JUCO teams in Illinois.

Dylan Droelle (Paradise Valley CC)
Hometown: Albuquerque, NM

Droelle was top three in appearances in the ACCAC with 45. Droelle, across two seasons, was 4-4 with seven saves. In 55 innings, he struck out 50 hitters with only 23 walks, sporting a 1.25 WHIP.

Jackson Smith (Southern Illinois)
Hometown: Chandler, AZ

Smith pitched in eight games for Southern Illinois 2026. Previously, Smith played Junior College baseball at Kankakee, where he was one of the best pitchers in the country in 2025 with a 7-1 record and 76 strikeouts in 71 innings, while having an impressive 1.24 WHIP. Smith has also pitched for the Duluth Huskies during the summer in the Northwoods League.

Zach Taylor (East Central CC)
Hometown: Ballwin, MO

Taylor had the most innings pitched for East Central CC the last two seasons with a combined 119 innings pitched while throwing four complete games. This past summer, Taylor pitched in the Prospect League for the O'Fallon Hoots where he threw 24 innings with 22 strikeouts while having a 1-0 record.

Owen Myers (Pima CC)
Hometown: Newton, KS

Myers had a solid sophomore season, going 3-0 with nine starts and 35 strikeouts in 33 innings. This past summer, Myers played in the Northwoods League for the Rochester Honkers, where he had a record of 2-2, striking out 24 in 35 innings.

Brady Jackson (Lewis & Clark College)
Hometown: Marion, IL

Jackson started on the mound eight times before breaking his foot and ending his season. Prior to the injury, Jackson was the innings leader for Lewis & Clark, striking out a batter an inning with 34 Ks. Jackson played for the Thrillville Thrillbillies this past summer in the Prospect League, recording eight strikeouts in 10.2 innings.

Nathan Mall (Fort Scott CC)
Hometown: De Soto, KS

Mall had four starts this spring for Fort Scott. He'll bring a funky look to the Griffons, as he throws from a sidearm position at a height of 6'4.

Max Powers (Lincoln Land CC)
Hometown: Springfield, IL

Powers pitched for Lincoln Land CC each of the past two seasons.

Jalen Rogers (Angelo State)
Hometown: Kansas City, MO

Rogers transfers in from NCAA Division II Angelo State in Texas. He played in 10 games for the Rams last season. He previously played for Weatherford CC, where he had a 1.23 ERA in 7.2 innings.
 
The 2026-27 recruiting class joins the returning Griffon Baseball roster that went 28-24 in the spring and set many marks, including:

• First winning season since 2018
• Most overall wins and conference wins since 2018
• First trip to the MIAA tournament since 2019
• First trip to MIAA tournament semifinals since 2017
• First above .500 record in MIAA play since 2019
• The most wins by a first-year head coach in program history
• 446 runs scored – second most in a single season in program history
• 64 home runs – second most in a single season in program history