Enter Pitchers→
Six pro contracts, 4 draft picks, all off Coach McFadden's staff in 2025 and 2026.
2026 Perfect 5-0 to Cary · 10-1 final score
2025 Perfect 5-0 to Cary · 12-2 final score
2024 Perfect 5-0 to Cary · 9-4 final scoreThree years.140-41.Three World Series.
The program
Houston →
Opening Day in an MLB stadium.
World Series →
Three straight trips to Cary, N.C.
Facilities →
Clubhouse, turf stadium, weight room, and a new 19,000 square foot indoor on the way.
Tradition →
Two national titles, 22 World Series trips, 85 pros.
Kyle Crookes →
The winningest coach in Mules history.
Camps →
Train at Crane Stadium with our staff!
Enter Hitters→
Walkoffs, home runs, and record-setting seasons. Experience the best moments.
Houston Winter Invitational
Opening day
in a big-league park.
The Mules begin their season with a once-in-a-lifetime experience: spending a week as a big leaguer.
Owner
Houston Astros
The Houston connection
Jim
Crane
18Strikeouts in a 1974 World Series game, a Mules record
21-8Career record, 2.42 ERA
2World Series titles as Astros owner
On the mound. Crane pitched for the Mules from 1973 to 1976 and went 21-8 with a 2.42 ERA. In the 1974 College Division World Series opener he struck out the first 11 hitters and finished with 18 in a 2-0 shutout over Ohio Northern, still the program’s single-game record. That season he was MIAA Most Valuable Player and an honorable mention All-American. He still holds the Mules career records for complete games (23) and shutouts (7), and he is in the UCM and MIAA Halls of Fame.
In business. He founded Eagle USA Airfreight in 1984 and built it into Eagle Global Logistics, a public company working in more than 100 countries. Today he runs Crane Capital Group, Crane Worldwide Logistics and Champion Energy Services. In 2011 he bought the Houston Astros, winning World Series titles in 2017 and 2022.
Giving back. In Houston, Crane and the Astros put $4 million toward Hurricane Harvey relief. At UCM, he underwrote the 1998 renovation that turned Mules Field into Crane Stadium, helped bring in the turf in 2016, contributed to the stadium’s expansion and made the lead gift for the new clubhouse. He also gives scholarships for Mules baseball every year, and in 2021 he was the first recipient of UCM’s Founding Philanthropist Award.
NCAA Division II World Series · Cary, N.C.
June is for Cary.
The last 8 teams standing: The Mules have gone 19 times in the last 33 years (58%).
World Series trips under Crookes.
Every Division II World Series trip since 2015.
- 20265th place
- 2025National runner-up
- 20247th place
- 2021National runner-up
- 20193rd place
- 20165th place
Facilities · Opened 2021
The clubhouse
44 lockers, built to mirror a major league clubhouse.
Full clubhouse tour ↗
Coming beyond the left-field wall · May 2027
The new indoor
19,000Square feet · Diamond Sports Development Facility
- Hitting and pitching cagesFour retractable cages over a full turf infield.
- Technology Lab & Performance SuiteReal-time pitch and swing data feeding each player's plan.
- Sports medicine & recovery suiteTreatment, rehab and recovery in the same building you train in.
- Alumni locker roomFor Mules in the pros when they come home to train.
Exterior rendering: Collins | Webb Architecture · Walkthrough: concept laid out from the Collins Webb floor plan
Crane Stadium · Tompkins Field
The stadium
Renovated in 2016: AstroTurf, stadium lights and about 1,500 seats, and the host of 22 NCAA regionals.
From above
Tompkins Field
Strength
Weight room
Fans
The seats
Permanent seat-back seating and a press box behind the plate.
Mules Tradition
Dogpiles, championships and the moments that built the program.
The winningest DII program
since 2000.
1994National champions
2003National champions
Three years running.
A dogpile, a ticket punched and a flight to Cary. Every spring since 2024.
2024
2025
2026
The dogpile
52-10
- NCAA DII World Series
- Program-record 126 home runs
- Central Region champions
- MIAA regular-season champions
48-14
- National runner-up
- Central Region champions
- MIAA regular-season champions
40-17
- NCAA DII World Series
- DII World Series-record 23 runs in a game
- Program-record 202 stolen bases
- Central Region champions
2,244-850-9All-time program record, through 2026
995-193-1All-time home record, through 2026
Championships
- 2National championships1994 · 2003
- 3National runner-up finishes2001 · 2021 · 2025
- 22DII World Series appearances
- 31MIAA regular-season championships
- 25MIAA tournament championships
National honors
- 101All-Americans
- 29Academic All-Americans
- 6National Players of the Year
- 3National Pitchers of the Year
- 1National Gold Glove winner
Region & MIAA
- 15Regional Players of the Year
- 10Regional Pitchers of the Year
- 23MIAA Players of the Year
- 191First Team All-MIAA
Pro ball
- 85Professional players
- 41MLB Draft picks
Head coach · 2015-Present
Head coach
Kyle
Crookes
The winningest coach in Mules history.
486-164Record at UCM
.748Win percentage
18All-Americans under Crookes
37First-team All-MIAA selections
24Players to pro ball under Crookes
Kyle Crookes has led Mules Baseball since 2015 and owns more wins than any coach in program history. His teams finished as national runner-up in 2021 and 2025, and he was named Division II National Coach of the Year in 2022. He is a seven-time ABCA Central Region Coach of the Year.
The last three seasons have been the best stretch of his tenure: 140-41, three straight Central Region titles and three straight trips to the Division II World Series.
Before taking over, Crookes spent two seasons as UCM's top assistant and eight seasons as head coach at Hutchinson Community College.
Mules in pro ball
Professional
Baseball
Every Mule drafted or signed under Kyle Crookes (since 2015).
85Mules in pro ball
24Under Kyle Crookes since 2015
9Drafted or signed in 2025 and 2026
2026
As a Mule Jack Scott
Colorado RockiesRookie · ACL Rockies
As a Mule Greyson Chappel
Los Angeles AngelsHigh-A · Tri-City
As a MuleIn pro ball Sawyer Allen
Kansas City MonarchsAmerican Association · Independent
As a MuleIn pro ball Tommy Gross
Great Falls VoyagersPioneer League · Independent
2025
As a MuleIn pro ball Nathan Hall
New York MetsSingle-A · St. Lucie
As a MuleIn pro ball JD McReynolds
Texas RangersSingle-A · Hickory
As a Mule Chase Heath
St. Louis CardinalsDouble-A · Springfield
As a MuleIn pro ball Vance Tobol
Québec CapitalesFrontier League · Independent
As a MuleIn pro ball Jacob Steele
Glacier Range RidersPioneer League · Independent
2024
As a MuleIn pro ball Max Holy
Houston AstrosDouble-A · Corpus Christi
2022
As a MuleIn pro ball Josh Bortka
Philadelphia PhilliesHigh-A · Clearwater
2021
As a MuleIn pro ball Mason Green
Colorado RockiesTriple-A · Albuquerque
As a Mule Conor Dryer
Tampa Bay RaysHigh-A · Bowling Green
As a MuleIn pro ball Chase Plymell
Chicago White SoxTriple-A · Charlotte
As a MuleIn pro ball Dusty Stroup
Chicago DogsAmerican Association · Independent
2020
As a Mule Jonathan Sprinkle
Houston AstrosDouble-A · Corpus Christi
As a Mule Jordan Fowler
Philadelphia PhilliesHigh-A · Jersey Shore
- PhotoComing soon
Evan Reifert
Tampa Bay RaysTriple-A · Durham
2019
As a Mule Mason Janvrin
Baltimore OriolesHigh-A · Aberdeen
As a MuleIn pro ball Zak Whalin
New York MetsSingle-A · Columbia
2016
As a MuleIn pro ball Grant Gavin
Algodoneros de Unión LagunaMexican League
As a Mule Lucas Williams
Houston AstrosSingle-A · Quad Cities
As a Mule Tyler House
Tampa Bay RaysRookie · GCL Rays
As a Mule Ethan Westphal
Colorado RockiesShort-Season A · Boise
At the next level
Coaches
Coaches on major league and minor league staffs.
Coming soonAs a MuleIn pro ballHarrison Schnurbusch
Major League Hitting Assistant
Kansas City Royals
As a MuleIn pro ball
Jason Bell
Bench Coach
Houston Astros
As a MuleIn pro ball
Ricky Rivera
Double-A Manager
Corpus Christi Hooks, Houston Astros
As a MuleIn pro ball
Will Bradley
Assistant Hitting Coach
Tampa Bay Rays
Fall & winter 2026
Mules Baseball
Camps
Train at Crane Stadium
The best way to see the program is to work with our staff on our field. Every camp is run by the Mules coaches and players, with registration through Ryzer.
Summer 2027 · Dates coming soon
Junior Mule Camp
Three days of fundamentals for younger players, with split morning sessions by age. Last summer's camp filled up.
Summer 2027 · Dates coming soon
SOT Camps
Individual and group instruction in every phase of the game. Dates, ages and pricing will be posted here.
Every camper needs a signed insurance and indemnification form at check-in.
Get the form ↗
Full camp site ↗
Mules Pitching
Six Mules pitchers have signed pro contracts since 2025. Four of them came off the 2026 staff.
- 2025
New York MetsNathan Hall
MLB DraftRound 6Pick 193Hall arrived at Central Missouri as a catcher, made the switch to pitching, and ran his fastball up to 98 mph. In 2025 he posted a 3.07 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 14⅔ innings, and the New York Mets selected him in the sixth round, pick 193.
- 2025
Texas RangersJD McReynolds
MLB DraftRound 10Pick 295McReynolds was an All-American reliever, and in 2025 he went 8-0 in 25 appearances with a 1.41 ERA over 57.1 innings, striking out 95 and walking only 19. Across his career as a Mule, hitters batted just .151 against him. The Texas Rangers drafted him in the 10th round, pick 295, that summer, and in 2026 he threw 45.2 innings in pro ball with a 3.35 ERA and 70 strikeouts.
- 2023 and 2025 NCBWA First Team and Second Team All-American
- 2023 ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-American
- 2023 D2CCA Second Team All-American
- 2023 First Team All-MIAA
- 2023 First Team D2CCA All-Central Region
- 2023 First Team ABCA/Rawlings Division II All-Central Region
- 2023 First Team NCBWA All-Central Region
- MIAA Academic Honor Roll (2023, 2024)
- 2026
Colorado RockiesJack Scott
MLB DraftRound 7Pick 194Scott went 9-3 in 25 starts as a Mule and was always the one with the ball in the biggest games. As a freshman in 2024 he went 7.1 innings with 10 strikeouts against IUP in the World Series, and in 2025 he made three starts in a single week in Cary, covering 15 innings and giving up seven runs. His fastball reached 98 mph, and the Colorado Rockies drafted him in the seventh round, pick 194, in 2026.
- MIAA Co-Freshman of the Year (2024)
- Third Team All-MIAA (2024)
- Honorable Mention All-MIAA (2025)
- MIAA Academic Honor Roll (2024, 2025)
- 2026
Los Angeles AngelsGreyson Chappel
MLB DraftRound 18Pick 529At 6'8" and 255 pounds, Chappel is one of the most physically imposing players in the country, with a fastball up to 98 mph. In 2026 he made 12 starts and threw 43.1 innings with a 2.91 ERA and 52 strikeouts, and he did not give up a run in his first five starts of the season. The Los Angeles Angels drafted him in the 18th round, pick 529.
- Second Team All-MIAA (2026)
- ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-Central Region (2026)
- 2026
Kansas City MonarchsSawyer Allen
SignedAmerican AssociationAllen is a crafty lefty who made 16 starts for the Mules in 2026, throwing 87.1 innings with 83 strikeouts, only 24 walks and a 2.37 ERA. In Game 1 of the super regional against Augustana he went the distance, striking out seven and giving up just one run. He signed with the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association that July and went 4-1 with a 3.28 ERA in 46.2 innings as a starter, on a team that won a championship.
- 2026 First Team All-MIAA (Starting Pitcher)
- 2026 NCBWA, D2CCA and ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region
- 2026 D2CCA Second Team All-American
- 2026 ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-American
- MIAA Academic Honor Roll (2025)
- 2026
Great Falls VoyagersTommy Gross
SignedPioneer LeagueGross struck out 28 in 20 innings for the Mules in 2026, and his work ethic in the weight room is second to none. In the MLB Draft League he threw 13.1 innings with 17 strikeouts, one save and a 3.38 ERA. He signed with the Great Falls Voyagers of the Pioneer League in 2026, and the league named him its first Pitcher of the Week of 2026 after three hitless innings with six strikeouts.
Pitching development
Measured
from day one.
Every arm gets a baseline the week he arrives. His plan is built from his own numbers, and it gets sharper every year as the lab grows.
P3 assessments · Crane Stadium
P3 assessments
Your delivery, mapped.
Markerless motion capture on the mound, jump testing, movement screens, sprints, and more. A full biomechanics assessment takes out the guesswork so you can develop.
Running now
Every pitch at Crane Stadium tracked: velocity, spin, movement and release, in games and bullpens.
Coming with the new building
Pitching lab
Indoor mounds and a performance suite crafted for your work, rain or shine.
Pitching coach
Assistant recruiting coordinator
Your pitching coach
Eli
McFadden
“Come to UCM to sharpen your tools, compete for championships, and work toward playing at the next level, all alongside your friends.”
— Eli
6Pitchers to pro ball since 2025
140-41Record in his three seasons
Eli McFadden enters his fourth season as Central Missouri’s pitching coach and assistant recruiting coordinator in 2027.
In his first three seasons, McFadden helped the Mules compile a 140–41 record and reach three consecutive NCAA Division II College World Series, including a national runner-up finish in 2025.
Central Missouri led NCAA Division II and all collegiate programs in Missouri with five MLB Draft selections across the 2025 and 2026 drafts. Four were pitchers coached by McFadden, with three selected in the first 10 rounds.
Nathan Hall was selected by the New York Mets in the sixth round of the 2025 draft after transitioning from catcher to pitcher. JD McReynolds joined Hall in the 2025 draft when the Texas Rangers selected him in the 10th round after he earned National Relief Pitcher of the Year honors. In 2026, Jack Scott was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round, and Greyson Chappel was taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 18th round.
Those pitching staffs have produced an All-American in each of his three seasons, along with MIAA Freshman of the Year and National Relief Pitcher of the Year honors. Beyond the draft, UCM pitchers have earned additional professional opportunities, including Sawyer Allen with the Kansas City Monarchs and Tommy Gross with the Great Falls Voyagers.
Before joining Central Missouri, McFadden served as an assistant pitching coach in the Kansas City Royals organization, Director of Pitching at Kansas City Strength and Conditioning, and pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at Southwestern College.
Scouts behind the plate
Mules Hitting
126 Home Runs in ’24, 202 Stolen Bases in ’26. A dynamic offense with no plans on slowing down anytime soon.
Max Holy
Houston Astros2024 Signed
ShortstopDouble-AIn 2024, Holy started 60 games and hit .364/.478/.659 with 14 homers and 33 stolen bases. He was the shortstop on the team that led the country in fielding percentage.
He signed with the Houston Astros in 2024 and was promoted to Double-A Corpus Christi in 2026, with five homers in his first 50 games of the season.
- Houston Astros Minor League Defender of the Year (2026)
- Honorable Mention All-MIAA (2023)
Chase Heath
St. Louis Cardinals2025 Drafted
CatcherDouble-AHeath came to Central Missouri as a walk-on and left as a draft pick. He hit .368/.437/.651 in 2025, with 20 walks against 12 strikeouts and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
The St. Louis Cardinals drafted him in the 20th round (pick 600) in 2025. As a pro, he hit .368 with 9 homers and 59 RBIs in 38 games, then threw out 24 base stealers at Single-A Palm Beach.
- ABCA All-Defensive Team (2024)
- Second Team D2CCA All-Central Region (2024)
- First Team All-MIAA (2024)
- MIAA Gold Glove Team (2024)
- Honorable Mention All-MIAA (2023)
- MIAA Academic Honor Roll (2023, 2024)
- MIAA Scholar-Athlete (2023, 2024)
- College Sports Communicators Academic All-District (2023)
Vance Tobol
Québec Capitales2025 Signed
OutfieldFrontier LeagueTobol started 61 games in 2025 and hit .365/.447/.722 with 22 homers and 28 stolen bases. He finished his career as a Mule with 45 home runs and 64 stolen bases.
He signed with the Québec Capitales of the Frontier League in 2025.
- 2023 D2CCA Third Team All-American
- 2025 NCBWA Third Team All-American
- 2023 D2CCA All-Central Region First Team, ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region First Team
- First Team All-MIAA (2023, 2024, 2025)
- Three-time Central Region Player of the Week
- Two-time Academic All-American
- CSC Academic All-District (2024)
- MIAA Academic Honor Roll (2022, 2023, 2024)
- MIAA Scholar-Athlete (2023, 2024)
Jacob Steele
Glacier Range Riders2025 Signed
Third BasePioneer LeagueSteele started 61 games in 2025 and hit .373/.476/.623 with 13 homers and 12 stolen bases. He drew 41 walks and was hit by pitches 13 times, against 29 strikeouts. His .989 fielding percentage earned him the national Gold Glove Award at third base.
He signed with the Glacier Range Riders of the Pioneer League in 2025. In 2026 with Glacier, he hit .324 with 59 RBIs in 61 games.
- 2025 ABCA/Rawlings Second Team All-American
- 2025 D2CCA and NCBWA Third Team All-American
- 2025 ABCA/Rawlings National Gold Glove Winner, Third Base
- 2025 MIAA Co-Player of the Year
- ABCA Second Team All-Region (2024)
- Second Team All-MIAA (2024)
- Honorable Mention All-MIAA (2022)
Assistant coach
Recruiting coordinator
Your hitting coach
Alex
Backhaus
The 2024 ABCA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year, and the coach behind the most productive offense in Mules history.
2024National Assistant Coach of the Year
126Home runs in 2024, a program record
662Runs in 2024, a program record
Alex Backhaus is Central Missouri's assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, working primarily with the position players. He was named the 2024 ABCA/Marines Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year.
The 2024 Mules set program records for home runs (126), triples (38), RBIs (605), runs (662) and total bases (1,344). The 2026 team broke the stolen-base record again with 202.
He has coached All-Americans Brennen van Breusegen (2022 MIAA Player of the Year), Dusty Stroup (2021 MIAA Player of the Year), Carter Young, Erik Webb and Mason Janvrin, who was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles.
Before UCM, Backhaus coached at Lindenwood, Kansas City Kansas Community College and Ottawa University. He played at William Jewell College and holds a master's degree from Ottawa.
Bunting
Stealing
Fielding
Defense
Defensive plays from the Division II World Series in Cary.
Defense