In the middle of July, another Redhawk heard his name called in the MLB Draft.
Center fielder Caleb Klein was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 15th round with the 442nd overall pick, becoming the latest SEMO baseball player selected in the MLB Draft.
Klein spent one season with the Redhawks after transferring to SEMO. In 41 games, he hit .316 with eight home runs, 10 doubles and three triples. He posted a .491 slugging percentage and a .437 on-base percentage while driving in 40 runs. He also led the team with 65 runs scored, stole 14 bases and finished the season with a .992 fielding percentage.
Klein's selection continued a recent connection between SEMO and Atlanta.
The Braves have selected six players from SEMO since 2012. Even more notably, Atlanta has selected each of the Redhawks' last three MLB Draft picks: left-handed pitcher Dylan Dodd in 2021, catcher Andrew Keck in 2022 and Klein in 2026.
So what keeps bringing the Braves back to Southeast Missouri?
For SEMO head coach Andy Sawyers, the connection isn't something he overlooks. Sawyers said Braves scout John David French regularly comes to SEMO to watch the Redhawks. French, who lives in Kennett, Missouri, has continued to keep an eye on the program.
But Sawyers said Atlanta's interest in Klein came down to more than simply having a scout watching him.
“He pretty much checked all the boxes,” Sawyers said.
For position players, Sawyers said professional scouts look at five primary tools: running, fielding, throwing, hitting and hitting for power.
Klein showed enough in each area to attract professional interest. Sawyers said Klein is an above-average center fielder and can run, while his hitting ability and developing power also helped his profile. Sawyers described Klein's arm as around average.
Klein also stood out in areas beyond the traditional five tools.
Sawyers said Klein had an extremely low chase rate, meaning he rarely swung at pitches outside the strike zone. He also had a low in-zone swing-and-miss rate, showing an ability to make contact when he swung at strikes.
Those advanced metrics are becoming increasingly important to professional organizations, according to Sawyers.
“He just checked a lot of boxes from a scouting standpoint,” Sawyers said.
While player development is an important part of preparing athletes for professional baseball, Sawyers said coaches also can't teach the physical component.
“I think a huge part of the draft is the genetic component,” Sawyers said. “You can't out-coach if somebody doesn't have the genetic piece.”
Sawyers said physical ability and athleticism are major factors in reaching professional baseball, but he believes SEMO does a good job developing players who have those tools.
“I think we coach them well,” Sawyers said.
Sawyers said he has coached or recruited more than 30 players who have reached the major leagues. However, he said the credit ultimately belongs to the athletes who put in the work to reach that level.
Sawyers saw that work ethic in Klein throughout his season with the Redhawks.
“He's a kid that does everything right,” Sawyers said. “He worked super hard, he was a great teammate. He cared about the team's success.”
Klein is now the latest Redhawk to begin that journey in the MLB minor leagues.
Since being drafted, Klein has joined the Augusta GreenJackets, Atlanta's Single-A affiliate. As of Aug. 29, Klein is batting .315 through 15 games, with a .441 on-base percentage, 16 hits, six RBIs and 11 stolen bases. His early numbers continue to show the speed and ability to get on base that Sawyers highlighted during his time at SEMO.
While Klein begins his professional career, the Redhawks are already preparing for the upcoming season.
SEMO returns many players from a team that tied the school record for wins last season, Sawyers said. The biggest question heading into the spring will be the pitching staff, with several new arms expected to contribute.
“We've got a lot of new arms,” Sawyers said. “So we need those guys to pitch good, but there's a lot of guys back, and I think we should be good again this year.”
