photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Free State sophomore Ryker Mahnke celebrates after the Firebirds' score in the first inning of the Firebirds' state championship game against Shawnee Mission West on Friday, May 30, 2025, at Hoglund Ballpark in Lawrence.

Ryker Mahnke was woken up at midnight on Aug. 1 to several phone calls.

It was the first day for junior contact with colleges, and Mahnke, a center fielder for Free State, had several that were recruiting him heavily. One was none other than Missouri, where Mahnke wound up visiting and committing to a few months later.

Mahnke took his official visit to Mizzou at the end of October and eventually committed at the start of November. It was an early decision, but it’s one that Mahnke is confident in.

“The culture, how close it was to home and the coaches all made it pretty easy for me to take Mizzou,” Mahnke said. “It feels great knowing that my next four years are guaranteed, and I can focus on the high school season as well and not worry about those other things.”

There’s a lot to like about Mizzou, even as a Lawrence native. It’s a close drive for friends and family to visit and support Mahnke at games, and it gives him the opportunity to visit home more often.

The Tigers also play in the SEC, the premier conference in college baseball. Mahnke will be playing with and against some of the best prospects in the country, players who will go on to play in MLB.

“That’s just what everyone works toward — getting to the next level and playing against the best competition,” Mahnke said. “I feel like the SEC really does that and pulls all those things together.”

It has been a dream of Mahnke’s to play college baseball, especially at this level. To do so gives him a chance to show he can play professionally, something he’s been hoping for since he was 10.

“When I was around 4- or 5-years old is really when I started to really play a lot,” Mahnke said. “When I was 10, I knew I wanted to do this for as long as I possibly could. I’m just loving it and doing everything I can to stay and keep playing.”

Mizzou has had a couple of losing seasons lately, but the Tigers are fresh in a new era under coach Kerrick Jackson. In Mahnke’s conversations with teams throughout his recruitment process, the coaching staff at Mizzou stood out above the rest.

The most important thing to me (going in) was coaches, if I really liked them a lot,” Mahnke said. “Coach (Bryson) LeBlanc and coach Jackson are all really good, that’s what really pulled me away.”

LeBlanc is Mizzou’s hitting coach, and he was the main coach involved in Mahnke’s recruitment. Between his track record and the pointers he’s already given Mahnke, the future Tiger believes working with LeBlanc will maximize his potential as a hitter.

Between his time at Free State and different travel and invitational teams, Mahnke has done a lot of winning in his career, and he wanted to go somewhere where he felt the culture was conducive to continuing that streak. For his part, Mahnke is taking the lessons he’s already learned with him.

“Being the best person you can possibly be and making sure you’re helping others,” Mahnke said of what he took from his success at high school. “Making sure that you’re really maximizing your potential as a team and really getting to know the other guys and the coaches.”

Mahnke has his college decision made, but he still has a lot left he wants to accomplish at the high school level. After winning the state championship his sophomore season, he’s hunting for a three-peat with his team.

Along with winning some more state titles, Mahnke is working on getting bigger, faster and stronger on the field. With the potential to turn his time at Mizzou into a shot at the big leagues, Mahnke is ready to make the most of the opportunity.