Betts: Hawkins excited for the future after inking extension at Missouri State

Ontario Blue Jays grad Joey Hawkins (Whitby, Ont.) has signed an extension to be the head coach of the Missouri State Bears through 2029. Photo: Missouri State Athletics

December 16, 2025

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

It feels like Joey Hawkins was meant to be a Bear.

A Missouri State Bear.

Hawkins (Whitby, Ont.) arrived on the MSU campus in 2012 as a wide-eyed freshman infielder off a standout high school career with the Ontario Blue Jays.

Over his four college seasons, he became the anchor of a team that made a trip to the Super Regionals in 2015 and came within one game of the College World Series.

“I wanted to go to a place where I felt I could get better and have the resources to do so,” Hawkins said as he reflected on his start at MSU.

“I’ve seen a lot. My first year on campus, we hadn’t made the postseason since 2003.”

The success led to a 40th round selection in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft and a two-year professional career that included reaching double-A Springfield in the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

When his playing days came to an end, he made the jump to coaching. The path of a baseball lifer, one could say.

The coaching journey took him to Jefferson College, Saint Louis University and back in the Cardinals organization before he returned to Missouri State in 2021 as hitting coach and recruiting coordinator.

After Keith Guttin’s 42-year run as head coach of the MSU program came to an end in 2024, Hawkins was a logical replacement.

He received a three-year deal to become head coach on June 24 of that year.

Last week, the program announced an extension that will keep Hawkins in Springfield through the 2029 season.

The stability in the dugout comes at a time of change for MSU. The Bears will compete in Conference USA for the first time in 2026 after previously playing in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Well-established baseball programs like Dallas Baptist University, Liberty, Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston now provide the conference competition.

“It’s a unique time for our university,” Hawkins said.

“There’s a lot that goes into it. Sometimes that leads to a little bit of uncertainty. Obviously, you’re comfortable competing in a league for a while, you know what you stack up against and who you recruit against. You go into this new league and everything changes.”

One thing that hasn’t changed? Hawkins’ competitiveness.

Look no further than the team’s schedule, which he believes is one of the best in recent memory.

Series at Louisiana and Ole Miss highlight the weekend non-conference slate. Oral Roberts, Oklahoma State twice, Arkansas twice, Missouri and Kansas State are a few of the midweek opponents.

While college coaches look for the best players to fill out their rosters regardless of where they come from, Hawkins hasn’t been shy about recruiting north of the border. His team currently features RHP Michael Yusypchuk (Edmonton, Alta.), RHP/INF Adyn Schell (Toronto, Ont.), LHP Sam Maclaughlin (Toronto, Ont.), INF/OF Taeg Gollert (Toronto, Ont.) and RHP Owen Slater (Brooklin, Ont.).

There’s more on the way, too. RHP/OF Simon Baker (Cochrane, Alta.), OF Christian Iriotakis (Toronto, Ont.), C Sean Bradley (Toronto, Ont.) and RHP/OF Noah Powell are all on the way.

For Hawkins, continued success on and off the field comes from the culture that’s been created.

It’s one that lured 2025 National League Rookie of the Year Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves to the school and kept top 2026 draft prospect Caden Bogenpohl from hitting the portal this summer in search of greener pastures.

The grass is greener where you water it, as they say, and Hawkins has his hose in-hand ready to grow Missouri State into one of the nation’s best programs.

“Put ourselves in the national spotlight,” Hawkins said of his expectations.

“I’m pretty honest about it. I’m not here to tip-toe around things. I understand Conference USA is going to be tough but we’re going in that league to win it. You can’t just talk about it, you have to be about it.”