We had a beautiful Tuesday morning here in the Ozarks, and we spent a significant portion of it digging into some serious baseline talk with one of our absolute favorites. We were joined on the line from Kennesaw, Georgia by Missouri State Bears senior standout and team captain, Carter Bergman. The Bears are resting up and getting antsy following their final regular-season series conclusion, locked into a three-way tie at the top of the roster with 15 home runs apiece. Bergman called in to give us an exclusive inside look at the dugout dynamic, his personal journey to Springfield, and what lies ahead for this lethal batting lineup.

Unpacking the 15-Home Run Power Surge

We had to ask Carter about the massive injection of power in his bat this year compared to his high school days, where his singular senior-year home run was an inside-the-parker courtesy of an outfielder running into a wall. Carter credits his dramatic evolution—jumping to 11 home runs as a junior and 15 this year—to simply growing older, recognizing pitches cleanly, and working with a new training coach in the weight room. More than anything, he highlighted the mentality preached by hitting coach turned head coach Joey Hawkins: "being free in the box." The coaching staff gives the lineup total freedom to get their swings off 100% of the time, eliminating the fear of striking out and maximizing hard contact.

A Program Guy in the Portal Era

In an era completely dominated by the transfer portal and immediate NIL money, Carter is a self-proclaimed and coach-verified "unicorn." Having spent all four years committed to the Missouri State program, he opened up about his sophomore season when playing time was hard to come by. During exit meetings, when he asked the staff if they were going to look to the portal, the coaches expressed complete, unwavering confidence in his future development. That moment sealed his loyalty. Bergman acts as the defensive and emotional "glue" of this team, anchoring a strong pitching staff down the stretch and working tirelessly to perfect his receiving and base-throwing mechanics.

Toughness, Shortstop Roots, and Shaking Up the Locker Room

Our conversation took a fun turn when we looked into Carter's backstory. Originally a shortstop, he transitioned to catcher in high school at the suggestion of his father—a veteran firefighter of over 20 years. That upbringing instilled a baseline level of toughness necessary to survive the brutal position, bruising thighs, and wild foul balls. But what really shook up the locker room was Carter's football allegiance. Despite playing high school ball near Kansas City, Carter admitted he does not like the Chiefs at all. He's a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan who proudly rocks a Jalen Hurts jersey in his hotel room. Though Art and Scott were visually stunned by the Chiefs slander, we'll let it slide if he keeps flashing excellence on the diamond!