Liberal right handed pitcher Brooks Kappelmann is at Pittsburg State and in the baseball program at the NCAA Division 2 school. Kappelmann signs with the Gorillas after two years at Seward. He pitched for the Liberal Bee Jays this summer.
Pitt State went 45-11 last season winning the MIAA and won the league’s postseason title under coach Brock Buckingham.
Kappelmann pitched for the Liberal Bee Jays this summer. He made nine starts going 3-0 with a 2.46 ERA. Kappelmann had 44 strikeouts and 22 walks in 37 innings under coach Caeden Trenkle. He went 2-2 with a 2.77 ERA for the 2024 Bee Jays and was 1-0 with 2.21 ERA for the 2023 Bee Jays.
Kappelmann was an NJCAA Academic All American at Seward after pitching two years for the Saints in 2025 and 2026 under coach Mike Davidson. He was the NJCAA Pitcher of the Week during the 2025 season after throwing a complete game no hitter his freshman year. He went 2-1 with a 4.54 ERA in 2024 before going 4-5 with a save during the 2026 season. Brooks won the program’s Wade Johnstone Award as voted by the players in both 2025 and 2026.
Kappelmann played four years of varsity baseball at Liberal High School. He was the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year in both his junior and senior seasons in 2023 and 2024. During his High School career, Kappelmann suited up for Liberal High School down the road under Head Coach Eric Olmstead for four years as a shortstop and pitcher. As a senior he averaged .465 at the plate with 7 doubles, 6 triples, 23 RBIs, 28 runs, and 9 stolen bases to earn WAC Player of the Year and 1st Team All-State honors for the second straight year. He went 4-3 with a 1.34 ERA with 77 strikeouts and 14 walks on the mound his senior year. As a junior, Kappelmann hit .394 with one home run, five doubles, three triples, 20 RBI’s, and 21 runs. On the mound for his junior year, he was 4-4 with a save and a 1.09 ERA. He had a school record 82 strikeouts with 18 walks.
Brooks was a standout football player at LHS. In 2023, he was the WAC Offensive Player of the Year as a quarterback. The Kansas Football Coach’s Association named him first team all state. In the fall of 2023, Brooks helped the Redskins to an 8-2 season and their best season in 20 years. He was 142-232 for 2,356 passing yards with 25 touchdowns and five interceptions. He rushed 121 times for 749 yards and 10 touchdowns under coach Bryan Luetters. He was named the Brook Berringer Western 11 Man Kansas Player of the Year. He played in the Shrine Bowl All Star Football Game in Emporia and set the record with 29 completions. Kappelmann was named Most Inspirational Player for the West team.
Kappelmann was a second team All WAC basketball player averaging 13 points and 10 rebounds during his senior year in 2023-24 under coach Brandt Rogers.
He was salutatorian at LHS for the class of 2024. J. Brooks won a Jester Award for Outstanding Cameo Performer in the Wizard of Oz.
He started the All Are Welcome Club at Eisenhower Middle School and Liberal High School.
