The wish list this offseason for the St. Joseph Mustangs is already filled in plenty of time before Christmas.

A season after winning its first MINK League championship, manager Matt Johnson has already put together a roster of 31 players for the upcoming summer. Although it is early, and some roster moves will have to be made, the veteran skipper feels good about what he has lined up for the Mustangs.

All told, 17 players will return to the team.

“We’ve had guys come back, but never this many come back,” Johnson said. “It will help with experience, and it will help with the players teaching the new players how important this community and the fans are to us.”

Entering their fourth year of existence, the Mustangs’ profile continues to rise in the world of summer league wood bat teams.

St. Joseph placed fourth in the 2010 NBC World Series, and last year’s league championship did nothing to dispel the notion of an elite team in the midwest. That makes recruiting players much easier, especially thanks to the nearly 2,000 fans per game that have turned out to Phil Welch Stadium since the Mustangs returned summer baseball to St. Joseph.

Johnson had the roster finished in the fall and has a waiting list of 40 to 50 players that he will be able to add should the need arise.

“I didn’t have any problem filling the roster,” he said. “I was able to pick and have choices. We will find out more in April and we have a list of guys we can sign to 10-day contracts, if needed.”

Most of the regulars in last year’s starting nine return.

The key cogs back include first baseman Brock Chaffin (Missouri State), shortstop Spiker Helms (Missouri State), designated hiter Kris Koerper (Delta State), third baseman/outfielder Mark Robinette (Oklahoma State) and outfielders Jordan Guida (Tennessee Wesleyan) and Jake Kretzer (Northwest Missouri State/Benton High School).

Other hitters back include infielder Shane Segovia (Northeast Texas Community College), infielder/outfielder Will Mulligan (Central Misouri) and infielder Patrick Burkhart (Wayne State).

The starting rotation appears solid with Adam Maddox (Central Missouri), Kyle Jackson (Central Missouri) and Cody Cunningham (West Texas College) all back. Cunningham threw a no-hitter last year, while Maddox whirled a perfect game in the league-clinching victory against the Nevada Griffons.

Closer Doug Shields (Southern Arkansas) also comes back, as does bullpen pieces Josh Parrish (Northwest Missouri State) Robinette, Ryan Price (Creighton), Jonathan McCann (Missouri State/Central High School) and Royce Duncan (Quincy).

“I know this. Everybody in the league has their sights set on us,” Mustangs general manager Rick Muntean said. “It could be interesting, but as you know, it comes down to pitching.”

Newcomers to the team include Missouri Western catcher/third baseman Kyle Simpson, Rhode Island infielders Kyle Richards and Tim Caputo, Longview Community College outfielder Jordan Hurtt, Northwest Missouri right-handed pitcher Chris Green and Arkansas-Pine Bluff left-handed pitcher Stanton Jones.

Expected to join the team in either June or July is Joe Koerper, Kris’ little brother. The younger Koerper, like his brother before him, is on a Morman mission. Joe Koerper is 6-foot-5 first baseman at New Mexico State. Caputo, a true freshman, is in line to start at shorstop for Rhode Island — the same school Jeff Roy, a Mustangs outfielder last year, attends. According to Johnson, Roy is slated to play in the Cape Cod league this summer.

Hurtt is the stepson of former Royals second baseman and broadcaster Frank White.

One notable name not on the list is Cameron, Mo., native Brent Seifert, who has been a staple in the middle of the lineup the past three seasons.

The Missouri State third baseman plans to continue in professional baseball following June’s Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft. If not taken, he plans to hang up his cleats and start working, according to Johnson.

Seifert’s summer manager believes pro baseball should offer him a chance.

“At worst, I think he is taken between the 20th and 30th round of the draft,” Johnson said. “I think the thing holding him back is people doesn’t think he is fast, but if you look at his summer stats, he steals 15 or 20 bags every year. He has the rare combination of power and speed, and he can play anywhere defensively. I hope a Major League Baseball team takes a chance on him.”

The Mustangs open the season May 31 against the Omaha Diamond Spirit. The next day, the team’s home opener is against the Haysville Heat, the winner of the Jayhawk League last year in a game dubbed the Midwest Championship.

Muntean said the U.S. Military team will return for a game this season, this time on July 3. On June 16, a new game is slated against the Missouri Western alumni team.

Cody Thorn can be reached at cody.thorn@newspressnow.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SJNPSports