SEMO honors Catfish GM Mark Hogan
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO – May 3rd 2025
Before the Cape Catfish said yes to becoming a team in the Prospect League in 2018, they knew they had to get one guy involved; that guy was Mark Hogan.
Hogan moved to Cape Girardeau when he was 4 years old and says baseball was part of his life every since he can remember. “We used to ride our bikes and play stick ball on the field here at Capaha,” said Hogan. He played at every level possible, Cape Legion ball during the summers, he played for Cape Central high school, he played for the Cape Capahas and then he played for the Southeast Missouri State Indians. “I must have played and coached a few thousand games on Capaha Field; it’s home to me,” said Hogan.
Hogan knew he wanted to be involved in baseball and started out as a grad assistant under the great Ron Polk at Mississippi State University. His first head coaching job was at Lurleen B. Wallace College in 1982. From there he moved on to West Alabama, a D2 school and he lead them to two Gulf South Conference Championships in 1992 & 1994 while compiling a 155-110-2 record. He was voted the Gulf South coach of the year after finishing 5th at the 1992 NCAA D2 World Series.
In 1995, Coach Hogan got his dream job as he came home to his alma mater Southeast Missouri State. He coaches at SEMO from 1995-2012, an illustrious 18 seasons where his teams never missed a conference tournament. He compiled a 526-456-1 record … won the OVC regular season title in 2002 … won two OVC tournament crowns in 1998 and 2002 … his 2002 team beat the University of Alabama in the regional at Tuscaloosa, a defining win for the program.
Hogan had some incredible players as well. He coached 80 OVC Honorees … he coached 13 All-Americans and 15 MLB draft picks during his tenure. The 1998 team was inducted into the SEMO Hall of Fame in 2017.
In 31 seasons as a head coach, Hogan amassed a 911-713-3 overall record over division I, II and NJCAA Div I. It was only fitting that on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the field that Mark Hogan calls home, Southeast Missouri State retired his #29 jersey. The first coach or player in the history of the school to have that happen. Surrounded by his wife Becky, his three daughters and their husbands, as well as well as his five grandchildren plus over 50 former players and coaches, Hogan had a smile from ear to ear has he threw the ceremonial first pitch to current SEMO head coach Andy Sawyers.
“It’s hard to put into words what this means to me and to my family,” and emotional Hogan said. “My wife Becky is my rock and my three girls, they were my biggest cheerleaders and they always loved me regardless of the score.”
The Catfish are getting ready to start their 6th season in Cape and Hogan is excited about that as well. “On paper, we look pretty strong, I’ll tell you more in July,” said Hogan. As GM of the Catfish, they will get their 200th win sometime this summer and they are hoping to make a run at their 2nd league title. Regardless of what happens this season and beyond with the Catfish, Mark Hogan’s influence on baseball in Southeast Missouri will last forever.