The Tigers need key returners and transfers to step up this year to compete for a tournament spot.
As Missouri baseball prepares to enter the 2023 season, one of the biggest questions the Tigers face is how to fill major holes left by the departure of key players from last year’s team. The team, which went 28-23, was led almost entirely by players who no longer play for the Tigers.
Josh Day, Fox Leum, Torin Montgomery and Luke Mann carried Missouri’s offense last season, with only Mann returning for the 2023 campaign.
Ahead of the first pitch of the season, Steve Bieser and the Tigers have their work cut out for them.
Last season, the trio of Montgomery, Leum and Day accounted for 35% of home runs, 32% of runs batted in, 34% of runs and 32% of extra-base hits for Missouri.
Montgomery and Day, who were drafted by the Marlins and Diamondbacks, respectively, put up particularly strong numbers for the Tigers. Montgomery had a triple-slash, which consists of a batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, of .365/.462/.547 for an on-base plus slugging of 1.009 along with seven home runs, 49 runs batted in and 44 runs, while Day had a triple-slash of .340/.435/.508 for an OPS of .943 along with 7 home runs, 29 runs batted in, and 50 runs.
Despite all the departures that Missouri has had, not all hope is lost for the Tigers with Mann returning for a fifth season. Mann was tremendous during the 2022 season, putting up a triple-slash of .270/.401/.595 for an OPS of .996 along with 17 home runs, 43 runs batted in, and 48 runs. Mann’s 17 home runs and .595 slugging percentage both led the Tigers.
Along with Mann, the Tigers also expect to bring back Carlos Peña and Trevor Austin. Peña, who was the No. 70 recruit in the country according to Perfect Game, struggled in his freshman season to a .209/.290/.327 slash line and had a strikeout rate of 32.3%. Peña will look to grow in his sophomore season and to tap into the potential he showed in high school.
Austin put up a strong sophomore season in 2022, hitting .297/.417/.476, and had as many hit-by pitches and walks as strikeouts. Missouri will need his on-base ability to fill the hole in run production left by the departures.
Along with those Missouri has returning, the Tigers have also brought in two Power Five transfers who will be expected to help in a major way.
Cam Chick, a Columbia native and Hickman High School graduate, is a versatile defender and has shown good on-base skills, along with some power in his four years at Nebraska. In 2022, he put up a .252/.425/.456 for an on-base plus slugging of .881 along with 8 home runs, 26 runs batted in, 41 runs, and 17 extra-base hits.
Along with Chick, Dylan Leach is transferring to Missouri from Southeastern Conference rival Arkansas and will be a junior.
In his two years at Arkansas, Leach has shown to be a strong hitter, something the Tigers’ catcher position desperately needs.
In 2022, the primary catching duo of Mike Coletta and Tre Morris put up a triple-slash of .252/.321/.318 for an on-base plus slugging of .639.
In his two years at Arkansas, Leach has hit .237/.372./.484 for an .856 on-base plus slugging. If Missouri can get some production from the catcher position, it will help to lengthen the Tiger lineup and add another threat with the bat.
Along with transfers, Missouri has brought in a strong recruiting class. This group is headlined by Sam Horn and Jackson Lovich. Horn, who is better known as a quarterback for the Tigers, is also a right-handed pitcher for the baseball team. Horn, who was the 76th-ranked draft prospect in the 2022 MLB draft according to MLB.com, is expected to be a big part of the Tigers’ success.
The Tigers struggled tremendously on the bump in 2022 and had one of the worst pitching staffs in the SEC. Missouri was bottom three in earned run average, opposing batting average and strikeouts.
Lovich, who was drafted in the 19th round in the 2022 MLB draft by the Mets, is not the first member of his family to commit to the Tigers. His brother, Ross Lovich, is a junior outfielder for Missouri. Jackson Lovich is a shortstop who was ranked No. 393 by Perfect Game and will look to fill the hole left by Day.
If Missouri can continue to get solid production out of Mann and Austin and bring improvement from Peña and contribution from the newcomers early on, the Tigers have a chance to improve on their 2022 season and crack the 2023 SEC Tournament.
Edited by Matt Guzman | mguzman@themaneater.comCopy edited by Mary Philip | mphilip@themaneater.com