“I’m really happy with where we’re at,” first-year Mizzou baseball coach Steve Bieser said to begin baseball media day on March 2.
And why wouldn’t the Tigers’ coach be happy? His team is off to a scorching 19-1 start heading into Southeastern Conference play, riding a 19-game winning streak and the best start in school history.
Many things have been working for Mizzou so far this season. Offensively, the Tigers are among SEC leaders in extra-base hits, and batters have come through in producing clutch runs with startling consistency.
On the mound, the Tigers have a formidable starting rotation that includes several MLB draft prospects.
Among all the success, one of the key cogs in the Tigers’ winning machine is overlooked: freshman left-handed pitcher TJ Sikkema.
Originally from DeWitt, Iowa, Sikkema was simply a winner during his time as a rare four-sport athlete at Central DeWitt High School. Sikkema not only excelled in baseball, but he also played football and basketball, in addition to receiving all-district honors in soccer for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
Ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in Iowa, Sikkema was a big get for Missouri. The 6-foot, 217-pound pitcher chose Missouri over his home state’s flagship school, Iowa, and underrated baseball powerhouse Grand Canyon.
He recorded eye-popping statistics while playing for four years on Central DeWitt’s baseball team. As a senior, he recorded an 8-1 record and a 1.03 ERA on the mound. He also contributed at the plate, batting .483 with 11 RBIs helping his team to the state semifinals.
“The transition has been smooth,” Sikkema said on his adjustment to Missouri. “I got here during the summer, and with playing during the fall, adjusting to the workouts, and it’s been a really good fit.”
Sikkema earned Bieser’s trust with impressive play in the Tigers’ slate of exhibition games last fall. Over four appearances in a series of exhibition games against his teammates, Sikkema recorded a 1.80 ERA over 10 innings, starting a pair of games. His final totals included 12 strikeouts, holding batters to just a .231 average.
Pitching in the exhibition games helped Sikkema find his niche on the team. It also was his first on-field exposure to his teammates.
“We have a really competitive [pitching] staff,” Sikkema said. “That’s one of the best things about being on this team; everything is earned. That being said, if someone’s got the hot hand, no one minds rolling with him.”
This season, that “hot hand” has often been Sikkema himself. He burst onto the scene after making his debut in the Tigers’ wins on Feb. 18. A week later in Corpus Christi, Texas, he was named Kleberg Bank College Classic MVP after earning a win and a save in the tournament, most notably over nationally ranked Houston, when he recorded a 2.2-inning save in a 4-2 victory, the first save of his career.
“Everything was working,” Sikkema said on his performance that weekend. “My fastball was working great, and then once they started to get on that I threw a couple of good changeups and a couple of good curveballs. Everything was working. Me and Nelson [Mompierre] were real good together. It was great having those guys behind me making plays.”
Sikkema would go on to prove that his performance at the tournament was far from a fluke. In his next three appearances, all in relief, he would record 9.2 scoreless innings, totalling a whopping 17 strikeouts in that span. Each appearance would wind up being a key factor in victories.
Sikkema sets himself up for success with strong fundamentals and great form. He features an impressive repertoire of pitches, consisting of a strong fastball, a hard-biting slider and a deceptive changeup.
He has routinely shown command of his fastball, averaging 80-85 mph, and has consistently been able to fit pitches into the edge of the strike zone, aiding his high strikeout total. His slider maintains a consistent bite, and he has had no problem fitting it into the “back door” of the strike zone to throw off hitters. The changeup he features appears similar to his fastball, but averages 75 mph.
Even with his solid fundamentals, Sikkema attributes most of his success more to the mental side of his game.
“I just go out there and just try to do my best for the team,” Sikkema said. “It’s easy when you’ve got guys playing well behind you. They’re giving me all the confidence in the world.”
This approach has paved a path of success for Sikkema. He possesses a sense of confidence similar to the upperclassmen on the team, and that confidence will be key moving forward as the Tigers look to improve off their hot start.
“It’s really big,” Sikkema said. “The first few times out there, my legs were shaking, I was super nervous, but now it’s a lot easier.”
Bieser also speaks highly of his star left-handed pitcher. He has no problem putting Sikkema into high-pressure situations. He consistently turns to Sikkema in clutch situations, specifically when the bases loaded or late in the game.
Moving forward, Sikkema will be a key factor in the back of the Tigers’ bullpen, something that’s instrumental in keeping Bieser and the Tigers fans happy.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_