Missouri Baseball: Top-rated prospect joins the team, still work to do
By Kyle Jones
Missouri baseball just got a new addition to the squad. Former Florida St shortstop Nander De Sedas has announced he will transfer to to the Tigers after three seasons with the Seminoles.
https://twitter.com/MizzouBaseball/status/1423721032687439874?s=20
De Sedas can play shortstop as well as second base, and was a mainstay in the FSU lineup throughout his time there.
He was drafted in the 29th Round in the 2018 MLB Draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, and was the 28th ranked draft prospect that year according to Baseball America. De Sedas grew up in Panama, moving to the United States in 2015.
De Sedas had a good freshman year in 2019, hitting .231 and drawing 29 walks. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to match that performance in the last two seasons.
He’s coming off a rough season where he hit a paltry .196, though he did manage a career-best 7 home runs. If he can get back to his freshman form, or even better the form that his prospect ranking suggests, he will be a strong addition to the Missouri lineup.
Missouri baseball had a team batting average of .243 last season, so his freshman form would be par for the course. Missouri’s infield is already pretty deep, so it will be interesting to see where De Sedas factors in.
He could serve as a backup to Joshua Day, or perhaps the two will split time. There is a Mark Vierling-sized hole at second base that needs filling, but the Tigers have others who can fill that role.
Of course, if De Sedas retains his form from the last two years then one of the Tigers’ key issues is not being addressed. This team still cannot hit consistently, and some of their best hitters, like Andrew Keefer and Mark Vierling, will not be returning.
The addition of De Sedas also doesn’t fix the Tiger’s disastrous performances on the mound. The Tigers still have lots of work to do to be an impact player in SEC baseball, and a prospect like De Sedas can only do so much.