With the 2024 season fully in the books and with the 2025 season on the horizon, the Missouri Tigers are going to look a lot different around the diamond. After losing three key pitchers to the MLB draft and another as an undrafted free agent, the Tigers will rely on some new faces to step up and make a name for themselves while having an impact on the mound.
Who got drafted?
Ryan Magdic
Selected in the 14th round of the 2024 MLB Draft, Magdic played a key role as a grad transfer from D-II Florida Southern. In just one year with the Tigers, he made 14 appearances, including four starts, while posting a 4.63 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. His 3.36 K/BB ratio was among the best on the team.
Magdic signed with the Oakland Athletics
Carter Rustad
Rustad, one of the team’s top three starters, was drafted in the 15th round after a strong comeback from missing the 2023 season due to injury. In 2024, he made 14 appearances, including eight starts, and posted a 6.37 ERA. Rustad led the team in innings pitched that season, finishing with over 110 innings across his two full years with the Tigers.
Rustad signed with the Baltimore Orioles
Bryce Mayer
Mayer was drafted in the 17th round after just one full season of Division I baseball. After transferring from St. Charles CC following the 2022 season and redshirting due to injury in 2023, Mayer finally got his chance with the Tigers in 2024 and became a workhorse. He made 17 appearances, including seven starts, finishing third on the team in innings pitched and posting a 6.58 ERA.
Mayer signed with the Houston Astros
Trevor Austin
Trevor Austin, the only undrafted free agent signed, had been the heart and soul of the Tigers for the past three years. After becoming a starter in his sophomore season, Austin quickly emerged as a breakout player for Missouri, consistently hitting over .295 each year while starting at least 40 games. In the 2024 season, he also saw a power surge, hitting a career and team-high 13 home runs.
Austin signed a free agent deal with the Houston Astros
Who left in the transfer portal?
At the conclusion of the 2024 season, five players from the Tigers' team entered the transfer portal in search of new opportunities. This group included one pitcher, one catcher, and three additional position players. Among these departures, two players stand out as significant losses that could impact the team's depth in 2025.
The pitcher who entered the transfer portal was Logan Lunceford. In 2024, he led the team in starts with 13, although he took a slight step back in his sophomore season, finishing with an ERA close to seven. Despite this, Lunceford was second on the team in innings pitched and third in strikeouts. His performance was strong enough to earn him an offer to pitch for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
The other significant loss was catcher Tucker Moore. After sitting out his freshman season, Moore made his debut in 2024 and became one of the team’s rotating designated hitters and occasional catcher. He started 24 games, hitting .220 with a .668 OPS. Despite the modest stats, it was enough to earn him an offer from Liberty University, where he’ll continue his playing career.
Lastly, three more players graduated and are finished with their baseball careers, including two pitchers and an infielder. The toughest of these losses is infielder Matt Garcia, the team’s starting shortstop. Garcia made 43 starts in 2024, hitting .248 with six doubles and three triples. His departure leaves a notable gap in the infield for the Tigers heading into 2025.
Who is coming back?
While some key players have departed, the majority of last year's stars are returning for 2025. Most of the top hitters from the 2024 season, aside from Trevor Austin, are back. Players like Jackson Lovich, Danny Corona, Brock Daniels, and Jedier Hernandez are all set to return and are eager to build on the success they had last season.
Those are just a few of the position players that are coming back, but what about the pitchers? Starters Javyn Pimental and Daniel Wissler are expected to lead the rotation this coming season. Out of the bullpen, Brock Lucas, Charlie Miller, and Kaden Jacobi are poised to be some of the top arms, bolstered by new recruits joining the team.
Who are the new faces coming in?
This year’s recruiting class has some good faces in it, with multiple guys ranked 9+ on Perfect Game (a site that evaluates baseball recruits), the Tigers will have high expectations for some of them. Among the top-rated recruits are Even Damario, a catcher from Lee's Summit, Missouri; Brady Rosenkranz, a right-handed pitcher from Lincolnshire, Illinois; and Juliomar Campos, a catcher from Puerto Rico.
Both Damario and Campos are quick pop-time catchers, with Campos being a right-handed power hitter and Damario being a right-handed spray hitter. While Hernandez will be back behind the dish this year for the team, both can get their spot starts and prove themselves as the catcher for the next few years after he graduates.
Rosenkranz is a towering 6’7 right-hander coming to Mizzou who can fit in as either a starter or reliever, depending on where head coach Kerrick Jackson needs him. With a fastball that has significant movement, a wipeout slider, an 11-6 curveball, and a devastating changeup, Rosenkranz has the potential to develop into a standout pitcher for the Tigers.
As for incoming transfers, the list is shorter than the list of recruits, but it still includes some strong additions. The standout among them is Cayden Nicoletto from Columbia College. The outfielder is joining Mizzou for his senior year after being named a first-team NAIA All-American, thanks to a record-breaking season where he set four school records and tied two more. Nicoletto hit .412 with 19 doubles, 3 triples, 27 homers, and 81 RBI, leading to an impressive .915 slugging percentage and a .467 on-base percentage.
The Tigers ended the 2024 season with a 23-32 (9-21 Southeastern Conference) record in Jackson’s first year as head coach. With a year under his belt and a slightly different-looking team, he hopes to improve on that in 2025.