COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball checked in at No. 34 in the initial Collegiate Baseball Preseason Top-40, as announced by the national baseball newspaper on Monday (Dec. 21). The Tigers are coming off of a 30-28 season in which they finished third in the SEC East while ranking as high as No. 14 nationally. Mizzou returns five position starters and its top two weekend pitchers, including consensus Freshman All-American Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.).
In addition to Houck, Mizzou returns four of its top five hitters from a season ago, including the top three. That group is highlighted by SS Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.), who spent the summer playing with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. Howard hit a team-best .308 with 13 doubles, five homers and drove in 39 runs. Mizzou also brings back catcher Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) who hit .294 with five homers, Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) who hit .282 with a team-high 22 extra-base hits, and All-SEC Freshman Team honoree Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.).
On the pitching side, Mizzou returns Houck, who was recently tabbed as the top prospect for the 2017 MLB Draft by PerfectGame, and Reggie McClain (Duluth, Ga.). Both hurlers passed the 100-inning plateau a season ago and will be looked at to anchor another talented staff in 2016.
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