Missouri Tigers: 2026 Season Preview
Kerrick Jackson is building. Missouri has been the SEC's project program since joining the conference, but the pieces are starting to fall into place. A young pitching staff, portal additions with pedigree, and a coaching staff with a vision for what this program can become.
The Program
2025 Season Results
Season Highlights
Won 12 SEC games — an improvement from the previous two seasons
Ross Lovich hit .289 with 7 HR as the most consistent bat in the lineup
Luke Sinnard: 3.52 ERA as the Friday starter — a breakout season
Stole 62 bases as a team — a program emphasis under Jackson
Competitive in multiple SEC series despite the overall record
2026 Roster Breakdown
Key returnees and transfer portal additions
Key Returnees
Ross Lovich
OF · Jr.The lineup's best hitter. Contact-first approach with developing power. Covers center field with range and instinct.
Luke Sinnard
RHP · Jr.Friday starter who broke out in SEC play. Commands a sinker-slider combination and competes in every start.
Trevor Austin
INF · So.Young infielder with a bat that is still developing. Showed flashes of power and plate discipline.
Marcus Allen
RHP · So.Sophomore arm with a live fastball. Pitched in high-leverage spots as a freshman and showed he belongs.
Transfer Portal Additions
Hayden Thomas
1B · R-Sr.Big 12-tested first baseman with power. Adds the middle-of-the-order production Missouri has lacked.
Rece Hinds
INF · Jr.Power-tooled infielder from the defending national champions. Raw talent looking for a consistent role.
Dawson Merryman
LHP · Jr.Left-handed starter with Big 12 experience. Fills a rotation hole with a quality arm.
Marco Castillo
C · R-Sr.Veteran catcher from an ACC program. Adds defensive stability and a veteran bat behind the plate.
Pitching Staff Analysis
The Headline
Luke Sinnard (5-6, 3.52 ERA) is the Friday arm — and his development is the barometer for this program. He broke out in SEC play and showed he can compete against ranked lineups. If he takes another step, the pitching staff follows.
The Rotation
Dawson Merryman (from Texas Tech, 3.42 ERA) adds a left-handed presence on Saturdays. Marcus Allen (3.78 ERA) has the live arm to pitch on Sundays or in high-leverage relief. The rotation is thin but has upside — and in a rebuilding year, upside is what matters.
The Depth
The bullpen is the project. Missouri needs its young arms to develop through SEC competition. Jackson is building the kind of pitching culture that produces arms long-term — the results may not show in 2026, but the process is right.
Lineup Analysis
The Engine
Ross Lovich (.289, 7 HR) is the one consistent bat. His contact-first approach and center field defense make him the player Missouri builds around. He needs help — and the portal provides it.
The Middle
Hayden Thomas (from TCU, .295, 10 HR) is the biggest addition. He gives Missouri the first base power it has not had. Rece Hinds (from LSU, 8 HR) adds raw power from the infield. The middle of the order is better — whether it is good enough for the SEC remains to be seen.
The Supporting Cast
Trevor Austin (.262, 4 HR) needs a breakout season. Marco Castillo (from Florida State, .268, 6 HR) adds a veteran bat behind the plate. The lineup is a work in progress — Jackson knows it and is building for a breakthrough that may come in 2027.
2026 Schedule Highlights
Scouting Verdict
20–80 scouting scale
BSI Projection
Missouri is a building program in the toughest conference in the country. Jackson is doing the work — portal additions with SEC and Power Five pedigree, player development in the pitching lab, and a culture that demands competitiveness even in losing seasons. The 2026 Mizzou team will not make the postseason, but it will be more competitive than the record suggests. The portal additions raise the floor. Sinnard anchors the staff. Lovich anchors the lineup. The program is headed somewhere — it just is not there yet.