Mizzou Baseball: 2018 Pitching Preview
1/29/2018 10:53:00 AM | Baseball
Sikkema, MDO return from a staff that boasted best ERA since 2008 a year ago
After the Mizzou Baseball posted an impressive 3.67 team ERA last spring, the program returns with one of the best pitching staffs in the nation in 2018. Despite Tanner Houck's departure after being selected in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Mizzou brings back six proven arms who have already made an impact during their time in Columbia. As a team, Mizzou returns both 56 percent of its strikeouts and innings pitched from last season's campaign. Meanwhile, the 2018 staff includes two-thirds of last year's wins. The 2018 group is highlighted by former All-SEC Freshman Team honoree T.J. Sikkema (DeWitt, Iowa) and flame-throwing righty Bryce Montes De Oca (Lawrence, Kan.).
Sikkema, a sophomore southpaw, returns after bolstering the Mizzou bullpen during a stellar freshman campaign. Sikkema heads into the spring with Preseason Second Team All-American honors. Last season he earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors while posting an 8-2 record and four saves in 22 appearances while compiling a 2.72 ERA. During a stretch of 29.2 innings last season, Sikkema went without allowing an earned run while also striking out 48 and allowing only 16 hits. Sikkema's minuscule 0.88 WHIP was second among freshman in the country and he posted the eighth lowest ERA in the SEC. The Mizzou lefty also was named SEC Freshman of the week twice. After mainly being deployed out of the bullpen last season, the sophomore is projected to highlight the top of one of the nation's best rotations, whether he is used in a starting role or in a similar role to a year ago.
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Lengthy righty Bryce Montes De Oca (Lawrence, Kansas) returns for his senior season ready to dominate at the top of the Mizzou rotation. Montes Se Oca, who touches triple-digits with his fastball, was selected in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB First Year Player Draft by the Washington Nationals but chose to return to Columbia for his senior season. Last season, Montes De Oca made 15 appearances, 12 of which were starts, and posted a 4-5 record with a 4.28 ERA through 61.0 innings. He had dominating performances against SEC-foes Texas A&M and Georgia, the former coming at Sun Trust Park on April 8 when he tossed 6.0 innings of two-hit ball and struck out six. Overall, Montes de Oca has made 23 appearances during his career and has held opposing batters to a .192 average while striking out 72. On January 22, Montes de Oca was named to PerfectGame's top-50 seniors list, checking in at No. 2.
Junior lefty Michael Plassmeyer (St. Louis, Mo.) returns to Mizzou's pitching staff after making 19 appearances last spring. Plassmeyer started the season as a member of the starting rotation but transitioned to the bullpen during SEC play. He finished the campaign with a 4.83 ERA and a 5-1 record in 54.0 innings of work. Plassmeyer displayed consistent control as he sat 54 batters down on strikes while walking only nine. During his career at Mizzou, he has accumulated 112.0 innings of work with 96 strikeouts and only 18 walks.
Senior right-hander Andy Toelken (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) is another returning innings-eater. Toelken worked 70.1 innings last spring while posting a 5-3 record and a 2.82 ERA which was good for second-best on the team. Toelken made 11 starts and earned a win against South Carolina (5/14) en-route to a Mizzou series win and picked up a victory against Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament (5/23).
Nolan Gromacki (Smithville, Missouri) is another senior that will add experience to the Mizzou pitching staff. The righty has made 38 appearances in a Mizzou uniform and has struck out 36 through 31.2 innings of work. Last spring, Gromacki held opposing batters to a .197 batting average and tallied 23 punch-outs in 18.2 innings. Gromacki has also made an impact off the field during his time at Mizzou as he spearheaded "It's On Us" Night at Taylor Stadium in hopes of raising awareness for the initiative that is trying to prevent sexual assault on college campuses across the country. For his efforts, Gromacki was named to the SEC Community Service Team for the second consecutive season.
Right-handed infielder and hurler Brian Sharp (Liberty, Missouri) returns to the Mizzou pitching staff for 2018. Sharp made nine appearances last spring and held a 3.38 ERA in 13.1 innings while striking out eleven. Overall, Sharp has made 28 career appearances and has tallied six saves while holding batters to a .228 batting average.
