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Baseball

Show-Me State to The Show: Tigers in Professional Baseball

In this weekly series, we'll chronicle the individual journeys of some of the top Tigers to play the game in pursuit of achieving their big-league dreams. From the Show-Me State to The Show!

Over its 132-year history of varsity competition, University of Missouri baseball has compiled a rich tradition of player development. More than 200 Tigers have forged careers in professional baseball, including 51 who have reached the major leagues.

Six former Tigers have reached the pinnacle of professional baseball and have competed as active members of 2025 big league rosters: three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time world champion RHP Max Scherzer (Toronto Blue Jays), RHP Kyle Gibson (Baltimore Orioles); RHP Pete Fairbanks (Tampa Bay Rays); 2024 All-Star RHP Tanner Houck (Boston Red Sox); LHP Rob Zastryzny (Milwaukee Brewers) and OF Kameron Misner (Tampa Bay Rays). In addition, 15 Mizzou baseball alums are currently sharpening their skills throughout minor league baseball with the aspirations of joining that select group.
 
In this series, we'll chronicle the individual journeys of some of the top Tigers to play the game in pursuit of achieving their big-league dreams. From the Show-Me State to The Show!

October 27, 2025

MLB Notebook

After starting game three of the 2025 World Series on Oct. 27 at Dodger Stadium, former Mizzou pitcher Max Scherzer made history by becoming the first player to pitch for four different teams in the World Series.

He lasted 4.1 innings, striking out three batters and walking just one while allowing three runs on five hits. Though the Blue Jays came up short in game three, "Mad Max" etched his name in MLB history and will hope for another chance to contribute later in the series.

Scherzer also pitched in the World Series for the Texas Rangers in 2023, the Washington Nationals in 2019 and the Detroit Tigers in 2012 – winning world championships with the Rangers and Nationals.

October 16, 2025

MLB Notebook

In game four of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners, Max Scherzer added to his career achievements, with a vintage performance, starting his 500th game and earning his spot at No.  5 all-time in career postseason strikeouts. Scherzer came away as the winning pitcher, lasting 5.2 innings and striking out five. The 41-year old allowed just two runs on three hits and four walks.

Late in the 5th, "Mad Max" made it known that he wasn't ready to leave the mound when manager John Schneider came to take the ball away. He struck out the next batter to end the inning and later received the Player of the Game title.

August 2, 2025

MLB Notebook

Three-time Cy Young Award winner and 41-year old Max Scherzer turned the clocks back with one of his best starts as a Blue Jay on August 2, throwing six strong innings to earn the win in a 4-2 victory over the Royals. Using just 84 pitches, Scherzer struck out five and allowed five hits while walking none, surrendering just one earned run on a Salvador Perez solo shot in the sixth. 

April 14, 2025

MLB Notebook

A pair of former Tigers squared off at the highest level early in 2025 when Tampa Bay OF Kameron Misner got the best of his former Mizzou teammate, Boston RHP Tanner Houck, taking him deep for his second HR of the season.

March 28, 2025

MLB Notebook

On Opening Day 2025, OF Kameron Misner made headlines across the country when he became the first player in MLB history to hit a walk-off home run on Opening Day for his first career homer, according to Stats Perform. 

August 2, 2024

MLB Notebook

OF Kameron Misner makes the move from MiLB to MLB Notebook this week with his big league promotion to Tampa Bay; Misner will become the first Tiger to make his MLB debut since Josh Lester did so for Detroit on September 5, 2022.

July 27, 2024

MLB Notebook

RHP Max Scherzer will celebrate his 40th birthday on Saturday, after kicking off the festivities by breaking into Major League Baseball's all-time top 10 for career strikeouts (3,400) with a season-high 9 punchouts against the Chicago White Sox in a 2-1 victory Thursday (July 25); he sits 109 K's behind Hall of Famer Walter Johnson for ninth place on MLB's distinguished list.

RHP Pete Fairbanks locked up two more saves this past week to run his season total to a career-best 19 saves; he has now converted 9 straight save opportunities and has not allowed more than a single run in any of his last 29 appearances dating back to the beginning of May.

MiLB Notebook

RHP Ian Bedell picked up another victory for Class AAA Memphis (St. Louis) last weekend and is now 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA and 25 K's over his first 6 Triple-A starts this season...OF Kameron Misner continues to make a bid for a big league call-up with a strong month of July; the former Tiger outfielder is slashing .302/.429/.524 with 4 homers and 15 RBIs this month for Class AAA Durham (Tampa Bay); for the season, Misner has clubbed 15 round-trippers and driven in 44 runs while stealing 26 bases for the Bulls.

July 12, 2024

MLB Notebook

RHP Tanner Houck was named to the American League All-Star Game roster on Sunday (July 7), making the right-hander the 10th former Tiger to earn an MLB All-Star nod. Houck is the first MU product to garner All-Star selection since 2021, when both RHP Max Scherzer and RHP Kyle Gibson earned the honor.

Tanner Houck

Below is the list of former Tigers who earned MLB All-Star Game roster selections:

  • Tanner Houck (2024)
  • Kyle Gibson (2021)
  • Max Scherzer (2013-19, 2021)
  • Aaron Crow (2011)
  • Ian Kinsler (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014)
  • Tim Laudner (1988)
  • Phil Bradley (1985)
  • Darold Knowles (1969)
  • Sonny Siebert (1966, 1971)
  • John O'Donoghue (1965)

For the season, Houck has compiled a 2.54 ERA with a career-best 112 strikeouts in 112.0 innings. The 2017 first-round MLB Draft choice tossed 6.0 scoreless innings Thursday against Oakland to notch his eighth victory of the season.

The 2024 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The contest will be televised live on FOX, Tuesday, July 16 at 7:00 p.m. (CT).

July 5, 2024

MLB Notebook

Former Tigers LHP Rob Zastryzny — born in Edmonton — celebrated Canada Day on Monday with a recall to the big leagues, joining the Milwaukee Brewers after a strong stint with Class AAA Nashville to open the year. In his first three appearances with Milwaukee, the lefty has posted 2 2/3 hitless innings, including his first MLB mound victory since a 2023 Opening Day (March 30) win for Pittsburgh.

RHP Tanner Houck saw his string of four consecutive victorious decisions come to an end Saturday against San Diego, suffering an 11-1 setback. His 4 1/3 inning stint marked the first time in 17 starts this season he has failed to complete at least 5.0 innings…RHP Kyle Gibson notched his sixth victory of the season Tuesday (July 2) with a 7-4 decision for St. Louis over Pittsburgh. The Indiana native struck out 8 Pirates — just one shy of his season best — in the win…RHP Pete Fairbanks locked up two more saves this past week, securing a 3-1 win over Washington (June 28) and a 10-8 victory in Kansas City (July 4) for Tampa Bay. He also shared a few rain delay thoughts on his prep days as a multi-sport threat for Webster Groves High School…

The Red Sox have won each of Tanner Houck's last 7 starts.

Houck:

- Leads MLB pitchers in FanGraphs WAR (3.6)
- Leads the AL in ERA (2.18)
- Has thrown at least 5.2 innings in each of his 16 starts
- Leads MLB in opponent OPS (.528)
- Has allowed only 2 HR in 103.1 IP

— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) June 25, 2024