Mizzou Baseball head coach Steve Bieser enters his seventh season at the helm of the program (2017-present). The Tigers have finished with an overall record above .500 in five of his past six seasons. In his first three years in Mid-Missouri (2017-19), Bieser’s 104 wins were the most-ever by any Mizzou Baseball coach in his first three campaigns (Gene McArtor: 91 wins (1974-76) // Tim Jamieson: 89 wins (1995-97)). Additionally, his 104 victories marked the winningest three-year stretch by the Tigers since 2008-10 (103 victories). Bieser produced 39 wins in Southeastern Conference play from 2017-19, marking Mizzou’s top three-year stretch in league play since joining its new conference in 2013. Additionally, it stands as the Tigers’ top three-year conference record since 2007-09.
In six seasons thus far at Mizzou, Bieser has helped guide 23 players to the MLB Draft (five - 2022, one - 2021, one - 2020, five - 2019, six - 2018, five - 2017). The 2022 draft featured five Tigers with RHP Spencer Miles (fourth round - San Francisco Giants) becoming the fifth Tiger pitcher to go in the first four rounds under Bieser. 1B Torin Montgomery (14th round - Miami Marlins) was selected by the Marlins for the second time after a 39th round pick out of high school in 2019. SS Josh Day (Arizona Diamondbacks) and LHP Nathan Landry (Boston Red Sox) each went in the 15th round before Drew Garrett (19th round - Philadelphia Phillies) made it five selections. The five Tigers marked the most in the new, condensed draft era and are tied for ninth all-time in Mizzou draft history. In 2021, pitcher Seth Halvorsen’s selection made it 26-straight years with a Tiger selected in the MLB Draft. In 2020, RHP Ian Bedell (fourth round - St. Louis Cardinals) became Mizzou’s 11th pitcher to be selected among the opening five rounds of the MLB Draft since 2006. In 2019, OF Kameron Misner (35th overall - Miami Marlins) and LHP TJ Sikkema (38th overall - New York Yankees) became Mizzou’s eighth and ninth all-time first-round selections. Misner became only the Tigers’ second-ever position player to garner first-round accolades, joining C Steve Patchin in 1971. Sikkema became the first Tiger hurler to be selected in the first round since RHP Tanner Houck did so in 2017. In 2018, LHP Michael Plassmeyer was selected in the fourth round (118th overall - Seattle Mariners), marking the third-highest drafted lefty hurler in program history.
Despite a COVID-19 pandemic shortened 2020 season, Bieser and Mizzou still produced a strong campaign with an 11-5 record. The Tigers ended their brief schedule with seven-straight victories, marking the SEC's second-longest winning streak before the season abruptly ended. Mizzou's impressive streak was highlighted by taking two of three at the premier Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic in Houston, Texas. The Tigers closed their road trip at Minute Maid Park with back to back wins over No. 22 Oklahoma and Texas.
In the 2019 campaign, Mizzou produced five series victories in SEC play, including an impressive 4-1 mark at Taylor Stadium. Two of those series triumphs in Mid-Missouri occurred against nationally ranked foes, highlighted by the program's first-ever series win versus LSU. The five SEC series victories were the most by a Mizzou squad since 2015.
The Tigers' high-powered pitching staff was their calling card in 2019, as their 3.24 ERA ranked fifth in the NCAA. Additionally, Mizzou's pitching staff ranked eighth in hits allowed / 9 IP (7.35), 15th in strikeouts / 9 IP (9.90) and 24th in WHIP (1.28). Overall, the Tigers' pitching staff reset the program's single-season record for strikeouts thrown (559) for the third consecutive year. Offensively, the Tigers were recognized by their fantastic team speed up-and-down the lineup. Mizzou finished with 101 stolen bases, setting a new program record. That total placed 23rd in the NCAA and second in the SEC.
Following a three-game SEC series sweep vs. South Carolina (April 26-28, 2019), Bieser earned his 100th career win at the helm of Mizzou. He produced victory No. 100 in his 161st game in Columbia, becoming the second-fastest head coach in program history to reach 100 wins. He trailed only John "Hi" Simmons, who produced win No. 100 in his 139th career game at Mizzou.
In 2018, the Tigers competed against some of the nation's top talent and recorded 14 wins versus top 50 RPI teams, ranking seventh-most in the NCAA. Mizzou tallied a trio of impressive SEC series triumphs, highlighted by taking two of three at Taylor Stadium against eventual College World Series qualifier, Mississippi State (March 23-25). The Tigers also took two of three versus NCAA Tournament qualifiers Auburn (March 30 - April 1) and Vanderbilt (April 19-21).
Bieser's 2017 inaugural campaign inherited a Tiger squad that went 26-30 (9-20 SEC) a season before. Bieser and his staff engineered one of college baseball’s top turnarounds, winning 35-plus games for his fourth consecutive season, guiding Mizzou to a 36-23 campaign, including 14 wins in SEC play. The Tigers put together the school’s second-longest winning streak ever, claiming 20 consecutive games during February and March. Mizzou leaped into the national rankings in all seven of the major media services, peaking at No. 5 in the country at one point.
After winning 36 games in 2017, marking his fourth consecutive season reaching that total, Bieser was one of just 13 Division I coaches to accomplish that feat over that time span, dating back to his time at Southeast Missouri. The 36 wins for Mizzou were its most since winning 39 in 2008 and made Bieser the winningest first-year coach in program history. While the offensive production was a key story during Mizzou’s 20-game win streak early in the year, Bieser’s pitching staff excelled during the second half as the Tigers made a run at an NCAA Regional berth. The Tigers finished with a 3.67 staff ERA, their lowest in a season since 2006 - a staff that featured future big leaguers Max Scherzer and Aaron Crow.
In all, five Mizzou players were drafted following the 2017 season, including first-rounder Tanner Houck, who was taken 24th overall, the highest-drafted Tiger since 2009. Houck was the program’s seventh all-time first-round selection. Bieser also mentored OF Kameron Misner and LHP T.J. Sikkema to Freshman All-America status. Sikkema earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team as well.
Bieser was named Mizzou’s 14th head coach and just the fourth since 1937 on June 30, 2016. Bieser came to Mizzou after an extremely successful career at Southeast Missouri, where he became the only coach ever to win three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference championships and guided the Redhawks to a 2016 NCAA Regional appearance, their first NCAA bid since 2002.
A two-time OVC Coach of the Year, Bieser won 35 or more games in each of his last three seasons at Southeast Missouri, a feat that had been accomplished just once before he took over the program in 2013. Bieser turned in a .587 winning percentage in his time with the Redhawks, marking the best total among any coach in program history.
Bieser turned in a banner year in 2016, as he earned his 100th career victory and opened OVC play with a perfect 12-0 record, the best start in program history. The season culminated in a regular season OVC championship, an OVC Tournament title and the school’s first NCAA Regional since 2002, qualifying for the Starkville Regional at SEC champion Mississippi State.
Prior to serving as Southeast Missouri's head coach beginning in 2013, Bieser was the pitching coach for his alma mater from 2011-12 and he carried his prowess for developing hurlers into his head coaching tenure. His most notable pupil was LHP Joey Lucchesi, who became the only pitcher to ever win OVC Pitcher of the Year in back-to-back seasons. Lucchesi shattered the Southeast Missouri and Ohio Valley single-season strikeout records, while also consistently leading the nation in 2016 in the category. He became the first Southeast pitcher to win 10 games in 13 years. He was on the watch lists for the prestigious Golden Spike Award, as well as the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s National Pitcher of the Year award.
Following the 2016 season, Lucchesi became the highest draft pick ever out of Southeast Missouri when he was selected in the fourth round (114th overall pick) by the San Diego Padres. He was one of two Redhawks drafted in 2016, marking the first time since 2012 that Southeast Missouri had multiple draft picks.
Aside from success on the field, academic success was a hallmark of Bieser’s program at Southeast Missouri. He mentored three Academic All-Americans, 10 Academic All-District picks, one OVC Scholar-Athlete, six OVC Medal of Honor recipients and 48 OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll selections. The Redhawks had at least a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average in all four years under Bieser, grabbing one OVC Team Academic Award along the way.
After a successful playing career at Southeast Missouri, Bieser was drafted in the 32nd round of the 1989 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. He played 13 years as a professional with nine of those years coming at Triple-A or higher. He made his Major League debut on April 1, 1997, with the New York Mets and played 60 career MLB games between the Mets and the Pittsburgh Pirates, compiling a .250 career average and a .351 career on-base percentage. Bieser made his Major League debut as a catcher, but his versatility led him to play a variety of positions over his career. He closed out his professional career with the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate), where he guided the team to a Triple-A World Series in 2000. He played every position on the field during his professional career.
Bieser, a native of Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, went to Southeast Missouri after a very successful tenure as head coach at St. John Vianney High School in Kirkwood, Missouri. In seven seasons leading the Griffins, his team won two state championships in 2004 and 2006, as he compiled a career record of 137-51 (.729).
Bieser and his wife, Diahann, have a son Cole and three daughters, Whitley, Briley and Carley.
Coach Bieser on Becoming the New Leader of Mizzou Baseball...
“I'm truly honored and humbled to have the opportunity to be a part of the University of Missouri community and serve as the head baseball coach. I can’t express enough the gratitude I have for the search committee for having the confidence in me to lead this program. When I started my coaching career, I had always dreamed of the opportunity to lead this program. There is a strong tradition and rich history of Missouri Tiger baseball. I understand the responsibility and I am fully committed and ready to continue building the tradition. As life-long Missourians, my family and I feel truly blessed to be part of the University of Missouri and the Columbia community."
Steve Bieser Coaching File
- 2017-present
- 2013-16
- Head Coach at Southeast Missouri
- 2011-12
- Assistant Coach at Southeast Missouri
- 2004-10
- Head Coach at Vianney High School (St. Louis, Missouri)
Steve Bieser Head Coach Record Year-by-Year
at Mizzou
2022: 28-23 // 10-20 SEC
2021: 15-36 // 8-22 SEC
2020: 11-5 // 0-0 SEC *season cut short due to COVID-19
2019: 34-22-1 // 13-16-1 SEC
2018: 34-22 // 12-18 SEC
2017: 36-23 // 14-16 SEC
TOTALS: 158-131-1 (.546) // 57-92-1 SEC (.383)
at Southeast Missouri
2016: 39-21 // 22-8 OVC // NCAA Regional
2015: 36-23 // 22-8 OVC
2014: 37-20 // 23-7 OVC
2013: 26-33 // 13-17 OVC
TOTALS: 138-97 (.587) // 80-40 OVC (.667)
All-Time Record (10 Years)
TOTALS: 296-228-1 (.564) // 137-132-1 (.509)
Steve Bieser Playing File
- Played 13 seasons of professional baseball with nine being at Triple-A or higher
- 1998: Pittsburgh Pirates
- 1997: MLB debut with New York Mets
- 1989: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies (32nd Round)
- 1988-89: Played at Southeast Missouri
National Reaction to Coach Bieser Joining Mizzou...
"Steve is an outstanding baseball man and a complete gentleman. I have always admired the way that his teams have competed on the field in a fundamental and sound way. Just the way he goes about teaching the game while representing his school and program is first-class. I am confident that he is going to represent Missouri in a positive fashion. Missouri should be extremely happy that he is the head coach."
– Dave Jarvis, Head Coach, Belmont
"Personally I am excited for Steve and his family for the opportunity that he will have at Missouri. I want to congratulate Mack Rhoades and the Mizzou administration on hiring a great baseball coach. Steve is a man of high character and integrity and has a keen eye for evaluation of talent. His first priority is developing young men, not just in baseball but in life. Mizzou baseball is in good hands under his leadership and I look forward to seeing Mizzou flourish under the leadership of Coach Bieser."
– Mark Alnutt, Deputy Director of Athletics, Memphis
"Steve is a very deserving person and I believe to be a tremendous fit for the University of Missouri. He built a championship program at SEMO by creating consistent standards and behaviors with his student-athletes. Most of all, he models those same behaviors with how he leads. His ability to build program momentum will certainly be seen in a short amount of time. I am happy for him personally."
- Tim Corbin, Head Coach, Vanderbilt
