Jackson Lovich headlines this year’s squad – but who starts at first?
Welcome to the Mizzou Baseball Roster Preview series. In this series we’ll walk you through what happened last year at these positions, this year’s expected major contributors and depth, and our projections for this season.
Previously in this series:
- Starting Pitchers
- Relief Pitchers
- Catchers
2024 in Review
The Tigers lost two stalwarts at the corner heading into last season. Luke Mann and Hank Zeisler both saw action in 54 games during the 2023 campaign, powering the team’s offense with a combined 36 home runs. Their efforts saw them both move to the pros after the season, Mann getting drafted in the 14th round by the Athletics (he reached High A last season) and Zeisler signing with the Frontier League’s Florence Y’alls.
Trevor Austin helped fill the gap at third and in the lineup, sliding over from second base to make 28 starts at the hot corner, and hit 13 home runs with an OPS over 1.000. Danny Corona, a Wake Forest transfer, had a disappointing season where his OPS dropped over 200 points from 2023 to 2024 but saw action at the corners in a combined 28 games. Brock Daniels also played 13 games at first base during his breakout season, though he saw more action in the outfield.
But Jackson Lovich was the main man at first for Mizzou last year, playing 23 games at the position and establishing himself as an SEC-caliber starter in his sophomore season. He’ll slide into that key role at third base this season established by Mann and Austin, who signed with the Astros after graduating and had a promising start to his pro career in Low A.
Corona is no longer with the team despite having one more year of eligibility, and his next destination has not been announced. The team brought in Danny Ramirez from Seminole State College, but the former JUCO standout is also off the spring roster after playing during fall ball.
The graduations and departures leave the Tigers with two clear starters at the corner infield spots this season, both returners expected to lead the offense.
The Incumbent
Jackson Lovich, 3B/1B – Lovich made a huge leap from his freshman year to his sophomore season in 2024, hitting .287 with a .918 OPS and 10 home runs with 35 RBI. He played 46 games for the Tigers, 23 of them at first base.
But the Overland Park native moved across the diamond to third base during Mizzou’s Fall World Series, where he looked capable of handling the hot corner on a regular basis in 2025. Lovich also stood out as the team’s best hitter during fall ball and will see his role expanded further this season, receiving the baton from Trevor Austin as the leader of the lineup.
Just like Austin, Lovich has pro-level talent – he was drafted in the 19th round out of high school by the Mets, but chose to play for Mizzou instead. If Lovich has similar success to Austin’s 2024 season, he may hear his name called again in the MLB Draft just a few months from now.
The Favorite
Brock Daniels, 1B/OF – With the apparent departures of Corona and Ramirez, Daniels looks like the clear starter at first base this season after splitting time between the position and left field in his 29 starts. He had a breakout season with Mizzou in 2024 after a solid stint the previous summer in the Northwood League (historically a strong indicator for next season’s performance), hitting .296 with an .808 OPS, 28 RBI, and 11 stolen bases.
The 6-1, 195 junior led last year’s squad with a .423 average with runners in scoring position, so expect him to be a regular middle of the lineup bat for the Tigers. Daniels and Lovich should form a rock-solid corner infield duo.
The Wild Card
Keegan Knutson, 3B – Knutson returns closer to his native Wisconsin after earning all-region honors at San Jacinto Community College in Texas last season. He hit .351 with an .878 OPS, 32 RBI and more walks than strikeouts last year for the Ravens while swiping 13 bases. Knutson’s main contributions this year will likely come at the plate, though, after committing 11 errors in 2024 and with Jackson Lovich the clear starter at third base.
The helping hand could definitely add depth at the plate. In just a few games of Fall Ball, Knutson displayed great plate discipline and a powerful swing.
The Young Guns
Chris Patterson, 3B – Patterson may just be the third baseman of the future for the Tigers, signing with the team after leading Prestonwood Academy to a state semifinal appearance in his senior year. He was the 47th-ranked third baseman in his class and 54th overall recruit in the state of Texas, per Perfect Game, and has competed in several major events on the prospect circuit.
Brady Picarelli, 1B/OF – Picarelli was the top outfielder in the state of Missouri during this class, according to Prep Baseball Report, and slugged .797 at Eureka High School – power he displayed through multiple extra base hits during Mizzou’s Fall World Series. He’s gotten an early start to his collegiate career, hitting .207 with a .637 OPS this summer for the Appalachian League’s Elizabethton River Riders. While Picarelli’s main contributions during his Tigers career will likely come in right field, the freshman manned first base during the Fall World Series and will likely back up Brock Daniels this season.
Outlook
After several years of consistent change at the corner infield positions, the Tigers might have finally found themselves some stability. Lovich and Daniels are the two best returning hitters on the team and will need to again play leading roles this season, similar to the 2023 team anchored by Mann and Zeisler.
Both have at least one more season remaining, so Mizzou fans will likely become familiar with this duo over the next two years (barring a transfer or early departure to the draft). Meanwhile, two freshmen and a JUCO signee add depth and long term security to the corners. This position group is arguably the Tigers’ strongest entering 2025, and great seasons by Lovich and Daniels could have a major impact on the team’s overall performance.