Three Missouri Tigers to watch against the Gators

The Florida Gators are coming off a huge walk off win against the Florida State Seminoles. While the Gators enjoyed that win, they’ll need to turn the page quickly as they will host the Missouri Tigers for a three-game weekend series.

The Missouri Tigers come into Gainesville with an 11-20 (4-8 SEC) record. Missouri is currently riding a three-game losing streak with two losses to South Carolina and one to Missouri State on Tuesday.

The Tigers are having a really tough season as they ranked last in the SEC in team batting average and ERA. The Tigers also rank last in the SEC East but there’s still some talent on their roster. Here are three Missouri Tigers to watch against the Gators.

Fifth-year senior Andrew Keefer has been a huge addition for the Tigers as he’s leading the Missouri offense. Before arriving at Missouri, Keefer played two years at Weatherford College before transferring to TCU. After one season with the Horned Frogs, Keefer made his way to UT-Arlington and graduated before enrolling at Missouri.

During the 2021 season, Keefer is slashing .297/.397/.416 with 30 hits, seven doubles, one home run, 11 RBIs, 17 walks, and a .819 OPS. Keefer also has four stolen bases and a .949 fielding percentage.

Keefer usually hits in the middle of Missouri’s lineup so the Florida pitching staff will see a lot of him. During his time with the Tigers, Keefer has played in 30 games and has started in 29. He’ll be one of the focal points for Missouri’s offense.

Coming out of high school, Seth Halvorsen was considered one of the top high school players in the Class of 2018. He was the top-ranked prep player in Minnesota and was a Perfect Game All-American. Halvorsen was even drafted by his hometown team, the Minnesota Twins, in the 30th round of the 2018 MLB Draft.

While Halvorsen was a highly touted prospect, he has struggled to live up to the hype at Missouri. He’s currently the Friday pitcher for the Tigers but he wasn’t pitched like a Friday night guy. In eight starts, Halvorsen has a 3-1 record with a 6.27 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, and .257 opponent batting average.

The production on the field hasn’t been great for the former Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year but he has some quality pitches. His fastball sits 93-96 mph and tops out at 98. Halvorsen also has a sharp curveball that sits in the mid-70s and touches 78 mph.

Another transfer that has had a big impact on Missouri’s offense is first baseman Torin Montgomery. Before enrolling at Missouri, Montgomery was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 35th round of the 2019 MLB Draft and was an everyday player at Boise State as a true freshman.

Since his arrival at Missouri, Montgomery has played a large role in the Tigers' offense. Montgomery is currently slashing .275/.370.475 with 22 hits, four doubles, a team-high four home runs, and a .845 OPS.

The second-year freshman hits in the top of Missouri’s lineup and will get plenty of at bats against the Gators pitching staff. One interesting note on Montgomery is that he’s 6’3” 225 pounds and has power to all fields.