Pair of Mizzou baseball standouts enter transfer portal

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two key members of Mizzou baseball's roster opted to throw their names into the transfer portal, on Monday, a team spokesperson confirmed with ABC 17.

Freshman infielder Blaize Ward and junior outfielder Kaden Peer will both look for new homes, following a 6-24 run in Southeastern Conference through the 2026 campaign. The duo's entry into the portal is a massive blow for head coach Kerrick Jackson and his staff, as Ward and Peer finished the year second and fourth in batting average, respectively, with 120 combined total bases.

Ward, a native of Maumelle, Ark., spent one season in Columbia and quickly became a fan favorite. Through the course of his entire freshman season, the infielder hit .269 with four home runs and 33 RBI, which ranked second on the team. However, he only got more impressive in SEC play, where he posted a .323 batting average, a .411 on base percentage and a .427 percentage to compliment just four errors in the infield.

The true freshman's play even turned heads at the national level, as he earned a pair of SEC Freshman of the Week honors in his debut season.

Ward came to Columbia following a standout prep career in Arkansas, where he was a four-time 5A Central All-Conference selection and a three-time all-state and team MVP honoree.

Meanwhile, Peer will be leaving behind the black and gold after three seasons with Coach Jackson and company. In his junior campaign, the Chesterfield, Mo. native hit .266 with two home runs and 14 RBI on the season. He, perhaps, became most known for his spectacular play in centerfield, where he finished the season with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.

Ward and Peer join six other Tigers, who have already hit the transfer portal this offseason. You can find a full list of those players that are going portaling, below.

• Infielder Chris Patterson
• Right-handed pitcher Keagen Kohlhoff
• Right-handed pitcher Kadin Muckley
• Right-handed pitcher PJ Green
• Infielder Gehrig Goldbeck
• Right-handed pitcher Keyler Gonzalez
• Infielder Blaize Ward
• Outfielder Kaden Peer