Here are five Mizzou alumni to watch for as 2021 Major League Baseball season begins

Eric Blum
Columbia Daily Tribune

The start of the 2021 Major League Baseball season is Thursday with all 30 teams playing their first games of the season.

On Opening Day, there's three interleague games and 10 divisional games with Cardinals-Reds and Royals-Rangers on tap.

Here are five former Missouri baseball players to watch in the pros this year:

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws during a spring training game against the New York Mets on March 21 at FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Position: Pitcher

Years at Missouri: 2004-06

MLB debut: 2008

Bio: By far the most well-known current major league Missouri alum, Scherzer is a three-time Cy Young Award winner and seven-time All-Star. He'll be the Opening Day starter for the Nationals, having won the World Series with them in 2019. The Chesterfield native could reach the 3,000-career strikeout mark (currently at 2,874) this season, which would make him a near-lock for Cooperstown.

Kyle Gibson, Texas Rangers

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Kyle Gibson throws to the Houston Astros during a game Sept. 26 in Arlington, Texas.

Position: Pitcher

Years at Missouri: 2007-2008

MLB debut: 2013

Bio: Gibson's long transition from Columbia to an MLB roster took five years because of Tommy John surgery in 2011, but he has consistently been in the big leagues for the past eight seasons. Gibson begins his second season with Texas after spending the prior seven years with the Twins. Gibson is the Rangers' Opening Day starter. 

Peter Fairbanks, Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Peter Fairbanks (29) works against the Minnesota Twins during a spring training game March 24 in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Position: Pitcher

Years at Missouri: 2013-15

MLB debut: 2019

Bio: Fairbanks made his MLB debut with the Rangers and caught the attention of the Rays less than a month later, when Tampa Bay started negotiating with Texas to acquire the right-hander. The Rays did so in July 2019, and Fairbanks reemerged in the majors in 2020, playing in 27 games. The St. Louis native is best known for recording a four-out save to secure the American League pennant for the Rays last year.

Tanner Houck, Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck (89) throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves during a spring training game Monday at CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla.

Position: Pitcher

Years at Missouri: 2015-17

MLB debut: 2020

Bio: Houck won three games at the end of the 2020 season for the Red Sox and is starting the 2021 season in the big leagues. He will make a start from the mound on Saturday. It's unclear whether he'll stay with Boston long-term or whether he'll be optioned back to the minor leagues shortly after.

Jayce Tingler, San Diego Padres

San Diego Padres manager Jayce Tingler watches workouts during spring training Feb. 23 in Peoria, Ariz.

Position: Manager

Years at Missouri: 2000-03

MLB managerial debut: 2020

Bio: Tingler never made it to the major leagues as a player, but spent five seasons on the Rangers' big-league staff, including three as an assistant manager, before being hired as the Padres manager. Last year, he led San Diego to the playoffs before it fell in the National League Division Series to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers. Tingler helped the Padres snap a 10-year streak of losing records and a 15-year playoff drought last season.

Contact Eric Blum at eblum@columbiatribune.com. Follow @ByEricBlum on Twitter.

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