It’s MLB Playoff time, so we compiled a list of former college players who are on the active rosters of the eight teams still active in October. Most are from Division One schools, but a few, like Atlanta’s Brandon Beachy who went to Indiana Wesleyan are from NAIA schools or junior colleges.
San Francisco's Buster Posey helped Florida State reach the 2008 College World Series.
Joba Chamberlain and Brian Duensing could both pitch in the same game in the first round of the playoffs for the Yankees and Twins, respectively, but they were once teammates on Nebraska’s 2005 College World Series team. Meanwhile, Buster Posey (Florida State/SF Giants) is a top NL Rookie of the Year candidate and David Price (Vanderbilt/Tampa Bay Rays) is an AL Cy Young contender.
The Cincinnati Reds lead the way with 19 former college players on their roster. San Francisco, Texas, Tampa Bay, New York, and Texas all have 18, while Philadelphia and Atlanta each have 16 former college boys.
It’s probably no surprise that Arizona State, Florida State and Miami (FL) share the lead with four players each on rosters, but it’s probably a bit of a shock that Kent State shares the lead with them.
USC, Nebraska, Alabama, Rice, Baylor, Oklahoma, LSU, Texas, and UCLA each have three players each on active rosters heading into the postseason (don’t forget, a player may not be on the “active” roster for a first round series, but could still be swapped for an LCS).
MINNESOTA TWINS (18)
Brian Duensing in his Nebraska days.
Scott Baker- P – Oklahoma State
Nick Blackburn – P – Seminole State JC
Jesse Crain – P – Houston
Brian Duensing – P – Nebraska
Randy Flores – P – USC
Brian Fuentes – P – Merced JC
Matt Guerrier – P – Kent State
Jeff Manship – P – Notre Dame
Pat Neshek – P – Butler
Glen Perkins – P – Minnesota
Jon Rauch – P – Moorehead State
Kevin Slowey – P – Winthrop
Drew Butera – C – Central Florida
Orlando Hudson – SS – Spartanburg Methodist
Nick Punto – 3B – Saddleback, CC
Matt Tolbert – 2B – Ole Miss
Danny Valencia – 3B – Miami
Jim Thome – DH – Illinois Central
NEW YORK YANKEES (18)
Jonathon Albaladejo – P – Miami Dade North CC
Andrew Brackman – P – North Carolina State
Joba Chamberlain – P – Nebraska
Yankee OF Brett Gardner at the College of Charleston.
Boone Logan – P – Temple, TX
Sergio Mitre – San Diego City, CC
Andy Pettitte- P – San Jacinto North CC
Royce Ring – P – San Diego State
David Robertson – P – Alabama
Chad Moeller – C – USC
Jorge Posada – C – Calhoun, AL CC
Lance Berkman – 1B – Rice
Mark Teixira – 1B – Georgia Tech
Colin Curtis – OF – Arizona State
Brett Gardner – OF – College of Charleston
Curtis Granderson – OF – UIC
Kevin Russo – OF – Baylor
Nick Swisher – OF – Ohio State
Marcus Thames – OF – East Central, MS JC
TAMPA BAY RAYS (18)
Randy Choate – P – Florida State
Tampa Bay ace David Price
Lance Cormier – P – Alabama
Mike Ekstrom – P – Point Loma Nazarene
Matt Garza – P – Fresno State
Jeff Niemann – P – Rice
David Price – P – Vanderbilt
Chad Qualls – P – Nevada-Reno
Andy Sonnanstine – P – Kent State
Dan Wheeler – P – Central Arizona
John Jaso – C – Southwestern, CA JC
Kelly Shoppach – C – Baylor
Jason Bartlett – 2B – Oklahoma
Dan Johnson – 1B – Nebraska
Evan Longoria – 3B – Long Beach State
Carlos Pena – 1B – Northeastern
Brad Hawpe – OF – LSU
Ben Zobrist – OF – Dallas Baptist
Matt Joyce – DH – Florida Southern
TEXAS RANGERS (18)
Scott Feldman – P – San Mateo, CA JC
A fresh face Cliff Lee at Arkansas
Derek Holland – P – Wallace State, AL CC
Tommy Hunter – P – Alabama
Cliff Lee – P – Arkansas
Colby Lewis – P – Bakersfield, CA JC
Mark Lowe – P – UT Arlington
Dustin Nippert – P – West Virginia
Darren O’Day – P – Florida
Clay Rapada – P – Virginia State
C.J. Wilson – P – Loyola Marymount
Bengie Molina – C – Western Arizona CC
Taylor Teagarden – C – Texas
Chris Davis – 1B – Navarro, TX JC
Ian Kinsler – 2B – Missouri
Michael Young – 3B – UC Santa Barbara
Julio Borbon – OF – Tennessee
Mitch Moorehead – OF – Mississippi State
David Murphy – OF – Baylor
ATLANTA BRAVES (16)
Brandon Beachy – P – Indiana Wesleyan
Braves rookie Mike Minor beat eventual national champion LSU in the first round of the 2009 SEC Tournament.
Michael Dunn – P- Southern Nevada CC
Kyle Farnsworth – P – Abraham Baldwin
Tommy Hanson – P – Riverside, CA CC
Tim Hudson – P – Auburn
Kenshiin Kawakami – P – Meiji, Tokyo
Craig Kimbrel – P – Wallace State, AL
Mike Minor – P – Vanderbilt
Scott Proctor – P – Florida State
Takashi Saito – P – Tohoku Fukushi
Jonny Venters – P – Indian River, FL CC
David Ross – C – Florida
Brooks Conrad – 3B – Arizona State
Troy Glaus – 1B – UCLA
Matt Diaz – OF – Florida State
Eric Hinskie – OF – Arkansas
CINCINNATI REDS (19)
Bill Bray – P – William & Mary
Jared Burton – P – Western Carolina
Reds rookie Mike Leake helped lead Arizona St. to the 2009 CWS.
Carlos Fisher – P – Lewis-Clark State
Aaron Harang – P – San Diego State
Sam LeCure – P – Texas
Mike Leake – P – Arizona State
Matt Maloney – P – Ole Miss
Nick Masset – P – St. Petersburg, FL JC
Logan Odrunsek – P – McLennan, TX JC
Jordan Smith – P – CC of Southern Nevada
Ryan Hanigan – C – Rollins (FL)
Corky Miller – C – Nevada-Reno
Yonder Alonso – 1B – Miami
Paul Janish – SS – Rice
Chris Valaika – 2B – UC Santa Barbara
Willie Bloomquist – OF – Arizona State
Jonny Gomes – OF – Santa Rosa, CA CC
Chris Heisey – OF – Messiah, Pa
Drew Stubbs – OF – Texas
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (16)
Joe Blanton – P – Kentucky
David Herndon – P – Gulf Coast, FL CC
Phillies closer Brad Lidge was the 1998 Big East Pitcher of the Year at Notre Dame.
Brad Lidge – P – Notre Dame
Roy Oswalt – P – Holmes, MS CC
J.C. Romero – P – Mobile
Vance Worley – P – Long Beach State
Mike Zagurski – P – Kansas
Paul Hoover – C – Kent State
Brian Bocock – SS – Stetson
Greg Dobbs – 3B – Oklahoma
Ryan Howard – 1B – Missouri State
Placido Polanco – 2B – Miami-Dade Wolfson, FL CC
Chase Utley – 2B – UCLA
Ben Francisco – OF – UCLA
Ross Gload – OF – South Florida
John Mayberry – OF – Stanford
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (18)
Tim Lincecum – P – Washington
Javier Lopez – P – Virginia
Future Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum in his Washington days
Chris Ray – P – William & Mary
Sergio Romo – P – Mesa State
Dan Runzler – P – UC Riverside
Jonathon Sanchez – P – Ohio Dominican
Brian Wilson – P – LSU
Barry Zito – P – USC
Buster Posey –C – Florida State
Emmanuel Burriss – 2B – Kent State
Mike Fontenot – 2B – LSU
Aubrey Huff – 1B – Miami
Ryan Rohlinger – 3B – Oklahoma
Freddy Sanchez – 2B – Oklahoma City CC
Pat Burrell – OF – Miami
Aaron Rowand – OF – Cal State Fullerton
Nate Schierholtz – OF – Chabot, CA CC
Andres Torrez- OF – Miami-Dade North, FL CC