Roughly six weeks after college baseball players dominated the selections in the 2014 Major League Draft – 71.8% of the total draft selections were college players (872, with 742 from 4-yr. schools/i.e. non-JC), compared to only 28.2% draftees who were high-schoolers – there is a similar breakdown among the 2014 Major League All-Star selections. Of the 81 total players who were selected for the 2014 All-Star Game (including 12 who are replacement players), nearly twice as many (33) played college baseball compared to those who went straight to MLB from high school (19). The rest of the 2014 All-Star contingent includes 29 foreign players, also fewer than the number of college baseball alums among the 2014 All-Star players.
Former Long Beach State standout Troy Tulowitzki is one of four former college baseball starters among the National League starters for the 2014 MLB All-Star Game.
Most of the college baseball alums among the 2014 All-Stars are former Division I players (28 of 33), plus one former Division III player, an NAIA baseball alum and three who entered pro ball directly from junior college.
A toss around the National League starting infield will touch the gloves of four different college baseball alums – Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt (Texas State), Phillies 2B Chase Utley (UCLA), Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki (Long Beach State) and Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (Louisiana-Lafayette). The American League starters include two former college baseball players: A’s 3B Josh Donaldson (Auburn) and Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista (Chipola JC).
Former Louisiana-Lafayette player Jonathan Lucroy now stars for the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Courtesy of CollegeBaseball360.com, here’s an assortment of notes about the 2014 All-Star Game within the context of college baseball …
• Breaking Down The 2014 All-Star Selections
(81 total, includes 12 replacement players)
33 – former college baseball players (all listed below, scroll down)
29 – foreign-based players
19 – players who went straight to pro ball from high school
(note: when excluding the replacement players, the breakdown is 29 college, 22 foreign & 18 high school)
Former Nebraska standout third baseman Alex Gordon – now playing left field for the Kansas City Royals – is among several 2014 All-Star selections unable to play in the game due to injury.
• Comparing the Leagues …
National League
19 – former college baseball players (all listed below, scroll down)
12 – foreign-based players
10 – players who went straight to pro ball from high school
(note: Jeff Samardzija included above, traded from Cubs to A’s and thus not eligible to play in game)
American League
17 – foreign-based players
14 – former college baseball players (all listed below, scroll down)
9 – players who went straight to pro ball from high school
Diamondbacks big bopper Paul Goldschmidt honed his craft as a college baseball player at Texas State (previously known as Southwest Texas State).
• College Baseball Alums who are 2014 All-Star Starters:
NL catcher Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee Brewers) – Louisiana-Lafayette
NL 1B Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona Diamondbacks) – Texas State
NL 2B Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies) – UCLA
NL SS Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies) – Long Beach State
AL 3B Josh Donaldson (Oakland A’s) – Auburn
AL RF Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays) – Chipola (FL) JC
(the 20 All-Star starters also included seven foreign-based players and six who entered pro ball straight from high school)
American League starting third baseman Josh Donaldson (A’s) joins Tim Hudson as former Auburn players who were named to the 2014 All-Star rosters.
• College Baseball Programs represented in the 2014 All-Star Game:
(24 DI programs; four with two each)
2 – Auburn (John Donaldson and Tim Hudson)
2 – Georgia Tech (Matt Wieters and Charlie Blackmon)
2 – Missouri (Max Scherzer and Ian Kinsler)
2 – Nebraska (Alex Gordon and Tony Watson)
1 – Butler, California, Cal State Fullerton, Cincinnati, Florida Gulf Coast, Jacksonville, Long Beach State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Minnesota, North Carolina, Notre Dame, Rutgers, Texas, Texas-Arlington, TCU, Texas State, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Western Carolina
– also one each from: D3 Wisconsin-Stevens Point, D3 Southeastern (FL) Univ., Chipola (FL) JC, Jefferson (MO) JC, and Wallace State (AL) JC
White Sox ace Chris Sale (Florida Gulf Coast) is one of several 2014 All-Star lefthanded pitchers who entered pro ball from the college ranks.
• College Baseball Alums 2014 MLB All-Stars by position:
9 righthanded pitchers (of 23)
6 lefthanded pitchers (of 11)
3 catchers (of 8)
1 first baseman (of 7)
4 second baseman (of 6)
1 shortstop (of 5)
4 third basemen (of 6)
1 leftfielder (of 3)
4 rightfielders (of 6)
… all four centerfielders are non-college baseball alums (as are both DHs)
(positions based on mlb.com bio listings)
Former Notre Dame two-sport standout Jeff Samardzija recently changed leagues, after being traded from the Cubs to the A’s, and thus is not eligible to play in the 2014 All-Star Game despite being selected to the team (photo by CB360’s Pete LaFleur).
• Lots-o-Lefties – Six of the 11 lefthanded pitchers named to the 2014 All-Star Game are former college baseball players, with that group including David Price (Vanderbilt), Chris Sale (Florida Gulf Coast), Sean Doolittle (Virginia), Tony Watson (Nebraska), Glen Perkins (Minnesota) and Mark Buehrle (Jefferson, MO, JC)
• Breakdown by Major League Team – the 33 college baseball alums among the 2014 All-Star contingent come from 23 different Major League teams (counting Jeff Samardzija for both the Cubs and A’s) … there are three Oakland A’s all-stars who played college baseball, plus two each from nine other teams:
3 – Oakland A’s
2 – San Francisco Giants
2 – St. Louis Cardinals
2 – San Diego Padres
2 – Kansas City Royals
2 – Detroit Tigers
2 – Pittsburgh Pirates
2 – Toronto Blue Jays
2 – Minnesota Twins
2 – Colorado Rockies
Pat Neshek – who played his college ball at Butler University in Indianapolis – is one of several former Midwestern college players among the 2014 MLB All-Stars.
• Cold-Weather Products – One-third of the college baseball alums (11 of 33) among the 2014 All-Stars are products of programs from the Midwest or Northeast, including two each from Missouri and Nebraska, plus one each from: Butler, Cincinnati, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Rutgers (also Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Jefferson, MO, JC), covering seven states (Indiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio and Wisconsin)
– Missouri: Max Scherzer (Detroit Tigers) and Ian Kinsler (Detroit Tigers)
– Nebraska: Alex Gordon (Kansas City Royals) and Tony Watson (Pittsburgh Pirates)
– Butler: Pat Newshek (St. Louis Cardinals)
– Cincinnati: Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh Pirates)
– Minnesota: Glen Perkins (Minnesota Twins)
– Notre Dame: Jeff Samardzija (Chicago Cubs/Oakland A’s)
– Rutgers: Todd Frazier (Cincinnati Reds)
– Wisconsin-Stevens Point (D3) – Jordan Zimmerman (Washington Nationals)
– Jefferson (MO) JC: Mark Buehrle (Toronto Blue Jays)
A few weeks after cheering from afar as his alma mater Vanderbilt won the College World Series, Tampa Bay ace David Price was named to the 2014 All-Star Game (he will not pitch in the game, due to pitching on Sunday for the Rays),
• CWS Teams Representing – Half of the 2014 College World Series teams have former players among the 2014 All-Stars, including NCAA champion Vanderbilt and runner-up Virginia:
– Vanderbilt: LHP David Price (Tampa Bay Rays)
– Virginia: LHP Sean Doolittle (Oakland A’s)
– Texas: RHP Huston Street (San Diego Padres)
– TCU: 3B Matt Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals)
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• College Baseball Alums among 2014 All-Star Selections
(33 of 81, only 19 are straight-from HS players, plus 29 foreign players … the 81 include 12 replacement players)
courtesy of Pete LaFleur, CollegeBaseball360.com – please credit accordingly
Former University of Texas pitcher Huston Street (now with the San Diego Padres)
RIGHTHANDED PITCHERS (9, of 23)
National League
Tim Hudson (San Francisco Giants) – Auburn *replacement selection*
Craig Kimbrel (Atlanta Braves) – Wallace State (AL) JC
Pat Newshek (St. Louis Cardinals) – Butler
Tyson Ross (San Diego Padres) – California
Jeff Samardzija (Chicago Cubs/Oakland A’s) – Notre Dame
Huston Street (San Diego Padres) – Texas *replacement selection*
Jordan Zimmerman(Washington Nationals) – Wisconsin-Stevens Point (D3)
Division III product Jordan Zimmeran (Wisconsin-Stevens Point/Washington Nationals) was named to the 2014 All-Star Game but will not pitch due to injury.
American League
Greg Holland (Kansas City Rotals) – Western Carolina
Max Scherzer (Detroit Tigers) – Missouri
LEFTHANDED PITCHERS (6, of 11)
National League
Tony Watson (Pittsburgh Pirates) – Nebraska
Max Scherzer (Missouri) – Detroit Tigers
American League
Mark Buehrle (Toronto Blue Jays) – Jefferson (MO) JC
Sean Doolittle (Oakland A’s) – Virginia
Glen Perkins (Minnesota Twins) – Minnesota
David Price (Tampa Bay Rays) – Vanderbilt
Chris Sale (Chicago White Sox) – Florida Gulf Coast
Former Virginia pitcher Sean Doolittle (minus his current Oakland A’s facial hair).
CATCHERS (3, of 8)
National League
Jonathan Lucroy (Milwaukee Brewers) – Louisiana-Lafayette *starter*
American League
Kurt Suzuki (Minnesota Twins) – Cal State Fullerton
Matt Wieters (Baltimore Orioles) – Georgia Tech
Matt Wieters (Georgia Tech/Baltimore Orioles) is another All-Star who will not play due to injury.
FIRST BASEMEN (1, of 7)
National League
Paul Goldschmidt (Arizona Diamondbacks) – Texas State *starter*
American League
none
Chase Utley was a star player at UCLA before emerging as a standout with the Phillies over the past decade.
SECOND BASEMEN (4, of 6)
National League
Chase Utley (Philadelphia Phillies) – UCLA *starter*
Dee Gordon (Los Angeles Dodgers) – Southeastern (FL) Univ. (NAIA)
Daniel Murphy (New York Mets) – Jacksonville
American League
Ian Kinsler (Detroit Tigers) – Missouri *replacement selection*
SHORTSTOPS (1, of 5)
National League
Troy Tulowitzki (Colorado Rockies) – Long Beach State *starter*
American League
none
Matt Carpenter (TCU/St. Louis Cardinals)
THIRD BASEMEN (4, of 6)
National League
Matt Carpenter (St. Louis Cardinals) – TCU
Todd Frazier (Cincinnati Reds) – Rutgers
Todd Frazier (Rutgers/Cincinnati Reds)
American League
Josh Donaldson (Oakland A’s) – Auburn *starter*
Kyle Seager (Seattle Mariners) – North Carolina *replacement selection*
LEFT FIELDERS (1, of 3)
National League
none
American League
Alex Gordon (Kansas City Royals) – Nebraska
CENTER FIELDERS (0, of 4)
National League
none
American League
none
Hunter Pence (Texas-Arlington/San Francisco Giants)
RIGHT FIELDERS (4, of 6)
National League
Charlie Blackmon (Colorado Rockies) – Georgia Tech
Josh Harrison (Pittsburgh Pirates) – Cincinnati
Hunter Pence (San Francisco Giants) – Texas-Arlington
American League
Jose Bautista (Toronto Blue Jays) – Chipola (FL) JC *starter*
Kurt Suzuki (Cal State Fullerton/Minnesota Twins)
DESIGNATED HITTERS (0, of 2)
National League
none
American League
none
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Glen Perkins (Univ. of Minnesota/Minnesota Twins)
- Tyson Ross (Cal/San Diego Padres)
