Long Beach State University Athletics
Longoria Gets the Call to the Big Leagues
4/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 11, 2008
TAMPA BAY--Former Long Beach State first round pick and Tampa Bay prospect Evan Longoria was called up to the Major League club, giving the baseball program 30 Big Leaguers overall and nine in the Majors this season.
Longoria, the 2006 Big West Player of the Year and the third overall pick that June, spent just a year and a half in the minor leagues, batting .304 over his first two seasons in the Rays system. He hit 29 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last season, batting .299 with 95 RBIs. He started the 2008 season in Triple-A Durham before being called up.
Longoria is projected by some publications as the No. 1 prospect in Major League Baseball and continues a recent trend of successful infielders at The Beach, starting with American League Rookie of the Year Bobby Crosby in 2004, and continuing with Rockies rookie sensation from a year ago, Troy Tulowitzki.
Other Dirtbags in the Majors include: Steve Trachsel (Orioles), Chris Gomez (Pirates), Jason Giambi (Yankees), Crosby (A's), Paul McAnulty (Padres), Tulowitzki (Rockies), Carlos Muniz (Mets) and Jered Weaver (Angels).
