Long Beach State University Athletics
Ten Dirtbags Appear on MLB Opening Day Rosters
3/28/2019 8:18:00 AM | Baseball
With the 2019 Major League Baseball season opening in full on Thursday, there are 10 former Dirtbags included on Opening Day rosters across the big leagues. LBSU had 13 players appear in an MLB game last season to again rank among the leaders across college baseball.
LONG BEACH, Calif. – As Major League Baseball begins its 2019 season with a full slate of games on Thursday, Long Beach State will be represented by 10 former players across the big leagues. There's a mix of Dirtbags like Garrett Hampson and Jeff McNeil who are on their first Opening Day rosters, veterans like Jason Vargas and Evan Longoria, and a few guys debuting for new clubs, including Troy Tulowitzki and Nick Vincent.
Tulowitzki will be the Opening Day shortstop for the New York Yankees—no insignificant achievement in its own right—which will mark his first appearance on a big league diamond since July 28, 2017 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. He has battled his way back from injury and after a successful workout back on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, signed a free agent contract with the Yankees prior to the season.
Vargas is beginning his 14th MLB season this year and the second as a member of the New York Mets starting rotation. Third baseman Evan Longoria is also in year two with a new ball club, and will start his 12th big league campaign manning the hot corner for the San Francisco Giants. He will be joined in San Francisco by reliever Nick Vincent, who is new to the team after pitching for Seattle the past three seasons.
Speaking of Bay Area debutants, Marco Estrada has already made a start for his new team, pitching in the second game of the big league season for the Oakland A's in Tokyo. Estrada had spent the past four seasons in Toronto, but has slotted over near the top of the starting rotation for the A's.
Relievers Bryan Shaw (Colorado), Jared Hughes (Cincinnati) and Shane Carle (Atlanta) each begin their second seasons with their respective ballclubs today, and all figure to be key contributors late in games.
That leaves a younger crop of infielders, led by Matt Duffy in Tampa Bay, where he will be the starting third baseman in his third season with the Rays. After making their MLB debuts in 2018, Jeff McNeil and Garrett Hampson will open the 2019 season on big league rosters. McNeil is starting at third base and batting sixth for the New York Mets, while Hampson projects be a valuable utility plater for the Colorado Rockies and earned a roster spot by hitting .279 this spring with four home runs and seven stolen bases.
Tulowitzki and McNeil are starting in the first wave of games on Thursday, which each start at 10 a.m. PT with coverage provided by ESPN. Also, be sure to check out the updated Dirtbags in the Pros page to track all the former Dirtbags playing in the minors and the big leagues this season.
Tulowitzki will be the Opening Day shortstop for the New York Yankees—no insignificant achievement in its own right—which will mark his first appearance on a big league diamond since July 28, 2017 as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. He has battled his way back from injury and after a successful workout back on Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, signed a free agent contract with the Yankees prior to the season.
Vargas is beginning his 14th MLB season this year and the second as a member of the New York Mets starting rotation. Third baseman Evan Longoria is also in year two with a new ball club, and will start his 12th big league campaign manning the hot corner for the San Francisco Giants. He will be joined in San Francisco by reliever Nick Vincent, who is new to the team after pitching for Seattle the past three seasons.
Speaking of Bay Area debutants, Marco Estrada has already made a start for his new team, pitching in the second game of the big league season for the Oakland A's in Tokyo. Estrada had spent the past four seasons in Toronto, but has slotted over near the top of the starting rotation for the A's.
Relievers Bryan Shaw (Colorado), Jared Hughes (Cincinnati) and Shane Carle (Atlanta) each begin their second seasons with their respective ballclubs today, and all figure to be key contributors late in games.
That leaves a younger crop of infielders, led by Matt Duffy in Tampa Bay, where he will be the starting third baseman in his third season with the Rays. After making their MLB debuts in 2018, Jeff McNeil and Garrett Hampson will open the 2019 season on big league rosters. McNeil is starting at third base and batting sixth for the New York Mets, while Hampson projects be a valuable utility plater for the Colorado Rockies and earned a roster spot by hitting .279 this spring with four home runs and seven stolen bases.
Tulowitzki and McNeil are starting in the first wave of games on Thursday, which each start at 10 a.m. PT with coverage provided by ESPN. Also, be sure to check out the updated Dirtbags in the Pros page to track all the former Dirtbags playing in the minors and the big leagues this season.
Friends Welcoming TJ Bruce to the Beach
Tuesday, July 02
Dirtbags Baseball Head coach TJ Bruce Welcome Celebration
Thursday, June 27
Dirtbags Baseball: Head coach TJ Bruce Welcome Celebration
Tuesday, June 25
Dirtbags Baseball Game Highlights vs UC Riverside 4/19/2024
Saturday, April 20
