Over 20 NECBL Alumni Have Spots on Opening Day Rosters
Published on April 1, 2011 under New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) News Release
Validating its status as one of the most competitive summer leagues in the country, the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) claimed over 22 alumni on Major League Baseball Opening Day roster spots. This figure was as of March 30th.
Four of these players, all pitchers, start the season on the Disabled List. They are: the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg, the Giants' Brian Wilson, the Athletics' Andrew Bailey and the Padres' Joe Thatcher.
The 22 players were spread over fifteen Big League teams, meaning exactly half of the squads in the Majors had at least one NECBL alum playing for them.
The Minnesota Twins- with pitchers Joe Nathan, Kevin Slowey and Dusty Hughes - boasted the most alumni with three. Five other ballclubs had two NECBL alumni each.
The alumni represented 10 different NECBL franchises.
While the League attracts talent from all over the country, four alumni played their college ball in New England: Rajai Davis (UConn-Avery Point), Craig Breslow (Yale), Jeff Fulchino (UConn) and Chris Denorfia (Wheaton.) In addition, Ryan Hanigan, Chris Iannetta and Wilson all played their high school baseball in New England.
Here is a complete list of the NECBL alumni on Opening Day Major League rosters:
Name Position NECBL Team MLB Team
Andre Ethier OF Keene Swamp Bats Los Angeles Dodgers
Andrew Bailey RHP Lowell All-Americans Oakland Athletics
Andy Sonnanstine LHP Sanford Mainers Tampa Bay Rays
Bobby Wilson C North Adams SteepleCats Los Angeles Angels
Brian Wilson RHP Keene Swamp Bats San Francisco Giants
Chris Denorfia OF Manchester Silkworms San Diego Padres
Chris Iannetta C Newport Gulls Colorado Rockies
Craig Breslow LHP Middletown Giants Oakland Athletics
Dusty Hughes LHP Danbury Westerners Minnesota Twins
Jason Motte RHP Sanford Mainers St. Louis Cardinals
Jeff Fulchino RHP Keene Swamp Bats Houston Astros
Jeff Keppinger 2B Keene Swamp Bats Houston Astros
Joe Nathan RHP Fairfield Stallions Minnesota Twins
Joe Smith RHP North Adams SteepleCats Cleveland Indians
Joe Thatcher LHP Danbury Westerners San Diego Padres
Kevin Slowey RHP Sanford Mainers Minnesota Twins
Matt Joyce OF Danbury Westerners Tampa Bay Rays
Mitchell Boggs RHP Newport Gulls St. Louis Cardinals
Rajai Davis CF Middletown Giants Toronto Blue Jays
Ryan Hanigan C Lowell All-Americans Cincinnati Reds
Sean Green RHP Torrington Twisters Milwaukee Brewers
Stephen Strasburg RHP Torrington Twisters Washington Nationals
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a wooden bat college summer league that fields teams in all six New England states. Partially funded by Major League Baseball, the League started play in 1994 and has sent over 65 alumni to the Major Leagues.
New England Collegiate Baseball League Stories from April 1, 2011
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