Sun Devil Baseball Celebrates Rich Tradition on MLB Opening Day

PHOENIX – As Major League Baseball celebrates Opening Day, so too does Sun Devil Baseball celebrate its great lineage of former players, coaches and staff members involved in professional baseball for the coming season.
 
In total, there are 34 with Sun Devils ties that will be associated with Major League Baseball this season, including five active players, four coaches and 25 involved in the front office and scouting departments. The list will continue to grow with the onset of the Minor League Season in May. 
 
Five former Sun Devils will find themselves on Opening Day rosters, including World Series Champion Austin Barnes for the Dodgers, Kole Calhoun and Merrill Kelly for the Diamondbacks, and Eric Sogard and Trevor Williams for the Cubs. 
 
Sun Devil Baseball has as rich of a MLB history as any club in the nation, leading the NCAA with 112 former players that have played at the highest stage of professional baseball.
 
Additionally, four with Sun Devil ties find themselves on Major League coaching staffs this year in former ASU head coach Pat Murphy (Brewers bench coach) and former players Jacob Cruz (Brewers assistant hitting coach), Dave Hudgens (Blue Jays bench coach) and Don Wakamatsu (Rangers bench coach).
 
There are 25 former players and coaches tied with the MLB offices, club front offices and scouting departments, including the likes of Barry Bonds (Giants Executive Office), Willie Bloomquist (Diamondbacks Executive Office), Rick Monday (Dodgers Broadcasting), Eddie Bane (Mets Scouting) and Cory Hahn (Diamondbacks Scouting).
 
Additionally, numerous former Sun Devil players, coaches and staff are associated with college coaching and administrations this year with 18 serving in numerous roles. 
 
There are also four former Sun Devils working for player agencies.