Whereas this 12 months’s School Soccer Playoff options 4 groups with loads of historical past on the gridiron, the 4 faculties — Alabama, Washington, Texas and Alabama — additionally boast a robust baseball program.
With that in thoughts, right here’s a take a look at what their alumni have completed in Main League Baseball forward of this Monday’s School Soccer Playoff semifinals.
Be aware: Solely gamers who have been drafted or chosen into the skilled ranks immediately out of one in every of these universities are eligible for this checklist. For instance, Jim Colburn was a member of the Washington Huskies group for one 12 months, however he’s not eligible right here as a result of he completed his school profession at Whittier School.
1. Michigan Wolverines
You’ll be able to’t speak about Michigan baseball with out speaking about Corridor of Famer Barry Larkin. A local of Cincinnati, Larkin planted his flag on the opposite aspect of the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry when he went to the Wolverines on a soccer scholarship to play for legendary coach Bo Schembechler, earlier than changing into a full-time baseball participant.
Larkin ended up returning to Ohio and enjoying 19 years for the Reds, the place he received the NL MVP in 1995 and was a 12-time All-Star. Michigan has additionally produced two different place participant Corridor of Famers in catcher Ted Simmons and second baseman Charlie Gehringer, and an 11-time All-Star in catcher Invoice Freehan.
Whereas Hill takes ace honors, we will not overlook what the Yankees’ Jim Abbott did on Sept. 4, 1993, vs. Cleveland. Born with out a proper hand, Abbott twirled a no-hitter towards a stacked lineup that featured Kenny Lofton, Carlos Baerga, Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome.
2. Texas Longhorns
Earlier than Roger Clemens was an 11-time All-Star, he was a two-time All-American pitcher who helped lead Texas to a School World Collection title in 1983. “The Rocket” went on to develop into the primary pitcher to win seven Cy Younger Awards, an MVP and was the primary participant to have his quantity retired by the College of Texas’ baseball program.
After Clemens, the Longhorns’ greatest alumni is Pinky Higgins, a three-time All-Star who hit .292 throughout a 14-year profession. Moreover, they produced two pitchers with greater than 2,000 profession innings (Burt Hooton and Greg Swindell),
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
Whereas the Crimson Tide have put greater than 280 gamers into organized baseball, their alumni checklist is led by Joe Sewell, who hit .312 over his 12-year profession and was inducted into the Corridor of Fame in 1977. Their rotation could be led by ace Frank Lary, who had a 3.49 ERA over his 12-year profession; he completed third in Cy Younger voting in 1961 when he pitched 275 1/3 innings with a 3.24 ERA and a league-leading 22 full video games.
4. Washington Huskies
The Huskies’ MLB legacy begins and ends with Tim Lincecum, who was the No. 10 choose within the 2006 Draft. “The Freak” received two Nationwide League Cy Youngs and received three World Collection throughout his 10-year profession, and he was a key piece of the San Francisco Giants’ even-year dynasty within the 2010s. After Lincecum, the Huskies’ largest alumni is Fred Hutchinson, who pitched 1,464 innings with the Tigers between 1939-53.
Their most completed place participant alumna is Jeff Heath, who was named to 2 All-Star Video games and hit 194 house runs in his 14-year profession. The Huskies have 4 alumni at the moment enjoying in MLB: Jake Lamb, Andrew Kittredge, Jeff Brigham and Austin Voth.