The MLB season is finally upon us and six Ducks are gracing the rosters of five different teams in the league.
From Los Angeles to Baltimore, Oregon baseball is well represented on the professional level by former players.
𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐃𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐬
— Oregon Duck Baseball (@OregonBaseball) March 28, 2024
6⃣ Oregon Ducks on opening day @MLB rosters. Go get 'em fellas! #GoDucks | #ProDucks pic.twitter.com/iI0ZRtFQNe
Here are the teams to pay attention to see your favorite Ducks in action:
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks can lay claim to two former Oregon baseball stars. Both Scott McGough and Ryne Nelson have earned a spot on Arizona’s opening-day roster.
McGough, RHP, played for the Ducks from 2009 to 2011 before he was selected 164th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the MLB Draft.
Over his three seasons with the Ducks, McGough had 9 wins, 8 losses, and 135.1 innings pitched.
Nelson played for Oregon from 2017-19 and was an elite right-handed pitcher for the Ducks. Throughout his collegiate career, Nelson allowed a minimal 0.246 batting average.
Baltimore Orioles
Another pitcher, Cole Irvin, has found himself in Baltimore for the 2024 MLB season. He played for Oregon from 2013 to 2016 and earned 20 career wins for the Ducks.
Irving pitched 300 innings for the Ducks and allowed an average of 3.15 earned runs throughout his collegiate career.
Cincinnati Reds
One of the more recent Oregon stars to make his way to the MLB is Spencer Steer. Before getting drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the third round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Steer spent three seasons in Eugene.
As an infielder for the Ducks, Steer earned 129 RBIs, 93 runs, and 12 homers.
Los Angeles Angels
Tyler Anderson was selected by the Colorado Rockies as the 20th overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft. He had played three seasons (2009-11) with the Oregon Ducks and had become a standout left-handed pitcher.
Over his collegiate career, he only allowed a .237 batting average by his opponents and accumulated 17 wins for the Ducks.
Tampa Bay Rays
Garrett Cleavinger rounds out the flock of Ducks in the MLB. Another phenomenal left-handed pitcher for Oregon, Cleavinger allowed just 1.96 earned runs on average and had an 18-4 win-loss ratio throughout college.
Cleavinger was drafted 102nd overall in the 2015 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.