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MLB Opening Day Rosters Feature WCL-Record 31 Alumni

This year, a record 31 players with West Coast League experience have earned spots on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters. What’s more, three of those players—reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber, of the Cleveland Indians; the Seattle Mariners’ Marco Gonzales; and the Detroit Tigers’ Matt Boyd—will serve as their teams’ Opening Day starting pitchers.

Here is the list of West Coast League alumni on MLB Opening Day rosters in 2021:

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Matt Andriese (Corvallis), Boston Red Sox
Shane Bieber (Cowlitz), Cleveland Indians
Matt Boyd (Corvallis), Detroit Tigers
Griffin Canning (Wenatchee), Los Angeles Angels
*Chris Davis (Kelowna), Baltimore Orioles
Jace Fry (Corvallis), Chicago White Sox
Kyle Garlick (Cowlitz), Minnesota Twins
Marco Gonzales (Wenatchee), Seattle Mariners
Mitch Haniger (Corvallis), Seattle Mariners
Cole Irvin (Cowlitz), Oakland A’s
Ramon Laureano (Medford), Oakland A’s
Nicky Lopez (Bend), Kansas City Royals
Nick Madrigal (Corvallis), Chicago White Sox
Phil Maton (Kelowna), Cleveland Indians
James Paxton (Kelowna), Seattle Mariners
Nick Pivetta (Victoria), Boston Red Sox
Tarik Skubal (Kitsap), Detroit Tigers
Pat Valaika (Wenatchee), Baltimore Orioles
Andrew Vaughn (Victoria), Chicago White Sox

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Tyler Anderson (Corvallis), Pittsburgh Pirates
*Jeff Brigham (Bend), Miami Marlins
Adam Cimber (Kitsap), Miami Marlins
Matt Duffy (Corvallis), Chicago Cubs
Keston Hiura (Wenatchee), Milwaukee Brewers
Rhys Hoskins (Kitsap), Philadelphia Phillies
David Peterson (Medford), New York Mets
Drew Rasmussen (Wenatchee), Milwaukee Brewers
Eric Sogard (Bend), Chicago Cubs
Ryan Tepera (Kelowna), Chicago Cubs
Taylor Williams (Cowlitz), San Diego Padres
Eric Yardley (Walla Walla), Milwaukee Brewers

*On injured list.

That list of WCL/MLB players this year is sure to grow. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 MLB season, 42 alumni of West Coast League teams played in the major leagues.

About the West Coast League: The West Coast League is the West’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Encompassing Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and now Alberta, the WCL showcases pro prospects from major collegiate conferences around the nation. Every summer, the league features unparalleled fan and player experiences, with North America’s best baseball weather. The 2019 MLB amateur draft began with former Corvallis Knight Adley Rutschman selected with the overall No. 1 pick by the Baltimore Orioles. Also in 2019, 317 WCL alums were active in affiliated professional baseball, including 45 in the major leagues, while overall attendance in the West Coast League increased to nearly half a million fans.