Stormin in Norman
Fansided

Oklahoma baseball: Five former Sooners on opening-day MLB rosters

By Chip Rouse

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 16: Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies lobs the ball to first base for an out against the Miami Marlins in the eighth inning of a game at Coors Field on August 16, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 16: Jon Gray #55 of the Colorado Rockies lobs the ball to first base for an out against the Miami Marlins in the eighth inning of a game at Coors Field on August 16, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Five former Oklahoma baseball players were on 2020 Major League Baseball opening-day rosters.

That is one fewer than the Big 12-leading six former TCU Horned Frogs that began the season last week on MLB rosters.

Four of the five Sooners on 2020 MLB rosters are pitchers. They join infielder Jack Mayfield, who played at OU from 2010-13 and is with the Houston Astros.

The four Sooner pitchers, all right-handers, are Jon Gray (2012-13) with the Colorado Rockies; Garrett Richards (2007-09) of the San Diego Padres; Burch Smith (2011), and Chase Anderson (2008-09) of the Toronto Blue Jays, who started the season in the 10-day injured list.

In addition, four Sooner alumni are major league coaches to start the 2020 season. Nick Capra (at OU in 1979) is the third-base coach for the Chicago White Sox. Tim Cossins (at OU 1992-93) is field coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles, and Reggie Willits (at OU 2002-03) is the first base coach for the New York Yankees.

Gray is in his sixth season with the Rockies. He was 11-8 with an ERA of 3.84 in 25 starts last season. Richards spent his first eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels before being traded in 2019 to San Diego. He has a career won-lost record of 45-39 with an ERA of 3.57 in nine major league seasons.

Smith is in his fourth major league season and with his fifth different team in 2020. He has a 4-10 career record with a 6.43 ERA.

Anderson is in his seventh MLB season and fourth with the Milwaukee Brewers. He was 8-4 last season with a 4.21 ERA in 27 starts for the Brewers. For his career, the right-hander is 53-40 with a 3.94 ERA.

Mayfield is starting his second major league season. He  played in just 26 games with the Astros last season and had 10 hits and two home runs in 64 plate appearances.

Sixty-nine former Sooner baseball players have reached the major leagues. Thirty-two of those OU baseball alums have been MLB Draft selections since 1990.

Home/OU Baseball