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It won’t look like any season before it, but the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season is finally here with a pair of games Thursday night.
Ahead of the 60-game sprint, as most are calling it, teams had to set 30-man Opening Day rosters and seven former Arkansas players made the cut.
Eight other Razorbacks made an initial 60-man “player pool” and participated in summer camp as teams geared up for the start of the season, but didn’t land on the main roster.
Those players have been sent to an “alternate training site” where they will continue to practice. With no minor league season, that’s where they’ll try to stay sharp in case they need to be called up during the season.
Rosters will be trimmed to 28 players on Aug. 6 and then again to 26 players on Aug. 20. For now, here’s a look at which former Arkansas players are currently on big league rosters…
Brian Anderson - Miami Marlins
2019: 126 games, .261/.342/.468, 33 2B, 1 3B, 20 HR, 66 RBI, 57 R, 44 BB/114 K, 5/6 SB
Jalen Beeks - Tampa Bay Rays
2019: 33 games/3 starts, 6-3, 1 save, 4.31 ERA, 89 K, 40 BB, 104 1/3 IP
Andrew Benintendi - Boston Red Sox
2019: 138 games, .266/.343/.431, 40 2B, 5 3B, 13 HR, 68 RBI, 72 R, 59 BB/140 K, 10/13 SB
Dallas Keuchel - Chicago White Sox
2019 (ATL): 19 games/19 starts, 8-8, 3.75 ERA, 91 K, 39 BB, 112 2/3 IP
James McCann - Chicago White Sox
2019: 118 games, .273/.328/.460, 26 2B, 1 3B, 18 HR, 60 RBI, 62 R, 30 BB/137 K, 4/5 SB
Drew Smyly - San Francisco Giants
2019 (TEX/PHI): 25 games/21 starts, 4-7, 1 save, 6.24 ERA, 120 K, 55 BB, 114 IP
Ryne Stanek - Miami Marlins
2019 (TB/MIA): 63 games/27 starts, 0-4, 1 save, 3.97 ERA, 89 K, 39 BB, 77 IP
Here is a list of former Razorbacks who made a “player pool” but did not make their team’s Opening Day roster…
~Isaiah Campbell - Seattle Mariners
~Matt Cronin - Washington Nationals
~Dominic Fletcher - Arizona Diamondbacks
~Logan Forsythe - Philadelphia Phillies
~Blake Parker - Philadelphia Phillies
~*Colin Poche - Tampa Bay Rays (on injured list with torn UCL, will miss 2020 season)
~*Jackson Rutledge - Washington Nationals
~Matt Reynolds - Kansas City Royals
*began career at Arkansas before transferring