The college baseball season, like everything else, was cut short by COVID-19. It was looking like another promising season for Jim Penders and UConn, as the Huskies have become the premier baseball program in the northeast. Aside from the NCAA Tournament appearances, just look at the 2020 MLB roster to see Connecticut's contribution, as multiple alums are on Opening Day rosters as the season begins this weekend.
Here's a complete list of ex-Huskies to make the expanded rosters around Major League Baseball for 2020:
Nick Ahmed: One of the better-kept secrets in baseball, Ahmed is a staple of the Diamondbacks' middle infield as he enters his seventh MLB season. The two-time reigning Gold Glove winner at shortstop, the 2011 second-round pick is one of the best defenders in baseball, and now he's starting to find his rhythm at the plate. A below-average hitter for his first five seasons, in 2019 Ahmed set career highs for batting average (.254), home runs (19), RBIs (82) and OPS (.753). He was rewarded as such, signing a four-year contract extension in February that will pay him $32.5 million overall.
We miss #SlickNick. pic.twitter.com/bF6wSd1RDP
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 1, 2020
Matt Barnes: Entering his sixth full pro season, Barnes is firmly established as the eighth inning setup man in Boston. He's been a workhorse for the Red Sox, alternating between 62 and 70 appearances in each of the last four years that has seen his strikeouts-per-nine gradually increase, peaking at 15.4 Ks/9 in 2019. The former first-rounder signed a one-year, $3.1 million deal to avoid arbitration, and has one more year left of team control.
Barnes will be on the expanded 30-man roster when the Sox begin the season against the Orioles this week. Though his former UConn teammate won't, John Andreoli is also on the team's 60-man roster. The outfielder signed a free agent deal this winter with Boston after spending all of last year in the minors with Baltimore. His last MLB appearance came in 2018 with the O's.
Anthony Kay: The highly touted prospect will be on the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster, the only question is where. The left-hander debuted last year, making two starts for Toronto, but it's likely he'll begin 2020 out of the bullpen. The former Mets' first-rounder, who was part of the Marcus Stroman trade last July, is the No. 10 prospect in the Jays' system, according to MLB.com.
Scott Oberg: One of the most reliable arms out of the Rockies' bullpen, Oberg might not be quite ready for Opening Day. For the second time in his career his season was cut short in 2019 due to blood clots in his throwing arm, but when he's on the mound he's incredibly effective. In the last two years he's combined to make 105 appearances for Colorado, pitching to a 2.35 earned run average while striking out a batter per inning. Last December he signed a three-year, $13-million contract to stay with the Rockies through 2022, with a club option for a fourth year.
George Springer: Already the best MLB player to ever come out of UConn (you held the torch for a long time, Charles Nagy), Springer is due for a big payday. The three-time All-Star and 2017 World Series MVP had a career year for Houston in 2019, setting career highs in average (.292), homers (39), RBIs (96) and OPS (.974), finishing in the top-10 in MVP voting for the first time. The 30-year-old centerfielder avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $21-million deal with the Astros in January, and he's set to become a free agent for the first time this winter.
There are a few other UConn alumni on 60-man rosters to start the season. Tim Cate is in the Nationals' organization and was named their minor league Pitcher of the Year in 2019 after splitting time between Class-A and High-A ball. Catcher Max McDowell got an invite to big league camp with the Yankees after spending last season in AA in the Brewers' system. As for the smattering of other former Huskies around the minor leagues, unfortunately their seasons won't get off the ground as the MiLB season is canceled.
