2019 Tigers Opening Day MLB Rosters

[LSUDad]

10 former LSU baseball players made MLB Opening Day rosters

• BY WILSON ALEXANDER | WALEXANDER@THEADVOCATE.COM
• MAR 29, 2019 - 5:14 PM

 

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Houston Astros' Alex Bregman reacts after scoring during the first inning of Game 7 of baseball's World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) ORG XMIT: WS122

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STARKVILLE, Miss. — Some played as teammates, others as opponents. One batted third for a team with World Series aspirations. Another made his second straight Opening Day start.

When the Major League Baseball season began Thursday, 10 former LSU players appeared on rosters.

There was Alex Bregman, the owner of a new $100 million contract extension, and Aaron Nola, the Phillies’ ace for the second year in a row. DJ LeMahieu donned a Yankees uniform for the first time. Mikie Mahtook started in center field for Detroit.

 

Will Harris (Astros), Kevin Gausman (Braves), JaCoby Jones (Tigers), Andrew Stevenson (Nationals), Nick Goody (Indians) and Nick Rumbelow (Mariners) also made rosters.

 

“I had them in their formative years when they were young,” coach Paul Mainieri said. “You never knew any of them were going to become Major Leaguers at that point.”

Of the 10 former LSU players on this year’s MLB rosters, Bregman and Nola have put together the most decorated careers.

Bregman, a two-time All-American, won the 2017 World Series and MVP of the 2018 All-Star game. Nola, who was a two-time SEC Pitcher of the Year, finished third in voting for the 2018 Cy Young Award.

 

While Bregman went 0 for 4 while batting third during the Astros’ first game, Nola defeated the Braves to record his first win of the season. Nola allowed one run over six innings as he made his second straight Opening Day start.

Meanwhile, Rumbelow gave up three runs when the Mariners’ season began a week ago in Tokyo, and Mahtook went 0 for 4. The rest of the former Tigers didn’t play.

 

Mainieri often compares his current players to former Tigers. Earlier this season, he likened freshmen pitchers Cole Henry and Landon Marceaux to Nola. He didn’t say they would pitch like Nola, but he picked out parts of their game that reminded him of Nola.

Mainieri did this for a couple reasons. First, he said he wanted to give fans an idea of what to expect from the new players, and a recognizable player like Nola provided an easy reference point. Examples of a successful player gave his guys someone to emulate, too.

“Also, when our players hear me say nice things about them,” Mainieri said, “it helps build their confidence.”