April 6, 2015
Nashville, Tenn. – Five former Vanderbilt Commodores open their major league baseball seasons today headlined by pitchers Sonny Gray and David Price.
Gray gets the ball tonight for the Oakland A’s against the Texas Rangers in Oakland. The Opening Day start is the second straight for the right-hander from Smyrna, Tenn. In his first full year in the big leagues, Gray went 14-10 over 33 starts to help the A’s back to the playoffs.
Price will make his first Opening Day start for Detroit this afternoon at home against Minnesota. The big lefty from Murfreesboro, Tenn. went 15-12 with a 3.26 ERA for Tampa Bay and the Tigers, going 4-4 in 11 starts for Detroit after being traded at the trade deadline last summer. The Opening Day start is the fourth of Price’s career after making three starts on the first day of the season for the Rays.
Pedro Alvarez opens his fifth season in Pittsburgh in Cincinnati against the Reds. Alavarez has made the switch across the diamond from third to first base after hitting .231 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI in 2014.
Ryan Flaherty begins his fourth season in Baltimore against the Rays in Tampa Bay. Flaherty played in a career-high 102 games last season hitting .221 with seven homers and 32 RBI. The left-handed hitting Flaherty is expected to be in the lineup for the O’s today.
Mike Minor opens the season on the disabled list for the second straight season for Atlanta while Antoan Richardson was placed on the 60-day disabled list by Texas to open the season. Richardson is recovering from offseason back surgery.
Opening Day for minor league baseball is Thursday when 28 more former Commodores open their seasons in affiliated pro ball. Eight former Dores are expected to start the season with Casey Weathers making a comeback in the Cleveland Indians’ organization. Weathers opens the season in Triple-A Columbus after not pitching during the 2014 season. Three former Dores will be in Durham to start the season with Matt Buschmann, Curt Casali and Grayson Garvin all playing for the Bulls in the Rays’ system.
Eight more Commodores will start in Double-A with Connor Harrell moving up the ladder in the Detroit system to Erie alongside former teammate Will Clinard, who missed most of last season with an injury. Single-A will see the most Commodores with 10 former players suiting up in high and low Single-A. San Francisco’s first round pick Tyler Beede is headed to San Jose in the California League. Corey Williams returns from surgery last season to Fort Myers in the Twins’ system. College World Series hero John Norwood begins his first professional season in Greensboro in the Miami Marlins’ organization.
A full list of former Commodores in professional baseball is below.
MLB (6)
Pedro Alvarez – Pittsburgh
Ryan Flaherty – Baltimore
Sonny Gray – Oakland
Mike Minor – Atlanta
David Price – Detroit
Antoan Richardson (60-day DL) – Texas
Triple-A (8)
Mike Baxter – Iowa (CHC)
Matt Buschmann – Durham (TB)
Curt Casali – Durham (TB)
Nick Christiani – Louisville (CIN)
Grayson Garvin – Durham (TB)
Taylor Hill – Syracuse (WAS)
Drew VerHagen – Toledo (DET)
Casey Weathers – Columbus (CLE)
Double-A (8)
Will Clinard – Erie (DET)
Conrad Gregor – Corpus Christi (HOU)
Connor Harrell – Erie (DET)
Drew Hayes – Pensacola (CIN)
Mark Lamm – Mississippi (ATL)
Tony Kemp – Corpus Christi (HOU)
Sam Selman – Northwest Arkansas (KC)
Mike Yastrzemski – Bowie (BAL)
Single-A (10)
Tyler Beede – San Jose (SF)
Caleb Cotham – Tampa (NYY)
Jason Esposito – Frederick (BAL)
Brian Miller – Bowling Green (TB)
Jared Miller – Kane County (ARI)
Spencer Navin – Great Lakes (LAD)
John Norwood – Greensboro (MIA)
Adam Ravenelle – West Michigan (DET)
Corey Williams – Fort Myers (MIN)
Kevin Ziomek – Lakeland (DET)
Extended Spring Training (2)
Vince Conde – Staten Island (NYY)
Chris Harvey – Bristol (PIT)
