MLB Opening Day Features Players from Every Big 12 Program

LUBBOCK, TX — All 14 Big 12 schools were represented on 2025 Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters with 46 players and two managers.

The Cincinnati Reds lead the league with four Big 12 alumni with former Wildcat All-American Terry Francona as the manager and three additional Big 12 players. Six additional MLB clubhouses boast three league players, while another eight have two Conference players.

Arizona State has seven players on the league-leading Opening Day rosters, while Arizona has six players, accompanied by Francona as a manager. Texas Tech tallied the third-most with five, while Houston, TCU, and West Virginia had four. Kansas' all-time leading hitter, Rob Thomson, returns to Philadelphia as the manager after directing the Phillies to their third consecutive postseason to give the Conference two Big 12 alumni managers.

Twenty-eight MLB teams were scheduled for their U.S.-based Opening Day on Thursday, March 27, while the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays will begin their seasons on Friday, March 28.

Texas Tech (5)

• Clayton Beeter – Pitcher, New York Yankees

• Danny Coulombe – Pitcher, Minnesota Twins

• Josh Jung – Third Baseman, Texas Rangers

• Davis Martin – Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

• Mason Montgomery – Pitcher, Tampa Bay Rays

Arizona (7)

• Terry Francona – Manager, Cincinnati Reds

• Kevin Ginkel – Pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks

• Tylor Megill – Pitcher, New York Mets

• Andrew Nardi – Pitcher, Miami Marlins

• Kevin Newman – Infielder, Los Angeles Angels

• Rob Refsnyder – Outfielder, Boston Red Sox

• Austin Wells – Catcher, New York Yankees

Arizona State (7)

• Austin Barnes – Catcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

• Ryan Burr – Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

• Merrill Kelly – Pitcher, Arizona Diamondbacks

• Alec Marsh – Pitcher, Kansas City Royals

• Spencer Torkelson – First Baseman, Detroit Tigers

• Trevor Williams – Pitcher, Washington Nationals

• Gage Workman – Infielder, Chicago Cubs

Baylor (3)

• Cody Bradford – Pitcher, Texas Rangers

• Shea Langeliers – Catcher, Oakland Athletics

• Max Muncy – Infielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

BYU (2)

• Daniel Schneemann – Infielder, Cleveland Guardians

• Justin Sterner – Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

UCF (2)

• Ben Lively – Pitcher, Cleveland Guardians

• Dylan Moore – Utility, Seattle Mariners

Cincinnati (1)

• Ian Happ – Outfielder, Chicago Cubs

Houston (4)

• Robert Gasser – Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers

• John King – Pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

• Jared Triolo – Infielder, Pittsburgh Pirates

• Connor Wong – Catcher, Boston Red Sox

Kansas (2)

• Rob Thomson – Manager, Philadelphia Phillies

• Ryan Zeferjahn – Pitcher, Los Angeles Angels

Kansas State (1)

• Nick Martini – Outfielder, Colorado Rockies

Oklahoma State (3)

• Brady Basso – Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

• Christian Encarnacion-Strand – Infielder, Cincinnati Reds

• Andrew Heaney – Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

TCU (4)

• Tyler Alexander – Pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers

• Luken Baker – First Baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

• Nick Lodolo – Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds

• Brandon Williamson – Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds

Utah (3)

• Tanner Banks – Pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies

• Oliver Dunn – Infielder, Milwaukee Brewers

• DaShawn Keirsey Jr. – Outfielder, Minnesota Twins

West Virginia (4)

• Michael Grove – Pitcher, Los Angeles Dodgers

• Alek Manoah – Pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays

• John Means – Pitcher, Cleveland Guardians

• Victor Scott II – Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals