9 Oregon Ducks expected to contribute to MLB clubs in 2023
Football and basketball rule the college athletics landscape, often leaving baseball (and softball) as the forgotten sports of the spring season.
For the Oregon Ducks, it can be a missed opportunity to see high level athletes both in Eugene and across the Pac-12, a conference that excels in both sports.
It’s also a chance to see future big league stars, as evidenced by the high number of pros the Ducks have cycled through the baseball program in recent years.
A quick look at Fangraphs’ 2023 projections shows nine Oregon alumni who are projected to make a difference in the big leagues this season, with first pitch slated for Thursday, March 30.
Oregon has primarily succeeded at developing pitching, with seven of the nine big leaguers coming from the mound and only two at the plate.
Below is a look at those nine players, when they played at Oregon, and how they are projected to perform this upcoming season:
Tyler Anderson - Los Angeles Angels
Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2009-2011
MLB Draft: Round 1, Pick 20 (Rockies, 2011)
MLB Debut: 6/12/16
Career Stats: 44-43, 4.16 ERA, 680 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 11-11, 4.48 ERA, 146 strikeouts
Garrett Cleavinger - Tampa Bay Rays
Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2013-2015
MLB Draft: Round 3, Pick 102 (Orioles, 2015)
MLB Debut: 9/17/20
Career Stats: 41.6 innings, 3.67 ERA, 54 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 62 innings, 3.19 ERA, 80 strikeouts
Kyle Garlick - Minnesota Twins
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2011-2014
MLB Draft: Round 28, Pick 852 (Dodgers, 2015)
MLB Debut: 5/19/19
Career Stats: 144 games, .229 average, 17 home runs, 37 RBI
2023 Projections: 77 games, .240 average, 11 home runs, 30 RBI
Cole Irvin - Baltimore Orioles
Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2013-2016
MLB Draft: Round 5, Pick 137 (Phillies, 2016)
MLB Debut: 5/12/19
Career Stats: 21-30, 4.40 ERA, 288 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 9-11, 4.54 ERA, 119 strikeouts
Ryne Nelson - Arizona Diamondbacks
Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2017-2019
MLB Draft: Round 2, Pick 56 (Diamondbacks, 2019)
MLB Debut: 9/5/22
Career Stats: 1-1, 18.1 innings, 1.47 ERA, 16 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 6-7, 110 innings, 4.61 ERA, 92 strikeouts
Stephen Nogosek - New York Mets
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2014-2016
MLB Draft: Round 6, Pick 178 (Red Sox, 2016)
MLB Debut: 6/19/19
Career Stats: 31.2 innings, 4.55 ERA, 32 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 50 innings, 4.10 ERA, 50 strikeouts
David Peterson - New York Mets
Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2015-2017
MLB Draft: Round 1, Pick 20 (Mets, 2017)
MLB Debut: 7/28/20
Career Stats: 15-13, 222 innings, 4.26 ERA, 235 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 7-6, 110 innings, 3.37 ERA, 120 strikeouts
Jake Reed - Los Angeles Dodgers
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Years at Oregon: 2012-2014
MLB Draft: Round 5, Pick 140 (Twins, 2014)
MLB Debut: 7/6/21
Career Stats: 26.2 innings, 5.74 ERA, 23 strikeouts
2023 Projections: 10 innings, 4.68 ERA, 8 strikeouts
Spencer Steer - Cincinnati Reds
Syndication: The Enquirer
Years at Oregon: 2017-2019
MLB Draft: Round 3, Pick 90 (Twins, 2019)
MLB Debut: 9/2/22
Career Stats: 28 games, .211 average, two home runs, eight RBI
2023 Projections: 123 games, .232 average, 17 home runs, 56 RBI
