The MLB is back: Every former Notre Dame baseball player who could play in 2022
Major League Baseball is back.
According to multiple reports Thursday, the MLB and its players association have a tentative agreement in place to salvage a traditional 162-game season starting early next month. Play ball. The return of America’s pastime affords opportunities for several former Notre Dame baseball players to get back on the field.
Here are former Fighting Irish players to monitor when the season starts.
David Phelps, Toronto Blue Jays
Phelps is preparing to pitch in his 10th MLB season. As a 34-year-old in 2021, he appeared in 11 games with one start for the Blue Jays. He had an 0.87 ERA in 10 1/3 innings before surgery on a pulled muscle in his back ended his season in May. It will be intriguing how Phelps can come back well past his physical prime.
Career statistics: 302 appearances (66 starts), 34-38 record, 3.90 ERA
A.J. Pollock, Los Angeles Dodgers
The 10-year veteran and one-time All-Star enjoyed a resurgent season in 2021. He hit .297, his best batting average since his All-Star campaign with the Diamondbacks in 2015, and had a career-best OPS of .892. His success was enough to earn the outfielder an appearance in 117 games. He hit 21 home runs and drove in 69 runs.
Career statistics: 895 games, .281 BA, 126 home runs, .819 OPS
Trey Mancini, Baltimore Orioles
The cancer survivor had a storybook All-Star week as a participant in the Home Run Derby. He also returned to action in the regular season after missing all of 2020 with his illness. The outfielder and first-baseman played in 147 games and hit .255 with 21 home runs and 71 RBI.
Career statistics: 609 games, .271 BA, 107 home runs, .804 OPS
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Cavan Biggio, Toronto Blue Jays
In his third year since arriving in the big leagues, Biggio played in 79 games for the Blue Jays in 2021. He hit .224 with seven home runs and 27 RBI. Biggio finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2019. The Jays are hoping Biggio, who will turn 27 around the time of opening day, can keep progressing.
Career statistics: 238 games, .235 BA, 31 home runs, .762 OPS
Peter Solomon, Houston Astros
Solomon made his MLB debut as a 24-year-old for the runner-up Astros last season. He pitched in six games in a wide range of dates from April 18 to Sept. 29. Three of his appearances, though, came during the stretch run of the season in the month of September. Solomon pitched a total of 14 innings.
Career statistics: Six appearances (zero starts), 1-0 record, 1.29 ERA
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Sean Guenther, Miami Marlins
Guenther had to wait until Aug. 4, 2021 to make his MLB debut. It was a rocky road for the 25-year-old. He appeared in 14 games and allowed a base runner in 12 of them. He failed to generate an 0-2 count against over 80% of the batters he faced. The MLB average for forcing 0-2 counts is just over 26%. Needless to say, Guenther has much to prove if he’s to stay at the MLB level in 2022.
Career statistics: 14 appearances (zero starts), 0-1 record, 9.30 ERA
Brandon Bielak, Houston Astros
Another young Astros hurler, Bielak more than double his appearance count from 2020 to 2021. The Astros have used him in a variety of ways the last two seasons. He has started eight games, but he has also finished nine games. Bielak is comfortable getting the ball to begin outings and coming in to close. He will likely be another versatile pitcher for the contending Astros.
Career statistics: 40 appearances (eight starts), 6-7 record, 5.38 ERA
Matt Vierling, Philadelphia Phillies
Vierling worked his way through Double-A and Triple-A ball before really bursting onto the scene for the Phillies late in the summer of 2021. He starting earn a spot as a stater. Management couldn’t keep him in the dugout. The 6-3 slugger struck out 20 times in 77 plate appearances, but he also recorded 23 hits — six of which went for extra bases. He drove in six runs, too. And it was only the beginning.
Career statistics: 34 games, .324 BA, two home runs, .843 OPS
