As the 2024 Major League Baseball season commenced on Thursday, ten alumni of the UCLA baseball program received the honor of being named to the Opening Day rosters of their respective clubs.
Among them, four former Bruin standouts secured spots on their teams’ active rosters: Jake Bird, a right-handed pitcher for the Colorado Rockies; Griffin Canning, also a right-handed pitcher representing the Los Angeles Angels; Brandon Crawford, an infielder joining the St. Louis Cardinals; and Michael Toglia, an infielder/outfielder also with the Colorado Rockies.
Notably, two esteemed MLB managers and UCLA alums, Dave Roberts of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Torey Lovullo of the Arizona Diamondbacks, resumed their managerial roles for the new season. UCLA proudly maintains its distinction as the sole college with multiple alums managing MLB clubs.
Additionally, four Bruin alums will begin the season on the Major League Injured List: Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees, Matt McLain of the Cincinnati Reds, Garrett Mitchell of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Zack Weiss of the Minnesota Twins.
This Opening Day marks the debut for Bird and Toglia, with Crawford experiencing his first Opening Day as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals following a distinguished 13-year tenure with the San Francisco Giants.
Bird, entering his third MLB season, boasts 108 appearances out of the Colorado bullpen over the past two seasons, with a 4.53 ERA. Canning, in his fifth year with the Angels, made 22 starts in the previous season, achieving a 4.32 ERA and striking out 139 batters. Crawford, a veteran of 14 years and a four-time Gold Glove Award winner, brings his expertise to the Cardinals after making 12 consecutive Opening Day starts for the Giants. Toglia, in his third season with the Rockies, is anticipated to contribute at first base and in the outfield, following an impressive spring performance.
As the season unfolds, these UCLA alumni will undoubtedly continue to make significant contributions to their respective teams.
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