April 3, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. - Five former Arizona State University baseball players were on Major League rosters when Major League Baseball opened their season today. Ian Kinsler, who was at ASU in 2002, became the 83rd Sun Devil to play in the Major League's when he made his debut this afternoon for the Texas Rangers. Only USC and Texas have had more players go on to play Major League Baseball than Arizona State.
Kinsler joins Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants), Paul Lo Duca (New York Mets), Chris Duffy (Pittsburgh Pirates) and Willie Bloomquist (Seattle Mariners) as former Arizona State University student-athletes currently in the Majors.
Kinsler, who singled off Curt Schilling in his first career at-bat, appeared in 29 games for the Sun Devils during the 2002 season.
Bonds, who is 47 home runs shy of the all-time record, wore the Maroon and Gold from 1983 to 1985. Lo Duca is beginning his first season in New York after an off-season trade from Florida. He was a Sun Devil in 1993. Duffy is entering his second season with the Pirates after debuting in April last season. Duffy called Tempe home during the 2001 season. Bloomquist begins his fifth season in the Majors after having been at ASU from 1997 through 1999.
Several other Sun Devil alumni are close to the big leagues and are set to open in Triple-A when the minor league season begins later this week: Brooks Conrad (Astros), Jacob Cruz (Reds), Dustin Delucchi (Padres), Jeff Duncan (Dodgers), Mike Esposito (Rockies), Andre Ethier (Dodgers), Mitch Jones (Yankees), Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox), Dennis Sarfate (Brewers), Jon Switzer (Devil Rays). Cruz, Duncan, Esposito and Switzer have all previously seen time in the Major Leagues.