TEMPE, Ariz. – Sun Devil for Life Jake Barrett became the 105th Sun Devil to play Major League Baseball after making his debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 4. Barrett entered the game in the fifth inning and retired three of the four batters he faced in a scoreless frame.
The 105 players Arizona State has sent to the Major Leagues is the most of any school since 1959, the year baseball’s modern era started at ASU, and trails only USC, which leads all schools with 109. ASU's major leaguers all debuted since 1963, while USC (1927) has a much longer history of sending players to the MLB. USC’s list also includes five freshman-only players.
ASU has had at least one major league player on their varsity roster from 1961 through 2012, which is the longest current streak in the nation. Thirty ASU baseball players have made their MLB debuts since 2002, and Barrett joins Deven Marrero, an infielder in the Boston Red Sox organization, as the second player from ASU’s 2012 team to reach the MLB.
Barrett, a 2009 graduate of Desert Ridge High School in Mesa and a three-year letterwinner at ASU, ranks in the top 10 in program history in both appearances with 73 and saves with 13. He earned All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention recognition as the team’s closer in 2012 behind a 1.62 ERA and 11 saves, the then-third-most in a single season at ASU.
The Diamondbacks selected Barrett in the third round of the 2012 MLB draft and he spent the majority of the past three seasons in Double-A Mobile and Triple-A Reno. He appeared in 179 career games in the minors and notched 78 saves and nine wins in 185 innings.
Sun Devil Baseball has a long and storied tradition of producing MLB players across the past six-plus decades, including an NCAA-best 409 Sun Devils who have been drafted, a combined 24 World Series appearances and 57 All-Star Games, nine MVP awards, four Rookie of the Year’s, 16 Gold Gloves, 17 Silver Sluggers and two World Series MVP honors.
The list of Sun Devils who have played in the MLB includes Floyd Bannister, Barry Bonds, Bob Horner, Reggie Jackson, Paul Lo Duca, Oddibe McDowell, Dustin Pedroia and Don Wakamatsu. Pete Lovrich was ASU's first Major Leaguer in 1963.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @ASU_Baseball | Facebook: Sun Devil Baseball | Instagram: ASU_Baseball
5-Game Mini Plans
This plan allows fans to choose five (5) games in the 2016 season to create their own customized schedule. Click here for a direct link to purchase.
Flex Plans
This plan gives fans the ultimate flexibility with nine (9) vouchers redeemable for tickets to any home game. Fans can use all nine tickets at one game, or one ticket at nine different games; simply present your voucher to the ticket office whenever you decide to attend. Tickets are at a 46 percent discount and in the Infield Reserved Seating sections. Click here for a direct link to purchase.
Single-Game Tickets
Single-game tickets for the team’s non-conference slate are on sale now. Call 480-727-0000 or click here for a direct link to purchase.
Transitioning The Legacy Campaign
Season ticket holders also have an opportunity to make a capital campaign commitment towards the Phoenix Muni renovations. All gifts, no matter the size, are important and appreciated, and can be a one-time gift or a five-year pledge. Fans interested in naming opportunities at Phoenix Muni can contact the Sun Devil Club at 480-727-7700. All commitments are tax-deductible through the Sun Devil Club. Join our community and own a piece of our hometown team.