PHOENIX - Nine Major Leaguers, four MLB postseason participants, four league champions and a pennant winner headlined a group of more than 50 Sun Devils in professional baseball worldwide during the 2022 season.
Two of the nine big leaguers made their Major League debuts - bringing ASU's all-time tally to 114 - in Brian Serven (COL) and Spencer Torkelson (DET). They were joined by Austin Barnes (LAD), Ryan Burr (CWS), Kole Calhoun (TEX), Merrill Kelly (ARI), Deven Marrero (MIA), Seth Martinez (HOU) and Trevor Williams (NYM) as returning Major Leaguers.
The first overall pick of the 2020 MLB Draft, Torkelson played in 110 games for the Detroit Tigers, smacking eight home runs and 28 RBI. He made the Tigers Opening Day roster and recorded his first MLB hit off of Boston Red Sox pitcher Rich Hill, a double.
His selection at the top of the draft added to ASU's NCAA-high four first overall selections in the MLB Draft. He joined Rick Monday (1965), Floyd Bannister (1976) and Bob Horner (1978).
Serven also made his Major League debut and played in 62 games for the Colorado Rockies, batting .203 with 6 homers and 16 RBI. He was a member of the 2015 Pac-12 First Team and is one of only three catchers in Sun Devil history as an underclassman to appear in more than half of their games behind the plate.
Barnes and Martinez were key contributors on division winners and in Martinez's case, a pennant with the Astros.
Barnes completed his eighth big league season, all of them with the Dodgers, playing in 62 games and belting eight homers with 26 RBI and 27 walks to just 37 strikeouts. The Dodgers won a franchise record 111 games and the National League West in 2022.
Martinez was lethal in 38.2 innings out of the bullpen during his first full season with the American League Champion Astros, shoving 38 strikeouts to just 14 walks with a 2.09 ERA. His effort aided Houston's American League West title and their fourth AL pennant in the last six seasons.
Martinez was joined as a scintillating Sun Devil arm by Kelly and Williams. The trio totaled 327.2 innings pitched with 299 strikeouts and a combined record of 17-14. Each had ERA's under 3.40, including Martinez's dazzling 2.09.
Embodying local spirit, Kelly is a graduate of Desert Mountain in Scottsdale and now pitches for his hometown Arizona Diamondbacks. He pitched to a 13-8 record with a 3.37 ERA in 200.1 innings last season. In the 2010 season, where ASU reached the College World Series, he went 10-3 and was an Honorable Mention All-Pac 12. He shoved 100 innings and struck out 78 batters to just 37 walks.
Elsewhere, Alec Marsh (KC) was selected to play in the prestigious 2022 MLB Futures Game. He was joined on the roster by 28 of the top 50 MLB Pipeline prospects. The 70th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft recorded 156 strikeouts in 124.1 innings pitched and 27 starts across two MiLB levels this season.
Marsh was one of 44 Sun Devils to play in the Minor Leagues and was one of the 15 that saw time in AAA. Recent Sun Devils Joe Lampe (CLE), Kyle Luckham (WSH), Sean McLain (LAD) and Kai Murphy (SD) all saw time in Low-A during their first professional seasons.
Hunter Bishop (SF),Trevor Hauver (TEX), Murphy (SD) and Drew Stankiewicz (ARI) were all league champions in the minors this season. Stankiewicz earned his ring at the AAA level.
Sun Devils are also currently scattered across MLB's prestigious Arizona Fall League. Gage Workman (DET/Salt River), Hauver (TEX/Surprise) and Justin Fall (MIA/Mesa) were all selected to participate in MLB's premiere prospect league which runs until Nov. 12 in spring training facilities across the desert.
The trio all appeared at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Oct. 22 as part of an AFL tripleheader. Hauver smacked an RBI triple in first at-bat back at Muni, his second in 13 games in the AFL. Fall is 1-0 in three starts, while Hauver is batting .214 with six RBI, seven runs and nine walks.
Two former Sun Devils also coach in the AFL and an additional duo is in the Major Leagues. Jake Elmore (PHI) is a hitting coach while Jason Robbins (COL) is a strength and conditioning coach. Former Sun Devil Head Coach Pat Murphy served as the bench coach for the Milwaukee Brewers while Dave Hudgens served in the same capacity for the AL Wild Card Toronto Blue Jays
In other professional leagues, ASU has two former student-athletes in the Mexican League in Jake Barrett (Acereros de Monclova) and Xorge Carrillo (Toros de Tijuana). Four total former Sun Devils are also scattered across the Pioneer League, Atlantic League and American Association in Independent League baseball.
ASU recently announced its 2022 schedule, highlighted by non-conference road trips to Mississippi State and Oklahoma State, as well as 31 home contests at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The season gets underway February 17 against San Diego State at Phoenix Municipal Stadium.
The full list of Sun Devils in 2022 professional baseball is linked above or found below.
| MLB Player (9) | Position | Years at ASU | Team | ||||
| Austin Barnes | C | 2009-2011 | Los Angeles Dodgers | ||||
| Ryan Burr | RHP | 2013-2015 | Chicago White Sox | ||||
| Kole Calhoun | OF | 2009-2010 | Texas Rangers | ||||
| Merrill Kelly | RHP | 2010 | Arizona Diamondbacks | ||||
| Deven Marrero | INF | 2010-2012 | Miami Marlins | ||||
| Seth Martinez | RHP | 2014-2016 | Houston Astros | ||||
| Brian Serven | C | 2014-2016 | Colorado Rockies | ||||
| Spencer Torkelson | 1B | 2018-2020 | Detroit Tigers | ||||
| Trevor Williams | RHP | 2011-2013 | New York Mets | ||||
| MLB Coach (2) | |||||||
| Dave Hudgens | Bench Coach | 1975-1978 | Toronto Blue Jays | ||||
| Pat Murphy | Bench Coach | 1995-2009 | Milwaukee Brewers | ||||
| MLB Futures Game (1) | |||||||
| Alec Marsh | RHP | 2017-2019 | Kansas City Royals | ||||
| Arizona Fall League (5) | |||||||
| Justin Fall | LHP | 2020-2021 | Mesa Solar Sox (MIA) | ||||
| Trevor Hauver | INF | 2018-2020 | Surprise Saguaros (TEX) | ||||
| Gage Workman | INF | 2018-2020 | Salt River Rafters (DET) | ||||
| Jake Elmore | Hitting Coach | 2008 | Surprise Saguaros (PHI) | ||||
| Jason Robbins | S&C Coach | 2015-2021 | Salt River Rafters (COL) | ||||
| /// /// /// | |||||||
| MiLB Player (44) | Position | Years at ASU | Team | Affiliation | |||
| Triple-A (15) | |||||||
| Seth Blair | RHP | 2008-2010 | Durham Bulls | Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| Hever Bueno | RHP | 2014-2016 | Round Rock Express | Texas Rangers | |||
| R.J. Dabovich | RHP | 2019-2020 | Sacramento River Cats | San Francisco Giants | |||
| Darin Gillies | RHP | 2012-2015 | Worcester Red Sox | Boston Red Sox | |||
| Lyle Lin | C | 2017-2019 | Reno Aces | Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| Eli Lingos | LHP | 2015-2018 | Columbus Clippers | Cleveland Indians | |||
| Drew Maggi | INF | 2009-2010 | Indianapolis Indians | Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Deven Marrero | INF | 2010-2012 | Syracuse Mets | New York Mets | |||
| Alec Marsh | RHP | 2017-2019 | Omaha Storm Chasers | Kansas City Royals | |||
| Seth Martinez | RHP | 2014-2016 | Sugar Land Space Cowboys | Houston Astros | |||
| Brian Serven | C | 2014-2016 | Albuquerque Isotopes | Colorado Rockies | |||
| Drew Stankiewicz | INF | 2012-2014 | Reno Aces | Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| Reagan Todd | LHP | 2016-2017 | Albuquerque Isotopes | Colorado Rockies | |||
| Spencer Torkelson | INF | 2018-2020 | Toledo Mud Hens | Detroit Tigers | |||
| Alika Williams | INF | 2018-2020 | Durham Bulls | Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| Double-A (5) | |||||||
| Carter Aldrete | INF | 2017-2019 | Richmond Flying Squirrels | San Francisco Giants | |||
| Garvin Alston Jr. | LHP | 2016-2017 | Harrisburg Senators | Washington Nationals | |||
| Trevor Hauver | INF/OF | 2018-2020 | Frisco RoughRiders | Texas Rangers | |||
| Connor Higgins | LHP | 2016-2018 | Rocket City Trash Pandas | Los Angeles Angels | |||
| Gage Workman | INF | 2018-2020 | Erie SeaWolves | Detroit Tigers | |||
| High-A (4) | |||||||
| Hunter Bishop | OF | 2017-2019 | Eugene Emeralds | San Francisco Giants | |||
| Gage Canning | OF | 2016-2018 | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Washington Nationals | |||
| Andrew Shaps | LHP | 2015-2017 | West Michigan Whitecaps | Detroit Tigers | |||
| Drew Swift | INF | 2018-2021 | Lansing Lugnuts | Oakland A's | |||
| Low-A (10) | |||||||
| Nate Baez | C | 2020-2022 | Fort Myers Mighty Mussels | Minnesota Twins | |||
| Cooper Benson | LHP | 2020-2021 | Dunedin Blue Jays | Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Justin Fall | LHP | 2020-2021 | Jupiter Hammerheads | Miami Marlins | |||
| Liam Jenkins | RHP | 2016 | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | Chicago White Sox | |||
| Joe Lampe | OF | 2021-2022 | Lynchburg Hillcats | Cleveland Indians | |||
| Kyle Luckham | RHP | 2022 | Fredericksburg Nationals | Washington Nationals | |||
| Sean McLain | INF | 2020-2022 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| Kai Murphy | OF | 2021-2022 | Lake Elsinore Storm | San Diego Padres | |||
| Tyler Thornton | RHP | 2020-2021 | Lynchburg Hillcats | Cleveland Indians | |||
| Chase Webster | RHP | 2022 | Clearwater Threshers | Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Rookie (1) | |||||||
| Adam Tulloch | LHP | 2022 | ACL Guardians | Cleveland Guardians | |||
| International (2) | |||||||
| Jake Barrett | RHP | 2010-2012 | Acereros de Monclova | Mexican League | |||
| Xorge Carrillo | C | 2010-2011 | Toros de Tijuana | Mexican League | |||
| MLB Professional Partner League (Independent) (4) | |||||||
| Jay Baggs | RHP | 2021 | Boise Hawks | Pioneer League | |||
| Ryan Kellogg | LHP | 2013-2015 | Kentucky Wild Heath Genomes | Atlantic League | |||
| Tillman Pugh | OF | 2008 | Lexington Legends | Atlantic League | |||
| Sebastian Zawada | OF | 2016-2017 | Sioux City Explorers | American Association | |||
| Injured (Did Not Play) (3) | |||||||
| Fitz Stadler | RHP | 2016-2018 | Toronto Blue Jays | ||||
| Erik Tolman | LHP | 2019-2021 | Washington Nationals | ||||
| Spencer Van Scoyoc | LHP | 2017-2018 | Philadelphia Phillies | ||||