37 NECBL Alumni on Opening Day Rosters
By Don Leypoldt
Major League Baseball opened the 2013 season on March 31st with a Texas-sized showdown: the Astros hosted the Rangers. Both teams’ bullpens also boasted two highly decorated NECBL alumni.
Texas’ closer Joe Nathan was the 1994 NECBL Defensive Player of the Year; Nathan was a shortstop in college. Astro righty Josh Fields was named the Top Prospect of the 2005 NECBL when he dominated for the Keene Swamp Bats.
Nathan and Fields are two of the 22 NECBL alumni who were on 2013 Opening Day rosters. In addition, another 15 alumni were on 40-man rosters.
Two alumni not on Opening Day 25 man rosters- Red Sox and Cardinal pitchers Craig Breslow and Jason Motte- start the year on the 15-day Disabled List. They will almost certainly be added to their team’s 25-man rosters once they heal.
The most pleasant surprise of the spring was Kevin Slowey. The NECBL’s 2004 Top Pitcher Slowey, a standout Sanford Mainer, came to the Miami Marlins’ camp as a Non Roster Invitee and pitched his way onto the 25-man roster. Slowey won double-digit games for the Minnesota Twins each season from 2008 to 2010.
Many of the 25-man players have New England ties beyond the NECBL. Padre OF Chris Denorfia (Southington/Wheaton), Blue Jay OF Rajai Davis (New London/UConn Avery Point) and Athletics’ P Evan Scribner (Washington Depot/Central Connecticut) were all raised and college educated in New England.
Diamondback OF A.J. Pollock (Hebron, CT), Angel C Chris Iannetta (Cumberland, RI) and Red C Ryan Hanigan (Andover, MA) all hail from New England while Indian and Rockie pitchers Frank Herrmann (Harvard) and Adam Ottavino (Northeastern) attended college in New England.
Here are the 22 NECBL alumni on Opening Day 25-man rosters:
-A.J. Pollock/OF/Arizona Diamondbacks. 2007 Vermont
-Adam Ottavino/RHP/Colorado Rockies. 2004 Danbury
-Andre Ethier/OF/Los Angeles Dodgers. 2001 Keene
-Andrew Bailey/RHP/Boston Red Sox. 2004 Lowell
-Chris Denorfia/OF/San Diego Padres. 2000-2001 Manchester
-Chris Iannetta/C/Los Angeles Angels. 2003 Newport
-Darin Mastroianni/OF/Minnesota Twins. 2004-2005 Vermont
-Evan Scribner/RHP/Oakland Athletics. 2005 North Adams
-Frank Herrmann/RHP/Cleveland Indians. 2004 Pittsfield
-Jeff Keppinger/INF/Chicago White Sox. 1999 Keene
-Joe Nathan/RHP/Texas Rangers. 1994 Fairfield
-Joe Smith/RHP/Cleveland Indians. 2004 North Adams
-Joe Thatcher/LHP/San Diego Padres. 2001 Danbury
-Josh Fields/RHP/Houston Astros. 2005 Keene
-Kevin Slowey/RHP/Miami Marlins. 2004 Sanford
-Matt Adams/INF/St. Louis Cardinals. 2008 Pittsfield
-Matt Joyce/OF/Tampa Bay Rays. 2004 Danbury
-Mitchell Boggs/RHP/St. Louis Cardinals. 2004 Newport
-Rajai Davis/OF/Toronto Blue Jays. 2001 Middletown
-Ryan Hanigan/C/Cincinnati Reds. 2001 Lowell
-Stephen Strasburg (Pictured) /RHP/Washington Nationals. 2007 Torrington
-Steve Lombardozzi/INF/Washington Nationals. 2008 Holyoke
Here are the 15 additional alumni on Opening Day 40-man rosters:
-Alex Hassan/OF/Boston Red Sox. 2007 Pittsfield
-Andy Parrino/INF/Oakland Athletics. 2005-2006 Manchester
-Christian Friedrich/LHP/Colorado Rockies. 2006 Vermont
-Craig Breslow/RHP/Boston Red Sox. 1999 Middletown (DL)
-Dan Otero/RHP/Oakland Athletics. 2005 Newport
-David Carpenter/RFP/Atlanta Braves. 2005 Vermont
-Eric Smith/RHP/Arizona Diamondbacks. 2008 Vermont
-Jason Motte/RHP/St. Louis Cardinals. 2002 Sanford (DL)
-Jeff Beliveau/LHP/Texas Rangers. 2006 Newport
-Juan Perez/OF/San Francisco Giants. 2008 Holyoke
-Mike Belfiore/LHP/Baltimore Orioles. 2007 Pittsfield
-Mike Olt/INF/Texas Rangers. 2008 Danbury
-Ryan Lavarnway/C/Boston Red Sox. 2007 Manchester
-Scott Barnes/LHP/Cleveland Indians. 2006 Holyoke
-Tom Koehler/RHP/Miami Marlins. 2005 Keene
