Seven Former Gator Baseball Players On MLB Opening Day Rosters
Wednesday, April 8, 2015 | Baseball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Seven former University of Florida baseball players appeared on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters as the 2015 season kicked off this week. Outfielder Matt den Dekker (Washington Nationals, 2007-10), right-hander Anthony DeSclafani (Cincinnati Reds, 2009-11), right-hander Darren O'Day (Baltimore Orioles, 2003-06), infielder Ryan Raburn (Cleveland Indians, 2000), left-hander Steven Rodriguez (Los Angeles Dodgers, 2010-12), catcher David Ross (Chicago Cubs, 1998) and catcher Mike Zunino (Seattle Mariners, 2010-12) opened the campaign on the 25-man roster for their respective clubs.
Now with the Nationals, den Dekker saw action in 53 games for the New York Mets last season and batted .250 with 23 runs, 21 walks, seven stolen bases and seven RBI. He was selected by the Mets in the fifth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft with the 152nd choice. Regarded as the top defensive outfielder in school history, den Dekker was the first Gator chosen to the SEC Defensive Team three-straight campaigns (since joined by shortstop Nolan Fontana). A two-time All-SEC pick (first team in 2008, second team in 2010), he was also named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2007. At the time his collegiate career was completed, he was the only Gator to make All-Regional teams on three occasions (2008 Tallahassee Regional, 2009 & 2010 Gainesville Regionals). On Florida's career list, den Dekker still ranks fourth in runs scored (220), fifth in both at bats (844) and games started (220), tied for fifth in stolen bases (65), sixth in hit-by-pitches (26), tied for seventh in hits (262), eighth in games played (234), ninth in home runs (33) and tied for ninth in RBI (159). He turned in a career batting average of .310 and was at .300 in SEC play.
DeSclafani was 2-2 in 13 games and 33 innings for the Miami Marlins last season, including five starts. Chosen by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2011 MLB Draft with the 199th selection, the right-hander was 13-9 with a 5.36 ERA in 68 appearances, including 19 starts, at Florida. Over 149.1 innings, he totaled 115 strikeouts and collected three saves. DeSclafani was part of back-to-back Gator SEC Championship teams in 2010 & 2011 that advanced to the NCAA College World Series in both seasons.
O'Day appeared in 68 games for the Baltimore Orioles last year and was 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA. The righty registered 73 strikeouts in 68.2 innings of action with four saves and opponents batted just .174 against him. The reliever ranks third in appearances (117), fourth in saves (20) and tied for eighth in victories (23) on the Gator career pitching lists. Not only did he pace the team in lowest ERA three-consecutive seasons, O'Day was the Orange and Blue's leader in saves during two of his last three campaigns, highlighted by the 2005 SEC title and a runner-up showing at that season's NCAA College World Series. A finalist for the prestigious H. Boyd McWhorter SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2006, he was a two-time Academic All-American in 2005 and 2006, was a member of the SEC Good Works Team and was chosen to the league's Academic Honor Roll on three occasions.
Raburn saw action in 74 games for Cleveland last year, tallied 22 RBI, scored 18 runs, contributed seven doubles, belted four homers and a .200 clip. He was a member of the 2000 Gator squad that was the runner-up at the NCAA Waco (Texas) Regional.
Rodriguez appeared in 19 games for the Dodgers last year and was 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA in 14 innings, with and a .250 batting average against. A 2012 All-American by Perfect Game and a first-team All-SEC pick, the left-hander had a 3-2 record in 34 appearances and paced UF's pitching corps with 81 strikeouts in 62 innings. Over his three-year career in Gainesville, Rodriguez made three-straight trips to the NCAA College World Series, captured back-to-back SEC titles in 2010 and 2011, compiled a record of 9-4 (.692), totaled seven saves and registered a 2.19 ERA in 86 appearances (seventh on the school's career list) and two starts. Rodriguez's career ERA is the lowest by a Gator pitcher since aluminum bats were introduced in 1974 and his total of 10.64 strikeouts per nine innings ranks No.1. He notched 151 strikeouts and allowed 30 walks in 127.2 innings, while holding opponents to a .227 performance, tied for the ninth-lowest by a UF hurler.
Now in his 14th Major League season, Ross played in 50 games last year and hit .184 with 16 runs, 15 RBI, seven homers and seven doubles for the Boston Red Sox. Ross batted .332 with 69 RBI, 21 doubles and 19 round-trippers in helping the Gators to the 1998 SEC Championship and a berth at that season's College World Series. In 2013, he joined six other former Gator players who have earned World Series rings – David Eckstein (2002, 2006), Witt “Lefty” Guise (1940), Steve Lombardozzi (1987), Randy O'Neal (1984), Lance Richbourg (1924) and Al Rosen (1948).
The third pick of the 2012 MLB Draft, Zunino batted .199 in 131 games, with 60 RBI, 51 runs, 22 homers and 20 doubles for the Mariners last year. The 2012 recipient of the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy and the Johnny Bench Award, he became the first Gator catcher to be voted as a first-team All-American twice. Zunino batted .327 in 193 career games, including 188 starts. His total of 17 sacrifice flies matches Mario Linares' (1988-91) for the most by a UF player, he ranks fourth on the school's all-time list in both doubles (58) and homers (47), occupies sixth in slugging percentage (.620) and RBI (175) and rates seventh in total bases (425). Zunino also totaled 224 hits, scored 159 runs, drew 72 walks and was 24-of-30 on stolen-base attempts. His sterling fielding percentage of .995 is second on the school's career chart, as well as his 1,340 putouts. He committed just eight errors in 1,473 total chances. The Gators posted a 147-56 (.724) record over his three seasons, the top three-year performance in the program's existence.
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