something I’ve thought a lot about entering this weird season is all the guys who are going to make their MLB debuts this season in front of no fans, friends, or family — just empty stadiums. it’s obviously necessary, but it’s an unfortunate circumstance for those players

players in MLB history: 19,683

you could fit every big leaguer ever into Madison Square Garden with room to spare! that’s not a lot of people! making the Majors is so difficult!!!

so cheers to those who make that dream a reality in 2020, even if no one is there to see it

this thread is gonna celebrate all those debuts as they happen this season because making the big leagues at all is incredible. you only have one MLB debut and it’s too bad these guys won’t have the traditional debut moment we’ve grown accustomed to seeing and celebrating

19,684th player in MLB history: Joe McCarthy

- College World Series champion with UVA in 2015
- injuries led to bad junior year which hurt his Draft stock considerably
- 5th round pick by Rays in 2015
- acquired by Giants at the 2019 Trade Deadline
- starting on Opening Day 2020

19,685th player in MLB history: Dany Jiménez

- didn't sign with the Blue Jays until he was 21 (relatively late for Dominican-born players)
- didn't reach Double-A until age-25
- 38.6% = 5th-best K% among all MiLB relievers (min. 50 IP) in '19
- Rule 5 pick by Giants in Dec. '19

19,686th player in MLB history: Andrés Giménez

- signed for $1.2M as one of the top SS in the 2015 international class
- 2018 Futures Game
- 3rd-youngest everyday player in the Eastern League in 2019
- won the batting title in the 2019 Arizona Fall League
- excellent defender

19,687th player in MLB history: William Contreras

- like Giménez , he was also a part of the 2015 international class, but his signing bonus was just $10,000
- rocket arm + big power
- yes, Willson is his older brother
- 55th Venezuelan catcher in MLB history, 42nd since 2010

19,688th player in MLB history: Yoshitomo Tsutsugo

- 5x NPB All-Star
- 2x NPB Home Run Derby champion
- has averaged 25+ HR, 75+ RBI for the last decade with the Yokohama Bay Stars
- signed a 2-year, $12 million contract with the Rays this past winter
- hits absolute bombs

19,689th player in MLB history: Shogo Akiyama

- 9 seasons with the Seibu Lions
- holds NPB record for most hits in a single season (216 in 2015)
- signed a 3-year, $21 million deal with the Reds
- the Reds were the last MLB team to have never had a Japanese player...until now!

19,690th player in MLB history: Ryan Thompson

- funky side-armer
- 2013 D-I ERA champ at Campbell (0.88 ERA in 71.2 IP)
- 23rd round pick by the Astros in 2014
- Tommy John surgery on January 1, 2018
- claimed off waivers by Rays on December 13, 2018
- holy shit, here he is:

19,691st player in MLB history: Ramon Rosso

2015: signs with LAD
2016: released by LAD
June 2017: signs with PHI
rest of 2017: shreds 3 levels of rookie ball (1.31 ERA in 75.2 IP)
2018: shreds both levels of A-ball (2.04 ERA in 123.1 IP)
2019: fine in AA/AAA
2020: BIG LEAGUER

19,692nd player in MLB history: Luis Robert

- hit .401 in final season in Cuba
- AL executive called him "the best player on the planet" when he signed
- 32 HR, 36 SB, 1.001 OPS across 3 MiLB levels in 2019
- prolific TikToker
- tremendously good-looking
- gonna be a superstar

19,693rd player in MLB history: Evan White

- 1st round pick out of Kentucky in 2017
- he's a "backwards guy" = bats right, throws left (very rare)
- elite 1B defense
- signed a 6-year extension in November 2019
- one of the nicest people you will ever meet

19,694th player in MLB history: José Marmolejos

- 9 SEASONS in the Nationals organization
- 840 career MiLB games
- 40+ games at all 7 levels of MiLB
- signed an MiLB contract w/ Spring Training invite with the Mariners in November '19
- now debuting against JUSTIN VERLANDER

19,695th player in MLB history: J.P. Feyereisen

- 16th round pick in 2014 by CLE out of D-III (!!!) Wisconsin-Stevens Point
- traded to NYY in 2016 as part of the Andrew Miller deal
- 3.12 ERA in 164.2 IP w/ 195 Ks at AAA, but never called up
- traded to Brewers in Sept. 2019

19,696th player in MLB history: Tyler Zuber

- 6th round pick by the Royals in 2017 as a senior out of Arkansas State
- $2,500 signing bonus!!!!!!!!!!!
- 1.79 ERA in 55.1 IP w/ 21 saves across High-A & Double-A in 2019
- dominant for Licey in the 2019-2020 Dominican Winter League

19,697th player in MLB history: Jonathan Araúz

- signed with PHI in 2014
- traded to HOU in 2015 as part of the Ken Giles trade
- one of 3 17-year-olds in the 2016 Appalachian League (one of the others was Vlad Jr.)
- Rule 5 pick by BOS in 2019
- 64th Panamanian in MLB history

19,698th player in MLB history: Leody Taveras

- signed by the Rangers in 2015; $2.1 million signing bonus
- 4th overall pick by Aguilas in 2017 LIDOM Draft -- one pick before Juan Soto
- 2018 Futures Game participant
- switch-hitter
- one of the best defensive CF in the Minors

19,699th player in MLB history: Kwang-hyun Kim

- 12 seasons in #KBO , 4-time Korean Series champion
- MVP as a 19-year-old in 2008
- originally posted by SK in 2014, SD won bidding, but deal fell through
- Tommy John in 2017
- was always a starter, but now he's the closer? SURE

19,700th player in MLB history: Anthony Misiewicz

- 18th round pick in 2015 by SEA out of Michigan State
- traded to the Rays in August 2017
- made 5 starts in Double-A with the Rays
- re-acquired by the Mariners for cash considerations in December 2017 (LOL Dipoto)

19,701st player in MLB history: Codi Heuer

- 6th round pick, 3rd of 11 Wichita State players selected in 2018 Draft (Alec Bohm was the 1st)
- on this day in 2018 he had a 7.41 ERA in the Pioneer League
- dominated High-A/AA in 2019
- low arm slot but still throws extremely hard

19,702nd player in MLB history: Blake Taylor

- 2nd round pick by PIT in 2013
- 5th HS LHP taken in 2013 Draft (and 1st to make the big leagues)
- traded to NYM in 2014 as PTBNL for Ike Davis
- traded to HOU in Jake Marisnick deal in December 2019
- only LHP in the Astros bullpen

19,703rd player in MLB history: Yohan Ramirez

- didn't sign til he was 21
- insane stuff, minimal control
- among 436 MiLB pitchers with 100+ IP in 2019, he had the 8th-highest strikeout-rate (33.8%) ... and *the* highest walk-rate (15.8%)
- Rule 5 pick from HOU in December 2019

19,704th player in MLB history: Enoli Paredes

- small dude, excellent athlete, huge stuff (up to 99 MPH, nasty curveball)
- grew up in D.R. idolizing Yordano Ventura
- .158 career (!) BAA is the lowest of *any* MiLB pitcher (min. 150 IP) since his pro debut in 2016

19,705th player in MLB history: Santiago Espinal

- born & raised in D.R., moved to U.S. for high school
- 10th round pick in '16 by BOS
- traded to TOR in June '18 for Steve Pearce, who may or may not have gone on to win World Series MVP 4 months later
- can play SS, 2B, 3B, CF

19,706th player in MLB history: Nick Neidert

- 2015 2nd round pick out of HS by the Mariners
- traded to the Marlins in Dee Gordon trade in December 2017
- 2019 Arizona Fall League All-Star
- doesn't throw that hard but has a great change-up and great command

19,707th player in MLB history: Brady Singer

- 2nd round pick out of HS, didn't sign
- 2017 National Champion w/ Florida
- 2018 Dick Howser Trophy winner
- 1st round pick in 2018
- used part of signing bonus to pay off all of his parents' debt for Christmas
- works VERY quickly

19,708th player in MLB history: Jimmy Lambert

- 5th round pick in 2016 out of Fresno State
- velo & K-rate ticked up in 2018
- Tommy John in June 2019
- no MiLB this year means this is his first official pro outing since Tommy John!!!
- older brother of Rockies RHP Peter Lambert

19,709th player in MLB history: Daniel "Jet" Johnson

- teammates w/ Ramón Laureano at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M before transferring to New Mexico State in '15
- 5th round pick by Nationals in '16
- traded to CLE in Yan Gomes deal in Nov. '18
- one of the best OF arms in baseball

19,710th player in MLB history: Alex Vesia

- 17th round pick in 2018 as a senior out of D-II Cal State East Bay
- $25,000 signing bonus!
- 1.62 career MiLB ERA in 100 IP
- dominant in 2019 Arizona Fall League
- best pitch is his change-up

19,711th player in MLB history: Aaron Whitefield

- made the roster as a pinch-runner (and made his debut today as one)
- 115 steals in 357 career MiLB games
- 2x Australian Baseball League MVP
- 32nd Australian in MLB history; 9th in Twins history (most of any MLB team)

19,712th player in MLB history: Caleb Baragar

- 2 years at a D-II junior college in Michigan, then transferred to Indiana
- 9th round pick as a senior by SFG in '16; $20,000 signing bonus
- 5 scoreless IP in 2019 Triple-A championship game
- 8th Caleb in MLB history, 1st Baragar

19,713th player in MLB history: Cristian Javier

- lowest BAA (.130) among all MiLB pitchers in '19 with 100+ IP; 2nd-best was MacKenzie Gore (.161)
- less explosive stuff than fellow rookie Enoli Paredes but Javier is considered a better prospect
- ugh, the Astros are so good

19,714th player in MLB history: Edward Olivares

- signed with the Blue Jays in 2014 out of Venezuela
- $1,000 signing bonus!!!
- traded to the Padres for Yangervis Solarte in January 2018
- 1 of 6 players in MiLB with 15+ HR and 30+ steals in 2019

19,715th player in MLB history: Kyle Finnegan

- teammates at Texas State with fellow Nationals reliever Austen Williams
- 6th round pick in 2013 Draft by OAK
- 7 seasons in A's organization, 232 MiLB games pitched
- signed MLB deal with the Nationals this past winter

19,716th player in MLB history: Taylor Widener

- 12th round pick in 2016 by NYY out of South Carolina
- traded to AZ as part of 3-way AZ/TB/NYY trade in Feb. '18
- dominated AA in 2018; 2nd-most K's in MiLB
- severe victim of juiced ball + insane hitter-friendly Reno in 2019

19,717th player in MLB history: Thomas Hatch

- same HS in OK as 2x All-Star Josh Johnson
- missed all of sophomore year due to elbow injury
- junior year: ace of Oklahoma State team that made it to Omaha
- 3rd round pick by CHC in 2016
- traded to TOR in 2019 for David Phelps

19,718th player in MLB history: Taylor Jones

- listed at 6'7", now tied with Aaron Judge for tallest position player in MLB
- 8 HR in 4 years at Gonzaga (also pitched for 2 years)
- 19th round pick in '16
- 55 HR in 4 years in MiLB (swing change, much?)
- .889 OPS in AAA in '19

19,719th player in MLB history: Jordan Holloway

- 20th round pick in 2014 out of HS in Colorado
- Tommy John surgery in June 2017
- came back from Tommy John throwing super hard
- command issues but the stuff is legit
- has never pitched above A-ball

19,720th player in MLB history: JT Brubaker

- 6th round pick in 2015 out of Akron in the last year before they cancelled their baseball program (the program was finally reinstated last year)
- has always been a starter; this is only his 3rd professional relief appearance

19,721st player in MLB history: Kodi Whitley

- got Tommy John before junior year (2016) at D-II Mount Olive
- only threw 5.1 IP in redshirt junior year in 2017, still got drafted by STL in the 27th round
- career 2.01 MiLB ERA in 156.2 IP
- very good in 2019 Arizona Fall League

19,722nd player in MLB history: Cam Hill

- 17th round pick in 2014
- moved to the bullpen in 2015
- 4th player ever drafted out of Redlands Community College in Oklahoma; 1st one to make the big leagues

19,723rd player in MLB history: Vimael Machín

- born and raised in Puerto Rico
- naturally left-handed, dad taught him as a kid how to throw righty so he could play more positions
- 10th round pick by CHC in 2015 out of VCU
- Rule 5 pick by PHI, then traded to OAK in Dec. '19

19,724th player in MLB history: Shun Yamaguchi

- 14 seasons in NPB
- 4x NPB All-Star
- father was a sumo wrestling champion
- led Central League in wins & Ks in '19
- first MLB pitcher to wear #1 since ???????
- MAKING HIS MLB DEBUT WITH A RUNNER ON 2ND TO START THE INNING!!!!!!

19,725th player in MLB history: Brandon Bailey

- 6th round pick by OAK in 2016 out of Gonzaga (where he was teammates with Taylor Jones )
- traded to HOU for Ramón Laureano in Nov. '17
- Rule 5 pick by BAL in Dec. 2019, but returned to HOU during 2020 Spring Training

19,726th player in MLB history: Jake Cronenworth

- INF & closer at Michigan; 211 hits, 27 saves in 3 years
- 7th round pick by TB in 2015; stopped pitching after signing
- started doing both again in 2019; 0.00 ERA in 7 appearances in AAA
- traded w/ Tommy Pham to SD in Dec. '19

19,727th player in MLB history: Kyle Funkhouser

- incredible SO year huge hype heading into JR year ('15)
- slid to 35th overall; high asking price turned down LAD went back Louisville
- 4th round to DET in '16
- flashes great stuff but injured a lot during pro career

19,728th player in MLB history: Foster Griffin

- HS teammates with Adam Haseley
- 1st round pick by KC in '14
- really good for Licey in LIDOM this past winter; decided on his own to play to test himself despite having pitched a full season at AAA
- today is his 25th birthday!

19,729th player in MLB history: Brandon Bielak

- teammates at Notre Dame with Cavan Biggio
- dominance as a reliever in the Cape Cod League in '16 raised his Draft stock
- poor statistical junior year (5.55 ERA) in '17 dropped him to the 11th round
- 2.94 MiLB ERA in 272.1 IP

19,730th player in MLB history: Beau Burrows

- 1st round pick by DET in 2015 out of Weatherford High School in TX (same HS as Zack Britton)
- 2017 Futures Game participant (struck out Amed Rosario and Rafael Devers in his 1 IP)
- injuried on & off in 2019, limited to 17 starts

19,731st player in MLB history: Tejay Antone

- HS teammates w/ Noah Syndergaard
- 22nd round pick by NYM out of HS, didn't sign
- freshman year at TCU, then transferred to Weatherford College
- 5th round pick by CIN in '14
- Tommy John in '17
- great in AA, solid in AAA in '19

19,732nd player in MLB history: Anthony Castro

- signed with DET in 2011 out of Venezuela
- Tommy John surgery in May 2015
- finally made full-season debut in 2017 and was great in the Midwest League
- has always been a starter but command issues indicate a future in the bullpen

19,733rd player in MLB history: Tyler Stephenson

- huge senior spring (including a bat flip that went viral) catapulted him into the 1st round of '15 Draft
- lot of injuries early in career but has looked great when healthy
- big arm + raw power
- standout in Fall League in '19