Texas A&M Baseball: Six Aggies Among SEC Players on MLB Opening Day Rosters

Oct 24, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning during game two of the MLB baseball World Series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Jared Wickerham/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Oct 24, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Michael Wacha throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning during game two of the MLB baseball World Series at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Jared Wickerham/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
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Texas A&M Baseball
Mar 11, 2017; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Cleveland Indians center fielder Tyler  Naquin (30) poses while on deck against the Kansas City Royals during the fourth inning at Goodyear Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Naquin, Cleveland

Naquin was a rock star in college. In three seasons at Texas A&M he posted a slash line of .346/.420/.486. He was know for his cannon right arm in right field and was a plus defender during his time in College Station.

Making the decision to come to school worked out well for Naquin. He was drafted in the 33rd round out of high school Klein Collins High School, but bumped his status up significantly with a few years of college ball. Naquin was the No. 15 overall pick of the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the 2012 MLB draft.

He spent his first three years in the Indians’ system, making a few stops in AA and AAA prior to his MLB debut on April 5, 2016 against the Boston Red Sox. Since then Naquin has been a consistent starter for the Indians and finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Naquin helped the Indians reach the World Series in 2016. In lesser playing time, he recorded at least one hit in the ALDS, ALCS, and the World Series.

It looks like Naquin will be in the big leagues for a while. In his professional career he has a .300 batting average in 330 at bats with an .890 OPS.