By Jim Buckley
As we wait for Friday’s game to begin the 2023 NBC World Series, Foresters fans can also enjoy Major League Baseball, especially when so many former ’Sters are playing in the bigs. Since 1995, to the best of my calculations, an astonishing 63 Foresters have played at least one game in the Major Leagues. Fourteen have seen action in the 2023 season.
The Cincinnati Foresters . . . er, Reds boast a trip of ’Sters in their lineup: SS Matthew McLain (below), OF Spencer Steer, and 3B/DH Christian Encarnacion-Strand (pictured with the Sters). Atlanta P Bryce Elder made the NL All-Star team as a rookie this season. He was joined by Texas 3B Josh Jung, a slugger who played for the Foresters in 2019. The Mets’ OF/2B Jeff McNeil is the defending NL batting champion. And at the NBC World Series, P Ryan Helsley, now with the St. Louis Cardinals, will be named Graduate of the Year. Also, IF Drew Maggi was a big story earlier this season for making his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates at the age of 33: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/36299706/pirates-drew-maggi-makes-major-league-debut-age-33
The Foresters family is very proud of all these players, as well as the 400-plus others who have seen time in the minor leagues. The list below includes the Major Leaguers (if you think we left anyone out, drop us a line at [email protected]). The good news is that more are in the pipeline, so keep an eye out for the players you cheered this summer (and who you’ll cheer in the coming week) to perhaps join this list someday and make their Major League dreams come true.
Name MLB Club(s)
*Means active in 2023
Tejay Antone Cincinnati
Dylan Axelrod White Sox
Brian Bannister Mets, Kansas City
Brian Barton St. Louis, Atlanta, Dodgers
Aaron Bates Boston
Adam Bernero Detroit, Atlanta, Kansas City
Tanner Bibee* Cleveland
Aaron Bummer* White Sox
Ryan Church Washington, Mets, Arizona
Brady Clark Milwaukee, Dodgers, Mets
P.J. Conlon Mets
Ryan Cook Oakland
Garrett Crochet White Sox
Jaylin Davis SF Giants
Matt Diaz Tampa, Kansas City, Atlanta
Jon Duplantier Diamondbacks
Bryce Elder* Braves
Christian Encarnacion-Strand* Reds
Dana Eveland Milwaukee, Arizona, Oakland
C.J. Fick Houston
Kevin Frandsen San Francisco, Angels, Philadelphia, Washington
Matt Garza Minnesota, Tampa, Cubs, Milwaukee
Conor Gillaspie San Francisco, White Sox, Angels
A.J. Griffin Oakland, Texas
Brett Hayes Miami, Kansas City, Cleveland
Ryan Helsley* St. Louis
Keston Hiura* Milwaukee
Kyle Isbel* Kansas City
Kyle Kubitza Angels
Josh Jung* Texas
Evan Lee Washington
Justin Lehr Milwaukee, Seattle, Oakland
Drew Maggi Pittsburgh
Cody Martin Atlanta
James McCann* Detroit, Mets, CWS, Baltimore
Matthew McLain* Cincinnati
Jeff McNeil* Mets
Jordy Mercer Pittsburgh, Detroit, NYY
Hoby Milner Philadelphia, Angels
Parker Mushinski Houston
Doug Nickle Philadelphia, Angels
Ryan O’Hearn* Royals, Orioles
Glenn Otto* Rangers
Chris Pettit Angels
Chad Qualls Houston, Arizona, S.D, Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, Yankees, Miami, Colorado
Scott Randall Cincinnati
Cameron Rupp Philadelphia, Texas
Evan Rust St. Louis
Tanner Sheppers Texas
James Shields Tampa, Kansas City, San Diego
Carson Smith Seattle, Boston
Ryan Spilborghs Colorado, Cleveland
Spencer Steer* Cincinnati
Jeff Stevens Cubs
Steve Susdorf Philadelphia
Sean Tracey White Sox
Andrew Vasquez Minnesota, Toronto
Virgil Vasquez Detroit
Tyler Walker Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Mets, Washington
Patrick Weigel Atlanta, Milwaukee
Austen Williams Nationals
Justin Wilson Pirates, Yankees, Detroit, Cubs, Mets, Brewers
Delwyn Young Dodgers
