(Phoenix, AZ) Sun Devil Baseball excelled in all levels of baseball, boasting ten major leaguers, three MLB postseason participants and more than 60 Sun Devils in professional baseball throughout the 2023 season in all categories.
Three of the ten Sun Devils made their Major League debuts to bring ASU’s all time tally to 117 with Drew Maggi (PIT), Alec Marsh (KC) and Alika Williams (PIT) appearing in their first career games. They joined Austin Barnes (LAD), Kole Calhoun (CLE), Merrill Kelly (AZ), Seth Martinez (HOU), Brian Serven (COL), Spencer Torkelson (DET), and Trevor Williams (WAS), who all returned to The Show for their respective clubs in this season.
“We take great pride in watching so many Sun Devils continue to succeed at all levels of professional baseball. This program has a proven track record of graduating young men, competing for championships, and getting guys to the next level.” Head coach Willie Bloomquist said.
Second-round selection in the 2023 MLB draft, Luke Keaschall appeared in three different levels of minor league baseball, putting up 32 hits, scoring 29 runs with 15 RBIs and slamming three home runs in 31 games for three different clubs, posting a .288 average over the summer. Keaschall was part of the Cedar Rapids Kernels that won the league title at the High-A Level.
Maggi made his Major League Debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 26 against the Dodgers after spending 13 seasons in the minor leagues. He would record his first major league hit against the Washington Nationals on April 29, which was a single, and would later blast a double going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Alika Williams also made his MLB debut for the Pirates, this time on July 25th against the San Diego Padres where he registered a walk. Then against the Philadelphia Phillies he smacked his first career hit and RBI on July 29th. He’s appeared in 46 games, totalling 20 hits, five doubles and six RBIs while flashing several Web Gems in the field as a defensive standout. He became just the third ASU shortstop to go in the first round after being selected by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 37th overall pick.
Marsh also made his debut for the Kansas City Royals, appearing in 16 games and posting three victories. On July 15 against the Tampa Bay Rays, he fanned a season-high 11 batters and only walked one. He finished the regular season in the rotation and earned his first career victory against the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 13 with five strikeouts and three hits. Marsh was named on the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2019 after posting a 3.46 ERA and a 9-4 record in his final season in Tempe.
The first overall pick in 2020, Spencer Torkelson was a prominent starter, appearing in 159 games for the Detroit Tigers and showing off his power by smashing 31 home runs, 34 doubles and 141 hits this season, totaling 94 RBIs. This season he’s had five career two-home run games and achieved a career high five RBIs in a game against the Royals on July 18.
In his fifth season and representing the valley, Kelly has been a reliable arm for the Arizona Diamondbacks as they achieved their first postseason appearance since 2017. The Scottsdale Native has posted 12 wins with a 3.29 ERA in 177.2 innings this year. It’s his second straight season reaching double-digit wins and has a career-high 187 strikeouts this campaign. With ASU, he was a vital figure in 2010 where the team reached the College World Series, going 10-3, earning All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention and threw 100 innings, striking out 78 for the Sun Devils.
I can’t wait to watch Merrill, Austin, and Seth compete in the MLB Postseason this month while we welcome home many of the guys who just wrapped up the minor league season. Nearly 60 Sun Devils represented this program at all levels of pro ball in 2023 and we’re proud of the work the coaches at ASU do to prepare guys for the next level each year!” Bloomquist said.
An incredible 53 Sun Devil Letterwinners played Minor League Baseball in 2023. Alongside Keaschall being a part of a league championship team, Gage Workman for the Erie Seawolves earned a championship at the Double-A level with 85 hits, 13 home runs and 48 RBIs.
Elsewhere, 2022 draftees Kyle Luckham and Joe Lampe have found success for their respective minor league clubs. Luckham started the year at the High-A level for the Wilmington Blue Rocks making 24 starts, posting five wins, 100 strikeouts, only 30 walks and one complete game on Aug. 10. On Sept. 13 he was elevated to double-AA to the Harrisburg Senators, fanning six in five innings on Sept. 15 for the club.
Lampe, a 2022 third round selection by the Cleveland Guardians found success at the High-A level for the Lynchburg Hillcats in 2023 by being a reliable starter appearing in 111 games, posting 92 hits, smacking five home runs and 50 RBIs in 2023. In 2021, he was one of three Sun Devils to be selected to the Pac-12 All-Defensive team after not posting an error in the outfield that season.
The Savannah Bananas are the new baseball phenomenon taking over the country, and three Sun Devils are part of the squad that brings a new perspective to baseball. Bronson Balholm, Connor Higgins and Ryan Kellogg all represent Sun Devil Baseball for the Bananas.
In 2022, Balholm appeared in eight games at catcher. Higgins had a steller sophomore campaign in 2017 for ASU, fanning 34 strikeouts in 39 innings of relief. Kellogg, a three-time First Team All-Pac-12 selection, ranks in the top-10 in school history with 28 wins, going 28-6 when he donned the maroon & gold.
Fitz Stadler represents the Sun Devils in MLB’s respected Arizona Fall League, representing the Surprise Saguaros after reaching Double-A this past minor league season. Stadler achieved a 4-1 record in 30 games, throwing 36.1 innings and managing 42 strikeouts.
On the coaching side, former Sun Devil head coach Pat Murphy served as a bench coach for the NL Central division champion Milwaukee Brewers while Dave Hudgens served as a hitting strategist for the AL Wild Card representative Toronto Blue Jays. Sun Devil alum Alvin Davis who played from 1979-1982, served as a hitting coach for the American League at the MLB Futures Game in July during the All-Star break.
In other professional leagues, ASU has four former student-athletes in the Mexican League with Jake Barrett (Acereros De Monciova), Drew Stankiewicz (Pericos de Puebla) along with Seth Blair and Xorge Carrillo playing on Toros de Tijuana this Summer.
Finally, in March five Sun Devils appeared in the World Baseball Classic across four different countries. Barnes represented the Mexican side alongside Jacob Cruz who was a hitting coach for the team. Kelly donned the red, white and blue. Ian Kinsler managed the Israeli side in March and Eric Sogard represented the Czech Republic in the Spring commanding the infield.
| MLB Player (10) | Position | Years at ASU | Team | |
| Austin Barnes | C | 2009-2011 | Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Kole Calhoun | OF | 2009-2010 | Cleveland Guardians | |
| Merrill Kelly | RHP | 2010 | Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| Drew Maggi | INF | 2009-2010 | Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Alec Marsh | RHP | 2017-2019 | Kansas City Royals | |
| Seth Martinez | RHP | 2014-2016 | Houston Astros | |
| Brian Serven | C | 2014-2016 | Colorado Rockies | |
| Spencer Torkelson | 1B | 2018-2020 | Detroit Tigers | |
| Alika Williams | INF | 2018-2020 | Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Trevor Williams | RHP | 2011-2013 | Washington Nationals | |
| MLB Coach (2) | ||||
| Dave Hudgens | Hitting Strategist | 1975-1978 | Toronto Blue Jays | |
| Pat Murphy | Bench Coach | 1995-2009 | Milwaukee Brewers | |
| MLB Futures Game (1) | ||||
| Alvin Davis | Hitting Coach | 1979-1982 | American League | |
| World Baseball Classic (5) | ||||
| Austin Barnes | C | 2009-2011 | Mexico | |
| Jacob Cruz | Hitting Coach | 1992-1994 | Mexico | |
| Merrill Kelly | RHP | 2010 | USA | |
| Ian Kinsler | Manager | 2002 | Israel | |
| Eric Sogard | INF | 2005-2007 | Czech Republic | |
| Arizona Fall League (1) | ||||
| Fitz Stadler | RHP | 2016-2018 | Surprise Saguaros | |
| MiLB Player (53) | Position | Years at ASU | Team | Affiliation |
| Triple-A (8) | ||||
| Ryan Burr | RHP | 2013-2015 | Durham Bulls | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Kole Calhoun | OF | 2009-2010 | Oklahoma City Dodgers | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| R.J. Dabovich | RHP | 2019-2020 | Sacramento River Cats | San Francisco Giants |
| Eli Lingos | LHP | 2015-2018 | Albuquerque Isotopes | Colorado Rockies |
| Alec Marsh | RHP | 2017-2019 | Omaha Royals | Kansas City Royals |
| Seth Martinez | RHP | 2014-2016 | Sugar Land Space Cowboys | Houston Astros |
| Brian Serven | C | 2014-2016 | Albuquerque Isotopes | Colorado Rockies |
| Alika Williams | INF | 2018-2020 | Indianapolis Indians | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Double-A (8) | ||||
| Carter Aldrete | INF | 2017-2019 | Richmond Flying Squirrels | San Francisco Giants |
| Garvin Alston Jr. | LHP | 2016-2017 | Harrisburg Senators | Washington Nationals |
| Trevor Hauver | INF/OF | 2018-2020 | Frisco RoughRiders | Texas Rangers |
| Drew Maggi | INF | 2009-2010 | Indianapolis Indians | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Fitz Stadler | RHP | 2016-2018 | New Hampshire Fisher Cats | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Drew Swift | INF | 2018-2021 | Midland RockHounds | Oakland A’s |
| Tyler Thornton | RHP | 2020-2021 | Akron RubberDucks | Cleveland Guardians |
| Gage Workman | INF | 2018-2020 | Erie SeaWolves* | Detroit Tigers |
| High-A (8) | ||||
| Cooper Benson | LHP | 2020-2021 | Vancouver Canadians | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Hunter Haas | INF | 2021-2022 | Bowling Green Hot Rods | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Liam Jenkins | RHP | 2016 | Winston-Salem Dash | Chicago White Sox |
| Luke Keaschall | 2B | 2023 | Cedar Rapids Kernels* | Minnesota Twins |
| Joe Lampe | OF | 2021-2022 | Lake County Captains | Cleveland Guardians |
| Lyle Lin | C | 2017-2019 | Vancouver Canadians | Toronto Blue Jays |
| Kyle Luckham | RHP | 2022 | Wilmington Blue Rocks | Washington Nationals |
| Kai Murphy | OF | 2021-2022 | Fort Wayne Wizards | San Diego Padres |
| Low-A (7) | ||||
| Nate Baez | C | 2020-2022 | Fort Myers Mighty Mussels | Minnesota Twins |
| Justin Fall | LHP | 2020-2021 | Jupiter Hammerheads | Miami Marlins |
| Brian Kalmer | INF | 2020-2021 | Myrtle Beach Pelicans | Chicago Cubs |
| Sean McLain | INF | 2020-2022 | Rancho Cucamonga Quakes | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| Jack Moss | 1B | 2021 | Daytona Tortuga | Cincinnati Reds |
| Erik Tolman | LHP | 2019-2021 | Fredericksburg Nationals | Washington Nationals |
| Adam Tulloch | LHP | 2022 | Lynchburg Hillcats | Cleveland Guardians |
| Rookie (7) | ||||
| Wyatt Crenshaw | 2B | 2023 | ACL D-backs | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Josh Hansell | RHP | 2022-2023 | ACL Royals | Kansas City Royals |
| Ethan Long | OF | 2021-2023 | ACL Padres | San Diego Padres |
| Timmy Manning | LHP | 2023 | ACL Giants | San Francisco Giants |
| Blake Pivaroff | RHP | 2021-2023 | FCL Tigers | Detroit Tigers |
| Owen Stevenson | RHP | 2023 | FCL Rays | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Chase Webster | RHP | 2022 | FCL Phillies | Philadelphia Phillies |
| International (4) | ||||
| Jake Barrett | RHP | 2010-2012 | Acereros de Monclova | Mexican League |
| Seth Blair | RHP | 2008-2010 | Toros de Tijuana | Mexican League |
| Xorge Carrillo | C | 2010-2011 | Toros de Tijuana | Mexican League |
| Drew Stankiewicz | INF | 2012-2014 | Pericos de Puebla | Mexican League |
| MLB Professional Partner League / Independent (6) | ||||
| Bronson Balholm | C | 2022-2023 | Savannah Bananas | |
| Connor Higgins | LHP | 2016-2018 | Savannah Bananas | |
| Ryan Kellogg | LHP | 2013-2015 | Savannah Bananas | |
| Tillman Pugh | OF | 2008 | Charleston Dirty Birds | Atlantic League |
| Andrew Shaps | LHP | 2015-2017 | Winnipeg Goldeyes | American Association |
| Spencer Van Scoyoc | LHP | 2017-2018 | Kane County Cougars | American Association |
| Injured / Did Not Play (5) | ||||
| Hunter Bishop | OF | 2017-2019 | San Francisco Giants | |
| Khristian Curtis | RHP | 2023 | Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Ross Dunn | LHP | 2023 | Minnesota Twins | |
| Reagan Todd | LHP | 2016-2017 | Colorado Rockies | |
| Jesse Wainscott | RHP | 2023 | Seattle Mariners | |
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics – Jeremy Hawkes
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