By: Thomas Dick, Texas A&M Athletics Communications
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Seven Aggies have been selected for Opening Day rosters as Major League Baseball’s 2022 campaign commences Thursday.
The Aggies set for MLB Opening Day rosters include Ryan Hendrix (Cincinnati Reds), Corbin Martin (Arizona Diamondbacks), A.J. Minter (Atlanta Braves), Tyler Naquin (Cincinnati Reds), Brooks Raley (Tampa Bay Rays), Ross Stripling (Toronto Blue Jays) and Michael Wacha (Boston Red Sox). All seven players have prior MLB experience.
With MLB set to open the season with seven games Thursday, teams selected 28-player squads to break camp.
2022 MLB AGGIES
RYAN HENDRIX, pitcher (Cincinnati Reds)
After a strong rookie campaign, Hendrix returns to Cincinnati. He pitched in 36 games out of the Reds’ bullpen, posting a 5-1 record with 35 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. Hendrix made his Major League debut on April 23, 2021 and earned his first career win four days later against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
CORBIN MARTIN, pitcher (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Martin is back for his second season with the Diamondbacks and his third season in the Major Leagues. He appeared in five games last season, including three starts, logging 13 strikeouts in 16.0 innings. He has 10 major league games under his belt, including eight starts. He earned a win in his Major League debut with the Houston Astros in 2019.
A.J. MINTER, pitcher (Atlanta Braves)
Minter, in his sixth season in Atlanta, returns following the Braves’ 2021 World Series crown campaign. Last season, he pitched in 61 games out of the bullpen, posting a 3-6 mark with a 3.78 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 52.1 innings. During the Braves’ postseason run, Minter worked in eight games, logging a 1-1 mark with a 3.00 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 12.0 innings. He earned the win in the opening game of the World Series. For his career, Minter is 11-15 with 20 saves, a 3.71 ERA and 211 strikeouts in 179.2 innings.
TYLER NAQUIN, outfielder (Cincinnati Reds)
Naquin is in his second season in Cincinnati after a strong first season with the Reds. Last year, he played in 127 games, posting a .270 batting average with 52 runs, 24 doubles, two triples, 19 home runs and 70 RBI. He took a diagonal trek across Ohio after spending his first five seasons with the Cleveland Indians. He was a member of the Tribe when they finished as World Series runner-up in 2016. For his career, Naquin is hitting .273 with 179 runs, 78 doubles, eight triples, 50 HR and 191 RBI in 452 games.
BROOKS RALEY, pitcher (Tampa Bay Rays)
Raley is in his first season with the Tampa Bay Rays after falling just short of winning the World Series last season with the Houston Astros. In 2021, he pitched in 58 games out of the bullpen, posting a 2-3 record with two saves, a 4.78 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 49.0 innings. He also appeared in eight postseason contests for the Astros last year, including four World Series games. The Uvalde, Texas, product returned to play in America after pitching five seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization. He played for the Lotte Giants from 2015-19, posting a 48-53 record with a 4.73 ERA and 755 strikeouts in 910.2 innings. Prior to heading overseas, Raley pitched in 14 games for the Chicago Cubs in 2012-13.
ROSS STRIPLING, pitcher (Toronto Blue Jays)
Stripling enters his third season with the Toronto Blue Jays. Las year, Chicken Strip pitched in 24 games, including 19 starts, posting a 5-7 record with a 4.80 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 101.1 innings. He spent his first four and a half years as a Swiss Army knife for the Los Angeles Dodgers with 59 starts and 84 relief appearances. His career marks include a 28-34 record with three saves, a 3.97 ERA and 511 strikeouts in 537.2 innings. Last year, Stripling was 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA and 93 strikeouts in 90.2 innings. He boasts a 2018 MLB All-Star Game appearance.
MICHAEL WACHA, pitcher (Boston Red Sox)
Heading into his 10th MLB campaign, Wacha is in a new locale for the third consecutive season. After pitching seven years with the St. Louis Cardinals, Wacha has pitched for the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays and now the Boston Red Sox. Last season he posted a 3-5 mark with a 5.05 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 124.2 innings. For his career, he is 63-48 with a 4.14 ERA and 917 strikeouts in 1026.1 innings. Wacha owns a 2015 MLB All-Star Game appearance and a 2013 National League Championship Series MVP trophy.