The Major League Baseball season has come to an end, and with that, we take a look at how former Indiana University baseball players produced at the highest levels of the game.
It was a special season, with four former Hoosiers producing noteworthy MLB campaigns.
Below we examine the former IU stars that registered statistics at the MLB or Triple-A levels during the 2019 season.
FORMER HOOSIERS COMPILING MLB STATS IN 2019
Alex Dickerson
Positions: Outfield
Team: San Francisco Giants
AB – 174
R – 29
H – 48
BA – .276
HR – 6
RBI – 28
SB – 1
OBP – .332
SLG – .489
2019 was a feel good story for Dickerson, at least for a while. He missed the entire 2017 and 2018 seasons with two separate injuries. And things didn’t start off well in 2019 either. After being sent down to the minors with San Diego, a mid-season trade to the Giants started an apparent career revival for Dickerson. You can read more about his sudden success in San Francisco here.
Unfortunately, back issues and other nagging injuries resurfaced and derailed a promising midsummer run for the former Hoosier slugger. In any event, Dickerson became a fan favorite in San Francisco and should have solidified his place in the majors with his performance while he was healthy.
Josh Phegley
Position: Catcher
Team: Oakland A’s
AB – 314
R – 44
H – 75
BA – .239
HR – 12
RBI – 62
SB – 0
OBP – .282
SLG – .411
Dickerson isn’t the only former Hoosier whose career received a major boost in 2019. Phegley capitalized on injuries in Oakland to produce some of the best numbers of his career from the plate. The Terre Haute native put up career bests in several categories including at bats, hits, runs, home runs and runs batted in. Phegley’s batting average was also higher than his career average.
Behind the plate Phegley led the American League throwing out stolen base attempts with 24, but was also first in passed balls with 15. He saw two at bats in the A’s American League wild card game appearance.
Kyle Schwarber
Position: Outfielder
Team: Chicago Cubs
AB – 529
R – 82
H – 132
BA – .250
HR – 38
RBI – 92
SB – 2
OBP – .339
SLG – .531
When Schwarber is healthy he produces, and that was the case in 2019. The former Hoosier slugger put up career best numbers in games, at bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, and runs batted in. At .250, Schwarber also hit for the highest average of his career, and passed career milestones in home runs (100) and runs batted in (250) during 2019.
Schwarber finished seventh in the national league in home runs and was intentionally walked more than anyone.
It was a mixed bag in the outfield, with Schwarber finishing first in assists and second in putouts in the NL, but also first in errors.
Fueled by a hot second half of the season, the Ohio native finished the year with the most home runs by a former IU player since Ted Kluszewski’s 47 in 1955, and the most runs batted in since Kluszewki’s 102 in 1956. Schwarber’s 110 career home runs are the second most ever by a former IU player, once again trailing Kluszewski who had 279.
Aaron Slegers
Positions: Pitcher
Team: Tampa Bay Rays
Games: 1
IP: 3.0
ERA: 3.0
SO: 0
BB: 0
Saves: 1
Slegers saw one appearance on the season with Tampa Bay and earned his first career save. He spent most of the season with AAA affiliate Durham where he was 6-7 with a 5.05 earned run average in 15 starts and 26 appearances. He averaged 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings pitched with Durham.
Sam Travis
Positions: First Baseman and Designated Hitter
Team: Boston Red Sox
AB – 144
R – 17
H – 31
BA – .215
HR – 6
RBI – 16
SB – 2
OBP – .274
SLG – .382
Travis was yet another Hoosier making waves in the MLB this year. Six of his seven career home runs and 16 of his career 24 runs batted in came during a productive 2019 campaign that saw Travis with the Red Sox for the second half of the season.
HOOSIERS IN TRIPLE-A
There are a few other former Hoosiers that have gotten to the highest level of the minors — and one step away from the big leagues. The following former IU stars registered Triple-A stats during 2019.
- Caleb Baragar (P) – Sacramento (San Francisco). Double-A All-Star.
- Kyle Hart (P) – Pawtucket (Boston)
- Ryan Halstead (P) – Sacramento (San Francisco)
All images are property of the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only.
[You can buy IU baseball, Kyle Schwarber and other jerseys here. Your purchase supports The Daily Hoosier.]
You can follow us on Twitter: @daily_hoosier
Find us on Facebook: thedailyhoosier
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no additional cost to you.
