Bama in the Pros
Alabama in Professional Baseball
Alabama baseball is steeped in tradition with 25 conference championships, 27 NCAA Regional appearances, 14 SEC Championships, seven SEC Tournament titles and five College World Series appearances.
The Crimson Tide program has also developed a number of players who went on the play at the next level, with 176 MLB draft picks (165 players) since its inception in 1966. Dating back to 1912, Alabama has had 72 former players reach the big leagues.
- David Robertson - Philadelphia Phillies
The MLB Draft
Alabama has had 168 players selected in the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft since its inception in 1966 with 179 total picks overall. Following the 2025 MLB Draft, the Crimson Tide has had at least one player taken in the draft for 47 consecutive years, dating back to 1979. Overall, the Tide has had at least one player selected in 54 of the 60 drafts. More recently, 108 total players from Alabama have heard their name called in the last 25 drafts dating back to 2000, including 73 in the last 15 years.
Alabama produced three picks in the 2025 MLB Draft, with Riley Quick being the first to hear his named called 36th overall by the Minnesota Twins. Kade Snell was chosen in the fifth round before Richie Bonomolo Jr. was selected in the seventh round.Â
The Crimson Tide had six total selections in the 2024 MLB Draft, matching the 2023 team. The 12 selections in consecutive years tied for the most since 2015-16. The '24 group was highlighted by first-rounder Ben Hess, who went 26th overall to the New York Yankees. Hess became the fifth first-rounder out of Alabama and the highest-drafted pitcher in program history. He was followed on day two by Gage Miller, who went to the Miami Marlins in the third round, and Greg Farone, a seventh-round selection of the San Francisco Giants. The final day of the 2024 installment saw three players selected - Ian Petrutz in the 12th round to the St. Louis Cardinals, along with Pierce George in the 13th round and TJ McCants in the 16th round, both to the Chicago White Sox.
Alabama had six total selections in 2023, tying for the most since 2016 when UA also had six players taken. The six selections through the first 15 rounds were also the most by any roster in program history, topping the previous record of five over that stretch by the 2022 and 2015 teams. Andrew Pinckney was first off the board in '23, going to the Washington Nationals in the fourth round. Ten picks later Grayson Hitt heard his name called by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Hunter Furtado was next, going in the sixth round to the Pittsburgh Pirates with Caden Rose following in the seventh to the Boston Red Sox. Jim Jarvis was the fifth Tide player taken, going to the Detroit Tigers in the 11th round with Garrett McMillan rounding out the group with his 14th-round selection by the Pirates.
The 2022 MLB Draft saw four players taken, highlighted by Connor Prielipp who went in the second round to the Minnesota Twins at pick No. 48. With his selection, Prielipp became the sixth-highest player and third-highest pitcher drafted in Alabama baseball history at the time. He was followed by Dylan Ray in the fourth round, who was taken by the Diamondbacks. The draft wrapped up with Jacob McNairy (Seattle Mariners) and McMillan (Minnesota) each hearing their name called in the later rounds.
Alabama had five total selections in 2021. The Tide had four picks through the first six rounds that year, which were the most by any single Crimson Tide roster in program history and tied with the 1983 team for the most picks through the first 10 rounds of any MLB Draft.
Despite a shortened, five-round draft in 2020, Tyler Gentry was selected as the fourth pick of the third round (76th overall) by the Kansas City Royals. That pick made Gentry the second-highest drafted Crimson Tide outfielder in program history, trailing only Joe Vitiello who was selected in the first round of the 1991 draft. Gentry also became the highest drafted Alabama player since Mikey White went in the second round of the 2015 MLB Draft.
White was the first Crimson Tide player selected in the 2015 installment of the draft, taken 63rd overall by the Oakland Athletics, making him one of just 11 players in Alabama history to be taken in the first two rounds of the event at that time. Five more players were taken by the end of the '15 draft with the six players representing the program's most since 2010.
In that 2010 draft, Alabama had seven players selected, including pitcher Jimmy Nelson, first baseman Clay Jones, second baseman Ross Wilson, shortstop Josh Rutledge, third baseman/pitcher Jake Smith, pitcher Jason Townsend and pitcher Tyler White. The seven draft picks in 2010 marked the third-most in school history. The Alabama record for players drafted is nine, which happened in 1986, with the eight selections in 1996 ranking as the second-most for UA.
Current Alabama Minor League Roster
| Player | Pos. | Team | Class | Affiliate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryce Eblin | INF | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | Single-A | Chicago White Sox |
| Greg Farone | LHP | Eugene Emeralds | High-A | San Francisco Giants |
| Matt Foster | RHP | Reno Aces | Triple-A | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Hunter Furtado | LHP | Greensboro Grasshoppers | High-A | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Tyler Gentry | OF | Omaha Storm Chasers | Triple-A | Kansas City Royals |
| Pierce George | RHP | Kannapolis Cannon Ballers | Single-A | Chicago White Sox |
| Mac Guscette | C | Rome Emperors | High-A | Atlanta Braves |
| Ben Hess | RHP | Somerset Patriots | Double-A | New York Yankees |
| Grayson Hitt | LHP | Visalia Rawhide | Single-A | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Hunter Hoopes | RHP | Wichita Wind Surge | Double-A | Minnesota Twins |
| Jim Jarvis | INF | Gwinnett Stripers | Triple-A | Atlanta Braves |
| TJ McCants | OF | Winston-Salem Dash | High-A | Chicago White Sox |
| Garrett McMillan | RHP | Altoona Curve | Double-A | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Gage Miller | INF | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Double-A | Miami Marlins |
| Ian Petrutz | OF | Peoria Chiefs | High-A | St. Louis Cardinals |
| Andrew Pinckney | OF | Rochester Red Wings | Triple-A | Washington Nationals |
| Sam Praytor | C | Pensacola Blue Wahoos | Double-A | Miami Marlins |
| Connor Prielipp | LHP | St. Paul Saints | Triple-A | Minnesota Twins |
| Tyler Ras | RHP | Fayetteville Woodpeckers | Single-A | Houston Astros |
| Dylan Ray | RHP | Reno Aces | Triple-A | Arizona Diamondbacks |
| Caden Rose | OF | Portland Sea Dogs | Double-A | Boston Red Sox |
| Dylan Smith | RHP | Toledo Mud Hens | Triple-A | Detroit Tigers |
| Dominic Tamez | C | ACL White Sox | Rookie | Chicago White Sox |
| Peyton Wilson | INF | Omaha Storm Chasers | Triple-A | Kansas City Royals |
2025 MLB Draft Picks
| Player | Team | Round | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riley Quick | Minnesota Twins | 1 | 36 |
| Kade Snell | Chicago Cubs | 5 | 151 |
| Richie Bonomolo Jr. | New York Yankees | 7 | 224 |
First-Round Picks
Alabama has had six first-round draft picks in its illustrious baseball history. The list includes Joe Vitiello (Kansas City, 1991), Jeremy Brown (Oakland, 2002), Taylor Tankersley (Florida, 2004), Tommy Hunter (Texas, 2006), Ben Hess (New York Yankees, 2024) and Riley Quick (Minnesota Twins, 2025). Vitiello was the seventh overall pick in the 1991 draft by the Kansas City Royals and remains as the highest drafted UA player in history. Jeremy Brown was selected 35th overall by the Oakland A's in 2002, Taylor Tankersley was the 27th overall selection in the 2004 draft by the Florida Marlins and Tommy Hunter was the 54th overall pick by the Texas Rangers in 2007. Hess was taken 26th overall by the New York Yankees, making him the highest pitcher selected in Alabama program history and the second-highest player drafted out of UA. Quick was taken 36th overall by the Minnesota Twins, as he and Hess represent the first consecutive first round selections in program history.
World Series Winners
Joe Sewell and David Robertson are the only former Alabama players to play on World Series championship team. Sewell was a two-time World Series winner with the Cleveland Indians (1920) and New York Yankees (1932). He played in the famous 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, where Babe Ruth's famous "called home run" took place. Chicago's left fielder was Alabama native and alum Riggs Stephenson, a teammate of Sewell with the Crimson Tide from 1918-20. Robertson was a member of the 2009 World Series winner with the New York Yankees. Robertson was a relief pitcher on the 2009 Yankees championship squad.
MLB Managers
Three former Alabama players have also managed in the big leagues, including Andy Cohen, Luke Sewell and Butch Hobson. Cohen's tenure was brief as he managed the Philadelphia Phillies for one game in 1960, winning his only game. Sewell won more than 600 games in 10 years with the St. Louis Browns and led the team to their only World Series championship in 1942. Hobson managed the Red Sox for three seasons from 1992-94.
