2018 MLB Opening Day rosters feature 121 Appy League Alums

The 2018 Major League Baseball season officially got underway this afternoon with 121 former Appalachian League players in big league clubhouses, according to our analysis of Opening Day rosters. 16.1 percent of the 750 players across the 30 active rosters have played in the Advanced-Rookie Appalachian League.

An inside look at the rosters:

• The Appalachian League is represented on 29 MLB Opening Day rosters - all but Miami.
• The Danville Braves have a league-high 20 players on 2018 Opening Day rosters, spread across 15 franchises.
• The MLB team with the most Appalachian League alums on its 2018 Opening Day roster is the Tampa Bay Rays (11).
• Every member of the New York Mets starting rotation except Matt Harvey played in the Appalachian League. (Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz, and Seth Lugo)
• Similarly, the Tampa Bay Rays Opening Day pitching staff consists of three starters, all of whom played in the Appalachian League. (Chris Archer, Blake Snell, Jake Foria)
• Homegrown Twins: Minnesota's 2018 Opening Day roster features 10 players who played in Elizabethton, including six in the team's projected Opening Day line up.

Breakdown by Appalachian League teams:
Bluefield Blue Jays - 7
Bluefield Orioles - 4
Bristol Pirates - 0 (affiliation since 2014)
Bristol White Sox - 10
Burlington Indians - 2
Burlington Royals - 6
Danville Braves - 20
Elizabethton Twins - 18
Greeneville Astros - 10
Greeneville Reds - N/A (first year of affiliation)
Johnson City Cardinals - 10
Kingsport Mets - 12
Martinsville Astros - 1
Martinsville Phillies - 1
Princeton Rays - 16
Pulaski Mariners - 4
Pulaski Yankees - 1
Complete look at Appalachian League alums on 2018 MLB Opening Day rosters:
Arizona (1)
INF Nick Ahmed - Danville Braves (2011)
Atlanta (7)
P Sam Freeman - Johnson City Cardinals (2008)
P Mike Foltynewicz - Greeneville Astros (2010)
P Julio Teheran - Danville Braves (2008, 2009)
C Tyler Flowers - Danville Braves (2006)
C Chris Stewart - Bristol White Sox (2002)
INF Ozzie Albies - Danville Braves (2014)
OF Lane Adams - Burlington Royals (2011)
Baltimore (6)
P Miguel Castro - Bluefield Blue Jays (2013)
P Nestor Cortes Jr. - Pulaski Yankees (2015)
INF Tim Beckham - Princeton Rays (2008)
INF Jonathan Schoop - Bluefield Orioles (2010)
INF Danny Valencia - Elizabethton Twins (2006)
OF Colby Rasmus - Johnson City (2005)
Boston (2)
P Craig Kimbrel - Danville Braves (2008)
OF J.D. Martinez - Greeneville Astros (2006)
Chicago - AL (7)
P Luis Avilán - Danville Braves (2009)
P Gregory Infante - Bristol White Sox (2007)
P Nate Jones - Bristol White Sox (2007, 2008)
P Héctor Santiago - Bristol White Sox (2007)
C Omar Narvaez - Princeton Rays (2012)
INF Tyler Saladino - Bristol White Sox (2010)
INF Yolmer Sanchez - Bristol White Sox (2011)
Chicago - NL (3)
P Brian Duensing - Elizabethton Twins (2005)
C Victor Caratini - Danville Braves (2013)
OF Jason Heyward - Danville Braves (2007)
Cincinnati (1)
INF José Peraza - Danville Braves (2012)
Cleveland (1)
P Matt Belisle - Danville Braves (1999)
Colorado (3)
P Wade Davis - Princeton Rays (2004)
P German Márquez - Princeton Rays (2013)
P Jake McGee - Princeton Rays (2004)
Detroit (4)
P Daniel Norris - Bluefield Blue Jays (2012)
P Daniel Stumpf - Burlington Royals (2012)
OF Victor Reyes - Danville (2013)
INF Niko Goodrum - Elizabethton Twins (2011, 2012)
Houston (6)
P Lance McCullers Jr. - Greeneville Astros (2012)
P Collin McHugh - Kingsport (2008)
P Charlie Morton - Danville Braves (2003)
C Evan Gattis - Danville Braves (2010)
INF José Altuve - Greeneville Astros (2008, 2009)
INF Carlos Correa - Greeneville Astros (2012)
Kansas City (6)
P Blaine Boyer - Danville Braves (2001)
P Jason Hammel - Princeton Rays (2002)
P Kelvin Herrera - Burlington Royals (2008)
P Jakob Junis - Burlington Royals (2012)
P Brandon Maurer - Pulaski Mariners (2009)
C Cam Gallagher - Burlington Royals (2012)
Los Angeles - AL (4)
P Luke Bard - Elizabethton Twins (2012, 2013)
P Jim Johnson - Bluefield Orioles (2002, 2003)
INF Andrelton Simmons - Danville Braves (2010)
OF Chris Young - Bristol White Sox (3003)
Los Angeles - NL (1)
P JT Chargois - Elizabethton Twins (2012)
Miami - none
Milwaukee (2)
P Matt Albers - Martinsville Astros (2002)
P Oliver Drake - Bluefield Orioles (2008)
Minnesota (10)
P José Berríos - Elizabethton Twins (2012)
P Trevor Hildenberger - Elizabethton Twins (2014)
P Taylor Rogers - Elizabethton Twins (2012)
C Mitch Garver - Elizabethton Twins (2013)
INF Brian Dozier - Elizabethton Twins (2009)
INF Joe Mauer - Elizabethton Twins (2001)
INF Miguel Sanó - Elizabethton Twins (2011)
OF Byron Buxton - Elizabethton Twins (2012)
OF Max Kepler - Elizabethton Twins (2011, 2012)
OF Eddie Rosario - Elizabethton Twins (2011)
New York - AL (3)
P CC Sabathia - Burlington Indians (1998)
P Chasen Shreve - Danville Braves (2010)
INF Brandon Drury - Danville Braves (2011)
New York - NL (10)
P Jacob deGrom - Kingsport Mets (2010)
P Robert Gsellman - Kingsport Mets (2012)
P Seth Lugo - Kingsport Mets (2011)
P Steven Matz - Kingsport Mets (2012)
P Noah Syndergaard - Bluefield Blue Jays (2011)
C Wilmer Flores - Kingsport Mets (2008)
INF Phillip Evans - Kingsport Mets (2011)
INF Jose Reyes - Kingsport Mets (2000)
INF Ahmed Rosario - Kingsport Mets (2013)
OF Brandon Nimmo - Kingsport Mets (2011)
Oakland (3)
P Liam Hendriks - Elizabethton Twins (2009)
P Emilio Pagán - Pulaski Mariners (2013)
P Yusmeiro Petit - Kingsport Mets (2003)
Philadelphia (3)
P Pat Neshek - Elizabethton Twins (2002)
P Vince Velasquez - Greeneville Astros (2010)
OF Pedro Florimón - Bluefield Orioles (2006)
Pittsburgh (3)
P Michael Feliz - Greeneville Astros (2012)
P Joe Musgrove - Bluefield Blue Jays (2011), Greeneville Astros (2012)
P Felipe Rivero - Princeton Rays (2011)
San Diego (4)
P Jordan Lyles - Greeneville Astros (2008)
P Luis Perdomo - Johnson City (2013)
P Kirby Yates - Princeton Rays (2009)
OF Wil Myers - Burlington Royals (2009)
San Francisco (1)
P Cory Gearrin - Danville Braves (2007)
Seattle (2)
P Edwin Diaz - Pulaski Mariners (2013)
C Mike Marjama - Bristol White Sox (2011)
St. Louis (7)
P Jordan Hicks - Johnson City (2016)
P Sam Tuivailala - Johnson City (2012)
C Yadier Molina - Johnson City (2001)
INF Paul DeJong - Johnson City (2015)
INF Greg Garcia - Johnson City (2010)
INF Jose Martinez - Bristol White Sox (2007, 2010)
OF Tommy Pham - Johnson City (2006)
Tampa Bay (11)
P José Alvarado - Princeton Rays (2015)
P Chris Archer - Burlington Indians (2006)
P Yonny Chirinos - Princeton Rays (2014)
P Alex Colome - Princeton Rays (2008)
P Jake Faria - Princeton Rays (2012, 2013)
P Blake Snell - Princeton Rays (2012)
P Ryan Yarbrough - Pulaski Mariners (2014)
C Jesús Sucre - Danville Braves (2008)
OF Carlos Gómez - Kingsport Mets (2004)
OF Kevin Kiermaier - Princeton Rays (2010)
OF Denard Span - Elizabethton Twins (2003)
Texas (3)
P Matt Moore - Princeton Rays (2007, 2008)
INF Elvis Andrus - Danville Braves (2005)
OF Delino DeShields - Greeneville Astros (2010)
Toronto (3)
P Roberto Osuna - Bluefield Blue Jays (2012)
P Aaron Sanchez - Bluefield Blue Jays (2011)
OF Kevin Pillar - Bluefield Blue Jays (2011)
Washington (4)
P Gio Gonzalez - Bristol White Sox (2004)
P Ryan Madson - Martinsville Phillies (1998)
P Enny Romero - Princeton Rays (2010)
INF Matt Adams - Johnson City Cardinals (2009)