There are 17 former TCU baseball players in Major League Baseball organizations for the 2012 season with Jake Arrieta, Matt Carpenter, Andrew Cashner and Scott Atchison on a 40-man roster.
Jake Arietta
After finishing 10-8 last season, Arrieta enters his third season with the Orioles. He was drafted in the fifth round (159th overall) by Baltimore in 2007.
The right-hander was the Opening Day starter on the mound for the Orioles at Camden Yards. Arrieta (1-0) pitched seven scoreless innings in the team’s 4-2 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday.
Arrieta had a 97-pitch performance for his first start since elbow surgery which ended his season last August. He had four strikeouts, allowing only two hits and two walks.
Arrieta is expected to start on Wednesday against the Yankees at home.
Matt Carpenter
Carpenter started the 2012 season by pinch hitting in the top of the ninth inning for the St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee on Friday. He doubled to deep right center, scoring two runs in the 11-5 win over the Brewers. He went on to play left field for the remainder of the game.
Carpenter continued series action with an at-bat Saturday and a start at first base Sunday.
In the first of the series at Cincinnati on Monday, Carpenter pinch hit once again. He hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring an RBI for the last run of the 7-1 win over the Reds.
Last season, Carpenter played seven games for the Cardinals. He appeared in 25 spring training games, hitting .357 with nine doubles and two home runs.
Carpenter’s last season with the Horned Frogs was in 2009, where the program made its first Super Regional appearance in school history. Following the season, he was drafted in the 13th round by St. Louis.
Andrew Cashner
Cashner came in for relief for San Diego Padres against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. He pitched one inning, allowing only one walk. Cashner ended the inning with a strikeout. His fastball was clocked between 96-101 mph in the game.
In spring training, Cashner recorded a 0.90 ERA in 10 innings, striking out 16 batters. He was traded to the Padres from the Chicago Cubs in January.
Cashner was drafted in the first round (19th overall) by the Cubs in 2008.
Despite a shortened season due to injury in 2011, he posted a 1.69 ERA with eight strikeouts.
Cashner was an All-American as a Horned Frog in 2008. He struck out 80 batters in 54 and 1/3 innings of work and saved nine games. He also held his opponents to only a .122 batting average.
Scott Atchison
For the second straight season in a row, Atchison made the Opening Day roster for the Boston Red Sox.
First time on the mound this season, Atchison pitched 1 and 1/3 innings at Detroit on Saturday. He allowed two hits and a run to score in the bottom of the sixth.
Atchison, 36, earned his first win of the season at Toronto on Monday, pitching three innings of scoreless relief. He allowed only one hit with three strikeouts. The Red Sox went on to win the game 4-2 over the Blue Jays.
Atchison has seen the most professional action of any former TCU baseball player in the major leagues. From 2004-2011, he pitched for the Seattle Mariners, the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox.
