Two Former Virginia Baseball Pitchers Make MLB Debuts

In three seasons at Virginia, Murdock appeared in 30 games and made 25 starts, including 14 starts as UVA's Friday starter in 2019. In that final season as a Cavalier, Murdock struck out 69 batters in 74.1 innings.

On Monday, Mike Vasil made his MLB debut for the Chicago White Sox, throwing two scoreless innings with one strikeout and two hits allowed as part of a 9-0 shutout for the White Sox over the Minnesota Twins.

A 25-year-old righty from Wellesley, Massachusetts, Vasil pitched in 34 games with 32 starts over his three seasons on Grounds. Vasil played a critical role in Virginia's run to the College World Series in 2021, going 7-5 in 16 starts with a 4.52 ERA and 73 strikeouts to just 18 walks in 81.2 innings pitched. That season, Vasil had eight quality starts, including an exceptional one in his final appearance as a Cavalier. Facing Texas in the College World Series, Vasil struck out eight batters and allowed just one earned run over seven innings in a game the Cavaliers ultimately lost.

Vasil was selected by the New York Mets with the 232nd overall pick in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft and spent four seasons in New York's farm system. He was then selected in the Rule 5 draft last December by the Philadelphia Phillies, who then traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays that day. Vasil didn't stick around with the Rays either, as the White Sox claimed him off waivers just before the season began.

With Noah Murdock and Mike Vasil making their MLB debuts, 57 former Virginia baseball players have played in a Major League Baseball game and 33 former Cavaliers who played for Brian O'Connor have reached the Big Leagues.

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