DURHAM, NC – With today marking Opening Day across Major League Baseball (MLB), the Coastal Plain League (CPL) is well represented across active rosters. Overall, 34 former CPL players and two former head coaches will start the 2025 campaign in the Big Leagues.
A total of 21 Major League clubs feature at least one CPL alum, led by the San Francisco Giants with four players: Justin Verlander (pictured courtesy of the San Francisco Giants), Lou Trivino, Patrick Bailey, and Brett Wisely. Both the Chicago White Sox and Miami Marlins follow with three alums each. Additionally, former CPL head coaches Dusty Blake (Asheboro) and J.T. Maguire (Forest City) are the pitching coach for St. Louis and the outfield/baserunning coach for Cleveland, respectively.
Twelve of the CPL’s current 15 clubs and three former CPL teams — Edenton Steamers, Fayetteville SwampDogs, and Savannah Bananas — were represented. Leading the way was the Wilmington Sharks with five former players, while four teams — High Point-Thomasville HiToms, Morehead City Marlins, Wilson Tobs, and Edenton Steamers — were next with four each. Lexington County was next with three. Florence, Forest City, Holly Springs, and Savannah followed with two alums each. Lastly, Asheboro, Macon, Martinsville, Peninsula, and Fayetteville each had one to round things out.
Of the 34 players listed, four have yet to make their MLB debuts. Pitchers Shane Smith (Chicago White Sox / HPThomasville ’20), Garrett McDaniels (Los Angeles Angels / Wilmington ’19) and Connor Thomas (Milwaukee / Lexington County ’17), along with catcher Liam Hicks (Miami Marlins / Holly Springs ’19) will be worth keeping an eye on as they look to debut once the season gets underway.
See below for a complete list of the CPL alums on this year’s Opening Day rosters.
*Denotes alum who has made his MLB debut already
#Denotes former CPL head coach
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Cade Povich* – Baltimore Orioles / Savannah ’20
Zack Kelly* – Boston Red Sox / Wilson ’16
Jake Cousins* – New York Yankees / Edenton‘15
Tim Hill* – New York Yankees / Florence ‘13
Chris Bassitt* – Toronto Blue Jays / Edenton ’10
Fraser Ellard* – Chicago White Sox / Macon ’20
Shane Smith – Chicago White Sox / HPThomasville ’20
Mike Tauchman* – Chicago White Sox / Fayetteville ’12
Trey Sweeney* – Detroit Tigers / Wilson ’20
Randy Dobnak* – Minnesota Twins / Edenton ’16
Ryan Jeffers* – Minnesota Twins / Wilmington ’16
JP Sears* – Athletics / Lexington County ’16
Mitch Spence* – Athletics / Wilmington ’17
Chas McCormick* – Houston / Lexington County ’16
Nicky Lopez* – Los Angeles (AL) / HPThomasville ’15
Garrett McDaniels – Los Angeles (AL) / Wilmington ’19
Tayler Saucedo* – Seattle Mariners / Martinsville ’13
Shawn Armstrong* – Texas Rangers / Morehead City ’10, ’11
Wyatt Langford* – Texas Rangers / Peninsula ’22
J.T. Maguire# – Cleveland Guardians / Forest City ‘15, ‘16
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Cal Quantrill* – Miami Marlins / Morehead City ’14
Anthony Veneziano* – Miami Marlins / Morehead City ’17
Liam Hicks – Miami Marlins / Holly Springs ’19
Alec Bohm* – Philadelphia Phillies / Wilmington ‘16
Weston Wilson* – Philadelphia Phillies / HPThomasville ’14
Emilio Pagan* – Cincinnati Reds / Wilmington ‘11 / Forest City ‘12
Connor Thomas – Milwaukee Brewers / Lexington County ’17
David Bednar* – Pittsburgh Pirates / Edenton ’15
Phil Maton* – St. Louis Cardinals / HPThomasville ’14
Brenton Doyle* – Colorado Rockies / Wilson ‘18
Chris Taylor* – Los Angeles Dodgers / Morehead City ‘10
Justin Verlander* – San Francisco Giants / Wilson ‘02
Patrick Bailey* – San Francisco Giants / Holly Springs ‘19
Lou Trivino* – San Francisco Giants / Florence ’12
Brett Wisely* – San Francisco Giants / Savannah ‘19
Dusty Blake# – St. Louis Cardinals / Asheboro ‘07
About Coastal Plain League:
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier and most innovative summer collegiate baseball league. The CPL is currently comprised of 15 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the CPL has had over 1,800 alumni drafted, and 194 alums make their Major League debut. Most notable alumni include Justin Verlander, Ryan Zimmerman, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Youkilis, Chris Taylor, Alec Bohm, Jake Cave, Chas McCormick and NFL Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @CPLBaseball.
About Capitol Broadcasting Company:
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, WRAL Digital and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality and Coastal Plain League in Durham, NC; The Holly Springs Salamanders in Holly Springs, NC; Greenville Yard Gnomes in Greenville, NC, the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC.