What MLB players have played in the NCAA College World Series?

The sports calendar is neatly divided by two of the greatest sporting events on opposite sides of the year. One in spring, one in autumn, both baseball.

Ok, there are a lot of other events in between; Super Bowl, March Madness, Kentucky Derby, and the occasional World Cup. But there is a soothing symmetry to the calendar being balanced by baseball. In the fall, the MLB will slug it out for the World Series. But now, just as spring gives way to summer, the college baseball season comes to an end with the College World Series.

The annual event is held in Omaha, Nebraska and sees some of tomorrow’s brightest stars compete on the national stage for the right to be crowned National Champions.

Some of the projected top-ten draft picks are going to be showcasing their talents over the next ten days, and will all be hoping to follow in the footsteps of stars who have gone before.

College stardom and MLB stardom are not always interchangeable, and there have been many players who lit up the college game and Omaha with it, while not quite reaching the same level in the pros. Players like LSU’s Ryan Theriot and Oklahoma’s Robin Ventura carved out good MLB careers after the CWS.

The Boston Red Sox’s Justin Turner and the Chicago Cubs’ Dansby Swanson both played in Omaha but some of the biggest names to have ever played in college’s highest tournament are Hall of Famers Mike Shmidt, Dave Winfield, and Paul Molitor.

Perhaps among the most memorable participants are some who arguably should be in Cooperstown such as Roger Clemens, who pitched a complete game shutout to claim the crown for Texas in 1983 before having one of the greatest MLB careers ever. Allegations that he used steroids led to a sharp post-retirement fall in popularity, torpedoing his chances to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

Another player who saw latter-day steroid controversies keep him out of Cooperstown is Barry Bonds. Before breaking the MLB home run record set by Hank Aaron, Bonds appeared in the CWS for Arizona State in 1983 and 1984.

Among today’s stars who first flirted with national fame in Omaha are Andrew Benintendi (Arkansas), DJ LeMahieu (LSU), Walker Buehler (Vanderbilt), Michael Conforto (Oregon State), Gerrit Cole (UCLA), Kyle Schwarber (Indiana), and Alex Bregman (LSU).