NEW YORK — Four former LSU baseball players are on the opening day 25-man rosters of Major League Baseball clubs, the league office in New York released on Sunday.
Headlining the list is former second baseman and All-American Todd Walker. Walker begins his 10th Major League season and will serve as the starting second baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A career .289 hitter, Walker joined the Cubs in December 2003 after spending the first eight years of his career with Minnesota, Colorado, Cincinnati and Boston.
In his first season at Wrigley Field, Walker batted .274 with 15 homers and 50 RBI in 89 games.
Former Tiger pitcher Paul Byrd relocates in 2005 and joins an excellent starting rotation with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Byrd, a member of LSU’s 1991 national championship team, is projected to be the Angels No. 4 starter in the rotation.
Last season with the Atlanta Braves, Byrd compiled an 8-7 record with a 3.94 ERA in 114.1 innings pitched. He began the season on the disabled list after recovering from Tommy John surgery and has since become pain free. Byrd will take to the mound in his 11th Major League season on Friday against the Kansas City Royals.
On Sunday, the Houston Astros announced that veteran Russ Springer is one of 11 pitchers who made their opening day roster. Last summer, Springer was enjoying his first year as a retired pitcher when the Astros made the call to the Alexandria native. After a full month with the New Orleans Zephyrs, he was called up and remained on the big league club through the playoff season.
Springer will continue to serve as a key reliever in the Astros bullpen corps in 2005.
The Colorado Rockies have huge expectations for former Tiger first baseman Brad Hawpe. Hawpe enters his first full season with the big league club and will platoon in right field with former Alabama player Dustin Mohr.
Hawpe, who signed his first major contract on Feb. 5, batted .322 with 31 homers at Triple-A Colorado Springs before being called up last fall. He enjoyed a terrific spring training, batting .347 with a homer and seven RBI in 49 at-bats, and his slugging percentage of .510 was among the top-five on the squad.
Several other former LSU players are listed on the 40-man rosters and will remain at minor league camp until each of their respective seasons begin. Those on the non-active rosters include Mike Fontenot (Chicago Cubs), Todd Linden (San Francisco Giants), Brian Tallet (Cleveland Indians), Kurt Ainsworth (Baltimore Orioles).
A complete list of Tigers in the minors will be released at the end of the month upon the completion of minor league camp.