The 2023 World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks features 28 players who played college baseball. Among these are stars like Max Scherzer, Marcus Semien, Josh Jung, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.
Here is where all 28 players went to college, and how the biggest names performed while in school.
Texas Rangers:
| Position | Name | College |
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | Cody Bradford | Baylor |
| Pitcher | Dane Dunning | Florida |
| Pitcher | Jon Gray | Oklahoma |
| Pitcher | Andrew Heaney | Oklahoma State |
| Pitcher | Jordan Montgomery | South Carolina |
| Pitcher | Josh Sborz | Virginia |
| Pitcher | Max Scherzer | Missouri |
| Pitcher | Chris Stratton | Mississippi State |
| Catcher | Mitch Garver | New Mexico |
| Infielder | Josh Jung | Texas Tech |
| Infielder | Nathaniel Lowe | Mississippi State |
| Infielder | Marcus Semien | California |
| Infielder | Josh Smith | LSU |
| Outfielder | Travis Jankowski | Stony Brook |
Arizona Diamondbacks:
| Position | Name | College |
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | Zac Gallen | North Carolina |
| Pitcher | Kevin Ginkel | Arizona |
| Pitcher | Merrill Kelly | Arizona State |
| Pitcher | Joe Mantiply | Virginia Tech |
| Pitcher | Ryne Nelson | Oregon |
| Pitcher | Kyle Nelson | UC Santa Barbara |
| Pitcher | Brandon Pfaadt | Bellarmine |
| Pitcher | Andrew Saalfrank | Indiana |
| Pitcher | Paul Sewald | San Diego |
| Pitcher | Ryan Thompson | Campbell |
| Infielder | Evan Longoria | Long Beach State |
| Infielder | Jace Peterson | McNeese State |
| Infielder | Christian Walker | South Carolina |
| Outfielder | Pavin Smith | Virginia |
Max Scherzer
Across three years at the University of Missouri, Max Scherzer pitched in 43 games for the Tigers, logging 232 strikeouts over 206.1 innings pitched. In his sophomore year, Scherzer won Big 12 Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference in strikeouts (131) and ERA (1.86) while allowing just three home runs over 106.1 innings pitched.
Scherzer was inducted into the University of Missouri athletics hall of fame in 2011, just five years after being drafted by his 2023 World Series foe Arizona Diamondbacks.
Marcus Semien
A two-year starter at shortstop for Cal, Marcus Semien helped lead the Bears to a College World Series appearance in his third and final season of college baseball.
Semien excelled in his sophomore season, where he hit .328 with 23 extra base hits. After the College World Series in his junior season, he was drafted in the sixth round of the MLB draft by the Chicago White Sox, beginning his professional baseball career.
Josh Jung
Texas Tech’s Josh Jung had perhaps the best college career of any player on this list.
Jung started nearly every game of his three-year career. He was named Big 12 freshman of the year after his 2017 season after logging 24 multi-hit games and starting every game of the season for the Red Raiders. But, Jung’s career only got better. In each of his last two seasons, Jung brought Texas Tech to the College World Series and was named a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser and Golden Spikes Awards.
Over three years at Texas Tech, Jung started 191 games, notched 260 hits and 181 RBI. After his monster junior season, Jung was selected eighth overall by the Texas Rangers in the 2019 MLB draft.
Zac Gallen
As a 19-year-old freshman, Zac Gallen made 17 starts and pitched 85.1 innings in his first season out of high school.
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Over three years at North Carolina, Gallen accumulated 42 starts and 260 innings. The strike-throwing right-hander was drafted in the third round of the 2016 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
Merrill Kelly
After spending his first two seasons of college baseball at Yavapai College in Arizona, Kelly transferred to nearby Arizona State University where he pitched one season for the Sun Devils.
Over 18 starts, Kelly logged 100 innings and 78 strikeouts while winning 10 games. After this season, Kelly was drafted in the eighth round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays.
Evan Longoria
A 2015 Long Beach State athletics hall of fame inductee, Evan Longoria starred over two seasons with the Dirtbags. In his second season at LBSU, Longoria hit .353 with 11 home runs and 40 walks, earning him honors as a Golden Spikes Award finalist. That season, he also won Big West Co-Player of the Year.
After his monster season, Longoria was drafted third overall in the 2006 MLB Draft by Tampa Bay.