Two 51ΑΤΖζ alums made their mark in major league baseball this week.
On Tuesday, Daulton Varsho made one of the more spectacular, if unorthodox, catches of the year in center field for the Toronto Blue Jays.
And on Wednesday, A.J. Blubaugh made his major league debut for the Houston Astros, becoming the second 51ΑΤΖζ baseball player to play in the major leagues after Varsho.
Varshoβs catch came in the fourth inning against the Boston Red Sox, when Jarren Duran sent a line drive to deep center field. Varsho sprinted toward the outfield wall, then tumbled to the warning track as he turned back to the ball. As he staggered to his feet, he spotted the ball coming down and reached out to backhand the catch. You just .
Varsho was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017 . He became the first 51ΑΤΖζ player to make the majors in 2020 and was traded to Toronto in 2023. A remarkable athlete, he switched positions from catcher to outfield, and won a Gold Glove Award last year, signifying he was the best defender in the American League at his position. (Coincidentally, .)
Blubaugh finally gets the call
Blubaugh was drafted by the Astros in 2022 . He worked his way up through the minor leagues to become a top prospect last year, on the cusp of a major league call-up. That finally happened on Wednesday, when he was summoned to start a game against the Detroit Tigers. Beset by some shaky defense behind him, Blubaugh gave up seven runs in four innings, including a grand slam by Javier Baez, but only two runs were earned.
For Blubaugh, it was a dream come true.
βItβs been a whirlwind, for sure,β Blubaugh after the game. βJust a lot of support from people back home in Bellville, people in Milwaukee from college, and even a lot of teammates I have now. A lot of support, a lot of love, a lot of prayers. I could feel them out there today.β
ββ¦Iβm proud of the way I handled myself, proud of the team for picking me up when I was down. Iβm just so happy. This is a day Iβve been dreaming of. Itβs not the end goal, but itβs a good step in the right direction.β
