As baseball fans anticipate MLB Opening Day on Thursday, there’s lots to pay attention to. With a mix of the usual contending teams along with others who are beginning to pick up steam, the race for the 2024 World Series is truly on.

Currently, NC State Baseball boasts four alumni who are in the show. Some will look to push a contender to a championship while others hope to be the cornerstone of an up-and-coming team.

Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants, Catcher 

Last season, Patrick Bailey received a mid-May call-up to the San Francisco Giants after being selected in the first round of the 2020 draft. He was an immediate difference maker, wasting little time to settle in as he put his tools on display. 

Through 97 games, he made an instant impact, providing an answer for a ball club that had been looking for a franchise backstop since the retirement of future hall-of-famer Buster Posey. 

When it comes to Bailey’s production with the bat, he puts up respectable numbers as he posted a .233 batting average, 76 hits, seven homers and 48 RBIs. However, it’s his defense where he has largely made his impact. Bailey put together a .984 fielding percentage and narrowly missed out on winning a Gold Glove. His defensive skill set includes his capability to throw runners out as he caught 25 baserunners stealing last season. 

The 2024 season will be one of great opportunities for Bailey as the Giants look to possibly contend for a wildcard spot. With a new manager, it will be worth watching to see how Bailey builds off of a solid rookie campaign. If he manages to replicate a similar season, it should be no surprise to see Bailey further cement his spot as the primary catcher in The Bay.

Andrew Knizner, Texas Rangers, Catcher 

After spending five years with the St. Louis Cardinals, Andrew Knizner finds himself with a new ballclub this spring. He inked a one-year deal for $1.825 million with the reigning World Series champions Texas Rangers. He will look to give the Rangers a depth piece behind starting catcher Jonah Heim, who won a Gold Glove last season. 

Knizner has experience backing up high-level talent as he enjoyed a successful 2023 season backing up three-time All-Star catcher Willson Contreras in St. Louis. Splitting time at the backstop, he compiled the best season of his career with a .241 average, 10 home runs along with 31 RBIs. 

He spent some time as the primary catcher in which he saw a solid stream of success. Knizner will aim to give further depth to a Texas team that boasts one of the best rosters in the American League.

Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees, Pitcher 

Playing for a large market team brings forth expectations that, while sometimes perhaps unrealistic, always prove to be a factor in garnering support from a fanbase. This was the case with Carlos Rodon in his first season with the New York Yankees. Fresh off a two-year stretch that was the best statistical run of his career, Rodon largely struggled to imitate this success, which has many fans in the Bronx hoping for a bounceback season for the lefty.

Recent injury concerns have played a significant factor in this as he suffered a forearm injury last April that sidelined him for the first half of the season. He made his debut in July but only pitched a few games before suffering a hamstring injury in early August, which forced him to miss additional time. Throughout his career, Rodon has fought several injuries and will look to avoid hindrances in his game this season. 

The Yankees are hoping to see Rodon’s performance return to what it was from 2021-22, in which he took the mound in 55 total games, amassing a 27-13 record along with a 2.67 ERA and 422 strikeouts. These numbers were a far cry from the 6.85 ERA that Rodon mustered along with 64 punchouts, culminating in a lowly 3-8 record in 14 games. 

Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies, Shortstop 

Much like Rodon’s case, Trea Turner faced the brunt of expectations from a large market team. After starring in the World Baseball Classic and signing a mammoth 11-year, $300 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, he was exposed to the expectations that stem from an involved and vocal fanbase. 

At the beginning of the season, Turner got off to an uncharacteristically slow start. From March to May, he averaged a .234 batting average, a .279 on-base percentage and only 15 RBIs to go along with five homers. 

Turner began to see some improvements in his game in June as he put together an improved .279 average, 14 RBIs and an impressive 11 stolen bases. However, the following month, his struggles returned. His batting average dropped to .218, and he only mustered a pair of homers along with five RBIs. 

With many in the baseball world wondering if the Phillies made the right decision, the Philadelphia faithful gathered together and expressed their support for Turner in a game against the Kansas City Royals on Aug. 4, giving their struggling shortstop a standing ovation. 

This proved to mark a shift in the season as Turner seemed to flip a switch. Starting in August and continuing into the postseason, he found improvements at the plate as he put forth a much improved .316 batting average during this time. He also averaged an impressive .371 on-base percentage to go along with 42 RBIs and 16 homers. This came at a crucial time in the season as Turner helped guide the Phillies to a wildcard berth that they used to make a second consecutive trip to the NLCS.