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The Major League Baseball has reached an agreement to return to the field this summer in a shortened, 60-game season. The details are still being worked out but it looks like the players will be returning to the field on July 1.
A great breakdown was written by SB Nation’s very own McCovey Chronicles, and outlined here: Major League Baseball announces 60-game regular season
So, with that in mind, who are some former Bears to get excited for? Well, there are three of them currently under roster with a major league team:
Marcus Semien, SS, Oakland Athletics
Mark Canha, LF, Oakland Athletics
Andrew Knapp, C, Philadelphia Phillies
With no minor league season this summer, we get to focus solely on the majors and solely on your former Bears here.
Semien played for Cal from 2009-2011 and starred in his 142-game career. He his a career-high .328 from the plate in 2010 and had 29 doubles, six triples and 10 home runs in his Cal career. He also finished with 14 stolen bases and 76 RBI during his tenure in Berkeley.
From St. Mary’s College High School in Berkeley, Semien was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 draft and played his first MLB action in 2013 with the Chicago White Sox before joining the Oakland Athletics in the 2015 season.
He’s currently signed to a one-year, $13,000,000 deal with the A’s.
Canha played for the Bears from 2008-2010, knocking home a whopping 69 RBI in his final season in Berkeley. For his career at Cal, he hit over .300 in his final two seasons and 157 hits, 30 doubles, 22 home runs and 118 RBI. His 30 extra base hits in 2009 were a career-high.
He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2010 draft and made his MLB debut with the A’s during the 2015 season. He’s currently signed to a one-year, $4,800,000 deal with the team.
Knapp spent three years with the Bears, from 2011-2013. He logged a career-year in 2013 that saw him knock in 72 hits, 16 doubles, 41 RBI, eight home runs and a batting average of .350, He had 142 career hits and 14 career home runs over his time in Berkeley. He was drafted in the second round of the 2013 draft and made his debut with the Phillies in 2017.
Last season with Philadelphia, he hit .213 and had 29 hits, nine doubles and two home runs on eight RBI.
He’s signed to a one-year, $710,000 contract at the start of the season.
Let’s go pro sports! Let’s go Bears!