College baseball is kicking off its season with the MLB Desert Invitational, taking place from February 14th to 16th in the Phoenix Metro area. The tournament features eight teams for the second consecutive year: Austin Pee, Grand Canyon, Nebraska, New Mexico, San Diego, Seton Hall, UC Irvine, and Vanderbilt. Fans can watch three of the twelve showcase games live on the MLB Network, with all contests streaming on MLB’s digital platforms (MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB app).
This year’s event highlights some of the nation’s top amateur talents, including two players projected in the top 100 for the upcoming draft. Vanderbilt opened the tournament with an impressive win, showcasing starting pitcher JD Thompson (No. 65 draft prospect). In addition to Thompson, RJ Austin (No. 79) had an excellent performance, racking up three hits and contributing significantly to the team’s early success.
Throughout the first day, several players demonstrated their power at the plate, with multiple home runs hit across games. Nebraska’s Mason McConnaughtee struck out nine batters in four innings but faced challenges from UC Irvine, where Jacob McCombs had a standout performance with multiple hits.
The full schedule for the weekend includes several exciting matchups featuring these talented teams. This year’s MLB Desert Invitational marks the sixth such event hosted by MLB in Arizona, primarily held at Talking Stick and Salt River Fields, where players aim to impress and eventually make it to the professional ranks. Last year’s tournament significantly impacted the careers of players who went on to be early draft choices.
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