TAMPA (July 6, 2022) – On Monday, July 4, former University of South Florida All-American David Villar received his Major League Baseball call-up and made his debut with the San Francisco Giants. Villar went 2-for-4 in the ballgame recording his first MLB hit, a double on the first pitch he saw against four-time All-Star Madison Bumgarner, and first RBI in his next at-bat.
Villar led the Pacific Coast League (AAA) in homers (21) and RBI (62) prior to his call-up and was batting .291 with 40 extra-base hits in 66 games.
Drafted in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the Giants in 2018, Villar became the fourth member of the 2017 USF squad to play in the Big Leagues in 2022, joining Shane McClanahan, Peter Strzelecki and Phoenix Sanders.
McClanahan, the ace of the Tampa Bay Rays, continues his stellar season and nearing the midway point of the campaign is a Cy Young candidate and favorite to start the All-Star Game for the American League.
Strzelecki is currently on the Milwaukee Brewers active roster and has struck out 11 batters over 9.0 IP in five appearances since his call-up in early June when he picked up the win in his first career outing. Sanders was optioned to Triple-A Durham on Monday after tossing three scoreless innings over two appearances last weekend for Tampa Bay. Sanders remains on the "taxi squad".
Below is the latest news and notes tracking former USF baseball players in affiliated ball (
*list is not inclusive of all active pro players):
Shane McClanahan, LHP – Tampa Bay Rays/MLB
- Improved to 9-3 with a win at Toronto on July 2nd.
- Struck out 10, issues one walk and allowed one run on three hits over 7.0 IP.
- Has struck out 10 batters in back-to-back outings, and recorded at least 10 punchouts four times this season.
- Leads the American League in ERA (1.74) and WHIP (0.81) this year.
- Leads all of MLB in strikeouts (133) and WHIP, tied for second in wins and ranks second in ERA.
- In 16 total starts, he has allowed 19 total earned runs with 133 strikeouts – becoming the first pitcher in MLB history to record those marks.
- Over his last 10 starts, he has 86 strikeouts over 66 IP with a 1.09 ERA while issuing only eight walks – becoming just the second pitcher since 1901 (Clayton Kershaw, 2014 & 2015) to record those marks or better in a 10-game span.
Jimmy Herget, RHP – Los Angeles Angels/MLB
- Earned the win on June 18th at Seattle after allowing just one hit over 3.2 scoreless IP.
- Owns a 2-1 record with one save and a 3.72 ERA with 34 strikeouts over 36.1 IP this season in 25 appearances (one start).
- Currently on the 15-day IL.
Tommy Eveld, RHP – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp/Triple-A – Miami Marlins
- Began the season on the Miami Marlins "taxi squad".
- Owns a 1-1 record with a 3.10 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 20.1 IP at Jacksonville.
Coco Montes, INF – Albuquerque Isotopes/Triple-A – Colorado Rockies
- Batting .276 with 11 doubles, four triples, nine homers and 36 RBI in 49 games at Albuquerque.
- Was named the 2018 Pioneer League MVP.
About USF Baseball
The USF Baseball program played its first season in 1966 and is entering its 57th season in 2022. Head coach Billy Mohl is entering his fifth season at the helm. The Bulls have made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four since 2015, and earned their first-ever Super Regional berth in 2021. USF was ranked in the Top 25 by five different publications in the final 2021 polls, checking in as high as No. 16. The Bulls have won five conference tournament titles (3 Sun Belt, 1 Metro and 1 American) and six regular season championships (3 Sun Belt, 2 Metro and 1 C-USA). USF baseball players have been recognized with All-America honors 12 times, most recently with third baseman David Villar in 2018, and 18 have earned Freshman All-America accolades, most recently Drew Brutcher and Carmine Lane in 2021. Four players were selected in the 2018 MLB Draft, including the program's fourth first-round selection in pitcher Shane McClanahan, who made his Major League debut with the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series and was the Rays' postseason game one starter in 2021.
– #GoBulls –
