University of Tennessee Athletics
Pros Update: Five VFLs Make MLB Opening Day Rosters
April 03, 2016 | Baseball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Following a 2015 season in which four VFLs reached the postseason and one claimed a World Series Championship, five former Tennessee Volunteers begin their 2016 campaigns on Major League Baseball active rosters.
Luke Hochevar opens his season with the 2015 World Series Champion Royals on Sunday evening, while R.A. Dickey (Blue Jays), Yan Gomes (Indians), Matt Duffy (Astros), and Chase Headley (Yankees) start their seasons on Monday, April 4. Meanwhile, Zack Godley will begin the season in Double A Mobile, although he remains a member of the Diamondbacks' 40-man roster, and J.P. Arencibia makes the move from the Tampa Bay Rays to the Philadelphia Phillies organization, beginning the year at Triple A Lehigh Valley.
MAJOR LEAGUES
R.A Dickey -- SP, Toronto Blue Jays
2015: 11-11, 3.91 ERA, 33 G, 214.1 IP, 195 H, 97 R, 93 ER, 61 BB, 126 K
Following his first appearance in the postseason last season, R.A. Dickey will look to help push the Blue Jays back into the playoffs in 2016. The 41-year-old knuckleballer is projected to start Monday, April 4 vs. Tampa Bay Rays, the second game of a three-game series.
Matt Duffy -- 3B, Houston Astros
2015: .375, 8 G, 0 R, 3 H, 1 2B, 0 HR, 3 RBI
After a September call-up last season, infielder Matt Duffy has made the 2016 Astros' Opening Day roster. Duffy was named the Pacific Coast League MVP while with the Triple A Fresno Grizzlies in 2015, and hit .375 after being called up to the Majors. The Astros start the season on the road visiting the New York Yankees beginning Monday, April 4 at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Yan Gomes -- C, Cleveland Indians
2015: .231, 95 G, 38 R, 84 H, 22 2B, 12 HR, 45 RBI
Catcher Yan Gomes begins his fourth season with the Indians as Cleveland takes on Boston at Progressive Field on Monday, April 4 at 4:10 p.m. ET. Gomes will look to build off a nice showing in Spring Training where he hit five home runs.
Chase Headley -- 3B, New York Yankees
2015: .259, 156 G, 74 R, 150 H, 29 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 62 RBI
Coming off a team-high 150 hits in his first full season with New York in 2015, Chase Headley looks to reclaim his role as the Yankees' everyday third baseman and continue the club's momentum from the 2015 postseason. The Yankees will face off with fellow VFL Matt Duffy's Astros on Monday, April 4 at 1:05 p.m. ET.
Luke Hochevar -- P, Kansas City Royals
2015: 1-1, 3.73 ERA, 49 G, 50.2 IP, 49 H, 23 R, 21 ER, 16 BB, 49 K
After earning the World Series-clinching win last November, Luke Hochevar returns to the Royals relief pitching staff this season. After missing all of 2014 and the first month of 2015 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Hochevar will be a part of the Opening Day roster for his first time in three years. The Royals start their season with a World Series rematch vs. the New York Mets on Sunday, April 3 at 8:37 p.m. ET on ESPN.
MOVES/ON THE 40-MAN
J.P. Arencibia -- C, Philadelphia Phillies
J.P. Arencibia will begin 2016 as a member of the Phillies' Triple A Lehigh Valley IronPigs of the Philadelphia Phillies organization. In 2015, Arencibia was called up to the MLB with the Tampa Bay Rays in August, where he hit.310 with six home runs in 24 games. The Phillies signed Arencibia to a minor league contract this offseason.
Zack Godley - SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
Zack Godley will begin the 2016 season with the Double A Mobile BayBears of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Godley was called up to the Majors for the first time last July, where he went 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA over nine appearances (six starts).
For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee Baseball, visit UTSports.com/Baseball and follow @Vol_Baseball on Twitter.
