How Many Ragin’ Cajuns Will Be On MLB Opening Day Rosters?

Its a day that should be recognized as a national holiday in America...it's Major League Baseball's Opening Day. Well, there was a point that you could make that argument, but by this year might be the end of that conversation.

The 2024 MLB Opening Day has kind of already happened. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres have actually already played a pair of regular season games. They played those in the middle of the might last week in South Korea. On top of that, plenty of the games scheduled for today have already been postponed due to weather. Because for some reason, in 2024 we still can't figure out to schedule important early season dates in domed stadiums or warmer climates.

But alas, it is Opening Day in spirit at least. Which still does mean something to the players.

Even if MLB has done a lot of work to create disinterest from the public towards Opening Day, the players and coaches on these teams still see incredible value and cred when it comes to Opening Day rosters. It means a lot to players when they make their first Opening Day roster, when they start their first Opening Day game, and sometimes...every Opening Day matters to a player.

Especially when a player takes a path that's not as easy as others might consider to be easy. Like when someone comes from a smaller school and makes their way to the majors. For example, University of Louisiana - Lafayette.

There have been few players from the Ragin' Cajuns who have made Opening Day rosters previously. Baseball Reference says less than 20 players from ULL have played in the Majors total, and not all of them have been on Opening Day rosters.

While its possible that two Ragin' Cajuns could see MLB time this season, there won't be any Cajuns on Opening Day rosters.

Pitcher Hogan Harris threw over 60 innings for the Oakland Athletics last season, but was optioned to the Las Vegas Aviators during Spring Training this year.

Hogan pitched for 3 years at ULL, going 12-4 over his career. He had a career 2.87 ERA, and averaged 9.8 strikeouts per 9 innings during his time in Lafayette.

After his Junior year, he was drafted in the Third Round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He's pitched parts of 3 seasons across multiple levels of the minors, throwing over 185 innings, and striking out 225 batters.

Hogan was called up to the Majors for the first time last year, and will probably see some innings with Oakland again this year...just not on Opening Day.

There's another former Ragin' Cajun who could see time in the Majors this year, but it might be a longer shot than Hogan. The Kansas City Royals could call up former Cajun Carson Roccaforte this season.

Roccaforte was taken in last year's MLB Draft, and immediately got at-bats in the minors. He reported to the Single-A Columbia Fireflies where he played 27 games. During those games, Roccaforte saw 101 at bats and hit with a .257 average.

This spring, Roccaforte was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals during Spring Training this year. He will start the season in Double A in Arkansas, but could make it to the Majors if he hits well enough.

Now that we've gone over some players, lets look at one former Ragin' Cajun who will actually be part of an MLB team on Opening Day. He just won't be on the field...

Former Ragin' Cajun pitcher Danny Farquhar will be on the Opening Day staff for the Seattle Mariners. He was hired by Seattle earlier this year as an Assistant Pitching Coach and Pitching Strategist.

Farquhar had a 7 year MLB career, where he won 10 games and maintained a 3.93 ERA. Pitching exclusively out of the bullpen, Farquhar also had 18 saves in his career, with 16 of them coming in the 2013 season with Seattle.

There are two parts of Farquhar's career he will probably be remembered for more than any of his stats.

First, Farquhar was notably one of the first pitchers to catch onto the Houston Astros cheating system. While he was on the mound for the Chicago White Sox in September of 2017, Farquhar heard banging coming from the Astros' home dugout as pitching signs were being given. Farquhar called catcher Kevan Smith to the mound, and the pair adjusted their sign structure. The following at bat resulted in a strikeout. This moment became a large part of the investigation into the Astros' massive cheating system.

Sadly, the second part of Farquhar's career people will remember came in April of 2018. While in the White Sox home dugout, Farquhar vomited and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital where it was discovered that he suffered a brain hemorrhage. While he was immediately ruled out for the rest of the season, doctors told him that he would make a recovery and would eventually be able to pitch again. Which is something Farquhar did accomplish. He returned to the mound in 2019 for the New York Yankees.

While Farquhar won't be playing on Opening Day, he will be the only Ragin' Cajun in an MLB uniform.