The Tigers have long established themselves among the top baseball programs in the state. With that, many great players have stepped on the diamond with green and gold on their backs. One of which being Chris Burke, who was most well-known for playing for the Houston Astros in the early to mid 2000s. With an excellence that stacks up as good as anyone, who are the best former Tigers in the pros today?
5. Ty Starke – Starke is undoubtedly one of the most well known recent graduates of Saint Xavier. As a junior, Ty was 7-0 with a 1.24 ERA in 45.1 innings. Following it up with a 4-1 record with a 1.93 ERA as a senior. This helped Ty become the number 1 ranked recruit in Kentucky, where he would commit to Louisville. In his freshman year, he had 16 relief appearances with a 1-0 record. His best moment of his freshman year was when he threw two innings scoreless against #3 ranked Kentucky wildcats.
4. Connor Holden – Held down a career 16-3 record as a Tiger which included a complete game shutout in his Junior season, in the Kentucky State Championship. Then committed to play at Murray state, where he played 4 seasons, before transferring to Wichita State. He led Wichita state with a 2.78 ERA tagging along 6 saves as well. He was names to the AAC All-Academic Team before being assigned to the Detroit Tigers in 2024.
3. Jake Bennett – Bennett, in his senior season, helped lead the Tigers to their most recent state Title in 2022. His historic season led to him becoming a Finalist for Kentucky’s Gatorade Player of the year. He also committed to playing college baseball at a JUCO, San Jacinto. He made an immediate impact, recording a batting average of .350 along with 12 long balls and 51 RBIs. After another monster sophomore season, where he was names a Second team All-American and his Region’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year, he committed, and starts at Top 25 ranked Dallas Baptist University.
2. Ryan Nicholson – Trey’s teammate, graduate of 2019 played a huge part of the tiger’s State Championship run in 2018. Nicholson’s senior season was no doubt his best, he ended with a .398 average and tallying 39 hits, 16 of which being XBH. He spent 4/5 years playing D1 at the University of Cincinnati, finishing his career playing in the College World Series with the Kentucky Wildcats. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 10th round of the 2024 MLB draft where he finished the year in Double A.
1. Trey Sweeney – the 2018 graduate was nothing but a star playing for the tigers. In his senior season he batted .389 adding 41 RBIs and swiped 18 bags. He committed to Eastern Illinois where he grinded for three years to become a first round selection in 2021 by the New York Yankees. He made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers, making a run to the ALDS in 2024. He ended his rookie season with 4 home runs and 17 RBIs.
