California and Florida arms lead the way as baseball begins today.
With Opening Day of the 2025 MLB season set for Thursday, we look back at where all of the starting pitchers went to high school. California and Florida each have four of the 30 projected starters.
A California and Florida starter will face off as
North Florida Christian (Tallahassee, Fla.) alum Cole Ragans of the Kansas City Royals will pitch against the Cleveland Guardians and Tanner Bibee, who hails from
Mission Viejo (Calif.).
Mississippi and North Carolina are the only other states with at least two Opening Day starting pitchers. Magnolia State natives Garrett Crochet and Justin Steele are expected to take the mound for the Red Sox and Cubs, respectively. For North Carolina its MacKenzie Gore of the Nationals and Carlos Rodon from the Yankees.
Kyle Freeland of the Colorado Rockies will make his Opening Day start just 13 miles away from where the lefty pitched in high school at
Thomas Jefferson (Denver, Colo.).
In total, 15 states are represented along with the Dominican Republic, Japan, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
California – 4Starting pitcher, MLB team, high school
Tanner Bibee, Guardians,
Mission ViejoHunter Greene, Reds,
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)Paul Skenes, Pirates,
El Toro (Lake Forest)Logan Webb, Giants,
Rocklin
Florida – 4Zach Eflin, Orioles,
Hagerty (Oviedo)Logan Gilbert, Mariners,
Wekiva (Apopka)Cole Ragans, Royals,
North Florida Christian (Tallahassee)Mississippi – 2Garrett Crochet, Red Sox,
Ocean SpringsJustin Steele, Cubs,
George County (Lucedale)North Carolina – 2MacKenzie Gore, Nationals,
WhitevilleCarlos Rodon, Yankees,
Holly SpringsAlabama – 1Clay Holmes, Mets,
SlocombArizona – 1Tarik Skubal, Tigers,
Kingman Academy (Kingman)Colorado – 1Kyle Freeland, Rockies, T
Thomas Jefferson (Denver)
Georgia – 1Zack Wheeler, Phillies,
East Paulding (Dallas)
Indiana – 1Ryan Pepiot, Rays,
WestfieldMassachusetts – 1Sean Burke, White Sox,
St. John's (Shrewsbury)
New Jersey – 1Zac Gallen, Diamondbacks,
Bishop Eustace Prep (Pennsauken)
Rhode Island – 1Michael King, Padres,
Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)Tennessee – 1Sonny Gray, Cardinals,
SmyrnaTexas – 1Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers,
AlvinWashington – 1Blake Snell, Dodgers,
Shorewood (Shoreline)
Dominican Republic – 4Sandy Alcantara, Marlins
Freddy Peralta, Brewers
Luis Severino, Athletics
Framber Valdez, Astros
Japan – 1Yusei Kikuchi, Angels
Puerto Rico – 1Joes Berrios, Blue Jays
Venezuela – 1 Pablo Lopez, Twins
