Jake McCarthy makes MLB debut

Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Former Cavalier Jake McCarthy made his Major League Baseball debut on Friday for the Arizona Diamondbacks. McCarthy is the fourth Cavalier to reach the big leagues this season, tied for the most any college baseball program.

Over the past three seasons, 13 Cavaliers have debuted in Major League Baseball, the most of any college baseball program. During head coach Brian O’Connor’s tenure, 28 of his former players have played in a Major League Baseball game.

McCarthy played for UVA from 2016-18 before he was selected 39th overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2018 MLB Draft, one of two first round picks for the Cavaliers that season. In three years as a Cavalier, McCarthy batted .337 with 18 doubles, seven triples and five home runs in 85 career games.

McCarthy enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign in 2017 when he stole an ACC-best, 27 bases, the ninth most in the country. He started all 59 games for Virginia and hit .368 with seven triples, five home runs and 36 RBI. His seven triples were tied for the seventh most in the nation and one shy of matching the UVA single-season school record. Prior to the 2017 season McCarthy competed on the USA Collegiate National Team.

The No. 22 overall prospect in the Diamondback system according to Baseball America, McCarthy started the year in Double-A where he played 35 games for the Amarillo Sod Poodles. He was promoted to Triple-A Reno on June 21.

McCarthy is on a Diamondbacks major league roster that includes former UVA teammate Pavin Smith. Jake’s older brother Joe, a member of UVA’s 2015 National Championship team, made his MLB debut with the Giants in July of 2020 and currently is in Triple-A with the Sacramento River Cats.

The Diamondbacks are in the midst of a four-game series in Philadelphia against Phillies. Citizens Bank Park is 130 miles from McCarthy’s hometown of Scranton, Pa.