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BSB: Aaron Schunk made his MLB debut Saturday with the Rockies
Former University of Georgia All-America two-way star Aaron Schunk made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut Saturday with the Colorado Rockies against the Chicago White Sox.
Schunk entered Saturday’s game in the ninth inning as a pinch-hitter and flew out to the warning track in right field in an 11-3 loss. A third baseman/closer as a Bulldog, Schunk was Colorado’s second-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. He received a promotion to the majors Friday and joined the team in Chicago.
A 6-1, 205-pound native of Atlanta, Ga., Schunk was promoted from Triple-A Albuquerque where he was batting .291 with 24 doubles, seven home runs, 43 RBI and 11 stolen bases. He had posted a solid Spring Training with the Major League club earlier this year when he hit .273 in 20 games.
His versatility around the infield has been a plus the past few seasons, playing mostly third base and second base and then adding shortstop this year. He has not pitched as a professional. During his minor league career, Schunk has played in 442 games with a .270 batting average, 104 doubles, 49 home runs, 265 RBI and 46 stolen bases
A three-year starter for UGA, Schunk earned All-America honors his final two seasons and won the 2019 John Olerud Award, presented by the College Baseball Foundation, to the nation’s top two-way player. As a junior, he batted .339 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI plus tallied 12 saves with a 1-2 mark and 2.49 ERA in 17 appearances on the mound. In his Bulldog career, he started 153 games at third base and hit .312 with 19 home runs, 114 RBI, plus went 3-4 with a 2.79 ERA and 20 saves in 38 relief appearances.
Schunk is the 43rd former Bulldog to reach the Major League level. He is the seventh Bulldog to appear in an MLB game this season, joining Jonathan Cannon (RHP, Chicago White Sox), Kyle Farmer (INF, Minnesota), Emerson Hancock (RHP, Seattle), Zac Kristofak (RHP, Los Angeles Angels), Jared Walsh (1B, Texas) and Alex Wood (LHP, Oakland).
Incidentally, Cannon started against the Rockies Saturday and got a no decision. He pitched 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on three hits with one walk and three strikeouts. In seven starts this season with the White Sox, Cannon is 1-2 with a 4.62 ERA. With Saturday’s win, Chicago improved to 24-61 while the Rockies fell to 27-55.
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