DURHAM, N.C. - The 2017 Major League Baseball World Series will feature 12 USA Baseball alumni across the two rosters.
The Houston Astros boast seven alums of Team USA on their roster, including newly acquired ace and ALCS MVP, Justin Verlander. An alum of the 2003 Collegiate National Team, Verlander recorded a 1.34 ERA with Team USA as he allowed just six earned runs and struck out 41 in 40.1 innings of work.
In the opposite dugout, five alumni will appear in the 2017 Fall Classic for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Clayton Kershaw, who will take the mound for the Dodgers in Game 1, played for the 2005 18U National Team and did not allow a single run in his time with Team USA.
Alex Bregman and Luke Gregerson, two members of the U.S.'s gold medal-winning World Baseball Classic (WBC) team will also head to the World Series with the Astros. Both players have made multiple appearances for the red, white and blue, with Bregman playing for Team USA five times and Gregerson competing twice for the stars and stripes.
In addition to the 2017 WBC gold medal, the 12 alumni have taken home 8 gold medals and three silvers. Bregman alone has won four gold medals with his five teams.
The 2017 World Series starts with Game 1 on Tuesday, October 24, at 8 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.
The full list of alumni in the 2017 MLB World Series is as follows:
Houston Astros (7):
Alex Bregman - 2010 16U National Team, 2011 18U National Team, 2013 & 2014 Collegiate National Teams, 2017 World Baseball Classic Team
Evan Gattis - 2002 16U National Team
Luke Gregerson - 2013 & 2017 World Baseball Classic Teams
Brian McCann - 2009 World Baseball Classic Team
Lance McCullers Jr. - 2010 18U National Team
George Springer - 2010 Collegiate National Team
Justin Verlander - 2003 Collegiate National Team
Los Angeles Dodgers (5):
Yasmani Grandal - 2009 Collegiate National Team
Logan Forsythe - 2007 Collegiate National Team
Clayton Kershaw - 2005 18U National Team
Corey Seager - 2010 16U National Team
Chase Utley - 2006 World Baseball Classic Team
