Who is in Arizona State's All-Time Starting 9?

While Arizona State continues to build itself into one of the premier football programs in college football, let’s not forget the run the Sun Devils made on the diamond.

Some of the game's greatest players spent their collegiate years in Tempe, helping elevate ASU to national prominence before becoming impact pros, and in some cases, World Series champions.

Here’s our take on Arizona State’s all-time starting nine and what each player brought to the field.

C – Paul Lo Duca

Forever one of baseball’s most underappreciated catchers, Paul Lo Duca’s career started late.

He didn’t see his first full MLB season until he was 29 years old, suiting up for the Los Angeles Dodgers during the best campaign of his career.

That year, he hit .320 with 25 home runs and 90 RBIs — and still didn’t make the All-Star Game. It was a head-scratcher then, and it’s a head-scratcher now.

Sure, Mike Piazza was the obvious starter, but the reserve was Charles Johnson — a Gold Glove catcher with pop, but Lo Duca was the second-best backstop in the National League.

Still, he carved out a great career, earning four All-Star nods in his 30s with the Dodgers, Marlins, and Mets.

1B – Bill Buckner

How unfortunate that Buckner’s career is remembered for one play.

After his infamous error in the 1986 World Series — a groundball between the legs that cost the Red Sox a title — Buckner was unfairly scapegoated, and his career was never the same.

Before that, he was a steady presence at the plate, finishing with a .289 average, over 2,500 hits, 157 homers, and 1,135 RBIs.

In 1980, he won the NL batting title with a .324 average, 10 home runs, and 41 doubles.

After the 1986 blunder, Buckner’s numbers declined. Granted, he was 37 by then — his best days already behind him — but the fallout still clouded a solid career.

2B – Dustin Pedroia

This was a tough call between Pedroia and Ian Kinsler.

Kinsler was rock solid, but Pedroia was on another level when healthy. The ultimate “baseball guy,” Pedroia became a household name.

He graced the cover of MLB The Show, won Rookie of the Year and MVP in back-to-back seasons, and was a key piece of two championship Red Sox teams.

Injuries shortened his career, especially after 2018, but his résumé speaks for itself: a .299 average, two rings, a Silver Slugger, four Gold Gloves, and the aforementioned ROY and MVP awards. He might just have a Hall of Fame case.

SS – Hubie Brooks

OK, a little cheating here. But can you blame me?

Hubie Brooks was a Swiss army knife — shortstop, third base, right field — he did it all.

His best MLB years came at shortstop with the Montreal Expos, where he earned two Silver Sluggers and two All-Star appearances in a five-year span.

Brooks was a dependable pro and played 15 seasons for five different teams.

3B – Bob Horner

Bob Horner’s career could’ve been so much more if not for injuries.

A star at ASU, Horner won the 1978 NL Rookie of the Year with the Atlanta Braves at age 20 and posted three 30-HR seasons.

Unfortunately, shoulder surgery derailed his career, and he never fully recovered.

Still, his college résumé is legendary, 58 homers in a season (a then-NCAA record) and College World Series MVP honors. He was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

LF – Barry Bonds

No-brainer.

Love him or hate him, Barry Bonds was likely the best baseball player to ever live.

Yes, the steroid cloud will always hover. But the swing, the eye, the sheer dominance, it was otherworldly.

He holds the all-time record for career (762) and single-season (73) home runs.

He was the face of baseball’s boom in the early 2000s and a generational talent in every sense.

CF – Brett Butler

One of those guys where you go, “Oh yeah, I remember him!”

Butler could do a little of everything — hit for average, play the field, bunt, and run like hell.

He never led the league in steals (thanks, Rickey Henderson), but still swiped 50+ bags in two seasons and 40+ in three more.

He played 17 years and was still going strong at age 40; the definition of a pro’s pro.

RF – Reggie Jackson

Another easy one.

“Mr. October” is one of the most decorated Arizona State alums and one of MLB’s most iconic figures.

Reggie Jackson’s résumé includes five World Series titles, two World Series MVPs, one regular season MVP, two Silver Sluggers, 14 All-Star selections, and a Hall of Fame nod.

With 563 career home runs and 21 seasons in the bigs, Jackson cemented his place as a baseball legend.

P – Jim Palmer

If you’re picking one pitcher to represent your school, Jim Palmer is a pretty strong choice.

He spent all 19 of his MLB seasons with the Orioles and became one of the most dominant arms of his era.

Palmer won three Cy Young awards in four years, and during that stretch, led the league in ERA, WAR, wins, and shutouts, all while posting a 2.57 ERA.

It’s rare to maintain that level of excellence for nearly two decades, which is why Palmer remains one of the game’s most revered pitchers.