slides: See The List: Active Major League Baseball Players from Massachusetts

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Alex Cobb

Hall of Fame sports writer Peter Gammons said when Jon Lester decided to sign with the Chicago Cubs this weekend it left the American League East with only two top of the rotation starters: New York Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka, and Boston's own Tampa Bay Ray, Alex Cobb.

Cobb, 27, pitched 166 innings with a 2.87 ERA and won ten games for the Rays last season. If Tanaka does not come back healthy next year, Cobb will be the lone ace in the A.L. East.

SLIDESHOW BELOW: Active Major League Baseball Players from Massachusetts

Cobb is one of several MLB players from Massachusetts. Some standouts include Kansas City Royals pitcher Tim Collins of Worcester, Miami Marlins closer Steve Cishek of Falmouth, and former All-Star Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Brian Wilson of Winchester.

Collins pitched five innings in the World Series for the Royals, who ultimately lost to the San Francisco Giants in seven games.

Milford's Chris Colabello made his major league debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2013. Last season, Colabello drove in 26 runs in the month of April, breaking Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett's franchise record. In the first 23 games, Colabello hit .308 with three home runs and 27 RBI's. Last week, Colabello was claimed off waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Looking towards the future, Auburn's Tyler Beede was drafted in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft by the World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. Beede played at Vanderbilt and won the College World Series this summer.

Beede and Colabello will both be part of a panel at the Worcester Bravehearts 'Heart Stove' fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club on January 15.

Here's a look at the active MLB players from Massachusetts: