Rider University Baseball Players Who Made it to a Major League Baseball Team

Rider University Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues

Baseball Almanac is pleased to present a comprehensive chart of every Rider University alumnus who played baseball at Rider University AND made it to the Major League level.

"Babe's (Ruth) record was considered the most unattainable in baseball. Somewhere along the line somebody decided it wasn't that important. Now I hear them talk about it like it's only in the top 10. Hank has not been given the credit and respect he deserves for breaking it." - Al Downing in The Plain Dealer (August 18, 1997)

Rider College "Broncs" Major League Baseball Player Alumnus
Name [Click for M.L. Stats]	Dates Played	Debut / Box
Al Verdel	DNP	04-20-1944
Al Downing	DNP	07-19-1961
Danny Napoleon	1963 - 1963	04-14-1965
Jeff Kunkel	1981 - 1983	07-23-1984
Jack Armstrong^(Oklahoma)	1984 - 1986	06-21-1988
Ed Whited	1982 - 1986	07-05-1989
Rider University "Broncs" Rider University Official Logo Major League Baseball Player Alumnus
Name [Click for M.L. Stats]	Dates Played	Debut / Box
Kevin Barry	2001 - 2001	06-26-2006
Jim Hoey	2001 - 2003	08-23-2006
Name [Click for M.L. Stats]	Dates Played	Debut / Box
Rider College M.L.B. Player Alumnus

The Rider University baseball program started in 1929 and Danny Napoleon was their first player to make it to the Major League level. On April 20, 1944 a non-playing student named Al Verdel broke into the big leagues making him the first student to make it to the Major League level.

The Rider Broncs played baseball in 1929, stopped, played again from 1941 through 1942, stopped, resumed play in 1946 and are still playing today though they are now known as Rider University due to a name change in 1994.

Did you know that there are six former Rider University players who made it to "the show"? Send corrections to Baseball Almanac.

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