Mike Vasil Makes MLB Debut with White Sox

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Former Virginia pitcher Mike Vasil (2019-21) made his Major League Baseball debut on Monday (March 31) for the Chicago White Sox. The righthander threw two scoreless innings with a strikeout in the White Sox’ 9-0 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Vasil became the 33rd player to have played for head coach Brian O’Connor to reach the big leagues in 22 seasons. With the addition of Murdock, a total of 57 former Cavaliers have played in an MLB game. Vasil’s batterymate behind the plate during his debut was Matt Thaiss (2014-16) and member of the 2015 UVA National Championship squad.

With the debuts of Vasil and Noah Murdock, Virginia joins Georgia Tech as the only two schools in the country to have multiple MLB debuts during the 2025 season.

After being selected by the New York Mets with the 232nd pick in the eighth round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Vasil spent the next four seasons in the Mets’ organization before he was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the Rule 5 Draft and ultimately traded to the Tampa Bay Rays on the same day in December. The White Sox claimed him off waivers from the Rays on March 23.

A mainstay in the Virginia weekend rotation during his three seasons in a Cavalier uniform, Vasil turned in the best season of his UVA career in 2021. The righthander went 7-5 in 16 starts while boasting a 4.52 ERA in 81.2 innings pitched. Of Vasil’s seven wins, six either clinched a series (UConn, Georgia Tech, Duke and BC) or helped UVA avoid a sweep (UNC & FSU). In his final start in a Cavalier uniform, Vasil delivered his eighth quality start of the year in a CWS elimination game against Texas. He pitched seven innings allowed one run and fanned eight batters, one shy of his career high.