As the 2026 MLB season approaches the All-Star break several former Cavaliers have made waves, both on the field and from the bench. Although the names below are not an exhaustive list of the exploits of Cavaliers in Major League Baseball, the players mentioned have distinguished themselves over the course of the season.
Ernie Clement, Toronto Blue Jays
Ernie Clement is one of the top hitters in the American League by total hits — 86 at present. His Blue Jays currently have a losing record, but sit only a few games outside of a playoff spot.
Clement was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2017 following three years at Virginia, the first of which saw the Cavaliers’ first national title in baseball — and an All-College World Series nod for Clement. Although he is now more than a decade removed from the College World Series victory, he still feels the ties to Virginia and his championship-winning teammates.
“It’s so special,” Clement said in an interview with 1186 The Podcast in 2024. “It has gone by really fast. It feels like just yesterday I was getting yelled at to get a bunt down. But it’s crazy, it’s awesome.”
He credited the Virginia coaching staff for taking him from a multi-sport high school athlete juggling baseball, football, hockey and soccer and developing him into a Major League-caliber player.
“The coaches did such a good job at getting the best out of me,” Clement said in the same interview. “[I was] just a kid from Rochester, N.Y., who never played baseball for more than two [or] three months out of the year. I was a perfect fit to come in and improve. I never thought I would play. I had no expectations of getting drafted or playing, I just wanted to help that team win.
That winning mindset instilled in Clement carried the Blue Jays to the doorstep of a World Series victory, although the team ultimately fell short against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
As the season heads toward the All-Star break, Clement may not have as much of a break, with his hitting production putting him in pole position to be named to the American League All-Star team.
Zack Gelof, Athletics
Zack Gelof was a Cavalier for three seasons from 2019 to 2021, starting every game at Virginia. He was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 2021 and exclusively played second base in 2023, 2024 and 2025, where he saw limited time and poor production due to injuries.
In 2026, though, he has seen his batting improve, at the same time as his fielding has been shaken up. He has been yanked all over the field in his fourth campaign, playing at third base, center field and right field, in addition to a smattering of games at second.
“[Gelof]’s been an infielder the majority of his life,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said to reporters ahead of their May 13 matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals. “The opportunity arose to utilize him in the outfield because of his athleticism and, quite frankly, because he could play pretty well.
Gelof, adapting as he did, undertook the various position changes despite little previous experience.
“Growing up, nothing,” Gelof said to Chris Townsend of “A’s Cast Live” April 29 when asked about his experience in the outfield. “My first game in the outfield in my life was in Double-A in 2022.”
In a single game June 8, Gelof showed off his utility — and the resurgent offense that has come along with him. Gelof started the game at second base, but played at right field and third base before the night was over. He also pulled a ball out of the park, smacking a home run over the left field wall. Even though the Athletics lost that game 15-14 against the Milwaukee Brewers, Gelof’s performance cannot be easily forgotten.
Sean Doolittle, Washington Nationals
Sean Doolittle played for Virginia nearly two decades ago, pitching and playing first base for the Cavaliers in the mid-2000s. Along the way, he posted a .312 batting average across his three seasons in Charlottesville, a mark that is only surpassed by three qualified hitters. While a Cavalier, he majored in psychology, and thinks he might have been a sports psychologist had his athletic career not taken off.
A 10-1 pitching record and a 1.90 ERA in 2006 led to him being named ACC Player of the Year for the 2006 season, and he was drafted by Oakland in 2007.
Although originally playing as a first baseman and outfielder for Oakland, he eventually underwent a switch to pitcher following several injuries, and was traded to the Washington Nationals in 2017. He won a World Series with that team in 2019 before retiring with the Nationals and transitioning into a coaching role, where he serves as an assistant pitching coach.
Doolittle has seen much, from being on a Virginia squad that made it to the NCAA Tournament all three years he was present — only to flame out in the regionals each time — to conquering the mountaintop as a closer on the championship-winning Nationals. He believes his experience has made him a better coach to his players.
“I try to show compassion in everything that I do,” Doolittle said on The 11th Inning podcast March 14, 2025 to Dan Kolko and former Cavalier Ryan Zimmerman. “On some level, I have a lot of empathy for what they’re going through. I can relate to a lot of what they are going through because of my experiences in the game … there’s not a whole lot I didn’t experience.”
