Three former Ohio Valley Conference baseball players are on Major League Baseball Opening Day rosters for the 2026 season, while four others are on a 40-man rosters.
The active players are former Eastern Illinois pitcher
Will Klein (Los Angeles Dodgers), former Austin Peay closer (and 2013 OVC Pitcher of the Year)
Tyler Rogers (Toronto Blue Jays) and former Southeast Missouri pitcher (and 2015 & 2016 OVC Pitcher of the Year)
Joey Lucchesi (Los Angeles Angels).
Eastern Illinois shortstop
Trey Sweeney (Detroit Tigers) begins the season on the 10-Day IL and is on the 40-Man Roster. He is joined on 40-Man Rosters another EIU pitcher in
Hayden Birdsong (out for the year with an injury for the San Francisco Giants), former Southeast Missouri pitcher
Dylan Dodd (Atlanta Braves) and former Tennessee Tech closer
Ethan Roberts (Chicago Cubs).
Active Rosters
Will Klein (Eastern Illinois) – Los Angeles Dodgers
Joey Lucchesi (Southeast Missouri) - Los Angeles Angels
Tyler Rogers (Austin Peay) – Toronto Blue Jays
40-Man Rosters
Hayden Birdsong (Eastern Illinois) - San Francisco Giants (60-Day IL)
Dylan Dodd (Southeast Missouri) – Atlanta Braves
Ethan Roberts (Tennessee Tech) - Chicago Cubs
Trey Sweeney (Eastern Illinois) – Detroit Tigers (10-Day IL)