A total of 17 former Bearcats have gone on to play Major League Baseball, with the newest member, Kevin Youkilis, being added during the 2004 season. Below is a look at highlights of each player’s career.

BUTCH ALBERTS

Alberts played for the Bearcats in 1971-72 and finished his career with a .326 batting average, which ranks15th in school history. He also cracked a total of 10 home runs in just 285 career at-bats. Alberts went on to make his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978. Toronto Blue Jays (1978).

ETHAN ALLEN

Allen played at UC for three seasons, and holds the UC record with a .473 average during the 1926 season. He posted a .300 lifetime batting average over 13 major league seasons, and went on to win over 300 games as the head baseball coach at Yale University. Cincinnati Reds (1926-1930); New York Giants (1930-1932); St. Louis Cardinals (1933); Philadelphia Phillies (1934-1936); Chicago Cubs (1936); St. Louis Browns (1937-1938).

SKEETER BARNES

Prior to nine seasons in the majors, Cincinnati-native William “Skeeter” Barnes wore the Red and Black of the Bearcats in 1977-78. Barnes hit .289 in his two seasons at UC, totaling seven doubles, four triples, two home runs and 21 RBI. Drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 16th round of the 1978 draft, Barnes played for four different Major League teams, including a pair of stints with his hometown Reds. Barnes finished his MLB career with a .259 batting average in 614 at-bats. Cincinnati Reds (1983-84); Montreal Expos (1985); St. Louis Cardinals (1987); Cincinnati Reds (1989); Detroit Tigers (1991-94).

RALPH BEARD

Born in Cincinnati in 1929, Beard played his one and only season of Major League Baseball as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1954. Despite an 0-4 record on the mound, Beard posted a very respectable 3.72 ERA as a Cardinal. St. Louis Cardinals (1954).

CARL BOULDIN

Bouldin starred in both baseball and basketball at UC and was a starting guard and team captain of the Bearcats’ 1961 basketball national championship team. On the diamond, Bouldin had a 14-3 record and a 2.38 ERA, while allowing opponents to hit just .206. The latter two marks both rank in the top-five in school history. Bouldin went on to play four seasons with the Washington Senators, posting a career record of 3-8. Washington Senators (1961-64).

ED BRINKMAN

A former high school teammate of Pete Rose, Brinkman left UC after signing with the Washington Senators in 1961. Described as a classic “no-hit, great fielding shortstop,” Brinkman batted just .224 in 15 pro seasons. However, the Cincinnati native would end his MLB career having committed just 259 errors in over 1800 games, for a career fielding percentage of .970. Washington Senators (1961-70); Detroit Tigers (1971-74); St. Louis Cardinals 1975); Texas Rangers (1975); New York Yankees (1975).

JACK BUSHELMAN

Bushelman was the second Bearcat to break into the major leagues when he debuted with the Cincinnati Reds in 1909. A pitcher, Bushelman played parts of three seasons in the majors, the last with the Boston Red Sox in 1912. He made seven appearances in the majors, finishing with a 1-2 record and a 3.38 ERA. Cincinnati Reds (1909); Boston Red Sox (1911-12).

BILL FAUL

Faul pitched for the Bearcats from 1960-62 and still holds four team records. He struck out 133 in 1961, 295 in his career, posted a 0.80 ERA in 1962, and had a career winning percentage of .783 (18-5). He was UC's first baseball All- American, and went on to have an eight-year major league career. At the Major League level, Faul won 12 games during a 71-game career that saw the righthander post a 4.72 ERA. Detroit Tigers (1962-64); Chicago Cubs (1965-66); San Francisco Giants (1970).

GEORGE GLINATSIS

Glinatsis pitched for the Bearcats from 1988-91 and struck out 177 batters in his career. During his collegiate career, Glinatsis won a total of 12 games in 47 appearances. He made his Major League debut with the Seattle Mariners in 1994 after being drafted in the 32nd round by the club three years earlier. Glinatsis pitched 5.1 innings in two Major League appearances. Seattle Mariners (1994).

MIKE HERSHBERGER

Hershberger played just one season at UC (1958), before going on to enjoy an 11-year pro career that saw him play in over 1,100 games. At Cincinnati, Hershberger hit .324, while adding three doubles, four triple, two home runs and 22 RBI. At the big league level, Hershberger was a career .252 hitter, hitting 26 home runs and adding 150 doubles, 22 triples and 74 stolen bases. Chicago White Sox (1961-64); Kansas City Athletics (1965-67); Oakland Athletics (1968-69); Milwaukee Brewers (1970); Chicago White Sox (1971).

MILLER HUGGINS

Huggins played and managed for 30 major league seasons. With the Yankees (1918-1927), he won six American League pennants and three World Series. His 1927 team with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig is regarded as the greatest team ever by many. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964. As a player Huggins appeared in nearly 1,600 career games and finished with a .265 career average. Playing career: Cincinnati Reds (1904-09); St. Louis Cardinals (1910-16). Managerial career: St. Louis Cardinals (1913-17); New York Yankees (1918-29).

SANDY KOUFAX

Koufax came to UC on a basketball scholarship in 1954, and posted a 3-1 mark and a 2.81 ERA in his only season with the Bearcat Baseball team. Koufax signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers and went on to win three Cy Young Awards, a National League MVP title, and four World Series rings. Considered one of the game’s best all-time hurlers, Koufax was 165-87 in his 12 Major League seasons, registering a 2.76 ERA and striking out a total of 2,396 hitters. Before retiring at the age of 30 because of chronic arm problems, Koufax crafted four no-hitters, including one perfect game. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Brooklyn Dodgers (1955-57); Los Angeles Dodgers (1958-66).

JACK NIEMES

Niemes saw action for the Cincinnati Reds in his one and only Major League season of 1943. The former Bearcat and Cincinnati-native appeared in three games for the Reds, tossing three innings and recording no record. Cincinnati Reds (1943).

JACK REIS

Another of the early Bearcat players to break into the professional ranks, Reis was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1911. In three games, Reis had a 0.96 ERA, while completing 9.1 innings of work. St. Louis Cardinals (1911).

RUDY SCHLESINGER

Schlesinger appeared in just one Major League game, batting once in a Boston Red Sox game on May 4, 1965. Boston Red Sox (1965).

RALPH SHAFER

Shafer was another former Bearcat who played just once in the Majors, as he appeared as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 25, 1914. Pittsburgh Pirates (1914).

KEVIN YOUKILIS

The newest Bearcat to play Major League Baseball, Youkilis made his debut for the Boston Red Sox on May 15, 2004. In his first game, Youkilis homered off former Cy Young Award winner Pat Hentgen of the Toronto Blue Jays. By the end of his first season, Youkilis had won a World Series ring and batted .260 in 72 games. He hit seven home runs for the year, while adding 11 doubles and driving in 35 runs. Youkilis, an eighth round draft pick of the Sox in 2001, owns or shares 14 school records, including career marks for home runs (53), walks (206), runs (279), games played (230) and on-base percentage (.499). He also ranks second in career batting average at .366. Boston Red Sox (2004-present).