Cards in the Majors: June 2021 Update

(Photo of Nick Solak: Joe Nicholson - USA TODAY Sports)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With the calendar flipping into June, roughly two months of the 2021 Major League Baseball season are now in the books.

Several former Louisville baseball players continue to make an impact across the majors. As of Jun. 1, there have been six former Cardinals play in an MLB regular season game this season: catcher Will Smith, outfielders Adam Duvall and Nick Solak, and right-handed pitchers Chad Green, Zack Burdi and Kyle Funkhouser.

Outfielder Adam Engel is still on the active roster for the Chicago White Sox, but has yet to be recalled from Triple-A Charlotte after a hamstring injury sustained in spring training.

So how have these former Cards performed up to this point of the season? Take a look below:

Stats from games played through Jun. 1, 2021

Zack Burdi

Position: RHP
Years at UofL: 2014-16
Organization: Chicago White Sox

W-L	GP-GS	IP	K-BB	H	ER	ERA	WHIP
0-0	1-0	3.0	3-1	3	1	3.00	1.33

Burdi has made just one appearance on the season so far, pitching against the Boston Red Sox back on Apr. 19 and going three innings deep with three strikeouts and an earned run. He was sent back down to Triple-A Charlotte soon after, recalled for a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles on May 29, but was not used and sent back down to Charlotte the next day.

Adam Duvall

Position: Left Fielder
Years at UofL: 2009-10 (JUCO)
Organization: Miami Marlins

G/AB	HR	RBI	H	BB	AVG	OBP	SLG
45/160	9	33	34	9	.213	.257	.425

Duvall signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Marlins in the offseason, and has been a solid power bat for Miami. His slash line numbers are certainly down, but his nine home runs is the best on the team, and his 33 RBI is second only to Jesus Aguilar's 38.

Kyle Funkhouser

Position: RHP
Years at UofL: 2013-16
Organization: Detroit Tigers

W-L	GP-GS	IP	K-BB	H	ER	ERA	WHIP
0-0	9-0	12.2	11-4	6	3	2.13	0.789

It has been a struggle for Funkhouser to remain at the major league level, but it seems like it is starting to pan out for him in a late inning reliever role. Of his nine relief outings so far this season, seven of them have been scoreless, and he sports the best WHIP on the Tigers.

Chad Green

Position: RHP
Years at UofL: 2011-13
Organization: New York Yankees

W-L	GP-GS	IP	K-BB	H	ER	ERA	WHIP
0-3	22-0	26.0	23-4	14	6	2.08	0.69

Green has been one of the better bullpen arms for the Yankees over the last several years, and so far, he is putting together one of the best seasons of his career. His WHIP is a career-low, and 18 of his 22 appearances have been scorless.

Will Smith

Position: Catcher
Years at UofL: 2014-16
Organization: Los Angeles Dodgers

G/AB	HR	RBI	BB	H	AVG	OBP	SLG
43/168	5	18	21	38	.271	.375	.457

Duvall might not stand out on a star-studded Dodgers roster, but he continues to be a productive batter. While going up against small sample sizes, he has tied his career-high with nine doubles, and has set a career mark in walks.

Nick Solak

Position: Infielder
Years at UofL: 2014-16
Organization: Texas Rangers

G/AB	HR	RBI	BB	H	AVG	OBP	SLG
55/209	8	24	16	51	.244	.319	.421

In a more consistent role mainly at second base this season, Solak remains as one of the top players on the Texas Rangers. His hits, walks, home runs, RBI, walks and doubles all ranks in the top four on the team.

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