Former New Britain Bee, Dodgers' Casparius Wins 2024 World Series

WEYMOUTH, Mass. 一 With the Los Angeles Dodgers' Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday, former New Britain Bees and University of Connecticut pitcher Ben Casparius capped his rookie Major League Baseball (MLB) season as the second-ever Futures League alumnus to win a World Series championship.

The 2020 Futures League Co-Top Pitching Prospect recipient, Casparius joined former Torrington Titans and University of Maine infielder Jeremy Peña in raising the Commissioner's Trophy. Like Casparius, Peña was also a rookie for the Houston Astros when he earned 2022 World Series Most Valuable Player honors.

After being initially recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on August 18 and making his MLB debut nearly two weeks later on August 31, Casparius appeared in more games during the Postseason (four) than he did in the regular season (three). The native of Westport, Conn., struck out five batters over 6.1 innings of one-run ball across his Postseason outings, having joined the National League Division Series roster only after an injury opened a spot. 

The 25-year-old took the ball for two innings in Tuesday's Game 4, becoming only the second pitcher in MLB history to make his first career regular-season or Postseason start in the World Series. In his previous outing, he worked 1.1 scoreless innings to help the Dodgers clinch the league pennant in Game 6 of the Championship Series against the New York Mets on October 20.

Casparius pitched to a 2-0 record and 2.16 ERA with 12 strikeouts across 8.1 regular-season innings. He became the first Futures League product to win his MLB debut as a relief pitcher, throwing a scoreless inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks. His seven strikeouts in 4.1 innings on September 27 against the Colorado Rockies were the most by a Dodgers reliever this season.

The fourth of six Futures League alumni to reach MLB in 2024, Casparius enjoyed a dominant three-start stint with New Britain in 2020, totaling 18 strikeouts across his 12 innings of work. He allowed just two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks during his time in the Hardware City.

Casparius shared Futures League Top Pro Prospect pitching honors with UConn teammate and now-San Francisco Giants farmhand Reggie Crawford in 2020, just one year before the Dodgers drafted him in the fifth round. He was selected one round earlier than another former Bee in Boston College product Emmet Sheehan, who made his MLB debut in June 2023. 

The 2024 season marks the third straight in which six former Futures Leaguers made their MLB debuts, bringing the all-time total to 24. The league's alumni have debuted for 17 and played for a total of 23 of the 30 big league clubs.

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