NJCAA Alumni Competing in 2025 MLB World Series
Charlotte, NC – The stage has been set for the 2025 MLB World Series, and this year it includes nine players and one umpire who are former NJCAA student-athletes. Three NJCAA alumni will be representing the Toronto Blue Jays, with six more alumni representing the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Toronto Blue Jays
Bowden Francis | Chipola (FL) | P
Bowden Francis attended Chipola for two seasons from 2015 to 2017. In his time at Chipola, Francis was named First Team All-Panhandle as a freshman and NJCAA All-America Honorable Mention as a sophomore. Francis was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2017 MLB Draft after his time at Chipola. This season, Francis has tallied 54 strikeouts in his 64 innings pitched for the Blue Jays.
Brendon Little | State College of Florida | P
Brendon Little pitched for the Manatees for the 2017 season. In his one year at State College of Florida, Little finished the season ranked second nationally in strikeouts with 133. Little was selected by the Chicago Cubs following his time with the Manatees as the 27th overall pick of the 2017 MLB Draft. In his 68 innings thrown this season, he has tallied 91 strikeouts and holds a 3.03 ERA. In addition to his first trip to the World Series, he will be competing against former State College of Florida teammate, Justin Wrobleski.
Myles Straw | St. Johns River State (FL) | OF
Myles Straw competed at St. Johns River State College from 2013 to 2015 and was drafted by the Houston Astros in 2015. Currently in his first year with Toronto, Straw has played in 137 of 162 games this season. He holds a career batting average of .316 and earned a Gold Glove award in 2022 for the center field position during his time with the Cleveland Guardians.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Anthony Banda | San Jacinto (TX) | P
In 2011, Anthony Banda played for San Jacinto College, where he tallied 73 strikeouts and earned a 2.01 ERA. That year, Banda earned third team All-America honors from the NJCAA before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2012 MLB Draft. Already a World Series Champion from the 2024 season with the Dodgers, Banda entered the postseason with a 3.18 ERA to go with 61 strikeouts in his 65 innings.
When reflecting on his experience at San Jacinto, Banda stated that, "[He learned] how to play together, how to root for one another, put individual stats and goals aside, and just really [focus] on winning the entire thing."
Paul Gervase | Pitt (NC) | P
Paul Gervase played at Pitt Community College for the 2021 season before he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 2022 MLB Draft. At Pitt, he posted a 1.66 ERA while allowing just 11 hits in 21.2 innings pitched and tallied 35 strikeouts. Gervase was traded to the Dodgers in late July from the Tampa Bay Rays. The 2025 World Series will be the first of his career.
Landon Knack | Walters State (TN) | P
Landon Knack was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2020 MLB Draft after his collegiate career at Walters State and East Tennessee State. While at Walters State, Knack held a 13-0 record on the mound for the Senators. That season, he earned Pitcher of the Year honors, Two-Way Player of the Year honors, as well as being named NJCAA Second Team All-America. Knack has multiple postseason appearances for the Dodgers, as he was a part of the 2024 World Series team. Knack has thrown 42 innings for the Dodgers this season, tallying 42 strikeouts.
Tanner Scott | Howard (TX) | P
Tanner Scott was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2014 MLB Draft after pitching for Howard College in the 2014 season. During that season, Scott threw 61 innings and totaled 76 strikeouts for the Hawks. Scott signed a deal with the Dodgers in January of 2025 and in his first season, he has thrown 57 innings, totaling 60 strikeouts. Scott has also been named MLB Reliever of the Month twice, once in 2023 and on another occasion in 2024.
Justin Wrobleski | State College of Florida | P
Justin Wrobleski competed for State College of Florida in the 2020 season alongside current Toronto Blue Jay, Brendon Little. At SCF, Wrobleski earned a 2.89 ERA in his four appearances during the shortened season. Wrobleski was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2021 MLB Draft. He made his debut with the Dodgers in July of 2024. Since then, Wrobleski has tallied 102 strikeouts in 103 innings thrown. Wrobleski is awaiting his first postseason appearance.
Kirby Yates | Yavapai (AZ) | P
Kirby Yates was a two-way player for Yavapai in 2009. On the mound, Yates threw 54 innings and held an ERA of 4.50, while posting a batting average of .352 throughout the season. Yates signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009 and began his professional career in the minors. In his 11-year MLB career, Yates holds a 3.36 ERA with 623 strikeouts. His only postseason appearance was for the Atlanta Braves in 2023, where he gave up one hit and no earned runs. Yates has had many highlights throughout his MLB career, including being named an All-Star twice, being named to the 2019 All-MLB Team, and leading the National League in saves in 2019.
Umpiring Crew
Alan Porter | Montgomery County (PA)
Alan Porter played baseball for Montgomery County Community College in 1997-98 before attending California University of Pennsylvania. He then enrolled at the Wendelstedt Umpire School in Daytona Beach, Florida, in 2002. Porter was one of only 37 students nationally selected to join the Professional Baseball Umpire Corp (PBUC) and worked his first major league game in 2010. He has since worked numerous postseason games, including the 2019 and 2022 World Series. Porter was inducted into the Montgomery County Alumni Hall of Fame in 2013 and has helped his former head coach, Lou Lombardo, with umpire clinics.
Porter will be behind home plate in Game 5 of the 2025 World Series.