Former Danville Dan Alfonso Rivas went 2 for 3 Sunday as the starting Chicago Cubs first baseman in his major league debut.
Rivas his a line drive single on the first ever pitch thrown to him in the majors, as well as doubling the second time, before ending his day 2 for 3 in the Cubs game against the White Sox.
During his college days with the Arizona Wildcats, Rivas played for the Danville Dans during the summer of 2016. He was then selected in the fourth round of the 2018 draft by the Oakland A’s, after his junior year at Arizona. The Cubs picked up Rivas on a 2020 trade with the A’s.
Rivas had been hitting .284 with the Iowa Cubs this year before his call up. He is one of six players from the Dans’ 2016 team to have been drafted or signed a professional contract.
Dans Managing Partner Jeanie Cooke, a Cubs fan herself, pointed out that Rivas is the 30th Dan overall to play in the majors, but his first to debut with the Cubs.
She stated that “This is why the Dans work so hard every summer, to help the college players improve their baseball skills so they can develop into professional ball players if that’s in their future.”
