With the pro baseball season now in full swing, a number of former Duke stars are now playing at the highest level. The Blue Zone takes a look at three of them:
Matt Mervis
As the Miami Marlins faced the New York Mets on Wednesday, the former Blue Devil gave the Marlins a 1-0 lead with an RBI single to center in the top of the fifth inning. This first baseman then hit a two-run homer to right at the top of the ninth, ultimately leaving the score 5-0 and avoiding a series sweep against the Mets.
Mervis’s performance with the Marlins has been especially impressive when considering how he fared with his last team, the Chicago Cubs. Because of his inconsistencies, Mervis was frequently bouncing between AAA Iowa and the majors, making him ready for his fresh start in Miami and to prove he belonged in the majors — and he is beginning to do just that.
With a batting average of .115 in the 2024 regular season while playing for Chicago, Mervis has shown incredible improvement as he begins the 2025 season for the Marlins with an average of .276. Already having secured eight hits, seven RBIs and three homers with only 29 at-bats this season, Mervis has become an integral part to the Marlins’ roster.
Bryce Jarvis
While at Duke, Jarvis solidified his name as the 18th pitcher to throw a perfect nine innings in NCAA history and the first Blue Devil to do so. Now trying to make a name in the majors, Jarvis continues his work to reach full form after being placed on the IL for the Arizona Diamondbacks after sustaining a sprained elbow in July of 2024. Able to participate in spring training, Jarvis secured his spot in the bullpen and made his return to the mound in March against the Cubs. With an uninspiring performance in his first game back that left him with a 10.90 ERA to start the season, it became clear Jarvis was still on the rebound.
On April 9, Jarvis concluded the Diamondbacks’ rotation on the mound and sealed the series by inducing a groundout. As Arizona closed out its series against the Baltimore Orioles with a 9-0 win, this pitcher seems to be back in shape with an ERA of 3.18 — reflecting the 3.19 he averaged last season prior to his injury.
Griffin Conine
Although drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2018, Griffin Conine did not make his debut in the majors until March 2024 for the Marlins. As Conine stepped onto the turf in LoanDepot park, he knew he was not the first in his family to do so.
On March 30, 2025, Jeff Conine, more commonly known as “Mr. Marlin,” was inducted into the Marlins Legends Hall of Fame. The older Conine is notorious for his 2003 postseason throw to catcher Ivan Roderiguez that allowed the Marlins to keep their one-run lead in the fourth game of the NLDS, foreshadowing Miami’s World Series win that year. Following in his father’s footsteps, the same weekend “Mr. Marlin” joined the Marlins Hall of Fame, Griffin Conine won MLB Play of the Week when he solidified Miami’s win against the Pittsburgh Pirates with an all-too-familiar run-robbing catch.
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