Former Pepp baseball player proves himself in big leagues

Twenty-four-year-old California native Chase D’Arnaud has done very well since leaving Pepperdine in 2008. He was Pittsburgh’s fourth-round draft choice in 2008, and has since ascended through the ranks of the Pirates’ organization. In 2010, D’Arnaud was voted the fifth best prospect in the Pirates organization by Baseball America and was also voted the organization’s best athlete. D’Arnaud made his debut for the Pirates against the Red Sox on June 24, and hit his first MLB RBI on July 2.

“Chase has played very well at Indianapolis. He has a chance to give us a boost while gaining valuable experience at the major league level,” Pirates manager Neil Huntington recently told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.