On opening day of the 2008 season, 42 former SEC players were listed on MLB opening day 25-man rosters. LSU led the league with eight former players in the bigs, while Florida had seven and Auburn with six each. Tennessee had five players while both Kentucky and Mississippi State had three. The complete listing follows:
Alabama *Andy Phillips - Cincinnati Taylor Tankersley - Florida
Arkansas Eric Hinske - Tampa Bay Cliff Lee - Cleveland
Auburn Chris Bootcheck - LA Angels Gabe Gross - Milwaukee Tim Hudson - Atlanta David Ross - Cincinnati Clete Thomas - Detroit Frank Thomas - Toronto
Florida David Eckstein - Toronto Mark Ellis - Oakland Josh Fogg - Cincinnati Darren O'Day - LA Angels Ryan Raburn - Detroit David Ross - Cincinnati *Ryan Shealy - Kansas City Brad Wilkerson - Seattle
Georgia Robby Hammock - Arizona Jeff Keppinger - Cincinnati *Clint Sammons - Atlanta
Kentucky Joe Blanton - Oakland Scott Downs - Toronto Brandon Webb - Arizona
LSU Paul Byrd - Cleveland Mike Fontenot - Chicago Cubs Brad Hawpe - Colorado Aaron Hill - Toronto Russ Springer - St. Louis Brian Tallet - Toronto Ryan Theriot - Chicago Cubs Brian Wilson - San Francisco
Ole Miss David Dellucci - Cleveland *Seth Smith - Colorado Matt Tolbert - Minnesota
Mississippi State Paul Maholm - Pittsburgh Brandon Medders - Arizona Jonathan Papelbon - Boston
South Carolina *Billy Buckner - Arizona *Brian Buscher - Minnesota *Jon Coutlangus - Cincinnati Adam Everett - Minnesota *Marcus McBeth - Cincinnati *Kevin Melillo - Oakland *Steve Pearce - Pittsburgh *Landon Powell - Oakland Brian Roberts - Baltimore
Tennessee Chris Burke - Arizona *R.A. Dickey - Seattle Todd Helton - Colorado Luke Hudson - Kansas City Mike Lincoln - Cincinnati Augie Ojeda - Arizona
Vanderbilt Jensen Lewis - Cleveland
* Appears on club's 40-man roster # Added after opening day