So Notre Dame will not make the College World Series for a second straight season. In fact, it didn’t make the NCAA Tournament at all. So what are Irish fans left to do? Look into the past, of course.
Not long ago, we took the liberty of asking ChatGPT, the AI information bot that supposedly is threatening to put all of us writers out of work, its opinion on Notre Dame athletic history. Specifically, we asked it to rank what it believed were the top 10 Notre Dame football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball players. Now, we’re bringing it back to seek its opinion about Irish baseball players.
Keep in mind that ChatGPT gives this disclaimer:
“As an AI, I don’t have access to real-time information or the ability to provide subjective opinions. However, I can tell you about some notable baseball players who have had successful careers at the University of Notre Dame. Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive and does not rank them in any particular order.”
There’s also this:
“Please note that this is not an exhaustive or ranked list, and there have been many other talented baseball players who have represented the University of Notre Dame.”
So with all of that said, let’s see who ChatGPT came up with. Please note that some of these have been edited to remove inaccurate or outdated information:
“While Connaughton is better known for his basketball career at Notre Dame, he also played baseball for the Fighting Irish. After college, he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles but focused primarily on basketball and currently plays in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks.”
“Mancini currently plays in the MLB for the Chicago Cubs and has been an impactful player.”
Ryan Topham
“He was a notable shortstop at Notre Dame and later played professionally in the minor leagues.”
Jeff Manship
Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Jeff Manship (53) delivers a pitch during the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Minnesota Twins won 2-1. Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/oeMK8sCTupXX01oT_LNNaA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/fighting_irish_wire_usa_today_articles_281/a3b59d42b269fdb6bc7ee570981d8c90″ data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/oeMK8sCTupXX01oT_LNNaA–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA–/https://media.zenfs.com/en/fighting_irish_wire_usa_today_articles_281/a3b59d42b269fdb6bc7ee570981d8c90″ height=”640″ width=”960″/>
“He was a reliable pitcher for Notre Dame and went on to play in MLB for the Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Indians.”
Craig Counsell
“Although he did not have an extensive baseball career at Notre Dame, Counsell is worth mentioning as a successful MLB player. He played for several teams, including the Florida Marlins and Milwaukee Brewers, and won multiple World Series championships.”
Eric Jagielo
“He was a highly regarded third baseman at Notre Dame and was selected in the first round of the MLB draft by the New York Yankees. Jagielo played in the minor leagues and reached the Triple-A level.”
Jeff Samardzija
“While he is more well-known for his football career at Notre Dame, Samardzija also excelled in baseball as a pitcher. He later transitioned to professional baseball and pitched for several MLB teams.”
Aaron Heilman
“He was a dominant pitcher for the Fighting Irish and went on to have a successful career in MLB with multiple teams, including the New York Mets.”
Frank Carpin
Story originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire