October baseball is right around the corner, and four players who once called Sunken Diamond home are in pursuit of a World Series title. Together, these Stanford alumni bring three Gold Glove awards, one All-Star nomination and two World Series rings into the MLB postseason.

Tommy Edman ’17 – Los Angeles Dodgers   

Edman first made his name at Stanford as the Cardinal’s go-to shortstop. While starting in every game his junior year, Edman hit .286, led the team in hits and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors.  

After a successful junior year campaign, the St. Louis Cardinals selected Edman in the sixth round of the 2016 MLB Draft, where he went on to win a Gold Glove at second base in 2021. In July 2024, a trade sent him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he took the next step in his career. Edman was named 2024 National League Championship Series (NLCS) MVP and has won the World Series in both of his seasons with the Dodgers. 

While Edman’s season didn’t start until June 16 because of right ankle surgery this season, he has gotten hot at the right time, with home runs in two of three games from Sept. 20-22. This October, Edman’s strength is his versatility, with the ability to move around the infield and center field if needed. The No. 2 Dodgers open the National League Division Series (NLDS) on Oct. 3 against the winner of Philadelphia and Atlanta in search of its third-straight World Series title. The Dodgers would be the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to do so. 

Kris Bubic ’19 – Los Angeles Dodgers

Bubic joined Edman in Los Angeles this summer. At Stanford, the left-hander went 8-1 with a 2.62 ERA as a junior in 2018 and earned All-Pac-12 honors. The Kansas City Royals took Bubic as the 40th overall pick that same year. Bubic had a breakout season in 2025, earning American League (AL) Pitcher of the Month honors in May and his first All-Star selection. 

After an injury-riddled 2026 season, Kansas City shipped Bubic to Los Angeles on Aug. 3. Since being activated Sept. 16, Bubic has thrown 4 ⅔ scoreless innings across five relief appearances and has struck out five.

Nico Hoerner ’19 – Chicago Cubs

Hoerner was a three-year starter at Stanford from 2016 to 2018. As a sophomore, he moved to shortstop after the departure of Edman, and he hit .307, earning both All-Pac-12 and All-Pac-12 Defensive team honors. He followed that by hitting .345 with 15 stolen bases as a junior and earning All-Pac-12 honors again.

The Cubs drafted Hoerner 24th overall in 2018, and he has since won two Gold Gloves at second base, earning a six-year, $141 million contract extension in March. Hoerner has been one of the Cubs’ few bright spots in the postseason so far. 

In Tuesday’s 8-0 Game One loss against San Diego in the National League (NL) Wild Card, Hoerner broke up the Padres’ chance of a no-hitter with a one-out single in the seventh inning. Chicago now faces elimination Wednesday night, with the series winner advancing to play the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in the NLDS.

Erik Miller ’20 – Boston Red Sox

Miller pitched for the Cardinal from 2017 to 2019, recording a 3.68 collegiate ERA and 188 total strikeouts. The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Miller in the fourth round in 2019 and traded him to the San Francisco Giants in 2023. In 2025, he became one of the Giants’ most reliable relievers, posting a 1.50 ERA in 36 appearances over 33 innings until a season-ending elbow injury in July. 

On Aug. 3, the Giants traded Miller to the Boston Red Sox, posting a 3.38 ERA across 18 innings pitched for Boston. Miller entered Tuesday’s AL Wild Card game against the New York Yankees and allowed a two-run home run to All-Star Ben Rice. The Red Sox face elimination Wednesday night in the Bronx.