Cole Hamels #35, formerly of the Philadelphia Phillies (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Former Phillies ace Cole Hamels has been connected to Major League Baseball for a long time.
Although he made his MLB debut in 2006, three years prior — this week in 2003, no less — the California native led the Philadelphia Phillies to a win at the 57th Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown, New York. Then 19 years old, the pitching prospect struck out nine batters en route to MVP honors.
Hamels went on to play parts of 10 seasons in red pinstripes (2006-15), followed by four with the Texas Rangers (2015-18), two with the Chicago Cubs (2018-19), and a single start last year as a member of the Atlanta Braves.