​As Major League Baseball moves into its second half following the All-Star break, Bryan Baker stands out as Northeast Florida’s leader of the pack so far.The former University of North Florida pitcher is enjoying a career year with the pennant-chasing Tampa Bay Rays of the American League East, earning his first All-Star Game selection in a new closer role.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith 25 saves, Baker is tied for second in baseball behind only Cade Smith’s 28 saves for the Cleveland Guardians, but Baker’s ERA of 1.73 is more than a run lower than Smith’s mark.Elsewhere, it’s been a mixture of highlights, lowlights and a handful of injuries for MLB players with Jacksonville and Northeast Florida ties for the season’s first half.The list of big-league locals could grow in the second half. Waiting in Triple-A are Hunter Barco (from Bolles School, in Pirates organization), Mike Clevinger (from Wolfson High School, in Pirates system), Max Ferguson (from Bolles, in Red Sox system), Ben Gamel (from Bishop Kenny High School, in Braves system), Nathan Hickey (from Providence School, in Red Sox system), Austin Slater (from Bolles, in Rays system) and Brett Wisely (from Sandalwood High School, in Braves system).Here’s how players with high school or college ties to the Jacksonville area have fared in the first half of the Major League Baseball season. Note that the list does include players currently on the injured list, but not those in the minor leagues as of the All-Star break.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMLB team: Cleveland GuardiansLocal tie: St. Johns River State CollegeThe newest MLB player with connections to the First Coast — he started seven games at St. Johns River State College in 2020 prior to the coronavirus pandemic — Aleman made his Guardians debut in May and got recalled on July 3 to supplement the Cleveland bullpen. He’s been on fire in the minors: 3-1 with an 0.32 ERA, an .088 opponents’ batting average and an 0.53 WHIP, allowing only eight hits and one earned run while striking out 43 in 27 relief appearances. So far, he holds a 1.13 ERA in seven games with Cleveland.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMLB team: Detroit TigersLocal tie: Arlington Country Day SchoolAfter a bounce-back All-Star season in 2025, Baez has encountered the injury bug this year. He was batting .256 with two home runs, six RBI, a .678 OPS when the Tigers placed him on the injured list with a right high ankle sprain suffered April 28 when trying to avoid a tag on the basepaths. The Tigers moved Baez to the 60-day injured list in June as he continues his recovery. It’s not yet clear exactly when he will return for Detroit, which is 44-52 and trails the Guardians and White Sox by 6 1/2 games in the American League Central.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementJul 8, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker (47) reacts after beating the New York Yankees in the ninth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Cre