Merrimack’s most famous alum by far is Boston Red Sox great Carl Yastrzemski, known as “Yaz.” A 23-year-Sox veteran and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Yastrzemski walked the halls of our institution, but never took the field for the Warriors, as he was already playing at Fenway during that time.

Yaz initially attended Notre Dame on a basketball scholarship, but left without finishing his degree to make his professional debut with the Sox. However, to fulfill a promise to his parents, he took courses at Merrimack during his first few seasons in the majors, completing his B.S. in Business Administration in 1966. The following year, he batted .326, smashed 44 home runs, and brought in 121 RBIs, which earned him both the Triple Crown and the AL MVP title (the power of a Merrimack degree!). 

Yastrzemski played for Boston from 1961 – 1983, earned 17 All-Star Game appearances and 7 Gold Gloves, and helped the Red Sox take the American League pennant for the first time in over two decades.

The Sox retired his #8 jersey in 1989. His grandson, Mike Yastrzemski, currently plays right field for the San Francisco Giants.