Ten Minor Leaguers For the Ages

By Eric Enders
February 2001 (previously unpublished)  

Joe Baumann

Baumann was one of the greatest sluggers in minor league history, leading his league in home runs four times. Playing for Artesia of the Longhorn League in 1952-3, he posted back-to-back seasons with 50-plus homers and a .370-plus average. But in 1954, playing for Roswell of the Longhorn League, he did even better, batting .400 with 72 homers and 224 RBI. His 72 homers that season still stands as professional baseball’s single-season record. Baumann currently lives in Roswell, New Mexico.

Ray Dandridge

One of the greatest defensive third basemen in baseball history, Dandridge was a star in the Negro Leagues and Mexican League in the years before integration. In 1949 the New York Giants signed him to serve as a mentor to Willie Mays in the minor leagues. Dandridge played four seasons with Triple-A Minneapolis, winning the American Association MVP in 1950. Over his minor league career, he batted .331 and collected 1,835 hits. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987.

Lefty Grove

Considered by many to be the best pitcher in major league history, Grove was also a longtime star in the minors. He spent five years with the minor league Baltimore Orioles, winning 25 or more games three times. He also led the International League in shutouts twice, saves once, and strikeouts four times. The Orioles dominated the International League while he played for them, easily winning the pennant all five years while averaging 114 wins per season. After he was purchased by the A’s in 1925, Grove went on to become a 300-game winner in the majors. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947.

Smead Jolley

Jolley began as a pitcher, but after six years on the mound he found his calling at the plate. One of the most remarkable hitters in baseball history, Jolley batted .366 and collected 3,037 hits in his stellar minor league career. He won six minor league batting titles, including back-to-back seasons of .397 and .404 in 1927-28. The latter season he won the PCL’s Triple Crown, adding 45 homers, 188 RBI, and 309 hits to his .404 average. Over a 16-year minor league career he led his league in hits five times, doubles twice, homers twice, and RBI four times.

Walter Mails

Known as "Duster" for the way he brushed back hitters, Mails won 226 games over 17 seasons in the minor leagues. He did get a few cups of coffee in the majors, including in 1920, when the Cleveland Indians called him up in September. He went 7-0 down the stretch to lead the Indians to the pennant, and then won another game in the World Series. Two years later, though, he was back in the minors. He was a four-time 20-game winner in the minor leagues with the Oakland Oaks and San Francisco Seals.

Lefty O’Doul

O’Doul was a lifetime .350 hitter in the major leagues, but he was an even bigger star in the minors. He won 25 games as a pitcher for the San Francisco Seals in 1921, but after hurting his arm he switched to the outfield. In his first four years as a hitter, he posted minor league batting averages of .392, .375, .338, and .378. He later became a longtime manager in the minor leagues, winning over 2,000 games. He was also instrumental in starting the first professional baseball league in Japan, and made dozens of trips there over several decades.

Mike Piazza

Before becoming the greatest offensive catcher in major league history, Piazza was a superstar in the minor leagues. He was drafted in the 62nd round in 1988 and defied the odds by becoming the lowest draft choice ever to reach the majors. In 1992 he batted .350 with 23 home runs while splitting the season between AA San Antonio and AAA Albuquerque. The previous year, he hit 29 home runs for single-A Bakersfield. His career minor league totals are .295 with 66 homers and 239 RBI.

Lee Riley

One of the most well-traveled players in baseball history, Riley played for 21 different minor league teams in his 22-year career. (He also played 4 games with the Phillies in 1944.) A hard-hitting outfielder, Riley led his league in batting once, triples once, homers twice, and batting average twice. His career minor league totals include a .314 batting average, 248 homers, and 2,418 hits. He is the father of Miami Heat coach Pat Riley.

Jigger Statz

Statz played 18 years for the Los Angeles Angels, the longest term of service with one club in minor league history. He went straight from the campus of Holy Cross College to John McGraw’s New York Giants, but was soon sent down to the minors, where he enjoyed his greatest success. A swift line-drive hitter and an outstanding defensive outfielder, Statz holds PCL career records for hits (3,356), runs (1,996), doubles (114), and triples (136). He collected 200 hits in eight consecutive seasons, and led his league in steals three times.

Artie Wilson

Wilson was the last .400 hitter in the Negro Leagues, batting .402 for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1948. After baseball integrated, he spent more than a decade as a star in the minor leagues. He played for six different teams in the Pacific Coast League and is regarded as one of the most popular players in that league’s history. He collected more than 200 hits five times, including 1950 when he had 264 hits and scored 168 runs for the Oakland Oaks. He batted .312 over his minor league career and collected 1,609 hits. He currently lives in Seattle, Washington.  

 

EricEnders.com Home
Baseball · Books · Film · Music · Photography