Mark David McGwire, nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001 for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He won two World Series championships, one with Oakland as a player in 1989 and one with St. Louis as a coach in 2011. One of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball history, McGwire hit 583 home runs during his career, which ranked 5th-most in MLB history at the time of his retirement and currently ranks 11th. He holds the major-league career record for at bats per home run ratio (10.6), and is the former record holder for both home runs in a single season and home runs hit by a rookie. McGwire was one of several central figures in baseball's steroids scandal.
Carl Michael Yastrzemski Sr., nicknamed "Yaz", is an American former professional baseball player who played his entire career with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He started his career primarily as a left fielder, but also played 33 games as a third baseman. Later in his career, he was mainly a first baseman and designated hitter.
Charles Edward Johnson Jr. is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the Florida Marlins, the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998), the Baltimore Orioles (1999–2000), the Chicago White Sox (2000), the Colorado Rockies (2003–2004), and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005).
Michael Brooks Kieschnick is an American former professional baseball left fielder and pitcher. The only player to win the Dick Howser Trophy twice, he is a College Baseball Hall of Fame inductee. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during six seasons between 1996 and 2004, primarily with the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers. He batted left-handed but threw right-handed. During the initial part of his major league career, he was exclusively a position player; for his final two seasons in the big leagues, he was used primarily as a relief pitcher who also occasionally served as an outfielder and pinch hitter.
Floyd Franklin Bannister is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros (1977–1978), Seattle Mariners (1979–1982), Chicago White Sox (1983–1987), Kansas City Royals (1988–1989), California Angels (1991), and Texas Rangers (1992). Bannister also played for the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), in 1990. Bannister was the first overall pick in the 1976 MLB draft.
Willie James Wilson is an American former professional baseball player. He played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, and Chicago Cubs. He was an outfielder known for his speed and ability as an effective leadoff hitter. Wilson's career total of 668 stolen bases currently ranks him in 12th place all-time among major leaguers.
Thomas Marian Paciorek is an American former outfielder and first baseman who spent 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1970–1975), Atlanta Braves (1976–1978), Seattle Mariners (1978–1981), Chicago White Sox (1982–1985), New York Mets (1985) and Texas Rangers (1986–1987). He appeared twice in the postseason, with the National League (NL) champion Dodgers in 1974 and the American League (AL) West-winning White Sox in 1983.
David Wade Ross is an American former professional baseball catcher and manager. He managed the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 2020 to 2023. He played in MLB for 15 seasons.
Jeffrey Alan Burroughs is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1970 through 1985, for the Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1970–76), Atlanta Braves (1977–80), Seattle Mariners (1981), Oakland Athletics (1982–84) and Toronto Blue Jays (1985).
Milton Bernard Thompson, is an American former professional baseball outfielder, pinch hitter, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Colorado Rockies. He returned as the Cincinnati Reds’ minor league hitting instructor, for the 2019 season. Over his MLB career, Thompson compiled a batting average of .274.
Darrel Wayne Akerfelds was a professional baseball pitcher. He also served as the bullpen coach of Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres, from 2001 until his death. Akerfelds pitched in the major leagues in parts of five seasons, from 1986 to 1991 for the Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Danny Kay Goodwin is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter from 1975 to 1982. He also played in the Nippon Professional Baseball league with the Nankai Hawks in 1986. Goodwin is the only baseball player to be drafted first overall in the Major League draft in two separate drafts.
The bonus rule was a rule instituted by Major League Baseball in 1947 to prevent teams from assigning certain players to farm teams. The rule stipulated that when a major league team signed a player to a contract with a signing bonus in excess of $4,000, the team was required to keep that player on their 25-man active roster for two full seasons. Any team that failed to comply with the rule lost the rights to that player's contract, and the player was then exposed to the waiver wire. Once a player remained with the team for two full seasons, he could be assigned to a farm team without repercussions.
The 1972 San Diego Padres season was the fourth season in franchise history.
Thomas Marion Dodd is an American former professional baseball player. He had a short two-week stint in the major leagues with the 1986 Baltimore Orioles, but is likely best remembered for being one of the players included in the deal that brought Fred McGriff to the Toronto Blue Jays as a minor league prospect.
Robert Gerald Miller was an American professional baseball pitcher who played for three different teams during his Major League Baseball (MLB) career. During the 1953 season, he was the youngest player in the major leagues, one of only three players who were 17 years old. Born in Berwyn, Illinois, Miller was a left-hander who batted right-handed. He was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
The 1987 Major League Baseball draft is the process by which Major League Baseball (MLB) teams select athletes to play for their organization. High school seniors, college juniors and seniors, and anyone who had never played under a professional contract were considered eligible for the draft. The 1987 MLB Draft took place as a conference call to the Commissioner of Baseball's office in New York from June 2–4. As opposed to the National Football League Draft which appeared on ESPN, no network aired the MLB Draft.
The Miami RedHawks baseball team is the varsity intercollegiate baseball team of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, United States. The team is a member of the Mid-American Conference, which competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I.
Below is a partial list of Minor League Baseball players in the Toronto Blue Jays and rosters of their minor league affiliates.
