The Alabama Sports Writers Association recently announced the
winner of this year’s Mr. Baseball Award, and if you examine the list of all-time winners closely, you’ll find very few
household names, that is, players who’ve gone on to Hall of Fame-type careers.
That’s not to say that these past Alabama Mr. Baseball
winners aren’t any good. It just goes to show how hard it is to have success in
the Big Leagues. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Matthew Maniscalco of
Oxford High School (1999 Mr. Baseball), Wade Miller of G.W. Long High School
(2000 Mr. Baseball), Luke Bole of Hartselle High School (2009 Mr. Baseball),
Daniel Koger of Huntsville High School (2011 Mr. Baseball) and Keegan Thompson
of Cullman High School (2013 Mr. Baseball) were never drafted, never played in
the minor leagues and never appeared in a Major League game.
Shortstop and second baseman Eric West of Southside-Gadsden,
2001’s Mr. Baseball, was drafted in the fifth round by the Boston Red Sox in
the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft. He played minor league ball for three seasons,
taking the field for the Gulf Coast League’s Red Sox, the New York-Pennsylvania
League’s Lowell Spinners and the South Atlantic League’s Augusta Green Jackets.
Pitcher Allen Ponder of Lee-Scott Academy, 2002’s Mr.
Baseball, went on to play for Auburn University-Montgomery and was drafted in
the 45th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft. He
played minor league ball for only one season, taking the field in 23 games for
the New York-Pennsylvania League’s State College Spikes.
Pitcher Joey Doan of Baker High School in Mobile, 2003’s Mr.
Baseball, went on to play at the University of South Alabama and was drafted in
the 40th round by the Atlanta Braves in the 2003 MLB June Amateur Draft. He
played minor league ball for two seasons, taking the field for the Pioneer
League’s Great Falls White Sox, the Appalachian League’s Bristol White Sox and
the Frontier League’s Midwest Sliders.
Outfielder Patrick White of Daphne High School, 2004’s Mr.
Baseball, is arguably the most accomplished athlete on the list, but not for
baseball. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but instead of playing baseball, he went on to play
quarterback at the University of West Virginia. He was drafted 44th overall in
the 2009 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Miami Dolphins and the
Washington Redskins.
Centerfielder Colby Rasmus of Russell County High School,
2005’s Mr. Baseball, was drafted in the first round (28th overall) by the St.
Louis Cardinals in the 2005 MLB amateur draft. He played four seasons in the
minor leagues before making his Major League debut, taking the field for the
Appalachian League’s Johnson City Cardinals, the Midwest League’s Swing of the
Quad Cities, the Florida State League’s Palm Beach Cardinals, the Texas
League’s Springfield Cardinals, the Arizona Fall League’s Team USA, the Pacific
Coast League’s Memphis Redbirds, and the Gulf Coast League’s Cardinals. He made
his Major League debut on April 7, 2009 with the St. Louis Cardinals and he’s
since played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros, where he’s
currently on the active roster.
Pitcher Del Howell of American Christian Academy in
Tuscaloosa, 2006’s Mr. Baseball, went on to play for the University of Alabama
before being drafted in the 18th round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft by
the New York Yankees. He went on to play three years in the minor leagues,
taking the field for the Arizona League’s Brewers, the Pioneer League’s Helena
Brewers, the Midwest League’s Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Arizona
League’s Brewers.
Infielder John David Smelser of Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 2007’s
Mr. Baseball, went on to play for the University of Alabama, but never played
in the minors and the majors.
Pitcher Tyler Stovall of Hokes Bluff High School, 2008’s Mr.
Baseball, was drafted in the second round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur June
Amateur Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He went on to play four years for four
minor league teams, including the Gulf Coast League’s Braves, the Appalachian
League’s Danville Braves, the South Atlantic League’s Rome Braves and the
Frontier League’s Normal Corn Belters.
Pitcher Daryl Norris of Fairhope High School, 2010’s Mr.
Baseball, went on to play for Mississippi State. Later, he was drafted in the
22nd round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Detroit Tigers. For two
years after that, he played for three different minor league teams, including
the Gulf Coast League’s Tigers, the Florida State League’s Lakeland Flying
Tigers and the New York-Pennsylvania League’s Connecticut Tigers.
Shortstop Mikey White of Spain Park High School, 2012’s Mr.
Baseball, is currently a member of the University of Alabama’s baseball team.
Pitcher Cody Reed of Ardmore High School, 2014’s Mr.
Baseball, was drafted in the second round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft by
the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since then, he’s played for two minor league teams –
the Arizona League’s Diamondbacks and the Pioneer League’s Missoula Osprey.
Garrett, who graduated from Florence High School last month,
has committed to play at Vanderbilt University next season, so only time will
tell as to what kind of professional career he’ll have.
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