All-American Boys: Minor is Only Major League Hoops A-A in Last 43 Years

December 23rd, 2023 - 13:50

Will there be an NCAA Division I basketball All-American in 21st Century sufficiently versatile to eventually play major-league baseball? Recently-deceased Ryan Minor (Oklahoma) was the only hoops All-American in the last 43 years to subsequently become a major leaguer. The absence of another such versatile athlete is a stark contrast from when Seattle "bonus-baby" twins Eddie and Johnny O'Brien were among six different major-college A-As in a six-season span from 1951-52 through 1956-57 to each end up performing at MLB level by 1960.

Three additional prominent two-way athletes in this increasingly rare category also passed away in 2023 - Frank Howard (Ohio State), Dick Groat (Duke) and Cotton Nash (Kentucky). As the MLB hot-stove league heats up, following is a baseball ranking of the 14 major-college basketball All-Americans who played at MLB level:

Rank Hoops All-American College A-A Year(s) Summary of MLB and Minor-League Career
1. Frank Howard Ohio State 1956-57 Four-time American League All-Star outfielder-first baseman hit .273 with 382 home runs and 1,119 RBI with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers in 16 seasons from 1958 through 1973. Hit .341 with 84 homers and 269 RBI in three minor-league campaigns in the Dodgers' organization. He also managed the San Diego Padres and New York Mets in early 1980s.
2. Dick Groat Duke 1950-51 and 1951-52 Eight-time National League All-Star shortstop hit .286 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants in 1,929 games in 14 seasons (1952 and 1955 through 1967; served in U.S. military in 1953 and 1954). He did not play an inning of minor-league baseball.
3. Frankie Baumholtz Ohio University 1940-41 Outfielder hit .290 in 1,019 games with the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies in 10 N.L. seasons (1947 through 1949 and 1951 through 1957). Hit .345 in three minor-league campaigns.
4. Joe Gibbon Mississippi 1956-57 Lefthander compiled a 61-65 pitching record and 3.52 ERA in 419 MLB games with the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros during 13 N.L. seasons from 1960 through 1972. Posted a 31-26 mark in three minor-league campaigns in the Pirates' organization.
5. Johnny O'Brien Seattle 1951-52 and 1952-53 Infielder/pitcher played six seasons (1953 and 1955 through 1959) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Braves. Hit .250 and compiled a 1-3 pitching record in 339 MLB games. Hit .294 in three minor-league campaigns in farm systems of the Cards and Cincinnati Reds.
6. Louis "Bosey" Berger Maryland 1931-32 Infielder hit .236 with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox in six A.L. seasons (1932 and 1935 through 1939). Played six minor-league seasons in farm systems of Indians, St. Louis Cardinals, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and New York Yankees.
7. Eddie O'Brien Seattle 1952-53 Infielder-outfielder played five seasons (1953 and 1955 through 1958) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hitting .236 in 231 MLB games. He also won his lone decision while pitching in five contests. O'Brien hit .260 and compiled an 11-11 pitching record in two minor-league campaigns.
8. Danny Ainge Brigham Young 1978-79 through 1980-81 Utilityman hit .220 with the Toronto Blue Jays in three years from 1979 through 1981. Hit .237 in three minor-league seasons at AAA level. Selected in 15th round of 1977 MLB amateur draft out of high school (one round ahead of INF-OF Tony Phillips and two rounds ahead of OF-1B Gary Redus).
9. Ryan Minor Oklahoma 1994-95 and 1995-96 Rookie third baseman with the Baltimore Orioles replaced Cal Ripken Jr. in their lineup on September 20, 1998, ending Ripken's major league record of 2,632 consecutive games played. Minor hit .185 in three years with them before hitting .158 in lone campaign with the Montreal Expos in 2001. He hit .266 with 95 HRs and 356 RBI in nine minor-league seasons in farm systems of the Orioles, Expos, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers and Florida Marlins. Selected in 15th round by Orioles out of high school in 1992 MLB amateur draft (ahead of OF Jose Cruz), 7th round by New York Mets in 1995 (one round ahead of RHP A.J. Burnett) and 33rd round by Orioles in 1996.
10. Charles "Cotton" Nash Kentucky 1961-62 through 1963-64 First baseman went 3-for-16 (.188) in three brief A.L. stints with the Chicago White Sox (1967) and Minnesota Twins (1969 and 1970). He collected 170 homers and 540 RBI in nine minor-league seasons in farm systems of the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Twins and Texas Rangers.
11. Dick Ricketts Jr. Duquesne 1953-54 and 1954-55 Compiled a 1-6 pitching record and 5.82 ERA in his only MLB season with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1959. Registered a 99-91 mark in 10 minor-league campaigns in farm systems of the Cards, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets.
12. Dave DeBusschere Detroit 1959-60 through 1961-62 Righthander compiled a 3-4 pitching record for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963. Posted a 40-21 mark in three minor-league seasons.
13. Don Grate Ohio State 1943-44 and 1944-45 Righthander pitched briefly for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945 and 1946 (1-1 record with 9.37 ERA). Compiled a 43-28 minor-league mark in the farm systems of the Phillies, Boston Braves, Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators. Also played outfield in farm systems of Senators and New York Giants in 1953, 1956 and 1957.
14. Ernie Andres Indiana 1937-38 and 1938-39 Hit .098 in 15 games as a third baseman with the Boston Red Sox in 1946. Played five minor-league seasons in farm systems of the Red Sox, New York Giants, Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates. He posted a .287 batting average in three years at AA level with Louisville, including 100 RBI in 1941.