Thursday, May 9, 2024

Rick Stiner hit, then taught game: Baseball Profiles

Rick Stiner 1990 Stockton Ports card

Rick Stiner helped his high school team to the Indiana state championship, then played two seasons as a pro.

In November 1997, he opened his own youth baseball facility in his hometown of Kokomo, The Kokomo Tribune wrote.

"Batting was something I've always known a lot about and teaching was something I'd always wanted to do," Stiner told The Tribune then.

Stiner's pro career saw him top out at high-A.

Stiner's brief pro career began in 1990, signed by the Brewers as an undrafted free agent out of Grand Canyon College.

At Grand Canyon, Stiner participated in a record scoring game, where his team scored 45 runs, The Associated Press wrote.

"In the eighth inning, one of our coaches said let's score 30 runs," Stiner told The AP. "And then, when we got to 30, we said, why don't we try for forty? When we got to 45, everybody was wanting 50 real bad."

Stiner signed as a pro in February 1990. He spoke to The Tribune then expressed optimism about his career.

"I believe in my heart I have a chance to make it," Stiner told The Tribune. "I think I have the qualities. I have a good arm and hit well for a catcher."

Stiner started with the Brewers at high-A Stockton. He saw 58 games and hit .159. He then moved to independent high-A Reno for 1991. He saw just three games to end his career.

He then starting instructing. He continues as a youth instructor in 2024, with Stiner's Hitting Academy in Indianapolis. 

Rick Stiner 1990 Stockton Ports card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,365
Made the Majors:1,406-32.2%
Never Made Majors:2,959-67.8%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:573
10+ Seasons in the Minors:354

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