Marsalis Basey played minors baseball, college basketball

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Marsalis Basey 1993 Auburn Astros baseball card

Marsalis Basey started his pro baseball career in 1990. But, after one game, he went home, homesick, The Tucson Citizen wrote later.

"It was a big difference from what I was used to," Basey told The Citizen in December 1992. "And I wasn't used to being away from home - at least not that far. But they told me I could leave and come back when I wanted to."

The occasion for the interview was Basey's visit to Arizona as a member of the West Virginia University Mountaineers basketball team, where he played four seasons.

Basey did return to the baseball field. He ended up playing over four seasons in the Astros system. He topped out at high-A.

Basey's career began in 1990, taken by the Astros in the 16th round of the draft out of Martinsburg High School in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

With the Astros, Basey got into that one game in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He went 0 for 5.

He then returned home to West Virginia and joined the Mountaineers. He got into 30 games for the basketball team as a freshman, then 26 as a sophomore. 

Basey returned to the baseball field in 1992, back in the GCL. He saw 41 games there and hit .267. 

That fall, back at West Virginia, he scored 16 points in a December game as he helped his team adjust mid-game, The Arizona Daily Star wrote.

"We switched to a man-to-man to put more pressure on them offensively," Basey told The Daily Star.

Basey got into 29 games for West Virginia as a junior. He then played with the Astros at short-season Auburn. He saw 39 games there and hit .232.

That August, Basey he spoke to The Berkshire Eagle about his basketball playing and baseball work as Auburn visited Pittsfield, and a losing Auburn season.

"It's tough to take defeats. But a lot of times you seem to get relaxed about losing," Basey told The Eagle. "It hurts to lose. I don't like to lose."

Basey finished up his college basketball career in 1993-1994, and his baseball career in 1995. He saw 91 games at high-A Kissimmee and hit .230 to end his career.

Basey then returned home to West Virginia, where he became a youth coach, including an assistant basketball coach at his old high school. 

In early 2025, Basey suffered a stroke, leading a GoFundMe to be started on his behalf, The Martinsburg Journal wrote. The GoFundMe raised more than $19,000.

"Just about every family in the Panhandle has had an encounter with Coach Basey," the GoFundMe read. "Whether it be via high school, college, trainings, AAU, or coaching, in some way paths have crossed. Coach Basey is always serving in some capacity.

"Coach Marsalis Basey has dedicated so much of his time, energy, and heart to uplifting others," the GoFundMe continued. "He is a staple in the community and wants to see every athlete (person) reach their full potential."

Marsalis Basey 1993 Auburn Astros baseball card


1990 Minor League Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:4,521
Made the Majors:1,431-31.7%
Never Made Majors:3,090-68.3%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:581
10+ Seasons in the Minors:359

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