Juan Blackwell got his chance, played 5 seasons, made AA
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Juan Blackwell got passed over in the draft out of high school in 1989, so he set about working out, to get stronger. his hometown Sacramento Bee wrote in September 1990.
His work paid off the next April when a scout recognized him officiating a Little League game and noted his size had increased since the last time he'd seen Blackwell. He got a tryout and he soon signed as a pro, The Bee wrote.
"It was a great, great feeling," Blackwell told The Bee then, after his first pro season. "There were some tears in the family that night. All I wanted was a chance and that's what I got."
Blackwell took that chance on to five pro seasons. He played three of them in the Yankees system and two in independent ball. He topped out at AA.
Blackwell's career began that year in 1990, signed by the Yankees as an undrafted free agent out of his native Sacramento.
Blackwell played his first season between short-season Oneonta and high-A Prince William. He saw 32 games in all and hit .245.
He then played 1991 between high-A Fort Lauderdale and AA Albany-Colonie. He got into 48 games on the year and hit .179. His 1992 season, his last with the Yankees, proved abbreviated as he suffered a torn rotator cuff. He saw 15 games at Albany-Colonie.
For 1993, he moved to independent Duluth-Superior. He got into 40 games and hit .285. He then hoped to turn coach, helping out with a local American Legion team in 1994, The Bee wrote.
"I enjoyed my career," Blackwell told The Bee in August 1994. "I'm not sad that it's over at all, really. I did the best I could. For not getting drafted, I'm pleased with what I did."
Blackwell is recorded as returning to the field five years later for his hometown independent Sacramento team. He got into 83 games and hit .300 to end his career.
- Sacramento Bee, Sept. 27, 1990: Davidson
- Sacramento Bee, Aug. 11, 1994: Ex-Yankee farmhand wants to coach new crop
Made the Majors:1,459-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,134-68.2%-X