Jamie Hoffner stayed ready over 7 pro seasons, made AA
Columbia Met Jamie Hoffner had hoped to do better in 1990. By early July, he was hitting .259, but his playing time had gone down to make room for a teammate coming off the disabled list, his hometown Grand Forks Herald wrote.
"It's been frustrating," he told The Herald. "I had high expectations for this year, to come in, play a lot and do well. You can't get down, though. You have to be ready to play every day."
That season marked Hoffner's second as a pro. He went on to see two more in the affiliated minors. He then saw three more later in independent ball. He topped out at AA.
Hoffner's career began in 1989, taken by the Mets in the 53rd round of the draft out of Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Hoffner started with the Mets at short-season Pittsfield. He saw 39 games and hit .285. He then moved to Columbia for 1990 and saw 86 games while hitting .298.
He played 1991 at high-A St. Lucie, then 1992 at AA Binghamton. That September, Hoffner picked up two big hits, including a home run, in a Binghamton playoff win. Both came off curveballs, The Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin wrote.
"You have to expect a fastball, and adjust if they pop a curve, because there's no adjustment to a fastball," Hoffner told The Press and Sun-Bulletin afterward.
Hoffner saw 72 games for Binghamton that year and hit .271. It marked his last year with the Mets.
After not being recorded as playing professionally from 1993 to 1995, he returned for 1996 with his independent hometown Grand Forks Varmints. He spent the intervening period playing amateur baseball.
"I do this because I love playing baseball," Hoffner told The Herald after joining Grand Forks. "I'll do this every summer as long as I feel I can still hit the baseball."
Hoffner played 79 games for Grand Forks in 1996 and 68 in 1998. He then played one final game with Fargo-Moorhead in 1998 to end his pro career.
- Grand Forks Herald, July 4, 1990: Hoffner tries to stay optimistic
- Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin, Sept. 12, 1992: Mets beat Canton-Akron
- Grand Forks Herald, June 2, 1996: Hoffner
Made the Majors:1,473-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,167-68.2%-X