Late-Round and Non-Drafted MLB Free Agent Success Stories

[Jim Goulart]

Matt Eddy of Baseball America is my hero with pieces like this one.

Check out the starting rotation candidates for his "team" after Jonathan Sanchez.

Actually, there are several Brewer connections, either directly or indirectly, on the list.

So when we root really hard for a Daniel Meadows or a Michael Fiers, it's the underdog syndrome within us.

This piece may be a bit sobering for all the recent late-round signees or those still in the system.

I'll email Matt, think he missed the Brewers, then Padres, Joe Thatcher.

[Jim Goulart]

Re: Thatcher, Matt's response -- I see what you mean with Joe Thatcher, but technically he had signed a professional contract prior to signing with Milwaukee. That's a separate list—players who sign indy ball contracts at the outset and then sign on in affiliated ball and work their way up. Daniel Nava, Thatcher, etc. I'm sure J.J. Cooper could rattle them all off.

[CheezWizHed]

Can you say "Swing and Miss?!?!"

 

How can you forget Mike Piazza as drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft??? He is the poster child of late round picks...

[Jim Goulart]

Can you say "Swing and Miss?!?!"

 

How can you forget Mike Piazza as drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft??? He is the poster child of late round picks...

Eddy was working with current players only.

[CheezWizHed]

Still as the quintessential example of a late round success story, he deserved at least a name drop in the opening paragraph...

 

Nice to see Herrera, Kintzler, and Maldonado all get props in the article...