Minor League Pitchers Hitting | Phoenix Sports Today

Micah Owings, in red, takes a swing in the batting cage under a perfectly blue sky during his unsuccessful attempt to come back as a position player. — Micah Owings, the most prolific-hitting pitcher in franchise history, does make it on this list, but only once. | Photo by Jonathan Newton / The Washington Post via Getty Images

In honor of Ryne Nelson’s heroics yesterday, a look at the minor leagues

Ryne Nelson provided one of the biggest shocks of the season so far, with his RBI single in yesterday’s comeback. It was his first professional plate appearance, because pitchers haven’t hit often at any level since 2021, and it’s been a long time since pitchers hit regularly at other levels.

Still, I thought it might be fun, before all the full-season affiliates get underway, to look at the last hit—by at pitcher—for each affiliate.

Reno Aces

While Mitchell Stumpo picked up a plate appearance just last year, he didn’t get a hit. No pitchers received plate appearances in 2023 or 2022, so we have to go back to the last year where pitchers hit semi-regularly in the Pacific Coast League: 2021.

NCAA BASEBALL: MAR 04 Fordham at LSU Riley Smith delivers a pitch for LSU — Riley Smith wouldn’t have hit often in college, either.

Riley Smith got the start for the Aces on August 16, 2021, and despite working just four innings, he got two hits. He led off the third inning with a single, but the final hit came in the fourth inning, as he singled home Jamie Ritchie to put the Aces on the board. Reno would fall behind 8-3, come back with eight runs in the seventh inning to take an 11-8 lead, and instantly give four runs back in an 12-11 loss at El Paso.

Amarillo Sod Poodles or Jackson Generals

Pitchers did not hit in the Texas League in 2021. The Sod Poodles were a Padres affiliate the last time a pitcher got a hit there, and it came on August 28, 2019. Luke Bachar, who had given up five runs already, singled home the first run for the Soddies, starting a comeback that would eventually give them the lead in a game they won, 9-8.

Matt Peacock takes a rare swing against the Padres in 2021. — I actually found a picture of Matt Peacock batting. This was an RBI single on August 6, 2021

The last Diamondbacks’ AA affiliate pitcher hit came on August 19, 2019, when Matt Peacock (who would later pick up a hit and the win in his major league debut on April 6, 2021) singled in the third inning of a game the Generals took 6-5 behind good performances from Pavin Smith and Seth Beer.

Hillsboro Hops (Yakima Bears)

Steve Mintz is not at Sears. That’s just the way picture day looked in 1999 — Steve Mintz with the Angels, presumably in 1999

The Yakima Bears were once a Diamondbacks affiliate, and they moved in 2012 to become the Hillsboro Hops. Given that the Northwest League was a short-season league for most of its history, it’s unsurprising that there weren’t many opportunities for pitchers to hit. The last to do so successfully, as best as I can tell, is Steve Mintz in 1990. The Dodgers did not seem to have been using him as a two-way player, but for whatever reason, he got 61 plate appearances and slashed a respectable .283/.377/.415, even hitting a home run. He also stole two bases. Despite this performance, he never exceeded ten plate appearances in a season thereafter, although he did get two cups of coffee, with the Giants in 1995 and the Angels in 1999, tossing 24.1 innings with a 6.66 ERA.

Mintz was managing in the Rangers’ system as recently as 2023.

Visalia Rawhide

No pitcher has taken a plate appearance for Visalia since 2010, and neither of the victims that year got a hit. Before that, one must go all the way back to 2004, with the Visalia Oaks (then a Devil Rays affiliate) who for some reason gave Buddy Gallegher four at bats. He got three hits.

The last Diamondbacks’ pitching farmhand to get a hit in the California League was none other than Micah Owings, for the 2005 Lancaster JetHawks. He would also be the last at the High-A level.

Rookie League

Given the roster size of rookie leagues, I thought it would be nearly impossible for any pitcher to ever get a plate appearance. However, the Diamondbacks’ 47^th round draft pick back in 2005, Houston Summers, went 5-for-22 with a double in 2007 for the Missoula Osprey. This was as Summers transitioned from being a catcher and infielder to being a pitcher. He pitched more than anything else in 2007. Summers topped out at AAA, but played professionally through 2010.

As far as full-time pitchers, Keith Whatley got three plate appearances in 2002 for the Osprey, and singled and walked. He never advanced past High-A, and never got another plate appearance, so his career slash line is .500/.667/.500. He was quite the singles hitter in college, though, slashing .325/.386/.373 with 65 of his 74 hits being singles. He seems to still be involved in the game, though; he appears to be a travel ball coach in North Alabama.

I was surprised to find a picture of pitcher Keith Whatley, a left-handed pitcher shown here with the Houston Cougars in 2002. — Keith Whatley on the mound with the Houston Cougars earlier in 2002.

Will the improbable happen in the minor leagues this year? It’s doubtful, but if it does, it will be noteworthy.

This Week

Reno has their home opener tomorrow afternoon against Tacoma. The next couple of pitchers in the rotation are yet to be announced, but it seems that they may well be Brandon Bielak and Billy Corcoran.

Amarillo begins their season Friday evening in San Antonio, Hillsboro starts out hosting Eugene, and Visalia begins by hosting Inland Empire.