MLB star Colby Rasmus among list of all-time Alabama Mr. Baseball winners

The Alabama Sports Writers Association recently announced the winner of this year’s Mr. Baseball Award, and if you examine the list of all-time winners closely, you’ll find very few household names, that is, players who’ve gone on to Hall of Fame-type careers.

That’s not to say that these past Alabama Mr. Baseball winners aren’t any good. It just goes to show how hard it is to have success in the Big Leagues. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Matthew Maniscalco of Oxford High School (1999 Mr. Baseball), Wade Miller of G.W. Long High School (2000 Mr. Baseball), Luke Bole of Hartselle High School (2009 Mr. Baseball), Daniel Koger of Huntsville High School (2011 Mr. Baseball) and Keegan Thompson of Cullman High School (2013 Mr. Baseball) were never drafted, never played in the minor leagues and never appeared in a Major League game.

Shortstop and second baseman Eric West of Southside-Gadsden, 2001’s Mr. Baseball, was drafted in the fifth round by the Boston Red Sox in the 2001 MLB June Amateur Draft. He played minor league ball for three seasons, taking the field for the Gulf Coast League’s Red Sox, the New York-Pennsylvania League’s Lowell Spinners and the South Atlantic League’s Augusta Green Jackets.

Pitcher Allen Ponder of Lee-Scott Academy, 2002’s Mr. Baseball, went on to play for Auburn University-Montgomery and was drafted in the 45th round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2008 MLB June Amateur Draft. He played minor league ball for only one season, taking the field in 23 games for the New York-Pennsylvania League’s State College Spikes.

Pitcher Joey Doan of Baker High School in Mobile, 2003’s Mr. Baseball, went on to play at the University of South Alabama and was drafted in the 40th round by the Atlanta Braves in the 2003 MLB June Amateur Draft. He played minor league ball for two seasons, taking the field for the Pioneer League’s Great Falls White Sox, the Appalachian League’s Bristol White Sox and the Frontier League’s Midwest Sliders.

Outfielder Patrick White of Daphne High School, 2004’s Mr. Baseball, is arguably the most accomplished athlete on the list, but not for baseball. He was drafted in the fourth round of the 2004 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, but instead of playing baseball, he went on to play quarterback at the University of West Virginia. He was drafted 44th overall in the 2009 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins.

Centerfielder Colby Rasmus of Russell County High School, 2005’s Mr. Baseball, was drafted in the first round (28th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2005 MLB amateur draft. He played four seasons in the minor leagues before making his Major League debut, taking the field for the Appalachian League’s Johnson City Cardinals, the Midwest League’s Swing of the Quad Cities, the Florida State League’s Palm Beach Cardinals, the Texas League’s Springfield Cardinals, the Arizona Fall League’s Team USA, the Pacific Coast League’s Memphis Redbirds, and the Gulf Coast League’s Cardinals. He made his Major League debut on April 7, 2009 with the St. Louis Cardinals and he’s since played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the Houston Astros, where he’s currently on the active roster.

Pitcher Del Howell of American Christian Academy in Tuscaloosa, 2006’s Mr. Baseball, went on to play for the University of Alabama before being drafted in the 18th round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft by the New York Yankees. He went on to play three years in the minor leagues, taking the field for the Arizona League’s Brewers, the Pioneer League’s Helena Brewers, the Midwest League’s Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Arizona League’s Brewers.

Infielder John David Smelser of Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, 2007’s Mr. Baseball, went on to play for the University of Alabama, but never played in the minors and the majors.

Pitcher Tyler Stovall of Hokes Bluff High School, 2008’s Mr. Baseball, was drafted in the second round of the 2008 MLB June Amateur June Amateur Draft by the Atlanta Braves. He went on to play four years for four minor league teams, including the Gulf Coast League’s Braves, the Appalachian League’s Danville Braves, the South Atlantic League’s Rome Braves and the Frontier League’s Normal Corn Belters.

Pitcher Daryl Norris of Fairhope High School, 2010’s Mr. Baseball, went on to play for Mississippi State. Later, he was drafted in the 22nd round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Detroit Tigers. For two years after that, he played for three different minor league teams, including the Gulf Coast League’s Tigers, the Florida State League’s Lakeland Flying Tigers and the New York-Pennsylvania League’s Connecticut Tigers.

Shortstop Mikey White of Spain Park High School, 2012’s Mr. Baseball, is currently a member of the University of Alabama’s baseball team.

Pitcher Cody Reed of Ardmore High School, 2014’s Mr. Baseball, was drafted in the second round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Since then, he’s played for two minor league teams – the Arizona League’s Diamondbacks and the Pioneer League’s Missoula Osprey.

Garrett, who graduated from Florence High School last month, has committed to play at Vanderbilt University next season, so only time will tell as to what kind of professional career he’ll have.