Twenty years ago today, with the sixth pick in the 1992 Draft, the Yankees selected a kid out of Kalamazoo named Derek Jeter. Some in the Yankees organization believed that Houston might select Jeter with the first overall pick, but instead, the Astros went with Phil Nevin. As the story goes, Yankees scout Dick Groch was asked by his superiors how concerned he was that Jeter would accept a scholarship to the University of Michigan. "He's not going to Michigan," said Groch. "He's going to Cooperstown." Groch, of course, was right. But what happened to the guys picked before him twenty years ago today? Here, a look at the first five picks of the 1992 Draft.
1. Phil Nevin (Astros)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 24 | TOT | MLB | 47 | 179 | 156 | 13 | 28 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 40 | .179 | .281 | .256 | .537 | 44 |
| 1995 | 24 | HOU | NL | 18 | 69 | 60 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 13 | .117 | .221 | .133 | .354 | -0 |
| 1995 | 24 | DET | AL | 29 | 110 | 96 | 9 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 27 | .219 | .318 | .333 | .652 | 71 |
| 1996 | 25 | DET | AL | 38 | 130 | 120 | 15 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 8 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 39 | .292 | .338 | .533 | .872 | 116 |
| 1997 | 26 | DET | AL | 93 | 278 | 251 | 32 | 59 | 16 | 1 | 9 | 35 | 0 | 1 | 25 | 68 | .235 | .306 | .414 | .720 | 87 |
| 1998 | 27 | ANA | AL | 75 | 261 | 237 | 27 | 54 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 67 | .228 | .291 | .371 | .662 | 70 |
| 1999 | 28 | SDP | NL | 128 | 441 | 383 | 52 | 103 | 27 | 0 | 24 | 85 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 82 | .269 | .352 | .527 | .880 | 127 |
| 2000 | 29 | SDP | NL | 143 | 605 | 538 | 87 | 163 | 34 | 1 | 31 | 107 | 2 | 0 | 59 | 121 | .303 | .374 | .543 | .916 | 136 |
| 2001 | 30 | SDP | NL | 149 | 624 | 546 | 97 | 167 | 31 | 0 | 41 | 126 | 4 | 4 | 71 | 147 | .306 | .388 | .588 | .976 | 158 |
| 2002 | 31 | SDP | NL | 107 | 450 | 407 | 53 | 116 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 57 | 4 | 0 | 38 | 87 | .285 | .344 | .413 | .757 | 108 |
| 2003 | 32 | SDP | NL | 59 | 248 | 226 | 30 | 63 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 46 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 44 | .279 | .339 | .487 | .825 | 121 |
| 2004 | 33 | SDP | NL | 147 | 623 | 547 | 78 | 158 | 31 | 1 | 26 | 105 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 121 | .289 | .368 | .492 | .859 | 130 |
| 2005 | 34 | TOT | MLB | 102 | 414 | 380 | 46 | 90 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 55 | 3 | 0 | 27 | 97 | .237 | .287 | .379 | .666 | 78 |
| 2005 | 34 | SDP | NL | 73 | 306 | 281 | 31 | 72 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 47 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 67 | .256 | .301 | .399 | .699 | 89 |
| 2005 | 34 | TEX | AL | 29 | 108 | 99 | 15 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 30 | .182 | .250 | .323 | .573 | 48 |
| 2006 | 35 | TOT | MLB | 129 | 450 | 397 | 54 | 95 | 13 | 0 | 22 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 106 | .239 | .323 | .438 | .761 | 93 |
| 2006 | 35 | TOT | AL | 62 | 253 | 218 | 28 | 46 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 54 | .211 | .313 | .390 | .703 | 81 |
| 2006 | 35 | TEX | AL | 46 | 199 | 176 | 26 | 38 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 39 | .216 | .307 | .415 | .721 | 84 |
| 2006 | 35 | CHC | NL | 67 | 197 | 179 | 26 | 49 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 52 | .274 | .335 | .497 | .832 | 108 |
| 2006 | 35 | MIN | AL | 16 | 54 | 42 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15 | .190 | .340 | .286 | .625 | 67 |
| 12 Yrs | 1217 | 4703 | 4188 | 584 | 1131 | 209 | 6 | 208 | 743 | 18 | 5 | 449 | 1019 | .270 | .343 | .472 | .814 | 114 | |||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 626 | 557 | 78 | 151 | 28 | 1 | 28 | 99 | 2 | 1 | 60 | 136 | .270 | .343 | .472 | .814 | 114 | |||
| G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||||||||
| SDP (7 yrs) | 806 | 3297 | 2928 | 428 | 842 | 158 | 3 | 156 | 573 | 14 | 4 | 325 | 669 | .288 | .359 | .503 | .862 | 129 | |||
| DET (3 yrs) | 160 | 518 | 467 | 56 | 115 | 24 | 2 | 19 | 66 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 134 | .246 | .317 | .428 | .745 | 91 | |||
| TEX (2 yrs) | 75 | 307 | 275 | 41 | 56 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 39 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 69 | .204 | .287 | .382 | .668 | 71 | |||
| MIN (1 yr) | 16 | 54 | 42 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15 | .190 | .340 | .286 | .625 | 67 | |||
| CHC (1 yr) | 67 | 197 | 179 | 26 | 49 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 52 | .274 | .335 | .497 | .832 | 108 | |||
| ANA (1 yr) | 75 | 261 | 237 | 27 | 54 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 67 | .228 | .291 | .371 | .662 | 70 | |||
| HOU (1 yr) | 18 | 69 | 60 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 13 | .117 | .221 | .133 | .354 | -0 | |||
| NL (9 yrs) | 891 | 3563 | 3167 | 458 | 898 | 163 | 3 | 168 | 607 | 15 | 4 | 349 | 734 | .284 | .355 | .496 | .851 | 125 | |||
| AL (6 yrs) | 326 | 1140 | 1021 | 126 | 233 | 46 | 3 | 40 | 136 | 3 | 1 | 100 | 285 | .228 | .304 | .397 | .700 | 80 | |||
Nevin had a nice enough career, though he'd play just 18 of his 1,217 games for the team that drafted him. He went from the Astros to the Tigers in 1995 as the player to be named later in a trade for Mike Henneman. Nevin played his last game in 2006 and appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. He received zero votes.
2. Paul Shuey (Indians)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | W | L | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 23 | CLE | AL | 0 | 1 | .000 | 8.49 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11.2 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 56 | 2.229 |
| 1995 | 24 | CLE | AL | 0 | 2 | .000 | 4.26 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.1 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 115 | 1.579 |
| 1996 | 25 | CLE | AL | 5 | 2 | .714 | 2.85 | 42 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 53.2 | 45 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 26 | 3 | 44 | 171 | 1.323 |
| 1997 | 26 | CLE | AL | 4 | 2 | .667 | 6.20 | 40 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 45.0 | 52 | 31 | 31 | 5 | 28 | 3 | 46 | 76 | 1.778 |
| 1998 | 27 | CLE | AL | 5 | 4 | .556 | 3.00 | 43 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 51.0 | 44 | 19 | 17 | 6 | 25 | 5 | 58 | 159 | 1.353 |
| 1999 | 28 | CLE | AL | 8 | 5 | .615 | 3.53 | 72 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 81.2 | 68 | 37 | 32 | 8 | 40 | 7 | 103 | 141 | 1.322 |
| 2000 | 29 | CLE | AL | 4 | 2 | .667 | 3.39 | 57 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63.2 | 51 | 25 | 24 | 4 | 30 | 3 | 69 | 146 | 1.272 |
| 2001 | 30 | CLE | AL | 5 | 3 | .625 | 2.82 | 47 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 54.1 | 53 | 25 | 17 | 1 | 26 | 5 | 70 | 160 | 1.454 |
| 2002 | 31 | TOT | MLB | 8 | 2 | .800 | 3.31 | 67 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 68.0 | 56 | 29 | 25 | 3 | 31 | 2 | 63 | 126 | 1.279 |
| 2002 | 31 | CLE | AL | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | 2.41 | 39 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.1 | 31 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 39 | 183 | 1.098 |
| 2002 | 31 | LAD | NL | 5 | 2 | .714 | 4.40 | 28 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30.2 | 25 | 18 | 15 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 24 | 87 | 1.500 |
| 2003 | 32 | LAD | NL | 6 | 4 | .600 | 3.00 | 62 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 69.0 | 50 | 24 | 23 | 6 | 33 | 3 | 60 | 135 | 1.203 |
| 2007 | 36 | BAL | AL | 0 | 1 | .000 | 9.82 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25.2 | 33 | 28 | 28 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 22 | 48 | 2.104 |
| 11 Yrs | 45 | 28 | .616 | 3.87 | 476 | 0 | 156 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 530.0 | 471 | 252 | 228 | 43 | 277 | 32 | 556 | 120 | 1.411 | |||
| 162 Game Avg. | 6 | 4 | .616 | 3.87 | 68 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 76 | 67 | 36 | 33 | 6 | 40 | 5 | 79 | 120 | 1.411 | |||
| CLE (9 yrs) | 34 | 21 | .618 | 3.60 | 361 | 0 | 127 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 404.2 | 363 | 182 | 162 | 32 | 202 | 28 | 450 | 133 | 1.396 | |||
| LAD (2 yrs) | 11 | 6 | .647 | 3.43 | 90 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 99.2 | 75 | 42 | 38 | 8 | 54 | 4 | 84 | 116 | 1.294 | |||
| BAL (1 yr) | 0 | 1 | .000 | 9.82 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 25.2 | 33 | 28 | 28 | 3 | 21 | 0 | 22 | 48 | 2.104 | |||
| AL (10 yrs) | 34 | 22 | .607 | 3.97 | 386 | 0 | 132 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 430.1 | 396 | 210 | 190 | 35 | 223 | 28 | 472 | 120 | 1.438 | |||
| NL (2 yrs) | 11 | 6 | .647 | 3.43 | 90 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 99.2 | 75 | 42 | 38 | 8 | 54 | 4 | 84 | 116 | 1.294 | |||
Shuey spent most of his eleven major-league seasons with Cleveland, finishing with a career ERA of 3.87 in 476 appearances, all as a reliever. In 20 career plate appearances versus the right-handed Shuey, Jeter had just two hits, walked twice, and struck out ten times. Fun fact: Shuey, who played for the Kinston Indians while in the minor league and was an All-American at UNC, was inducted last year into the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame.
3. B.J. Wallace (Expos)
In 1992, he set an Olympic record by striking out fourteen batters in a game against Italy. But not only did Wallace not reach the Major Leagues, he played a total of just fifteen games in the minor leagues and never made it past double-A. Last year, he and his wife were charged with cooking methamphetamine inside their Alabama home.
4. Jeffrey Hammonds (Orioles)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 22 | BAL | AL | 33 | 110 | 105 | 10 | 32 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | .305 | .312 | .467 | .779 | 104 |
| 1994 | 23 | BAL | AL | 68 | 274 | 250 | 45 | 74 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 31 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 39 | .296 | .339 | .480 | .819 | 105 |
| 1995 | 24 | BAL | AL | 57 | 191 | 178 | 18 | 43 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 30 | .242 | .279 | .371 | .650 | 66 |
| 1996 | 25 | BAL | AL | 71 | 282 | 248 | 38 | 56 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 27 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 53 | .226 | .301 | .383 | .684 | 72 |
| 1997 | 26 | BAL | AL | 118 | 434 | 397 | 71 | 105 | 19 | 3 | 21 | 55 | 15 | 1 | 32 | 73 | .264 | .323 | .486 | .809 | 111 |
| 1998 | 27 | TOT | MLB | 89 | 306 | 257 | 50 | 72 | 16 | 2 | 6 | 39 | 8 | 3 | 39 | 56 | .280 | .376 | .428 | .804 | 111 |
| 1998 | 27 | BAL | AL | 63 | 203 | 171 | 36 | 46 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 28 | 7 | 2 | 26 | 38 | .269 | .369 | .456 | .826 | 116 |
| 1998 | 27 | CIN | NL | 26 | 103 | 86 | 14 | 26 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 18 | .302 | .390 | .372 | .762 | 101 |
| 1999 | 28 | CIN | NL | 123 | 293 | 262 | 43 | 73 | 13 | 0 | 17 | 41 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 64 | .279 | .347 | .523 | .870 | 114 |
| 2000 | 29 | COL | NL | 122 | 511 | 454 | 94 | 152 | 24 | 2 | 20 | 106 | 14 | 7 | 44 | 83 | .335 | .395 | .529 | .924 | 111 |
| 2001 | 30 | MIL | NL | 49 | 194 | 174 | 20 | 43 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 42 | .247 | .314 | .425 | .740 | 92 |
| 2002 | 31 | MIL | NL | 128 | 510 | 448 | 47 | 115 | 26 | 5 | 9 | 41 | 4 | 5 | 52 | 86 | .257 | .332 | .397 | .729 | 93 |
| 2003 | 32 | TOT | NL | 46 | 149 | 132 | 22 | 32 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 28 | .242 | .329 | .424 | .753 | 96 |
| 2003 | 32 | MIL | NL | 10 | 41 | 38 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | .158 | .220 | .289 | .509 | 33 |
| 2003 | 32 | SFG | NL | 36 | 108 | 94 | 20 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 21 | .277 | .370 | .479 | .849 | 121 |
| 2004 | 33 | SFG | NL | 40 | 113 | 95 | 14 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 22 | .211 | .336 | .358 | .694 | 80 |
| 2005 | 34 | WSN | NL | 13 | 37 | 32 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .219 | .286 | .250 | .536 | 46 |
| 13 Yrs | 957 | 3404 | 3032 | 475 | 824 | 172 | 17 | 110 | 423 | 67 | 30 | 292 | 596 | .272 | .338 | .449 | .787 | 99 | |||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 576 | 513 | 80 | 139 | 29 | 3 | 19 | 72 | 11 | 5 | 49 | 101 | .272 | .338 | .449 | .787 | 99 | |||
| G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||||||||
| BAL (6 yrs) | 410 | 1494 | 1349 | 218 | 356 | 76 | 8 | 51 | 183 | 38 | 8 | 109 | 249 | .264 | .322 | .446 | .767 | 97 | |||
| MIL (3 yrs) | 187 | 745 | 660 | 69 | 164 | 39 | 6 | 16 | 65 | 9 | 8 | 69 | 135 | .248 | .321 | .398 | .720 | 89 | |||
| SFG (2 yrs) | 76 | 221 | 189 | 34 | 46 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 43 | .243 | .353 | .418 | .771 | 100 | |||
| CIN (2 yrs) | 149 | 396 | 348 | 57 | 99 | 17 | 1 | 17 | 52 | 4 | 7 | 40 | 82 | .284 | .358 | .486 | .844 | 111 | |||
| COL (1 yr) | 122 | 511 | 454 | 94 | 152 | 24 | 2 | 20 | 106 | 14 | 7 | 44 | 83 | .335 | .395 | .529 | .924 | 111 | |||
| WSN (1 yr) | 13 | 37 | 32 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .219 | .286 | .250 | .536 | 46 | |||
| NL (8 yrs) | 547 | 1910 | 1683 | 257 | 468 | 96 | 9 | 59 | 240 | 29 | 22 | 183 | 347 | .278 | .352 | .451 | .803 | 101 | |||
| AL (6 yrs) | 410 | 1494 | 1349 | 218 | 356 | 76 | 8 | 51 | 183 | 38 | 8 | 109 | 249 | .264 | .322 | .446 | .767 | 97 | |||
Hammonds finished sixth in the Rookie of the Year voting in 1994 and, like Nevin, was selected for one All-Star team. He played his last game in 2005, as a member of the Nationals.
5. Chad Mottola (Reds)
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 24 | CIN | NL | 35 | 85 | 79 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 16 | .215 | .271 | .367 | .638 | 67 |
| 2000 | 28 | TOR | AL | 3 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .222 | .300 | .222 | .522 | 34 |
| 2001 | 29 | FLA | NL | 5 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 | .200 | .000 | .200 | -40 |
| 2004 | 32 | BAL | AL | 6 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .143 | .250 | .429 | .679 | 74 |
| 2006 | 34 | TOR | AL | 10 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .250 | .250 | .375 | .625 | 59 |
| 5 Yrs | 59 | 137 | 125 | 17 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 28 | .200 | .263 | .344 | .607 | 58 | |||
| 162 Game Avg. | 162 | 376 | 343 | 47 | 69 | 16 | 0 | 11 | 33 | 5 | 5 | 27 | 77 | .200 | .263 | .344 | .607 | 58 | |||
| TOR (2 yrs) | 13 | 26 | 25 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .240 | .269 | .320 | .589 | 50 | |||
| CIN (1 yr) | 35 | 85 | 79 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 16 | .215 | .271 | .367 | .638 | 67 | |||
| BAL (1 yr) | 6 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .143 | .250 | .429 | .679 | 74 | |||
| FLA (1 yr) | 5 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 | .200 | .000 | .200 | -40 | |||
| AL (3 yrs) | 19 | 42 | 39 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | .205 | .262 | .359 | .621 | 59 | |||
| NL (2 yrs) | 40 | 95 | 86 | 11 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 18 | .198 | .263 | .337 | .600 | 57 | |||
Mottola only appeared in 59 big-league games, but he had a long career in the minors, playing in 1,800 games in sixteen seasons. More than 1,300 of those games came in triple-A, where he hit 249 home runs and batted .278.