Erik Pappas
| Erik Pappas | |
|---|---|
.webp) Pappas with the Midland Angels c. 1988 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: April 25, 1966 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 19, 1991, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 30, 1994, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .242 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 35 |
| Teams | |
Erik Daniel Pappas (born April 25, 1966) is an American former professional baseball player and coach.[1] He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
Baseball career
[edit]The Chicago native is a 1984 graduate of Mount Carmel High School.[2] Pappas was selected by the California Angels as the 6th overall pick in the first round of the 1984 Major League Baseball draft.[3] He made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs on April 19, 1991, at the age of 24.[1] He appeared in 8 games for the Cubs during the 1991 season and appeared in a total of 97 games for the Cardinals during 1993 and 1994 seasons.[1] During the 1993 season, he had one home run and 28 RBIs. Pappas played in his final major league game on April 30, 1994, at the age of 28.[1] On August 13, 1996, while a member of the Texas Rangers' Triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers, Pappas caught a perfect game pitched by Rick Helling against the Nashville Sounds.[4]
Pappas, who is of Greek ancestry, was selected to play for the Greek national baseball team in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.[citation needed] He played for Greece in the 2023 European Baseball Championship.[5]
Career statistics
[edit]In a three-year major league career, Pappas played in 104 games, accumulating 70 hits in 289 at bats for a .242 career batting average along with 1 home run, 35 runs batted in and a .342 on-base percentage.[1] He ended his career with a .978 fielding percentage.[1]
Coaching career
[edit]After his playing career, Pappas became the hitting coach for the Peoria Chiefs. Pappas spent 2006–12 at the Cangelosi Baseball Academy in Orland Park, Illinois, while also serving as a scout for the Texas Rangers from 2005 to 2009. Pappas became a coach in the Cardinals system as the Springfield Cardinals Hitting Coach for the 2014 season.
Pappas currently resides in the Beverly neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Erik Pappas statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
- ^ Hoey, Miles. "The tradition of baseball at MC," The Caravan (Mount Carmel High School), March 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ "1984 Baseball Draft". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
- ^ "Sounds are Victims of a Perfect Game". The Tennessean. Nashville. August 14, 1996. p. 3C. Retrieved February 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Former MLBer Erik Pappas is back and playing for Greece ... at 57 years old". MLB.com. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
- 1966 births
- Living people
- American expatriate baseball players in Canada
- American people of Greek descent
- Sportspeople of Greek descent
- Baseball players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Baseball coaches from Illinois
- Charlotte Knights players
- Chicago Cubs players
- Iowa Cubs players
- Louisville Redbirds players
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Midland Angels players
- Minor league baseball coaches
- Oklahoma City 89ers players
- Olympic baseball players for Greece
- Omaha Royals players
- Palm Springs Angels players
- Quad Cities Angels players
- Salem Angels players
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- Texas Rangers scouts
- Vancouver Canadians players
- Baseball players from Chicago