totally random, vol. 2.2

Today’s subject: Steve Pegues. Pegues was one of those “toolsy” athletes whose failure to stick as a major leaguer is something of a head-scratcher. A 6-foot-2, 190-pound outfielder from Pontotoc, he played pro ball for 12 years and in eight different organizations. He got into 100 major league games and hit .266 with six home runs. Drafted in the first round by Detroit in 1987, Pegues made slow progress in the low minors and was claimed on waivers in 1992 by San Diego. He finally stamped himself as a prospect later that year when he recorded a record 68 hits in the Arizona Fall League. In 1993, at Triple-A Las Vegas, Pegues batted .352 with nine homers in 68 games. But the Padres never called him up, and he signed with Cincinnati as a free agent in 1994. He made his big league debut with the Reds that year and put up a .361 average in 18 games. But the Reds let him go that same summer, and he signed with Pittsburgh. He spent the 1995 season in the majors with the Pirates. His numbers: .246, six homers in 82 games. That was his shot. He never got back. He played three more years, bouncing through four more organizations and making a brief independent league appearance. Pegues’ minor league stats were good: .285, 64 homers, 443 RBIs, 141 steals. To make it in the majors, you just have to be that much better.