totally random, vol. 8

Today’s subject: Adrian Brown. The McComb native had a mercurial tour of pro ball. A 48th-round draft pick in 1992, the switch-hitting outfielder made it to the majors at age 23 with Pittsburgh in 1997. By 1999, he was playing regularly in center field, and in 2000 he batted .315. He was even featured in Sports Illustrated. But then his career went south, partly due to injuries, though he might just have peaked in his mid-20s. In 2002, at age 28, he hit .216 in limited time. His last big league appearance came with Texas in 2006. Over a major league career that spanned nine years (447 games) with four clubs, Brown hit a respectable .258 with 58 steals.
P.S. Here’s a name to watch when spring training cranks up: Alex Presley. The former Ole Miss standout went from off the prospect charts at the start of 2010 to winning the Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league player of the year award. In a September call-up, the lefty-hitting outfielder batted .261. He’s still on Pittsburgh’s 40-man roster and will vie for a backup job on Clint Hurdle’s squad this spring.