About the Book

Major League Debuts

A record 303 players made their big league debuts in 2022, including Rookies of the Year Julio Rodriguez and Michael Harris II, World Series MVP Jeremy Peña, and Gold Glove winner Steven Kwan. With two additional roster spots available over the first month of the season, and the flexibility to call up substitutes for players impacted by COVID-19, new faces were popping up every night.

You may be familiar with first-round picks Hunter Greene and Riley Greene, but how well do you know ninth-rounders Bligh Madris and Bryce Montes de Oca? Every player has a story—where he came from, how he broke in, and what crazy twists and turns his road took. They are all told here. From No. 1 overall picks like Adley Rutschman to indy league nomads like Logan Gillaspie. The windier the road, the better the story. Here is Fernando Cruz, who was drafted by the Royals as a shortstop 15 years before breaking in as a relief pitcher with the Reds. Here is Ray Kerr, who worked in a movie theater after walking away from the game. Here is Kevin Herget, who interned in the Cardinals front office two years before he toed the rubber for the Rays. Here are 303 fascinating tales of perseverance.

For every player, you will find a recap of his first game, a detailed background, a summary of his 2022 season, and an outlook for his future.

And stats.

Oh, yes, there are complete minor and major league stats for every player, including games by position at every stop for batters, making this an invaluable tool for fantasy leaguers and casual fans alike.

Reviews

Podcast appearances

About the Author

James Bailey is a former associate editor at Baseball America who has written about baseball for Ultimate Sports Publishing and Lindy’s Sports. He has also written five novels, including The Greatest Show on Dirt, set in old Durham Athletic Park, where he worked for three years half a lifetime ago.