Mike Fitzgerald (catcher)

Michael Roy Fitzgerald (born July 13, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1983 through 1992 for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos and California Angels.[1]

For other people with the same name, see Mike Fitzgerald (disambiguation).
Mike Fitzgerald
Catcher
Born: (1960-07-13) July 13, 1960
Long Beach, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 13, 1983, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
October 4, 1992, for the California Angels
MLB statistics
Batting average.235
Home runs48
Runs batted in66
Teams

Major League career

Fitzgerald was selected by New York Mets in the 6th round of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft.[2] He made his major league debut with the New York Mets on September 13, 1983.[1] Fitzgerald hit a home run in his first major league at bat, becoming the 57th player in major league history to accomplish the feat.[3][4] In 1984, he led National League catchers in range factor and fielding percentage, becoming only the fourth catcher in major league history to win a fielding title in his rookie year.[5][6] Fitzgerald was selected as the catcher for the 1984 Baseball Digest Rookie All-Star team, and for the 1984 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster.[7]

On December 14, 1984, the New York Mets traded Fitzgerald along with Hubie Brooks, Herm Winningham and minor league pitcher Floyd Youmans to the Montreal Expos for catcher Gary Carter.[8] He became the Expos starting catcher, posting his best offensive year in its 1986 season with a .282 batting average, six home runs and 37 runs batted in.[1] Then in October October 1991, the Expos granted Fitzgerald free agency and he signed to play for the California Angels in their 1992 season.[8] After one year as the Angels starting catcher, he retired as a player.[1]

Career statistics

In a ten-year major league career, Fitzgerald played in 848 games, accumulating 545 hits in 2316 at bats for a .235 career batting average along with 48 home runs and 293 runs batted in.[1] He ended his catching career with a .988 fielding percentage.[1]

See also
  • List of players with a home run in first major league at-bat


References
  1. Mike Fitzgerald at Baseball Reference
  2. 1978 Major League Baseball Draft. The Baseball Cube website.
  3. Home Run In First MLB At Bat. Baseball Almanac website.
  4. Catchers who Homered in First MLB at-bat. The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers website.
  5. 1984 National League Fielding Leaders. Baseball Reference website.
  6. Baseball Digest May 2007, Vol. 99, No. 6, ISSN 0005-609X
  7. Rookie of the Year Winners at The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
  8. Mike Fitzgerald Trades and Transactions at Baseball Almanac
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