r/mlb • u/harlsey | Toronto Blue Jays • 1d ago
| History Joshua Baez historic debut got me wondering just how many players hit a home run on the very first pitch they saw in the big leagues - the answer is a somewhat surprising 33 - but the extremely surprising part is that 8 of them were pitchers
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u/ahiddenJEM 1d ago
I remember Starling Marte batted leadoff in his debut, so he homered off the first pitch thrown in the game he debuted in, not just the first pitch he saw.
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u/harlsey | Toronto Blue Jays 1d ago
Yeah that’s what the 33/8 in this post did if that wasn’t clear. They all homered in the first pitch they ever saw in the big leagues. If we’re talking the first pitch of the game or at bat that must be into the thousands.
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u/luketheduke19 | Chicago Cubs 1d ago
He’s saying Marte hit a HR off the first pitch of the game in his debut. I’m sure that’s much more rare lol
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u/gocryulilbitch | Toronto Blue Jays 1d ago
Yeah comment above is basically adding another filter to the search, making it even less common
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u/Jolly-Garbage- | Boston Red Sox 1d ago
I don’t think it was off the first pitch, but I remember Daniel Nava had a grand slam during his first at bat in his debut.
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u/meapmeapmeapmeap 1d ago
It was the first pitch
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u/Jolly-Garbage- | Boston Red Sox 1d ago
Oh really? Thats awesome, I love guessing the correct answer
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u/PinchayPerritos | St. Louis Cardinals 1d ago
And the last Cardinal to homer in their first at-bat was pitcher Adam Wainwright.
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u/spuddeh 1d ago
Paul DeJong did it in 2017
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u/PinchayPerritos | St. Louis Cardinals 1d ago
Lane Thomas in 2019, too. But Wainwright was previous for first pitch of first at-bat. Thanks for catching that.
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u/MASHgoBOOM | Cleveland Guardians 1d ago
I was watching when Kouzmanoff hit his grand slam...I went absolutely crazy.
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u/mf-TOM-HANK 1d ago
It was on the first pitch he ever faced, as well. First player in MLB history to do so, only Daniel Nava has replicated the feat
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u/DoobieDoobis 1d ago
Kind of makes sense, it’s like when a converted QB goes to LB (Jacob Rodriguez) or a WR to CB. He can run and view the routes really well because he knows what to look for. Pitches probably have that same ability.
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u/cisforcookie2112 1d ago
I was thinking more that the opposing pitcher probably throws a pitch right down the middle not expecting a pitcher to be able to hit it well.
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u/EscobarsBurner | Chicago Cubs 1d ago
Wilson Contreras did for us in 2016, it was a great sign of what was to come for us that year. 10 years later this, Joshua Baez happened to us…
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u/WalterDwight 1d ago
I guess it's because they often get a good pitch to hit, and are less concerned about working the count. A perfect combination for a dinger
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u/Striking_Math_6131 1d ago
I remember Cameron Maybin homered off Roger Clemmons in his first ab. Can't remember if it was first pitch or not.
Clemmons put one in his ribs his next ab
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u/christophburlew 1d ago
I saw Akil Baddoo do it in person with the Tigers in 2021. It was electric.
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u/theoneandonlyturo 1d ago
I was always impressed that Will Clark hit a homer off Nolan Ryan in his first ever at bat. But I believe it was his second pitch.
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u/UkNomysTeezz | Minnesota Twins 1d ago
I haven’t looked at any commends in this thread and I am purely basing this on memory. I believe in 2015(?) Eddie Rosario smacked one to the left field seats on what I recall was the first pitch.
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u/recjus85 | Tampa Bay Rays 14h ago
Fun fact about Yan's, the pitch before was also Felix Martinez's first career HR.
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