Check Out Louisiana’s Biggest Players Ever In The MLB
We are just over a week away from opening day of Major League Baseball and the fever is growing by the minute.
Slated to begin next Thursday, March 28, opening day for the 2024 season will see all thirty MLB clubs in Opening Day action for the second straight year. Prior to last year, that hadn't happened since 1968.
Maybe the fever is especially high around here because of the Texas Rangers triumphant 2023 season resulting in their first ever World Series Championship and the hopes for a repeat in 2024.
And even though Louisiana has never had a single Major League Baseball team, the Bayou State has surely contributed some big names to the ranks of professional baseball.
Louisiana's Contributions To The MLB Go Way, Way, Way Back
For some true old school baseball fanatics, this list wouldn't be complete without mentioning some of those stars from baseball's formative years including the likes of Bill Dickey from Bastrop, Mel Ott from Gretna, Ted Lyons from Lake Charles, Mel Parnell from New Orleans, Howie Pollet from New Orleans, Don Wilson from Monroe, Bill Lee from Plaquemine, Watty Clark from St. Joseph, Zeke Bonura from New Orleans and Joe Adcock from Coushatta, but when considering the stars from more recent years, Louisiana has had more than a handful.
Three Louisiana Born New York Yankees Have Had Their Jerseys Retired
In fact, three former baseball standouts from Louisiana have had their jerseys retired by the New York Yankees including Bill Dickey, Number 8, Andy Pettitte, Number 46 and Ron Guidry, Number 49, so certainly, MLB has been influenced by the Bayou State.
Just take a look at what many would consider to be The Best Professional Baseball Players From Louisiana and see if we missed anyone.
The Best Professional Baseball Players From Louisiana
Gallery Credit: Gary McCoy