#18 ADRIAN GARRETT
Outfield
What came before: Braves fans were eagerly awaiting Pat Garrett's arrival in 1966 because, as a member of the Atlanta Crackers in 1965, as a 22-year-old, he hit 21 homers to tie for the International League title and earning an all-star honor while playing in Atlanta Stadium.
But he also hit only .224, so his call up by the Braves was anything but automatic. The Florida native was signed by the Braves in 1961, was traded to the Mets in October, 1963, but reacquired in June of 1964.
That 1966 season: His struggles only intensified in Richmond (.196, 16 homers) after Garrett made the team coming out of in spring training, but getting returned to the minors after only three hitless at-bats with the Braves in April. He hung around the organization untuil 1969 without a return trip.
What happened next: Over the next decade, the Cubs, Athletics and Angels all took a chance on his powerful bat, and he responded with a massive 43-homer season in 1971. But in the majors, he continued to frustrate until 1975, when he suddenly became one of the American League's most dangerous pinch-hitters. He hit six home runs in just 37 games for the Angels, driving 18 runs. He hit a total for 19 for the season, majors and minors in just 340 at-bats.
In 1977, he took his bat to Japan for three seasons, hitting 102 homers. He returned stateside after winning the 1979 Nippon Series and found himself in demand as a minor league manager. He won a championship his first time out, with Appleton in 1982. In 1985, he became a minor league instructor, and returned to the majors coaching third for the 1988 Kansas City Royals. After 1992, he returned to the minors in various capacities. In 2014, he was enjoying his 13th season working for the Cincinnnati Reds.
