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I have been told that Buzz Arlett (432), Nick Cullop (420), and Merv Connors (400) have the most career home runs in the minor leagues. Is there a list of perhaps the top ten or twenty? Are there any active minor leaguers who are approaching this?
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I think a Mexican League player has the most minor league HRs -
You were misinformed.Originally posted by uthminsta
1. Hector Espino, 484
2. Nelson Barrera, 479
3. Alejandro Ortiz, 458 (if you count indie leagues; if not, 455)
4. Andres Mora, 444
5. Buzz Arlett, 432
6. Nick Cullop, 420
6. Merv Connors, 400
8. Joe Hauser, 399
9. Bobby Prescott, 398
10. Jack Pierce, 395
I might be missing someone but this list should be pretty closeComment
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When we say minor leaguers, do we mean international leagues also? Because it's kind of weird to me for a guy to hit 400+ HR in the minors.2nd member of the Peter Moylan Fan ClubComment
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If they had that many HRs in the minors, why weren't they ever in the majors?Comment
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They generally count Organized Baseball, which consists of the two major leagues, AAA leagues, AA leagues, class A leagues and rookie leagues. The Mexican League (since 1955 IIRC) has been a AAA league. Other international circuits that have been part of OB have included the Canadian-American League, the Dominican Summer League, the Venezuelan Summer League, the Mexican Center League, Mexican Southeast League, Mexican Northern League, Mexican Rookie League, Arizona-Mexico League and several others. The records do not count any Asian leagues, Cuban leagues or European circuits (though some Cuban teams had been in OB in the pre-Castro era). Therefore Bubba Smith (over 400+ HR) does not count on the list since 75 of those came in Korea, or Dave Roberts (over 400 in the US and Japan combined) isn't on it.Originally posted by Atlanta Braves FreakComment
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Mora, Cullop, Arlett and Hauser all did play in the majors. Arlett had an excellent year in 1930 but was perceived to be bad at small-ball skills and defense so was allowed to play the rest of his career in the minors. Hauser was a starter for a few years in the majors, but was injured for over a year and then when he was fully healed Jimmie Foxx had taken his job. Arlett, Hauser and Cullop all played at a time when minor league teams could pay as much as the majors for a player now and then.Originally posted by moebarguy
Mora was more recent. He posted horrible OBPs in the majors (though he hit with excellent power there too) and the O's gave up on him. He returned to Mexico and played there for 15 more years; he had "gotten his chance" in the majors and though his batting eye improved over time, he never got another shot. Like Hauser and Arlett, he hit with power in the majors.
Espino did very well in his brief time in the US-based minors but returned to Mexico after that short stay. Given his performance in the IL, he likely would have been a fine big-leaguer. Explanations vary - some say he thought the US was too racist, some thought he wanted to be a "big fish in a small pond", some thought he liked the increased independence he had in Mexico, etc.
Pierce, Barrera and Ortiz were beneficiaries of the juiced ball in Mexico in the mid-80s, which inflated their stats. Ortiz was rarely a superstar even in Mexico and Barrera was a bust in his brief trial in the US minors. Both also peaked later in their careers, when teams would have been less willing to gamble on them. Pierce hit with good power in his major-league trial, but had a very poor OBP for a 1B. He also was a bust in Japan.
Connors did fine in a brief shot at the majors, with a 112 OPS+ and a homer every 20.6 AB. I'm not as familiar with him, but his story could be similar to Arlett's.
9. Bobby Prescott, 398
10. Jack Pierce, 395Comment
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