The Los Angeles Dodgers are a team deeply rooted in baseball history.
Generations of great players have come and gone, as have several great teams.
But on June 1 of 1988, the Dodgers selected a certain catcher in the 62nd round of the MLB Draft.
His name was Mike Piazza.
But Piazza was no ordinary late-round selection.
He went on to have a legendary career.
In 2016, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
Piazza became the lowest drafted player to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
On Twitter, the Hall of Fame recalled this special day to honor Piazza’s legacy.
On this date in 1988, the @Dodgers selected Mike Piazza in the 62nd round of the MLB Draft. He would one day become the lowest-round pick ever elected to the Hall of Fame, a mark that may endure forever.
(MLB Photos) pic.twitter.com/7Z6B7QHO1K
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) June 1, 2023
Piazza made his MLB debut during the 1992 season.
It didn’t take long for him to turn himself into a superstar.
In his first full season with the Dodgers, the legendary catcher hit .318 with 35 home runs and 112 RBI.
Piazza was with the Dodgers until 1998 when he made a brief stop with the Florida Marlins before eventually ending up with the New York Mets, where he would play the majority of his career.
Over the course of his career, Piazza hit for a .308 average, hit a total of 427 home runs, and had an OPS of .922.
He is also famous for what is referred to now as “the home run that healed New York”, which he hit on September 21, 2001 in the aftermath of 9/11.
The slugger and legendary catcher retired in 2007, having won a Rookie of the Year Award, 10 Silver Sluggers, and earning 12 All-Star nods.
Piazza also played briefly with the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics.
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