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A phantom ballplayer is either a baseball player who is incorrectly listed in source materials as playing in a
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...
(MLB) game, often the result of typographical or clerical errors, or a player who spent time on an MLB active roster without ever appearing in an MLB contest during his career. Most of the first form of phantom players date from the 19th or early 20th century, with at least one showing up as late as
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. A modern-day phantom ballplayer is generally caused by the player being removed from the active roster by a subsequent action (such as being
optioned In the film industry, an option is a contractual agreement pertaining to film rights between a potential film producer (such as a movie studio, a production company, or an individual) and the author of source material, such as a book, play, or s ...
to a
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in N ...
team) or the team reaching the end of their season, and the player not having later opportunity to play in a major league game. Many of these phantom players were
September call-ups A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, and ...
in backup roles.


Phantoms who never were

*Edward L. Thayer supposedly played one game for the 1876 New York Mutuals; he was listed in ''The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball'' as having been born in
Mechanic Falls, Maine Mechanic Falls is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,107 at the 2020 census. It is included in both the Lewiston- Auburn, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New ...
. The player was actually George Fair, who adopted a pseudonym that, coincidentally, resembled the name of then-12-year-old
Ernest Lawrence Thayer Ernest Lawrence Thayer (; August 14, 1863 – August 21, 1940) was an American writer and poet who wrote the poem "Casey" (or "Casey at the Bat"), which is "the single most famous baseball poem ever written" according to the Baseball Almanac, and ...
, who went on to become a poet and write "
Casey at the Bat Casey at the Bat is a poem written in 1888 by Ernest Thayer. Casey at the Bat may also refer to: * ''Casey at the Bat'' (1916 film), a film based on the poem * ''Casey at the Bat'' (1927 film), a film based on the poem * ''Casey at the Bat'', a ...
." (Some 19th and early 20th century players sometimes played under assumed names in an attempt to circumvent contractual obligations with another club.) *An outfielder named Turbot (no first name given) was listed in ''The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball'' as playing one game for the 1902 St. Louis Cardinals. In the 1971 anthology ''This Great Game'', writer and humorist
Roy Blount Jr. Roy Alton Blount Jr. (; born October 4, 1941) is an American writer, speaker, reporter, and humorist. Life and career Blount was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and grew up in Decatur, Georgia. He attended Ponce de Leon Elementary School and g ...
included him on his "all-time fish team" (as
turbot The turbot (''Scophthalmus maximus'') is a relatively large species of flatfish in the family Scophthalmidae. It is a demersal fish native to marine or brackish waters of the Northeast Atlantic, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. It is an ...
is also the name of a fish) and bemoaned that Turbot had been dropped from the encyclopedia; "I don't know what happened to him, but we need him in the outfield." *Lou Proctor was listed as playing one game for the 1912 St. Louis Browns, drawing a walk in his only
plate appearance In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runne ...
. He appeared in ''The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball'' as a
pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, American ...
named "L. Proctor". Research in the 1980s, however, revealed that the appearance belonged to the Browns'
Pete Compton Anna Sebastian "Pete" Compton (September 28, 1889 – February 3, 1978), was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played in parts of six seasons from to with five major league teams. In all, Compton would spend 20 years in professional basebal ...
. According to legend, Proctor was a
Western Union The Western Union Company is an American multinational financial services company, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1851 as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York, the company ch ...
operator who inserted his name into the
box score A box score is a structured summary of the results from a sport competition. The box score lists the game score as well as individual and team achievements in the game. Among the sports in which box scores are common are baseball, basketball, ...
as a prank. However, whether Proctor existed—even as a prankish
telegraph Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...
operator—is unknown. *A catcher named Deniens (no first name given) was listed in ''The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball'' as having played one game for the 1914 Chicago Chi-Feds of the
Federal League The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that played its first season as a minor league in 1913 and operated as a "third major league", in competition with the e ...
. Later research showed that the game was caught by the Chi-Feds third-string catcher
Clem Clemens Clement Lambert "Count" Clemens (born Clement Lambert Ulatowski; November 21, 1886 – November 2, 1967) was a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1914 through 1916, playing for two Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map ...
— historians reading a handwritten scorecard of the game had incorrectly deciphered "Clemens" as "Deniens".


Real players who never played

Research by the
Society for American Baseball Research The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New Y ...
(SABR) has identified over 400 players who appeared on major league rosters, but did not appear in a major league game, since 1884. A number of examples are presented here.


Pre-1950

*Pitcher Bill Stewart was with the
1919 Chicago White Sox The 1919 Chicago White Sox season was their 19th season in the American League. They won 88 games to advance to the World Series but lost to the Cincinnati Reds. More significantly, some of the players were found to have taken money from gamblers ...
, having been signed in December 1918, but he suffered an arm injury falling down a flight of stairs while working as a census taker, and was sent to the minor leagues in May 1919. It is unclear whether he was on the team's ''active'' roster. Stewart went on to be an umpire in the
National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...
and an ice hockey referee in the
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
. *First baseman Jeff Jones of Harvard was briefly with the 1920 Philadelphia Athletics in early July, but did not play before being assigned to the minor leagues. He was recalled by the A's in late July, but again did not make a major-league appearance. As with several other players of this era, it is not established if Jones was on the A's ''active'' roster during the season. *Outfielder Lou Almada made the major league roster of the 1927 New York Giants out of spring training, but the Giants did not use him before they optioned him to the minor leagues. In 1933, his brother
Mel Almada Baldomero "Mel" Almada Quirós (February 7, 1913 – August 13, 1988) was a Mexican center fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1933 through 1939 for the Boston Red Sox (1933–37), Washington Senators (1937–38), St. Louis Brow ...
became the first Mexican to play in the majors. *Minor league pitching legend Jake Levy was reported in at least one contemporary account to have signed with the 1927 New York Giants in mid-September, without getting into a game. Peter and Joachim Horvitz' ''The Big Book of Jewish Baseball'' list Levy's stint on the Giants bench as having occurred in 1932. However, whether Levy spent any time at all on a Giants' active roster is a matter of dispute. *Al Olsen is an unusual example of a verifiable real-life person who did not play in the major leagues, but was included in official major league records for many years. Olsen, a career minor league pitcher, was credited as appearing in the first game of a
doubleheader Doubleheader or double header may refer to: *Doubleheader (baseball), two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day *Doubleheader (television), a broadcast of two games back-to-back *Double heading, using two railway locomoti ...
on May 16, 1943, as a
pinch hitter In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead (not in active play); the manager may use any player who has not yet entered the game as a substitute. Unlike basketball, American ...
(walking, and then stealing a base) for the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
against the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
. However, research by SABR in the 1980s showed that while Olsen had been with the
1943 Boston Red Sox The 1943 Boston Red Sox season was the 43rd season in the franchise's Major League Baseball history. The Red Sox finished seventh in the American League (AL) with a record of 68 wins and 84 losses, 29 games behind the New York Yankees, who we ...
during
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...
, he was sent to
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...
of the
Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Bas ...
before the 1943 season began. Olsen pitched on May 15 for San Diego, and given wartime travel restrictions, could not have arrived in Chicago for the game the following day. Olsen himself said, "It wasn't me. I was a left-handed pitcher. I couldn't hit my hat. Besides, I never played a game in the major leagues." The pinch hitting appearance probably, but not definitely, belongs to
Leon Culberson Delbert Leon Culberson (August 6, 1919 – September 17, 1989) was an American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1943 to 1948 for the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Senators. Listed a ...
; it also could have been
Johnny Lazor John Paul Lazor (September 9, 1912 – December 9, 2002) was a backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1943 through 1946 for the Boston Red Sox (1943–1946). Born in King County, Washington, he batted left-handed and threw ri ...
, who wore uniform number 14, the same number Olsen wore in spring training. Official records now credit Culberson with the walk and stolen base—though Culberson himself swears he did not play in what would have been his major league debut game (he was the starting center fielder in the second game of the doubleheader, thus his debut ''date'' is not in question).


1950s

* Outfielder
Bill Sharman William Walton Sharman (May 25, 1926 – October 25, 2013) was an American professional basketball player and coach. He is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what was then considere ...
spent time on the roster of the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers when he was called up in mid-September; he did not appear in a game. Sharman is often cited as the only player to be ejected from an MLB game without ''playing'' in one, when umpire
Frank Dascoli Frank Dascoli (December 26, 1913 – August 11, 1990) was a professional baseball umpire who worked in the National League from 1948 to 1961. Dascoli umpired 2,056 major league games in his 14-year career. He umpired in three World Series ( 1953, ...
cleared the entire Dodgers bench for arguing with a call at home plate on September 27, 1951. However, Sharman was not ejected; those who had to leave the bench were still eligible to be brought into the game. Sharman is far more notable as a professional basketball player and coach than as a baseball player; he is one of the few individuals to be inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
as both a player and a coach.


1960s

*The 1964 New York Yankees named middle infielder
Chet Trail Chester Borner Trail (born January 19, 1944) is an American former professional baseball infielder and clergyman. He was a phantom ballplayer, as he never appeared in any games while on the active player roster of a Major League Baseball (MLB) te ...
their "designated player" for the season under baseball's pre- draft era bonus rule, which allowed him to be assigned to a minor league club while still counting against (and being considered part of) the team's 25-man active roster. Additionally,
Commissioner of Baseball The Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive officer of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the associated Minor League Baseball (MiLB) – a constellation of leagues and clubs known as "organized baseball". Under the direction of the Commiss ...
Ford Frick Ford Christopher Frick (December 19, 1894 – April 8, 1978) was an American sportswriter and baseball executive. After working as a teacher and as a sportswriter for the ''New York American'', he served as public relations director of the Nati ...
ruled that Trail was eligible for the Yankees'
1964 World Series The 1964 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1964 season. The 61st edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Ame ...
roster. However, Trail never played in an MLB game. Trail is the only player to have appeared on a World Series eligibility list without ever appearing in a major league game. *Infielder Ike Futch was added to the active roster of the 1966 Houston Astros, when
Joe Morgan Joe Leonard Morgan (September 19, 1943 – October 11, 2020) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Colt .45s / Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, ...
suffered a broken kneecap on June 25—however, Futch himself sustained a knee injury in a Triple-A game on June 26, which ended his season. *Pitcher Maurice "Moe" Ogier was on the
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
roster for the 1968 Minnesota Twins, but he did not get into a game and was optioned to the Twins'
farm team In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
in
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont (United States), Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, Meckl ...
in late April to make room for
Jim Kaat James Lee Kaat (; born November 7, 1938) is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins (–), ...
, who had injured his elbow in his final start of the 1967 season and was coming off the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
. Ogier had an ailing shoulder, which may have been the reason he did not get into a game.


1970s

* Catcher-outfielder Lee Robinson did not appear in an MLB game, despite spending nearly two months on the roster of the 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers. He was recalled from the Triple-A
Albuquerque Dukes The Albuquerque Dukes were a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. History The first Dukes team was formed in 1915 as part of the Class D Rio Grande Association. The team finished in third place with a 32-25 record. Fran ...
on May 11 to replace pitcher
Greg Shanahan Paul Gregory Shanahan (born December 11, 1947) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in 11 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dod ...
, and was returned to Albuquerque on July 3 when the Dodgers called up
Rick Rhoden Richard Alan Rhoden (born May 16, 1953) is a professional golfer and former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. During his 16-year baseball career, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1974–1978), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1979–1986), the Ne ...
. Robinson was later voted $2,000 in
World Series The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 World Series, 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The ...
money by his teammates. *First baseman Ed Kurpiel was a September call-up for the 1974 St. Louis Cardinals, but did not appear in a game. *Pitcher Davis May was called up from Tacoma by the
1977 Minnesota Twins The 1977 Minnesota Twins season was a season in American baseball. The team finished 84–77, fourth in the American League West. Offseason * March 18, 1977: Geoff Zahn was signed as a free agent by the Twins. Regular season In a May 25 do ...
, along with fellow pitcher
Jeff Holly Jeffrey Owen Holly (born March 1, 1953- February 28, 2019) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played parts of three seasons in the Major League Baseball from until , all for the Minnesota Twins. After the 1979 season he was traded to ...
, on April 25 to replace
Mike Pazik Michael Joseph Pazik (born January 26, 1950) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched parts of three seasons in the majors, from until , for the Minnesota Twins. Amateur career A native of Lynn, Massachusetts, Pazik gradua ...
and
Don Carrithers Donald George Carrithers (born September 15, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed pitcher from to for the San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos and the Minnesota Twins. ...
, who had been seriously injured in a car accident early that morning. Holly pitched for the Twins, but May was sent back to Tacoma on May 16 to make room for
Glenn Adams Glenn Charles Adams (born October 4, 1947) is a former designated hitter and corner outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Minnesota Twins, and Toronto Blue Jays in a career spanning eight seasons. Amateur ca ...
, who was returning from the disabled list. May was not used (or even asked to warm up) by Twins manager
Gene Mauch Gene William Mauch (November 18, 1925 – August 8, 2005) was an American professional baseball player and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers (, ), Pittsburgh Pirates (), Chicago Cubs ...
during the time he was on the active roster. *In September 1977, no fewer than three ballplayers who never played in a major league game served a couple of weeks' time on major league rosters, all of them pitchers: Tom McGough of the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive ...
, Pat Cristelli of the
California Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team ha ...
, and Ed Ricks of the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one o ...
. (
Scott McGough Scott Thomas McGough (born October 31, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2015. He also played for the Tokyo Yakult Swall ...
, the son of Tom McGough, pitched in six games for the 2015 Miami Marlins.) *Catcher Harry Saferight was a September call-up for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates, but failed to appear in a game. He was the
on-deck In baseball, on-deck refers to being next in line to bat. In a professional game, the batter who is on deck traditionally waits in a location in the foul territory called the on-deck circle. Being ''on-deck'' only guarantees the batter will get ...
batter on three different occasions, but each time, the batter ahead of him made the final out of the inning. Fellow call-up
Gary Hargis Gary Lynn Hargis (born November 2, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player who appeared in one Major League Baseball (MLB) game, for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. Biography Hargis was born in Minneapolis in 1956, and his family ...
narrowly avoided phantom status by making a single MLB appearance, and is listed as an
honorable mention An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awa ...
.


1980s

*The 1983 Kansas City Royals briefly called up two catchers to back up regular backstop
John Wathan John David Wathan (; born October 4, 1949) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Kansas City Royals from 1976 to 1985. Wathan was a member ...
; Duane Dewey was on the roster from May 16 to June 1, while Russ Stephans spent time on the roster from June 29 to July 5; neither made an MLB appearance. *Pitcher Mark Leonette was called up by the
1987 Chicago Cubs The 1987 Chicago Cubs season was the 116th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise, the 112th in the National League and the 72nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished sixth and last in the National League East with a record of 76–85, 18½ games behi ...
on July 2, and was sent down on July 6 without making an appearance in a game. He wore number 32 while with the club. *Infielder
Bill Merrifield Whitley David Merrifield (born January 24, 1989) is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals. He is a t ...
spent two days on the roster of the 1987 Pittsburgh Pirates in September, but did not appear in a game before being sent to the
Florida Instructional League The Florida Instructional League (FIL), sometimes known informally as "instructs", is an American professional baseball league. The league was founded in 1958. Young major league prospects hone their skills in the FIL, while experienced players may ...
. His son
Whit Merrifield Whitley David Merrifield (born January 24, 1989) is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals. He is a tw ...
made his major league debut with the 2016 Kansas City Royals. *Pitcher
Joe Law Derek Robert Law (born September 14, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. Am ...
spent four days on the active roster of the 1988 Oakland Athletics without making an appearance. He was first called up on July 4, and deactivated after the first game of a doubleheader on July 5. He subsequently was called up on August 8, and sent back down on August 10. His son
Derek Law Derek Robert Law (born September 14, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds. Am ...
made his major-league debut with the 2016 San Francisco Giants.


1990s

*Infielder Armando Moreno was added to the 1990 Pittsburgh Pirates roster on August 3, and sent back to Triple-A two days later, without appearing in a game. *Outfielder-first baseman Terrel Hansen was on the active roster for the 1992 New York Mets for two games, April 30 and May 1, without making an appearance. *Outfielder Bruce Dostal spent four games on active roster of the 1994 Baltimore Orioles; he was called up on June 10, then
designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the play ...
on June 14. On two occasions, manager
Johnny Oates Johnny Lane Oates (January 21, 1946 – December 24, 2004) was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Baltimore Orioles, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, ...
told Dostal he would pinch run if
designated hitter The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
Harold Baines Harold Douglas Baines (born March 15, 1959) is an American former right fielder and designated hitter (DH) in Major League Baseball who played for five American League (AL) teams from 1980 to 2001, and is best known for his three stints with t ...
reached base; both times, Baines was retired. *Infielder
Joel Chimelis Joel Chimelis (born July 27, 1967) is an American minor league baseball hitting coach for the Syracuse Mets and a former professional baseball infielder. Although he never played in Major League Baseball, he briefly was called up to the major lea ...
was called up by the 1995 San Francisco Giants on June 4 to replace injured third baseman Matt Williams, who had broken a bone in his foot. Chimelis had been a
replacement player In professional sports, a replacement player is an athlete who is not a member of the league's players association and plays during a labor dispute such as a strike or lockout, serving as a strikebreaker. Instances of replacement players Natio ...
during spring training that year, and Giants players grumbled about the idea of welcoming a strikebreaker on the team. After a threat of player revolt, the Giants sent him back to the minor leagues two days later, without Chimelis having appeared in a major league game. He was not called up to the major leagues again. *Pitcher Jesus Martínez, the younger brother of
Pedro Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning ...
and Ramón, was added to the active roster of the 1996 Los Angeles Dodgers on September 2, but did not appear in a game.


2000s

*Outfielder Luke Wilcox was briefly called up by the 2000 New York Yankees, July 13–16, but did not appear in a game. He wore number 50 with the Yankees. *Catcher César King spent five days on the 2001 Kansas City Royals active roster, May 19–23, without making an appearance. *Pitcher Jeff Urban was on the 2003 San Francisco Giants active roster on April 26–30 and again on August 1–2. He did not make an appearance during either stint. *Catcher David Parrish, son of Tiger great
Lance Parrish Lance Michael Parrish (born June 15, 1956), nicknamed "Big Wheel", is an American former baseball catcher who played Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1977 through 1995. Born in Pennsylvania, Parrish grew up in Southern California and excelled in ...
, was called up by the 2004 New York Yankees for three days without making an appearance, after regular catcher
Jorge Posada Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta (born August 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball catcher who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Posada recorded a .273 batting average, 275 home runs, ...
was hit in the face with a ball during a game. Parrish wore number 57 during his short stint as a Yankee. *Pitcher Cory Morris was on the active roster of the 2006 Baltimore Orioles on April 9–12, without making an appearance. *Catcher Tim Gradoville was on the 2006 Philadelphia Phillies active roster for 18 days in September without making an appearance. *Pitcher Tim Lahey was on the active roster of the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies for the first six days of the season without making an appearance. Lahey spent his entire six-year minor league career pitching for the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area ...
organization. However, in a five-month period from December 2007 to April 2008, he was selected by the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
in the Rule 5 draft, sold by the Rays to the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...
, released by the Cubs, signed by the Phillies (where he was briefly on their active roster), and then returned to the Twins under conditions of the Rule 5 draft. Lahey managed to do all this without throwing a regular season pitch for anyone other than Minnesota farm teams. *Pitcher Luis Muñoz spent two games on the active roster of the 2008 Pittsburgh Pirates in July without making an appearance. His fate was probably sealed before he arrived, with Pirates general manager
Neal Huntington Neal Alden Huntington (born February 4, 1969) is the former General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball and currently works in the front office of the Cleveland Guardians. Background A native of Amherst, New Hampshire, ...
saying of his call-up to the majors: "I would not anticipate Luis being here for an extended period of time. It was a step short of desperation.""Pirates promote Munoz; Cleveland claims Bulllington."
www.post-gazette.com, 2008-07-10. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
Two days after his arrival, Munoz was removed from the Pirates roster and designated for assignment. He was eventually sent to the farm system of the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
.


2010s

*Pitcher Tom Cochran was on the active roster of the 2011 Cincinnati Reds between May 29 and May 31, before being optioned back down to AAA. *Catcher José Yépez was called up by the 2011 Seattle Mariners on June 29, then designated for assignment on July 7, without making an appearance in a game. He wore number 35 while with the Mariners. *Catcher Brian Jeroloman was on the active roster of the 2011 Toronto Blue Jays for the final 37 days of the season without playing in a game. *Pitcher Jason Rice was on the active roster of the 2011 Oakland Athletics beginning on September 1, after being acquired from the Boston Red Sox organization. However, he was claimed off of waivers by Cleveland on September 6 and was assigned to the Triple-A
Columbus Clippers The Columbus Clippers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. They are located in Columbus, Ohio, and are named for speedy merchant sailing vessels known as clipp ...
without making a major league appearance. *Pitcher
Michael Antonini Michael John Antonini (born August 6, 1985) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played ball at Cardinal O'Hara High School, Georgia College & State University and Gloucester County College. He was originally drafted by the Philadelph ...
was on the active roster of the 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers twice during the season, April 24–27 and May 28–29, but did not appear in a game either time. *Pitcher Frank De Los Santos was on the active roster of the 2014 Chicago White Sox on May 3–4, without making an appearance. *Pitcher Tim Berry was promoted to the 2014 Baltimore Orioles active roster on June 6, but was sent down the next day without having appeared in a game. *Outfielder
Taylor Dugas Taylor Brooks Dugas (born December 15, 1989) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and assistant baseball coach at the University of Texas at Arlington. Prior to playing professionally, Dugas played college baseball for the Alab ...
was on the 2015 New York Yankees active roster on July 1–3, without making an appearance. *Relief pitcher Chris Jones was called up by the 2016 Los Angeles Angels on May 30, and demoted two days later, without appearing. *Outfielder Ronnier Mustelier† was promoted to the major leagues by the 2016 Atlanta Braves on July 3, and demoted the next day, without playing. He was on the Braves' roster due to MLB allowing both teams in the
Fort Bragg Game The Fort Bragg Game was a Major League Baseball (MLB) game played between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves of MLB's National League at Fort Bragg Stadium in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on July 3, 2016. The game was broadcast on ''Sunday Nigh ...
to have a 26th player active. *Catcher
Shawn Zarraga Shawn Joubert Zarraga (born January 21, 1989) is an Aruban former professional baseball catcher. He played for the Netherlands national baseball team in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 and 2017 World Baseball Classic. Career Milwaukee Brewers Zarraga ...
was on the active roster of the 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers on August 25–26, but did not appear. *Pitcher
Ryan Bollinger Ryan Michael Bollinger (born February 4, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously played in the CPBL for the Fubon Guardians and Rakuten Monkeys. In 2018, he was promoted to the major leagues by the Ne ...
† was promoted to the major leagues twice by the 2018 New York Yankees, once on May 23, but was demoted the next day without appearing in the majors, and again on July 31, but he was again optioned down the next day without playing. He currently plays for the
Rakuten Monkeys The Rakuten Monkeys (), formerly First Financial Holdings Agan (, abbreviated ), La New Bears () and then the Lamigo Monkeys (), are a professional baseball team in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) in Taiwan. Owned and administer ...
in the
Chinese Professional Baseball League The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 2 ...
. *Pitcher Clayton Blackburn was called up to the major leagues twice, once in 2016 with the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...
and another time in 2017 with the Texas Rangers, without getting into a game. Blackburn, who officially retired from baseball in 2019, is the only known phantom to have been on the active roster of more than one major league team without ever getting into a game. *Outfielder Eliezer Álvarez was promoted to the major leagues by the 2018 Texas Rangers on May 7, and demoted the next day. *Pitcher
Bo Takahashi Rodrigo Hitoshi "Bo" Kaimoti Takahashi (born January 23, 1997) is a Brazilian professional baseball pitcher for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Kia Tigers of the KBO League. Career Ariz ...
† was promoted to the major leagues by the 2019 Arizona Diamondbacks on August 18, 2019, but was optioned down on August 20 without appearing in a game. Takahashi was removed from the Diamondbacks 40-man roster on October 27, 2020. He went on to play in the
KBO League The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are ...
and
Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning ''Professional Baseball''. Outside Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league can be traced back to the formatio ...
(NPB).


2020s

*Infielder
Jeison Guzmán Jeison Guzmán (born October 8, 1998) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop. He is a phantom ballplayer, having spent three days on the active roster of the Kansas City Royals in 2020 without making an appearance. Career Kansas C ...
† was added to the major league roster by the Royals on August 11, 2020, and was optioned on August 14, without appearing in a game. He remained in the Royals organization during 2021, then in played in the
Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. ...
organization during 2022 until being released mid-season. *Pitcher
Trey Supak Trey may refer to: Places * Trey, Switzerland, a commune in Vaud, Switzerland * Trey Peaks, Coats Land, Antarctica Other uses * Trey (playing card), the Three in card games * Trey (given name) * Trey, slang for a three-point shot in basketball ...
† was added to the major league roster by the Brewers on August 31, 2020, but was optioned down the next day without appearing in a game. He was removed from the Brewers’ 40-man roster on September 14. He is currently in the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...
organization and not on the 40-man roster. *Pitcher
Jasseel De La Cruz Jasseel De La Cruz (born June 26, 1997) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. De La Cruz is currently a phantom ballplayer, having spent stints in 2020 and 2021 on the Atlanta Braves' active roster but never having appe ...
† was promoted to the major leagues by the
Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bost ...
on September 15, 2020, but was optioned down the next day without appearing in a game. On May 8, 2021, De La Cruz was recalled to the majors, but was again optioned down on May 10 without making an appearance. *Pitcher Steven Fuentes† was promoted to the major leagues by the
Washington Nationals The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadi ...
on April 20, 2021, but was optioned down on April 30 without appearing in a game. On October 13, Fuentes was outrighted off of the 40-man roster. *Outfielder
Corey Bird Corey Thomas Bird (born August 11, 1995) is a former American professional baseball outfielder. Amateur career Bird attended Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview, West Virginia, where he played basketball and baseball. As a senior in 2013, he ...
† was promoted to the major leagues by the
Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The club's home ballpark is LoanDepot Park. The fra ...
on July 28, 2021, but was designated for assignment on July 30 without appearing in a game. After temporarily retiring after the 2021 season, Bird signed with the
Charleston Dirty Birds The Charleston Dirty Birds are an American professional baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They are a member of the South Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a partner league of Major League Baseball. The D ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...
in June 2022 but later retired once again. *Catcher Gianpaul González† was promoted to the major leagues by the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive ...
on August 31, 2021, but was optioned down on September 2 without appearing in a game. González was later designated for assignment and removed from the 40-man roster. *Pitcher
Miguel Romero Miguel Alberto Romero Lugo (born February 17, 1970) is a Puerto Rican lawyer, who is the current Mayor of San Juan. He was also Secretary of Labor and Human Resources of Puerto Rico (2009–2012) and former Chief of Staff of Puerto Rico dur ...
† was promoted to the major leagues for the first time on September 8, 2021 by the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...
, but was optioned down on September 21 without appearing in a game. *Infielder Drew Maggi† was promoted to the major leagues by the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area ...
on September 18, 2021, but was optioned down on September 20 without appearing in a game. On October 8, Maggi was outrighted off of the 40-man roster.


Current season

*Pitcher
Jeff Singer Jeff Singer (born 31 March 1971) is a British drummer, currently for the bands My Dying Bride (2018–present), Soldierfield (2012–present) and Kill II This (who reformed in 2016), and formerly for the bands China Beach (1992–1994), Bl ...
was selected to the major league roster by the
Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Ci ...
on April 12, 2022, but was designated for assignment on April 13 without appearing in a game. *Outfielder
Donovan Casey Donovan Casey (born February 23, 1996) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. A native of Stratford, New Jersey, Casey graduated from Sterling High School and played college baseball for Boston College. In 2017, h ...
was promoted to the major league roster by the Nationals on April 15, 2022, but was optioned down to Triple-A on April 20 without appearing in a game for the big league club. *Catcher Ronaldo Hernández was promoted to the major league roster by the
Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
on April 19, 2022, then returned to Triple-A the following day without appearing in a game. He was also recalled by the Red Sox for their game of August 1, but again did not appear, and was optioned back to Triple-A the next day. *Catcher Alex Hall was summoned from
High-A High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
to the major league roster by the Brewers on June 2, 2022, in an emergency situation as primary catcher Omar Narváez tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
two hours before the Brewers' game against the
Padres The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL pennan ...
. Hall was called up because he played for the closest minor league affiliate to the Brewers, the
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, a town on the outskirts of Appleton in the Fox Cities, and are na ...
. He was designated for assignment the next day. *Pitcher Davis Daniel (baseball), Davis Daniel was promoted to the major league roster by the 2022 Los Angeles Angels season, Angels on June 11, 2022, but was optioned back to Triple-A two days later without appearing in a game. *Infielder Will Toffey was promoted to the major league roster by the
Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Ci ...
on July 13, 2022, but was designated for assignment, cleared waivers, and was returned to Triple-A the next day without appearing in a game. *Pitcher Connor Grey was promoted to the major league roster by the 2022 New York Mets season, Mets on August 22, 2022, but was optioned back to Triple-A five days later without appearing in a game. He was designated for assignment on September 1, 2022 and outrighted to Triple-A three days later. † ''denotes an active professional baseball player who could lose phantom status if he returns to the major leagues and appears in a game''


Honorable mentions

Baseball-Reference.com maintains lists of players who have appeared in only a single major league game; as of July 2018, there are nearly 1,000 batters and over 500 pitchers listed. This section includes some examples, along with several other notables. *Outfielder Moonlight Graham played one inning on defense for the 1905 New York Giants season, 1905 New York Giants on June 29, his only major league appearance, and did not have a
plate appearance In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance (denoted by PA) each time he completes a turn batting. Under Rule 5.04(c) of the Official Baseball Rules, a player completes a turn batting when he is put out or becomes a runne ...
. His story was featured in the 1989 fantasy movie ''Field of Dreams'', with Frank Whaley playing Graham as a young ballplayer and Burt Lancaster playing Graham as an older adult. *The ''Sporting Life (American newspaper), Sporting Life'' of February 24, 1906, reported that pitcher Jimmy Whalen sent in a contract to the New York Highlanders, although it is unclear if Whalen made the team's active roster once the season was underway. Whalen never appeared in a major league game, although he won over 250 games in the minors. *Most of the Detroit Tigers team for List of Major League Baseball replacement players#1912 Detroit Tigers strike, the game of May 18, 1912, consisted of players who were playing their first, last, and only major league game—the Tigers had gone on strike for the day, and an emergency squad of replacements had been hastily recruited from local amateurs, along with Tigers coaches. Only Billy Maharg (a professional boxer) and Hughie Jennings (the Tigers' manager and a former player) ever again appeared in a major league game, one each, as courtesies. Jack Smith (third baseman), Jack Smith played two innings in the field but did not bat. Journalist Arthur "Bugs" Baer claims that he was on the team and eligible to play for the Tigers, but wasn't put in the game. *Tom Burr (baseball), Tom Burr, a pitcher, played one inning in center field for the New York Yankees on April 21, 1914. He had no fielding chances and the game was won before he came to bat. In October 1918, Burr died in France while serving in World War I. *Shortstop Frank Verdi played one inning on defense for the 1953 New York Yankees season, 1953 New York Yankees on May 10, his only major league appearance, and did not have a plate appearance. *Pitcher John Oldham (baseball), John Hardin Oldham pinch ran for Ted Kluszewski on September 2 for the 1956 Cincinnati Redlegs season, 1956 Cincinnati Redlegs. At the end of the inning, Oldham was replaced on defense by Rocky Bridges. Oldham warmed up in the bullpen multiple times during the 1956 season but was never called in to pitch. *Pitcher Larry Yount, older brother of Baseball Hall of Fame, Hall of Famer Robin Yount, suffered an injury while throwing warmup pitches after being summoned as a reliever during a September 15 game for the 1971 Houston Astros season, 1971 Houston Astros. He did not face a batter and did not appear in any other MLB game. Under MLB rules, Larry Yount is credited with an appearance in that game—because he had been announced—despite not actually playing in the game. *Infielder
Gary Hargis Gary Lynn Hargis (born November 2, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player who appeared in one Major League Baseball (MLB) game, for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. Biography Hargis was born in Minneapolis in 1956, and his family ...
made his lone MLB appearance as a pinch runner in an extra-innings game for the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates on the next-to-last day of the season, September 29. * Second baseman Bob Hegman played a single inning in the major leagues, as a defensive replacement for the 1985 Kansas City Royals season, 1985 Kansas City Royals on August 8. *Pitcher Brian Mazone was to start a game for the 2006 Philadelphia Phillies on September 5, but the game was rained out and the Phillies did not activate him to their roster. He spent the rest of his career, which ended in 2010, in the minors. "That's a tough thing to shake", Mazone said. "I was getting called up by the Phillies in 2006 to make a start [replacing Randy Wolf], and the game got rained out and they sent me back down without activating me. Randy came up to me here and apologized. Not that he did anything wrong, he just felt bad." *Infielder Mark Kiger never appeared in an MLB regular season game, but he holds the distinction of being the only player whose major league career consists only of postseason games. Kiger was activated by the 2006 Oakland Athletics season, 2006 Oakland Athletics for the 2006 American League Championship Series, ALCS due to an injury to Mark Ellis (baseball), Mark Ellis. Kiger made two one-inning defensive appearances during the series, without having a plate appearance, and without ever playing in another MLB game. The only players to have made their major league debuts in the postseason are Kiger and four others—Bug Holliday in the 1885 World Series, Adalberto Mondesí in the 2015 World Series, Alex Kirilloff in the 2020 American League Wild Card Series, and Shane McClanahan in the 2020 American League Division Series; the remaining four later played in regular season major league games. *Some players have gone years between first being listed on an MLB active roster without playing (thus becoming phantoms), and eventually appearing in an MLB game (thus losing phantom status). Examples include: **Pitcher Marcus Walden was promoted by the Toronto Blue Jays in April 2014 but did not appear in a game during his five-day stint. In 2018, he made the Opening Day roster of the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eig ...
and made his MLB debut on April 1. **Pitcher Ryne Harper was promoted by the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
in May 2017 but did not appear in any games before being optioned back to the minor leagues. He made the 2019 Opening Day roster of the
Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area ...
and made his MLB debut on March 31. **Pitcher Daniel Camarena was promoted to the major leagues by the 2019 New York Yankees season, 2019 New York Yankees on July 6, 2019, but was optioned down the next day without appearing in a game. During the 2021 season, his contract was promoted by the San Diego Padres and he made his MLB debut on June 19. **Pitcher Domingo Acevedo was called up to the major leagues on July 21, 2018, for the 2018 New York Yankees, but was sent down to the minor leagues hours later without appearing in a major league game. Acevedo was removed from the Yankees' 40-man roster after the 2018 season. On June 21, 2021, his contract was purchased by the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The t ...
and he made his MLB debut. *Makers of baseball cards have issued major league rookie cards featuring some players who never actually played in MLB. Two known examples are listed below. Starting in 2005, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) required card manufacturers to limit rookie cards to players already added to an MLB active roster, or players who appeared in an MLB game during the prior season. Note that card makers also issue cards of "future stars", "top prospects", or similar wording, which are not rookie cards and are speculative in nature. **Catcher George Pena was featured on a 1973 Topps rookie card, along with Sergio Robles and Rick Stelmaszek. Pena played 740 games at the Triple-A level during his professional career, but never played in MLB. **Pitcher Juan Veintidós was featured on a 1975 Topps rookie card, along with John Denny, Rawly Eastwick, and Jim Kern. Veintidós played 89 games in Triple-A during his professional career, but never played in MLB.


See also

*Cup of coffee *Sidd Finch, a phantom/fictitious pitcher *Taro Tsujimoto, a phantom/fictitious ice hockey, hockey player


References


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Phantom Ballplayer History of Major League Baseball Baseball terminology Major League Baseball culture