Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Taken in the second round of the 1989 draft by the Astros, it took 16-yea-old New York City high schooler Jermaine Swinton until that September to sign, Newsday wrote . The delay in choosing between college and the pros meant he missed the 1989 season, first hitting the field in 1990. "I would have been happy either way," Swinton told Newsday in July 1990 of his decision. "But it turned out to be a good decision ... I just followed my heart to play pro ball." Swinton's pro career ended up spanning more than a decade . He spent more than half of that in independent ball. He topped out in the minors at high-A. Swinton's career began that year in 1989, taken by the Astros 42nd overall out of Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn. After his selection in 1989, his coach spoke to Newsday . "It didn't surprise me at all," Fort Hamilton coach Jim Apicella told Newsday . "He has good speed and some tremendous power." Swinton started for t...

Glen Reyes chose track over baseball in high school. But he still got to turn pro - in baseball, The Los Angeles Times wrote . He did so as an Astros scout recalled his work way back as a freshman, the speed he'd show in track and his defense, The Times wrote . "He's got some tools that people like," Reyes' high school baseball coach Art Warren told The Times after Reyes got drafted in 1989. "My personal opinion is that baseball is his best sport. I've said that all along." Track, however, would be ultimately what Reyes would be remembered for , at least locally. Reyes' speed got him to two pro seasons, both spent in rookie ball . Reyes' career began that year in 1989, taken by the Astros in the 13th round of the draft out of Orange Glen High School in California. On the track, Reyes was setting records by age 15, The Escondido Daily Times-Advocate wrote in June 1985. In his first season, he took home state championships golds in the 100-...

Ocean View high schooler Eric Christopherson had a big run in 1987, enough so to be named The Los Angeles Times ' Player of the Week that March. He hit .538, had 14 RBI and the catcher had thrown out 10 of 13 runners who'd tried to steal on him, The Times wrote . "He has a maturity factor that looks beyond his own stats and averages," Christopherson's coach Bill Gibbons told The Times . "He thinks of the team first. He's reached that level where he understands what's really important. That takes a special kind of kid. But he worked very hard. It wasn't magic." Christopherson eventually worked hard enough to play in college and make the pros. His pro career lasted three seasons. He made high-A . Christopherson's career began in 1990, signed by the Astros  of Golden West College in California. The Astros had taken him in the 75th round of the previous year's draft.  At Golden West, Christopherson hit .386, with 10 home runs and 51 RB...

Speaking to The Los Angeles Daily News in August 1994 for a feature on the minor leagues, Padres farmhand Quentin Harley described previously getting released by the Astros. He'd called his mother and told her he was done, he was going to college. Two weeks later, he called his agent looking to get back in, he told The Daily News . "You just have to make the most of it," Harley told The Daily News . "When I was with Houston I took it for granted. I really did." Back in the game, Harley eventually made it to AA. He then later returned in independent ball. He topped out at AA . Harley's career began in 1990, taken by the Astros in the fifth round of the draft out of Sheldon High School in Oregon. Harley was also credited as Al Harley or Alquentin Harley . Harley started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He got into 35 games and hit .321. He them moved to single-A Asheville for 1991 and single-A Burlington for 1992. He hit .237 at Ashevill...

Norbert Pickering and future major leaguer Midre Cummings worked together to help their native U.S. Virgin Islands to a International Little League game win in Panama in 1986, according to Panama City's La Prensa . Cummings, who would later see the majors over 11 seasons , hit a home run and knocked in three against Aruba, while Pickering scored a run and may have gotten three hits , based on a La Prensa translation . While both Cummings and Pickering went on to play in the pros, Pickering's career ended up comparatively shorter. Pickering played in just 16 pro games , all in rookie ball. Pickering's career began and ended in 1990, signed by the Astros as a free agent out of his native U.S. Virgin Islands. Pickering started and ended his pro career in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He got into 16 games for the GCL Astros. He hit .383, with nine RBI and four doubles. Those stats mark the extent of his pro career. Pickering then appears to have returned to the Virgin Islan...

Asheville Tourists pinch-hitter Raphael Lanfranco came on in the bottom of the eighth in this April 1991 game with a chance to tie the game, The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote . Lanfranco then came through, knocking a single to center to score a run, The Citizen-Times wrote . Lanfranco got that game-tying RBI in his third season as a pro. He went on to see time in one more. He topped out at single-A . Lanfranco's career began in 1989, signed by the Astros as a free agent out of his native Dominican Republic . Lanfranco's name was also spelled Rafael Lanfranco. Lanfranco started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast League . He saw 21 games at catcher and hit .190. He then returned for 26 games in the GCL for 1990 and hit .217, though he got hurt that August . Lanfranco played 1991 between single-A Burlington and single-A Asheville. He saw 49 games in all and hit .194.  He knocked a single in an April 1991 game for Asheville that helped Asheville to a lead. By late May, h...