1986 National League Baseball Debuts / Rookies by Baseball Almanac

1986 National League Debuts

Willie Mays played his first Major League game on May 25, 1951, and went 0-for-5 at the plate. He started his career 1-for-25 and told his manager, "I can't do it, Mr. Leo. You better bench me."

Casey Stengel played his first Major League game on July 27, 1912, and went 4-for-4 at the plate. He commented later in his life, "I broke in with four hits and the writers promptly decided they had seen the new Ty Cobb. It took me only a few days to correct that impression."

Both Mays and Stengel would continue their Major League careers down separate paths of greatness, but each still had to appear in that memorable first Major League game. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present what Cubs broadcaster Steve Stone once described as, "His first Major League debut."

"Baseball is the sport that cackles back at can't-miss kids. Baseball humbles every player sooner or later. Baseball confers greatness stingily, in its own sweet time. At least that's what the bow-tied essayists and sandlot scouts solemnly tell us." - Johnette Howard in Sports Illustrated

National League Debuts 1986
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
30	Paul Assenmacher	1986 Atlanta Braves	04-12-1986	25
31	Ed Olwine	1986 Atlanta Braves	06-02-1986	28
39	Cliff Speck	1986 Atlanta Braves	07-30-1986	29
48	Duane Ward	1986 Atlanta Braves	04-12-1986	21
44	Drew Hall	1986 Chicago Cubs	09-14-1986	23
31	Greg Maddux	1986 Chicago Cubs	09-02-1986	20
41	Mike Martin	1986 Chicago Cubs	08-15-1986	27
1	Dave Martinez	1986 Chicago Cubs	06-15-1986	21
49	Jamie Moyer	1986 Chicago Cubs	06-16-1986	23
25	Rafael Palmeiro	1986 Chicago Cubs	09-08-1986	21
28	Kal Daniels	1986 Cincinnati Reds	04-09-1986	22
29, 57	Tracy Jones	1986 Cincinnati Reds	04-07-1986	25
43	Bill Landrum	1986 Cincinnati Reds	08-31-1986	29
15	Barry Larkin	1986 Cincinnati Reds	08-13-1986	22
11	Kurt Stillwell	1986 Cincinnati Reds	04-13-1986	20
38	Scott Terry	1986 Cincinnati Reds	04-09-1986	26
42	Tom Funk	1986 Houston Astros	07-24-1986	24
38	Manny Hernandez	1986 Houston Astros	06-05-1986	25
26	Louie Meadows	1986 Houston Astros	07-03-1986	25
51	Rafael Montalvo	1986 Houston Astros	04-13-1986	22
30	Tony Walker	1986 Houston Astros	04-08-1986	26
7	Robbie Wine	1986 Houston Astros	09-02-1986	24
52	Balvino Galvez	1986 Los Angeles Dodgers	05-07-1986	22
33	Jeff Hamilton	1986 Los Angeles Dodgers	06-28-1986	22
20	Larry See	1986 Los Angeles Dodgers	09-03-1986	26
38	Craig Shipley	1986 Los Angeles Dodgers	06-22-1986	23
9	Casey Candaele	1986 Montreal Expos	06-05-1986	25
14	Bill Moore	1986 Montreal Expos	07-19-1986	25
49	Jeff Parrett	1986 Montreal Expos	04-11-1986	24
17	Luis Rivera	1986 Montreal Expos	08-03-1986	22
55	Wilfredo Tejada	1986 Montreal Expos	09-09-1986	23
50	Sergio Valdez	1986 Montreal Expos	09-10-1986	22
32	Rick Anderson	1986 New York Mets	06-09-1986	29
2	Kevin Elster	1986 New York Mets	09-02-1986	22
49	Ed Hearn	1986 New York Mets	05-17-1986	25
27	Stan Jefferson	1986 New York Mets	09-07-1986	23
33	Barry Lyons	1986 New York Mets	04-19-1986	25
29	Dave Magadan	1986 New York Mets	09-07-1986	23
43	John Mitchell	1986 New York Mets	09-08-1986	21
34	Jeff Bittiger	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	09-02-1986	24
48	Marvin Freeman	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	09-16-1986	23
33	Mike Jackson	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	08-11-1986	21
26	Chris James	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	04-23-1986	23
18, 11	Greg Legg	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	04-18-1986	25
44	Mike Maddux	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	06-03-1986	24
47	Bruce Ruffin	1986 Philadelphia Phillies	06-28-1986	22
7, 24	Barry Bonds	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	05-30-1986	21
54	Stan Fansler	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	09-06-1986	21
50	Barry Jones	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	07-18-1986	23
16	Hipolito Pena	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	09-01-1986	22
13	Rich Renteria	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	09-14-1986	24
7	Ruben Rodriguez	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	09-15-1986	22
36	Rich Sauveur	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	07-01-1986	22
57	John Smiley	1986 Pittsburgh Pirates	09-01-1986	21
12	Randy Asadoor	1986 San Diego Padres	09-14-1986	23
20	Gary Green	1986 San Diego Padres	09-14-1986	24
25	Ray Hayward	1986 San Diego Padres	09-20-1986	25
45	Jimmy Jones	1986 San Diego Padres	09-21-1986	22
44	John Kruk	1986 San Diego Padres	04-07-1986	25
27	Mark Parent	1986 San Diego Padres	09-20-1986	25
17	Tim Pyznarski	1986 San Diego Padres	09-14-1986	26
2	Bip Roberts	1986 San Diego Padres	04-07-1986	22
10	Benito Santiago	1986 San Diego Padres	09-14-1986	21
50	Ed Vosberg	1986 San Diego Padres	09-17-1986	24
12	Mark Wasinger	1986 San Diego Padres	05-27-1986	24
1	Mike Aldrete	1986 San Francisco Giants	05-28-1986	25
26	Randy Bockus	1986 San Francisco Giants	09-10-1986	25
22	Will Clark	1986 San Francisco Giants	04-08-1986	22
37	Kelly Downs	1986 San Francisco Giants	07-29-1986	25
26	Chuck Hensley	1986 San Francisco Giants	05-10-1986	27
9	Randy Kutcher	1986 San Francisco Giants	06-19-1986	26
45	Terry Mulholland	1986 San Francisco Giants	06-08-1986	23
12	Phil Ouellette	1986 San Francisco Giants	09-10-1986	24
6	Robby Thompson	1986 San Francisco Giants	04-08-1986	23
41	Bill Earley	1986 St. Louis Cardinals	09-22-1986	30
15	Jim Lindeman	1986 St. Louis Cardinals	09-03-1986	24
53	Greg Mathews	1986 St. Louis Cardinals	06-03-1986	24
33	John Morris	1986 St. Louis Cardinals	08-05-1986	25
47	Ray Soff	1986 St. Louis Cardinals	07-17-1986	27
#	Name (sort)	Team (sort)	Debut (sort)	Age (sort)
1986 National League Debuts

1986 A.L. Debuts

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 1986 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Rich Amaral spent nine seasons in the Minor Leagues and upon his callup he commented, "I've been to every baseball park in America, except those in the American and National League."

Ray Jansen (four for five in his first game), Aubrey Epps (three for four in his first game) and Ed Irvin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.

Copyright © 2000-2009. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Design by Geisler Young. Hosted by Hosting 4 Less.
Part of the Baseball Almanac family: 755 Home Runs | Baseball Box Scores | Baseball Fever | Football Almanac | Pigskin Fever | Today in Baseball History.