2006 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."

"Always be cautious about rookie performances in September. They don't indicate what will happen in April." - Texas Rangers General Manager Tom Grieve
National League Debuts

2006

44 Alberto Callaspo 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 08-06-2006 23
6 Stephen Drew 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 07-15-2006 23
49 Enrique Gonzalez 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 05-28-2006 24
26 Miguel Montero 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 09-06-2006 23
56 Tony Pena 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 07-18-2006 24
7 Carlos Quentin 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 07-20-2006 23
45 Doug Slaten 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 09-04-2006 26
24 Chris Young 2006 Arizona Diamondbacks 08-18-2006 22
27 Kevin Barry 2006 Atlanta Braves 06-26-2006 27
58, 27 Peter Moylan 2006 Atlanta Braves 04-12-2006 27
1 Tony Pena 2006 Atlanta Braves 04-13-2006 25
14, 24 Martin Prado 2006 Atlanta Braves 04-23-2006 22
58 Phil Stockman 2006 Atlanta Braves 06-15-2006 26
20 Scott Thorman 2006 Atlanta Braves 06-18-2006 24
30 Buck Coats 2006 Chicago Cubs 08-22-2006 24
37 Angel Guzman 2006 Chicago Cubs 04-26-2006 24
49 Carlos Marmol 2006 Chicago Cubs 06-04-2006 23
45 Sean Marshall 2006 Chicago Cubs 04-09-2006 23
51 Juan Mateo 2006 Chicago Cubs 08-03-2006 23
15 Scott Moore 2006 Chicago Cubs 09-04-2006 22
48 Ryan O'Malley 2006 Chicago Cubs 08-16-2006 26
29 Angel Pagan 2006 Chicago Cubs 04-03-2006 24
61 Jose Reyes 2006 Chicago Cubs 09-13-2006 23
20 Jae Kuk Ryu 2006 Chicago Cubs 05-14-2006 22
30 Norris Hopper 2006 Cincinnati Reds 08-20-2006 27
55 Alvin Colina 2006 Colorado Rockies 09-18-2006 24
60 Manny Corpas 2006 Colorado Rockies 07-18-2006 23
47 Justin Hampson 2006 Colorado Rockies 09-10-2006 25
20 Chris Iannetta 2006 Colorado Rockies 08-27-2006 23
38 Ubaldo Jimenez 2006 Colorado Rockies 09-26-2006 22
51 Juan Morillo 2006 Colorado Rockies 09-24-2006 22
61 Ramon Ramirez 2006 Colorado Rockies 04-14-2006 24
15 Jeff Salazar 2006 Colorado Rockies 09-07-2006 25
14 Troy Tulowitzki 2006 Colorado Rockies 08-30-2006 21
61 Reggie Abercrombie 2006 Florida Marlins 04-04-2006 25
54 Jeff Fulchino 2006 Florida Marlins 06-22-2006 26
58 Jose Garcia 2006 Florida Marlins 09-11-2006 21
60 Carlos Martinez 2006 Florida Marlins 04-03-2006 23
47 Ricky Nolasco 2006 Florida Marlins 04-05-2006 23
45 Yusmeiro Petit 2006 Florida Marlins 05-14-2006 21
37 Renyel Pinto 2006 Florida Marlins 05-18-2006 24
1 Eric Reed 2006 Florida Marlins 04-03-2006 25
36 Anibal Sanchez 2006 Florida Marlins 06-25-2006 22
57 Taylor Tankersley 2006 Florida Marlins 06-03-2006 23
6 Dan Uggla 2006 Florida Marlins 04-03-2006 25
37 Matt Albers 2006 Houston Astros 07-25-2006 23
56 Phil Barzilla 2006 Houston Astros 06-11-2006 27
39 Taylor Buchholz 2006 Houston Astros 04-07-2006 24
56 Hector Gimenez 2006 Houston Astros 09-25-2006 23
53 Jason Hirsh 2006 Houston Astros 08-12-2006 24
64 Fernando Nieve 2006 Houston Astros 04-04-2006 23
43 Chris Sampson 2006 Houston Astros 06-02-2006 28
58 Chad Billingsley 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 06-15-2006 21
16 Andre Ethier 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 05-02-2006 24
50 Joel Guzman 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 06-01-2006 21
27 Matt Kemp 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 05-28-2006 22
27, 29 James Loney 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 04-04-2006 22
55 Russell Martin 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 05-05-2006 23
44 Takashi Saito 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 04-09-2006 26
50 Eric Stults 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-05-2006 26
49 Delwyn Young 2006 Los Angeles Dodgers 09-07-2006 24
21 Drew Anderson 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 09-11-2006 25
12 Chris Barnwell 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 06-20-2006 27
22 Tony Gwynn, Jr. 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 07-15-2006 23
13 Zach Jackson 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 06-04-2006 23
53 Chris Mabeus 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 05-29-2006 27
8 Vinny Rottino 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 09-01-2006 26
45 Dennis Sarfate 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 09-03-2006 25
33 Carlos Villanueva 2006 Milwaukee Brewers 05-23-2006 22
40 Brian Bannister 2006 New York Mets 04-05-2006 25
49 Philip Humber 2006 New York Mets 09-24-2006 23
44 Lastings Milledge 2006 New York Mets 05-30-2006 21
36 Henry Owens 2006 New York Mets 07-07-2006 27
34 Mike Pelfrey 2006 New York Mets 07-08-2006 22
59 Alay Soler 2006 New York Mets 05-24-2006 26
9 Michael Bourn 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 07-30-2006 23
27 Chris Coste 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 05-26-2006 33
35 Cole Hamels 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 05-12-2006 22
47 Scott Mathieson 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 06-17-2006 22
29 Chris Roberson 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 05-12-2006 26
51 Carlos Ruiz 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 05-06-2006 27
48 Brian Sanches 2006 Philadelphia Phillies 06-01-2006 27
10 Rajai Davis 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-14-2006 25
37 Yurendell DeCaster 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 05-21-2006 26
25 Carlos Maldonado 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-08-2006 27
36 Juan Perez 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-07-2006 27
59 Brian Rogers 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-01-2006 23
44 Josh Sharpless 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 08-01-2006 25
27 Shane Youman 2006 Pittsburgh Pirates 09-10-2006 26
29 Josh Barfield 2006 San Diego Padres 04-03-2006 23
39 Mike Thompson 2006 San Diego Padres 05-17-2006 25
50 Eliezer Alfonzo 2006 San Francisco Giants 06-03-2006 27
19 Kevin Frandsen 2006 San Francisco Giants 04-28-2006 23
1 Travis Ishikawa 2006 San Francisco Giants 04-18-2006 22
14 Fred Lewis 2006 San Francisco Giants 09-01-2006 25
71 Patrick Misch 2006 San Francisco Giants 09-21-2006 25
59 Billy Sadler 2006 San Francisco Giants 09-15-2006 24
53 Jonathan Sanchez 2006 San Francisco Giants 05-28-2006 23
14 Chad Santos 2006 San Francisco Giants 07-16-2006 25
33 Brian Wilson 2006 San Francisco Giants 04-23-2006 23
52 Josh Kinney 2006 St. Louis Cardinals 07-03-2006 27
60 Chris Narveson 2006 St. Louis Cardinals 09-08-2006 24
62 John Nelson 2006 St. Louis Cardinals 09-07-2006 27
43 Bill Bray 2006 Washington Nationals 06-03-2006 22
39 Brett Campbell 2006 Washington Nationals 09-07-2006 24
18 Melvin Dorta 2006 Washington Nationals 07-21-2006 24
10 Brandon Harper 2006 Washington Nationals 08-09-2006 30
48 Mike O'Connor 2006 Washington Nationals 04-27-2006 25
54 Beltran Perez 2006 Washington Nationals 09-02-2006 24
55 Santiago Ramirez 2006 Washington Nationals 05-24-2006 27
52 Saul Rivera 2006 Washington Nationals 05-25-2006 28
55 Chris Schroder 2006 Washington Nationals 08-08-2006 27
2006 National League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the National League during the 2006 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

On April 13, 1954, Hank Aaron made his Major League debut and went 0-for-5. However, in his own autobiography Aaron wrote that he went 0-for-4.

Five-for-five debuts? Believe it or not it has happened twice: On June 30, 1894 Fred Clarke of the Louisville Colonels and on May 16, 1933, Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators made their Major League debuts and both went five-for-five at the plate.