Hall Of Fame Flashback: Jeff Bagwell

Former Astros slugger Jeff Bagwell was voted into the Hall of Fame Wednesday night with an 86.2 percentage vote.

Bagwell earned 55.7 percent of the vote last year. Originally drafted by the Red Sox in 1989, Bagwell was infamously traded by Boston to Houston for righthanded reliever Larry Anderson in 1990 and went on to hit .297/.408/.540 with 449 homers and 1,529 RBIs in 15 seasons.

Below are some of the early scouting reports on Bagwell.

Eastern League Top 10 Prospects list by Phil Bowman from Oct. 10, 1990.

4. Jeff Bagwell, 3b, New Britain. Bagwell, 22, was in his first full professional season and his numbers were staggering.

Bagwell finished second in hitting, playing half his games at Beehive Field, one of the toughest parks for hitters in minor league baseball. Bagwell broke the New Britain season record for hits, and led the league in hits and doubles, and was second in triples.

Said Canton manager Ken Bolek: “He’s proved day in, day out that he’s the best hitter in the league. And the amazing thing is he’s been steady all year. This is his first full year, and he’s proved himself in a very difficult league.”
In a move to shore up their bullpen the Boston Red Sox traded Bagwell to the Houston Astros for reliever Larry Andersen.

Bagwell ranked No. 2 on the Astros Top 10 Prospects list in the Jan. 25, 1991 issue of Baseball America as written by Allan Simpson.

No. 2 Jeff Bagwell, 3b

Age: 22. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 195. Drafted: Hartford, 1989 (4). Originally signed by Red Sox.

Boston’s decision to trade Bagwell to Houston after the minor league season was not a popular one in New England. Bagwell was a University of Hartford product, one of New England’s own.

Bagwell missed winning the Eastern League batting title by one point in 1990, a significant feat for a below-average runner. He’s got an excellent stroke, takes pitches well, makes contact and uses the whole park.

Bagwell is not Ken Caminiti at third, though he has a chance to inherit Caminiti’s job this spring is Caminiti is dealt for much-needed pitching. He does not have Caminiti’s superb arm, but is considered an above-average thrower.

Red Sox’s organization report from Nov. 10, 1990 by Nick Cafardo.

Looking at the dearth of third baseman around baseball, it’s amazing the Red Sox were so quick to part with third-base prospect Jeff Bagwell in the trade with the Houston Astros for righthander Larry Andersen.

It will be interesting to see how the Red Sox, who had an abundance of third basemen and a solid incumbent, Wade Boggs, will handle Scott Cooper.

Cooper was ranked the No. 1 prospect in the organization last winter, but the Red Sox definitely rated Bagwell over Cooper this summer. Now that Bagwell’s gone, there has been some bad-mouthing of Bagwell’s defense. And suddenly the Sox are playing up Cooper, who batted .266-12-44 at Triple-A Pawtucket.