With Major League Baseball set to open its regular season on Thursday, here’s a look at the top 10 MLB players of all time with strong Snohomish County ties, as judged by The Herald’s sports staff. Also included is a list of everyone with strong Snohomish County ties to reach the majors. Did we miss anyone? Do you have a different top 10? Email sports@heraldnet.com.
(Note: Players were deemed to have “strong Snohomish County ties” if they were born in the county, played high school baseball in the county, played the majority of their high school games against teams in the county, or played for one of the local community colleges)
San Diego Padres starter Adam Eaton, a Snohomish High School alum, pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2004 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
10. Adam Eaton (Snohomish H.S.), 2000-2009, RHP
Teams—San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Colorado Rockies
Stats—GP: 209; GS: 201; W-L: 71-68; ERA: 4.94; SV: 0
Fact—Hit three career home runs.
The Seattle Mariners’ Tom Lampkin, an Edmonds Community College alum, runs the bases as the crowd cheers after he hit a grand slam in the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles in 2000 in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lauren McFalls)
9. Tom Lampkin (Edmonds Community College), 1988-2002, C
Teams—Cleveland Indians, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners
Stats—GP: 777; AB: 1796; H: 422; 2B: 78; 3B: 8; HR: 56; RBI: 236; BA: .235
Facts—Attended Bishop Blanchet H.S.; led the National League with a 51.5 caught-stealing percentage in 1996; is the only player with local ties to ever play for the Mariners.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ Travis Snider (right), a Jackson High School alum, watches his double in front of the Boston Red Sox’s Jarrod Saltalamacchia during a game in 2011 in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
8. Travis Snider (Jackson H.S.), 2008-present, OF
Teams—Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles
Stats—GP: 630; AB: 1783; H: 435; 2B: 100; 3B: 7; HR: 54; RBI: 212; BA: .244
Fact—Was the youngest player in the American League at 20 years old in 2008.
Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Keone Kela, an Everett Community College alum, delivers during a game against the Cleveland Indians on Aug. 18, 2020, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
7. Keone Kela (Everett Community College), 2015-present, RHP
Teams—Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres
Stats—GP: 231; GS: 0; W-L: 21-11; ERA: 3.24; SV: 28
Facts—Attended Chief Sealth H.S.; was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 29th round of the 2011 MLB draft before being selected by Texas in the 12th round in 2012.
The Tampa Bay Rays’ Steven Souza Jr., a Cascade High School alum, celebrates after his walk-off home run against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)
6. Steven Souza Jr. (Cascade H.S.), 2014-present, OF
Teams—Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Rays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs
Stats—GP: 482; AB: 1617; H: 375; 2B: 70; 3B: 7; HR: 71; RBI: 203; BA: .232
Facts—With 30 home runs with Tampa Bay in 2017 he became just the third player with local ties to hit 30+ home runs in a major-league season (Earl Averill, Grady Sizemore).
Philadelphia Phillies manager Danny Ozark (center) takes ball from pitcher Larry Christenson, a Marysville High School alum, during the fifth inning of a National League playoff game against the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1978 in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Kennedy)
5. Larry Christenson (Marysville H.S.), 1973-1983, RHP
Teams—Philadelphia Phillies
Stats—GP: 243; GS: 220; W-L: 83-71; ERA: 3.79; SV: 4
Fact—Played in the 1980 World Series with Philadelphia; has the most wins of any pitcher with local ties.
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell, a Shorewood High School alum, throws against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning of Game 6 of the World Series on Oct. 27, 2020, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
4. Blake Snell (Shorewood H.S.), 2016-present, LHP
Teams—Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego Padres
Stats—GP: 108; GS: 108; W-L: 42-30; ERA: 3.24; SV: 0
Honors—Cy Young Award in 2018 with Tampa Bay; 1x All-Star
Facts—Led American League with a 1.89 ERA in 2018 with Tampa Bay; pitched in the 2020 World Series with Tampa Bay.
Milwaukee Braves coach Johnny Cooney (right) waves on Bobby Thomson (left) and the Phillies’ Earl Torgeson (center), a Snohomish High School alum, as the players run down fairway for benefit of photographers during an annual baseball players golf tourney at Tampa Golf and Country Club in 1955. (AP Photo)
3. Earl Torgeson (Snohomish H.S.) 1947-1961, IF
Teams—Boston Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, N.Y. Yankees
Stats—GP: 1668; AB: 4969; H: 1318; 2B: 215; 3B: 46; HR: 149; RBI: 740; BA: .265
Facts—Played in the World Series with Boston in 1948 and Chicago in 1959; Led the National League with 120 runs scored in 1950 with Boston.
Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady Sizemore, a Cascade High School alum, dives to catch a fly ball during a game against the Kansas City Royals in 2011 in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)
2. Grady Sizemore (Cascade H.S.), 2004-2015, OF
Teams—Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Tampa Bay Rays
Stats—GP: 1101; AB: 4147; H: 1098; 2B: 252; 3B: 47; HR: 150; RBI: 518; BA: .265
Honors—3x All-Star; 2x Gold Glove; Silver Slugger.
Facts—Led American League with 53 doubles in 2006 with Cleveland; Finished 10th in MVP voting in 2008 with Cleveland; His 33 homers in 2008 are the most-ever for a player with local ties.
The Cleveland Indians’ (left to right) Hal Trosky (left), Snohomish High School alum Earl Averill, Joe Vosmik and Roy Weatherly pose for a photo in 1936. (AP Photo)
1. Earl Averill (Snohomish H.S.), 1929-1941, OF
Teams—Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Boston Braves
Stats—GP: 1669; AB: 6353; H: 2019; 2B: 401; 3B: 128; HR: 238; RBI: 1164; BA: .318
Honors—Hall of Fame Class of 1975; 6x All-Star; 3x Top-5 MVP.
Facts—Nicknamed “The Earl of Snohomish”; remains Cleveland’s all-time leader in total bases, RBI, runs and triples; led the American League with 232 hits and 15 triples in 1936 while batting .378.
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Here’s a list of four players with strong Snohomish County ties that just missed the top-10 cut:
Earl Averill Jr. (Snohomish H.S.), 1956-1963, C/OF
Teams—Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Philadelphia Phillies
Stats—GP: 449; AB: 1031; H: 249; 2B: 41; 3B: 0; HR: 44; RBI: 159; BA: .242
Facts—Son of Hall of Famer Earl Averill; born in Cleveland but played at Snohomish H.S.; Hit 21 home runs in just 323 AB in 1961.
Blaine Hardy (Edmonds-Woodway H.S.), 2014-present, LHP
Teams—Detroit Tigers
Stats—GP: 233; GS: 13; W-L: 14-10; ERA: 3.73; SV: 1
Fact—Appeared in 70 games in 2015, 9th most in the American League.
Dave Hamilton (Edmonds H.S.), 1972-1980, LHP
Teams—Oakland A’s, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats—GP: 301; GS: 57; W-L: 39-41; ERA: 3.85; SV: 31
Fact—Played in the 1972 World Series with Oakland.
Glendon Rusch (Shorecrest H.S.), 1997-2009, LHP
Teams—K.C. Royals, N.Y. Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago Cubs, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies
Stats—GP: 342; GS: 220; W-L: 67-99; ERA: 5.04; SV: 4
Facts—Pitched in the 2000 World Series with the N.Y. Mets; His four complete games in 2002 with Milwaukee were fifth-most in the National League.
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All other MLB players with strong Snohomish County ties listed in alphabetical order:
Rick Anderson (Cascade H.S.), 1986-1988, RHP
Teams—N.Y. Mets, K.C. Royals
Stats—GP: 28; GS: 10; W-L: 4-4; ERA: 4.75; SV: 1
Aaron Cunningham (Everett Community College), 2008-2012, OF
Teams—Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians
Stats— GP: 222; AB: 452; H: 99; 2B: 31; 3B: 3; HR: 7; RBI: 51; BA: .219
Facts—Attended South Kitsap H.S.; was drafted in the sixth round of the 2005 MLB draft.
Roy Grover (Snohomish H.S.), 1916-1919, IF
Teams—Philadelphia Athletics, Washington Senators
Stats—GP: 207; AB: 690; H: 156; 2B: 17; 3B: 9; HR: 0; RBI: 50; BA: .226
Mick Kelleher (Shoreline H.S.) 1972-1982, IF
Teams—St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, California Angels
Stats—GP: 622; AB: 1081; H: 230; 2B: 32; 3B: 6; HR: 0; RBI: 65; BA: .213
Brent Lillibridge (Jackson H.S.), 2008-2013, IF/OF
Teams—Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs, N.Y. Yankees
Stats—GP: 358; AB: 708; H: 145; 2B: 25; 3B: 4; HR: 19; RBI: 71; BA: .205
Todd Linden (born in Edmonds) 2003-2007, OF
Teams—San Francisco Giants, Florida Marlins
Stats—GP: 270; AB: 502; H: 116; 2B: 22; 3B: 3; HR: 8; RBI: 36; BA: .231
Fact—Attended Central Kitsap H.S.
Jim Ollom (Snohomish H.S.), 1966-1967, LHP
Teams—Minnesota Twins
Stats—GP: 24; GS: 3; W-L: 0-1; ERA: 5.00; SV: 0
Fact—Was the Pacific Coast League MVP in 1966.
Ian Parmley (Monroe H.S.), 2017-present, OF
Teams—Toronto Blue Jays
Stats—GP: 3; AB: 3; H: 0; 2B: 0; 3B: 0; HR: 0; RBI: 0; BA: .000
Jerrod Riggan (Edmonds Community College), 2000-2003, RHP
Teams—N.Y. Mets, Cleveland Indians
Stats—GP: 67; GS: 0; W-L: 5-4; ERA: 5.19; SV: 0
Facts—Attended Brewster H.S.; was drafted in both the 1995 and 1996 MLB drafts; was traded by the Mets to Cleveland in a deal that sent future Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar to New York.
Ty Taubenheim (Edmonds Community College), 2006-2008, RHP
Teams—Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats—GP: 14; GS: 9; W-L: 1-5; ERA: 5.09; SV: 0
Facts—Attended Lynden H.S.; was selected in both the 2002 and 2003 MLB drafts.
Mason Tobin (Everett Community College), 2011, RHP
Teams—Texas Rangers
Stats—GP: 4; GS: 0; W-L: 0-0; ERA: 6.75; SV: 0
Facts—Attended Kentridge H.S.; was selected in both the 2005 and 2006 MLB drafts.
Don White (Everett H.S.), 1948-1949, IF/OF
Teams—Philadelphia Athletics
Stats—GP: 143; AB: 422; H: 98; 2B: 20; 3B: 2; HR: 1; RBI: 38; BA: .232
Jeff Zaske (Meadowdale H.S.), 1984-1984. RHP
Teams—Pittsburgh Pirates
Stats—GP: 3; GS: 0; W-L: 0-0; ERA: 0.00; SV: 0
Fact—Drafted by Pittsburgh in the 27th round of the 1978 draft.
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