The most anticipated debuts in MLB history

Baseball has seen its share of players who have been hyped before they ever played a game in the Major Leagues.

Look no further than Paul Skenes, the top pitching prospect and No. 3 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The former LSU standout and No. 1 overall pick in last year's Draft was called up by the Pirates on Wednesday.

With Skenes making his MLB debut on Saturday, here's a look back at the most anticipated debuts in big league history.

Paul Skenes, Pirates -- May 11, 2024

MLB’s No. 1 pitching prospect brought the heat from the very beginning in his first career start, which came against the Cubs at PNC Park. Known for his electric fastball, the LSU product fired 17 pitches at 100 mph or faster, including six at 101 mph and above. Five of those triple-digit fastballs came against the very first batter he faced, Mike Tauchman, who went down swinging against Skenes.

Skenes didn’t give up his first hit -- a Christopher Morel single -- until the third. Nico Hoerner homered to left in the fourth off a Skenes slider, and the rookie pitcher was charged with two more runs in the fifth after allowing a double and infield single to begin the inning. Skenes’ final line: four-plus innings, six hits, three earned runs, two walks and seven strikeouts.

It was overall an encouraging debut for Skenes, who averaged 100.1 mph and reached 101.9 with his four-seamer. It wasn’t just the fastball, though: Skenes got seven whiffs out of his 12 swings on his “splinker” splitter-sinker hybrid and got six called strikes on his slider as well. The 2023 national champion at LSU flashed the stuff that made him the No. 1 overall Draft pick and an elite pitching prospect.

Jackson Holliday, Orioles -- April 10, 2024

Holliday was just the latest top prospect in an Orioles system that has produced many top talents in recent years. Following in the footsteps of Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, Holliday received his call after beginning the '24 season with Triple-A Norfolk. It was a meteoric rise for Holliday, who was selected first overall in the '22 Draft out of high school and proceeded to dominate each Minor League level. In 154 games in the Minors, Holliday -- the son of former big leaguer Matt Holliday -- hit .321/.451/.497 with as many walks (138) as strikeouts.

Called up by the O's less than two weeks into the 2024 season, Holliday made his debut with Baltimore in a 7-5 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Batting ninth and playing second base, he turned a 4-6-3 double play in the field before ever stepping to the plate. Holliday went 0-for-4 in his debut, but he drove in what turned out to be an important run in the sixth inning with a groundout before the Orioles took the lead in the seventh. That first career RBI was the highlight of Holliday's debut, but he'll have a lot more to look forward to as the 20-year-old continues his pro career.

Jackson Chourio, Brewers -- March 29, 2024

After signing with the Brewers as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela when he was just 16 years old in January 2021, Chourio made a rapid rise through Milwaukee’s system, reaching Triple-A by 2023 -- a season in which he produced 22 homers, 44 steals and an .805 OPS. The anticipation for Chourio's eventual debut continued to grow after he inked an eight-year, $82 million deal with the Brewers that December, setting an industry record for a player with no Major League experience.

Leading off in Milwaukee’s first game of 2024, Chourio drew a four-pitch walk in his first plate appearance and showed off his speed by swiping second base. He later collected his first hit, a fifth-inning single, and his first RBI on a seventh-inning groundout in the Brewers' 3-1 win over the Mets. At 20 years and 18 days old, Chourio became the fifth-youngest player to start on Opening Day at any position in the divisional era (since 1969), joining four Hall of Famers -- Robin Yount in 1974 (18 years, 201 days old) and 1975 (19 years, 204 days), Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989 (19 years, 133 days) and Adrian Beltré in 1999 (19 years, 78 days).

Wyatt Langford, Rangers -- March 28, 2024

After being selected fourth overall in the 2023 MLB Draft from the University of Florida, Langford put himself on a fast track to the Majors in his first professional season. The right-handed slugger progressed through four Minor League levels and hit everywhere he went, slashing .360/.480/.677 with 10 homers in 44 games overall. He continued to mash during Spring Training and earned his way onto the Opening Day roster for the defending World Series champions in 2024.

Just two position players who came out of the Draft since it began in 1965 made an Opening Day roster with less experience in the Minors and Majors: Pete Incaviglia of the 1986 Rangers (zero games) and John Olerud of the 1990 Blue Jays (six). Langford made his big league debut on Opening Day and went 1-for-3 with an RBI and an intentional walk in Texas’ 4-3 win over the Cubs.

Jasson Domínguez, Yankees -- Sept. 1, 2023

It didn't take Domínguez -- one of the most hyped international prospects in recent memory -- long to make his mark on the Majors in his debut against the Astros. Otherwise known as "The Martian," the 20-year-old outfielder took Justin Verlander deep on the second pitch he saw, becoming the latest player to homer in his first Major League at-bat. Domínguez, the Yankees' No. 2 prospect and MLB Pipeline's No. 77 prospect overall, was a spark of hope in a down season for the Yankees.

Elly De La Cruz, Reds -- June 6, 2023

De La Cruz spent the first three months of the 2023 season treating Triple-A like a video game. He hit a 432-foot walk-off home run, mashed seven balls at least 116 mph and went home to third faster than anyone in MLB. That all led to De La Cruz entering The Show with an almost mythical aura around him heading into his debut. He wasted no time showing off some of his elite skills, as he ripped a double, walked twice and scored in the Reds' 9-8 walk-off win over the Dodgers.

Anthony Volpe, Yankees -- March 30, 2023

While Volpe's debut would be monumental no matter what franchise he played for, his break into the big leagues meant more with the Yankees. The 21-year-old became the youngest Yankees Opening Day starter since Derek Jeter in 1996 and the first Yankee to wear No. 11 since fan favorite Brett Gardner. Volpe's day included a six-pitch walk, a stolen base and a few nice plays in the field. It also included his first encounter with the Bleacher Creatures, as Volpe responded to their chanting of his name by kissing the Yankees logo on his chest and pointing toward the outfield. It won't be the first time his name reverberates throughout Yankee Stadium.

Adley Rutschman, Orioles -- May 21, 2022

The backstop of the future arrived in mid-May with much fanfare, and Rutschman quickly lived up to it. He laced a triple for his first career hit in his debut against the Rays, and it was off to the races from there. The No. 1 overall prospect at the time helped turn the season around for the O's, who became one of the season's great surprises with a run at a Wild Card spot. The rebuild came ahead of schedule thanks to Rutschman's steady bat (he surpassed Cal Ripken Jr. for the Orioles rookie record for doubles) in his first year and his anchoring of the pitching staff.

Hunter Greene, Reds -- April 10, 2022

Making your MLB debut is one thing. But making it on the road against the defending World Series champs? That’s a different animal. As intimidating as that moment could have been for Hunter Greene, MLB Pipeline's No. 22 prospect for 2022, the hard-throwing right-hander didn’t look fazed in his impressive start against the Braves. In throwing 92 pitches over five innings, the 22-year-old showed why Cincinnati named him to its Opening Day roster, allowing three earned runs on four hits and two walks. He also struck out seven to secure his first victory in a 6-3 Reds win.

Greene’s heralded fastball was as advertised, averaging 99.7 mph, reaching triple digits 20 times and topping out at 101.6. His first strikeout came when he blew a 100.3 mph heater past Matt Olson, the second batter he faced. Greene also showed off the rest of his arsenal, throwing 23 sliders that averaged 86.1 mph and 13 changeups that averaged an astounding 90 mph.

Bobby Witt Jr., Royals -- April 7, 2022

After an incredible spring, the Royals decided to add Bobby Witt Jr., MLB Pipeline's No. 1 prospect for 2022, to their Opening Day roster. The decision immediately payed off for Kansas City, as Witt Jr. played a major part in its first win of the year. Facing Guardians righty Triston McKenzie in the bottom of the eighth inning, Witt Jr. stepped up to the plate with a runner on second in a 1-1 tie. On the second pitch of the at-bat, the 21-year-old phenom got his first career hit and RBI on one swing, driving in the go-ahead run with a double to left field. The Royals tacked on another run and held on for a 3-1 victory, with Witt getting the well-deserved Gatorade bath after the fact.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays -- April 26, 2019

Few prospects have performed better or generated more hype in the Minor Leagues than Guerrero, who also carries on his shoulders the expectations of being a Hall of Famer’s son. But the 20-year-old hardly seemed fazed by the immense pressure when he took the field against the A’s at Rogers Centre. Not known for his defense at third base, Guerrero made a couple of smooth plays in the field. He started 0-for-3 at the plate -- despite a couple of deep fly balls -- but came through with an opposite-field double in the bottom of the ninth that set up teammate Brandon Drury’s walk-off two-run homer.

Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves -- April 25, 2018

Acuña was MLB’s second-ranked prospect behind Shohei Ohtani, but his arrival came with just as much excitement from Atlanta fans who had seen the 20-year-old tear up Minor League pitching. The five-tool prospect began the season with Triple-A Gwinnett before getting his callup for a road game in Cincinnati, where he singled, showed off his blazing speed going from first to third and scored the tying run in a 5-4 Braves win.

Shohei Ohtani, Angels -- March 29, 2018

Ohtani was perhaps the story of the 2018 regular season thanks to his incredible two-way athletic ability. As someone who could reach triple digits off a pitching mound and hit majestic homers at the plate -- on top of the mystery of climbing up the ranks in Japan, where American fans only heard of his prowess second-hand -- it was hard to create a more compelling narrative. Ohtani singled in his first Major League at-bat on Opening Day and then struck out six in his first MLB start three days later before going on to capture American League Rookie of the Year honors.

Kris Bryant, Cubs -- April 17, 2015

Bryant had put up a 1.036 OPS with Triple-A Iowa in 2014, but the Cubs began ’15 with Mike Olt as their starting third baseman. Bryant got off to another hot start that spring with Iowa, and when Olt suffered a hairline fracture in his hand, it was Bryant’s time. The Las Vegas native went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts while debuting in front of the Wrigley faithful, but he finished the year with 26 homers and 99 RBIs in a Rookie of the Year campaign. With Bryant in the heart of the lineup, the Cubs made their first trip to the NLCS in 12 years and then captured their first World Series title in 108 years the following autumn.

Bryce Harper, Nationals -- April 28, 2012

A Sports Illustrated cover story, tales of 500-foot home runs and comparisons to the great Mickey Mantle. Those were the kinds of things accompanying Harper on his way to Dodger Stadium, where he made his debut at just 19 years of age about a year and a half after the Nationals selected him with the No. 1 overall pick. Harper hit a standup double to the wall in the top of the seventh and also made an impressive throw home to show off his tools, and then captured Rookie of the Year honors with one of the best teenage seasons in history.

Yu Darvish, Rangers -- April 9, 2012

The Rangers bid more than $1 million just to land exclusive negotiating rights with Darvish before signing the Japanese phenom to a six-year, $60 million deal. Darvish had already shown in the World Baseball Classic that he could compete at the highest level, and though his debut against Seattle was rocky (5 ER, 4 BB over 5 2/3 IP), the righty quickly proved his talent by finishing the 2012 season with 221 strikeouts.

Stephen Strasburg, Nationals -- June 8, 2010

Strasburg still has a claim toward the most-hyped prospect of modern times. The righty’s Minor League starts were receiving as much fanfare as Major League action. His blazing triple-digit fastball worked their way up the ranks, further stoking the hype from his time at San Diego State University, where he was labeled by some as the best amateur pitcher ever. It’s extraordinary to think that Strasburg was once a non-prospect with a high-80s fastball as a high schooler, especially after he struck out 14 Pirates hitters -- including the last seven batters he faced -- in one of the most electric debuts of all time.

Jason Heyward, Braves -- April 5, 2010

How’s this for a debut? Heyward began the Braves’ home opener by catching a ceremonial first pitch from Hank Aaron, and then he homered off Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano in his first big league at-bat as Atlanta routed Chicago. Heyward, an Atlanta-area native, was already a sensation before he stepped in at the plate. With one swing, he quickly proved that he belonged.

David Price, Rays -- Sept. 14, 2008

The Rays were already on their way to a rather surprising AL East division title when they announced that Price, their No. 1 overall Draft pick from the year prior, was ready to make his big league debut. That debut came at none other than old Yankee Stadium, where the lefty impressed with 5 1/3 innings of two-run ball on three hits while striking out four. He went on to pick up a win and a save in the ALCS against the defending World Series champion Red Sox at just 23 years of age.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, Red Sox -- April 5, 2007

Matsuzaka, the MVP of each of the first two World Baseball Classics with Team Japan, set off one of the most intense bidding wars in baseball history that ended with the Red Sox as the winners -- first after bidding more than $51 million to earn negotiating rights and then signing the pitcher to a six-year, $52 million contract. His first big league start against Kansas City included 10 strikeouts, and he finished his first campaign with 15 wins and a 4.40 ERA before helping Boston win its second World Series title in four years.

Mark Prior, Cubs -- May 22, 2002

Though injuries would eventually become the story of Prior’s career, there’s no denying how talented he was while winning three separate player of the year awards at USC and inspiring the Cubs to take him with the No. 2 overall pick. Prior needed just nine Minor League starts (51 innings) before debuting with Chicago against Pittsburgh, striking out 10 Pirates hitters while allowing two runs over six innings in front of a pumped-up crowd at Wrigley Field.

Josh Beckett, Marlins -- Sept. 4, 2001

Beckett became the highest Draft pick in Marlins history when they selected him second overall in 1999. A native Texan, his baseball heroes while growing up were Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. He did them proud by ultimately pitching 14 Major League seasons that included three All-Star selections, an AL Cy Young Award runner-up finish in 2007, and two World Series championships.

The right-hander made his MLB debut on Sept. 4, 2001, tossing six scoreless innings for the Marlins against the Cubs in Miami and picking up the win. He gave up just one hit while walking three and striking out five. Beckett would go on to help the Marlins win the World Series in 2003, a Fall Classic for which he was named MVP. In the title-clinching Game 6, he was masterful, throwing a five-hit shutout against the Yankees.

Beckett went on to pitch two more seasons for the Marlins before stints with the Red Sox and Dodgers over a 14-year big league career. He was named MVP of the 2007 ALCS against Cleveland before helping Boston win its second World Series title in four years that fall.

Ichiro Suzuki, Mariners -- April 2, 2001

Ichiro’s exploits in Japan certainly spoke volumes: Three Pacific League MVP Awards, seven batting titles and seven Gold Glove Awards, along with numerous other accolades. But Ichiro still had skeptics to overcome -- including his own manager, Lou Piniella, as the first Japanese position player to play overseas in America. Well, that skepticism didn't last long, as Ichiro's rookie campaign -- which netted him the 2001 AL MVP -- ranks among the absolute best in Major League history. It all began April 2 against the A's at Safeco Field, where Ichiro went 2-for-5 in a 5-4 Mariners win.

Andruw Jones, Braves -- Aug. 15, 1996

Atlanta was well on the way toward defending its World Series title with a seven-game lead in the NL East when it called up its 19-year-old center fielder. General manager John Schuerholz actually traded outfielder Mark Whiten to Seattle in part to make room for the game’s top prospect, who had hit .339 with 34 home runs across three levels in the Minors over the summer of 1996. Jones got a hit while batting second between Marquis Grissom and Chipper Jones in his debut at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium, and later that fall he became the youngest player to homer in a World Series.

Hideo Nomo, Dodgers -- May 2, 1995

With his whirlwind windup that earned him the nickname "The Tornado," and an arsenal that featured a lively fastball and a devastating forkball, Nomo made history when he crossed the Pacific Ocean from Nippon Professional Baseball to MLB in 1995. The right-hander had spent the previous five seasons with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes before retiring from NPB and making the jump to the Majors at age 26.

The fanfare, particularly in his native Japan, was enormous. Only one Japanese-born player had ever appeared in a Major League game -- Masanori Murakami, a right-handed pitcher, made 54 appearances (53 starts) for the Giants from 1964-65. Nomo made his big league debut on May 2, facing Murakami's old club in San Francisco. He threw five scoreless innings, yielding one hit while walking four and striking out seven in a game the Giants ultimately won in 15 innings, 4-3.

Nomo went on to win the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year Award and was named an All-Star in his first MLB season. He would throw a pair of no-hitters -- including the only no-no thrown at Coors Field -- over a 12-year career with the Dodgers, Mets, Brewers, Tigers, Red Sox, Rays and Royals. He was a pioneer who paved the way for dozens of Japanese-born players who came after him.

Alex Rodriguez, Mariners -- July 8, 1994

A-Rod might have been the most complete prospect of the modern era, mixing Major League-ready talent at the plate with speed on the bases and athleticism at shortstop. His first MLB game came at Fenway Park, a place where he would become notorious in later days as a Yankees star. While he went 0-for-3 in that game, Rodriguez became one of the American League’s best players by 1996, when he finished runner-up in league MVP voting.

Jim Abbott, Angels -- April 8, 1989

Interest in Abbott’s debut centered around more than just his talent, since Abbott was born without the use of a right hand. He was the top collegiate pitcher at Michigan and had pitched Team USA to a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics before signing with the Angels for $200,000, and then he bypassed the Minors altogether to become just the 17th player in the Draft era to make his professional debut in the Major Leagues. Abbott took the loss after allowing six runs (three earned) to the Mariners in that debut, but he finished the year third in Rookie of the Year voting after compiling a 3.92 ERA over 29 starts.

Ken Griffey Jr., Mariners -- April 3, 1989

Griffey might be the other contender, alongside A-Rod, for the best prospect to come along before Guerrero. Expectations were sky-high after the son of an All-Star outfielder -- who grew up in the clubhouses of the Big Red Machine -- was taken No. 1 overall by Seattle in the 1987 MLB Draft, and he was the youngest position player to debut in over a decade when he took the field against the defending AL champion A’s on Opening Day in Oakland. Griffey doubled off Dave Stewart in his first big league at-bat, and he went on to finish third in AL Rookie of the Year voting after hitting 16 homers and driving in 61.

Gregg Jefferies, Mets -- Sept. 6, 1987

Former Mets manager Davey Johnson once stated that Jefferies could hit .300 standing on his head, and those were the expectations for the California native after the Mets drafted him 20th overall in 1985. Jefferies was the first two-time winner of Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year Award and graced the publication’s cover five times before he reached the big leagues, thanks in large part to his .353/.401/.549 slash line across Class A and Double-A in 1986. The Mets brought Jefferies up from Double-A just 36 days after his 20th birthday, but he found the majority of his success -- including two All-Star seasons -- later on with the Cardinals and Phillies.

Bo Jackson, Royals -- Sept. 2, 1986

Jackson ranks among the greatest athletes in professional sports, period, and he initially spurned the Yankees after they drafted him in 1982 to play football and baseball at Auburn University. Jackson won the 1985 Heisman Trophy as the nation’s best collegiate player on the gridiron and then refused to play for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers because he felt they tried to derail his baseball career. The Royals seized the opportunity and drafted him in the fourth round of the 1986 Draft, and he honored his commitment to Kansas City by suiting up for the club that summer. Jackson got his first hit off 41-year-old White Sox pitcher Steve Carlton, the future Hall of Famer who was nearing the end of his career. Jackson went on to play both baseball and football professionally, of course, and became one of the most famous athletes in the history of North American sports.

Dwight Gooden, Mets -- April 7, 1984

Gooden needed less than two seasons in the Minors before the Mets felt he and his unbelievable stuff were ready for big league hitters. “Doc” climbed the mound at the Astrodome for his debut at just 19 years and 143 days of age and let his high-90s fastball and world-class curveball go to work, striking out five Houston hitter over five one-run innings. His rookie campaign only got better from there, of course, as Gooden finished the year with 17 wins and a freshman-record 276 strikeouts.

Darryl Strawberry, Mets -- May 6, 1983

Mets fans hoped that Strawberry, the No. 1 overall pick of the 1980 Draft from Crenshaw High in Los Angeles, would help lift their team out of the NL doldrums -- and Strawberry’s debut did indeed ignite a slow turnaround in Queens. ‘Straw’ was 21 when he debuted at Shea Stadium and drew two walks and scored a run in New York’s 13-inning win over the Reds. He went on to win NL Rookie of the Year honors with a 26-homer campaign before blossoming into one of the league’s most fearsome sluggers of the decade.

David Clyde, Rangers -- June 27, 1973

Clyde’s high school record in the suburbs of Houston was about as sterling as it could be, as the lefty went 18-0 with five no-hitters during his senior year. That prompted the 100-loss Rangers to take Clyde with the top overall pick in the 1973 Draft, just ahead of Robin Yount and Dave Winfield, and then call him straight up to the Majors at age 18. Clyde requested uniform number 32 in honor of Sandy Koufax and received an encouraging telegram from the legendary ace, and all that hype was enough to pack in 32,000 fans at Arlington Stadium. That’s where the comparisons to Koufax would end, however, as Clyde pitched in parts of just five Major League seasons and finished 18-33 with a career 4.63 ERA.

*Willie Mays, Giants -- May 25, 1951 (AL/NL debut)
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Mays’ .477 average led all Triple-A hitters by nearly 100 points when the fifth-place Giants announced that they were calling their prodigious center fielder up to the big league club. Mays’ arrival attracted hordes of African-American fans who didn’t typically attend games at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park, and his pregame practice session drew plenty of eyes -- both for his prowess in the cage and his grace tracking down fly balls in the outfield. Giants manager Leo Durocher put Mays right in the third spot in his batting order, but the “Say Hey Kid” would go hitless in his first 12 at-bats before homering off the great Warren Spahn to get his incredible career off and running.

Mickey Mantle, Yankees -- April 17, 1951

When it comes to mythical, sent-from-the-heavens baseball prodigies, the conversation must begin with Mantle. Born the son of a miner in Oklahoma, Mantle rose from obscurity to become the natural heir to Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio in the eyes of Yankees fans thanks to his preternatural speed and, of course, his neck-craning, tape-measure home runs. Mantle nearly quit baseball in 1951 after suffering through a slump, but a stern discussion with his father, Mutt, inspired Mantle to go on an absolute tear with Triple-A Kansas City, finishing his tenure there with a .361 average and 11 home runs in 166 at-bats. The Commerce Comet debuted with a ton of fanfare against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium and batted third between fellow legends Phil Rizzuto and DiMaggio. He hit an RBI single and came around to score in the bottom of the sixth, and one of baseball’s most revered careers was underway.

*Satchel Paige, Indians -- July 9, 1948 (AL/NL debut)
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Paige’s stardom was already well established in the Negro Leagues, of course, but he had to wait more than two decades before he could display his talent in the Majors. Paige was arguably the most famous pitcher in America when Indians owner Bill Veeck signed him at age 41 to help his club capture a pennant, and the legend proved that age was just a number by going 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA down the stretch.

*Jackie Robinson, Dodgers -- April 15, 1947 (AL/NL debut)
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The atmosphere surrounding Robinson’s debut was wholly unlike that of any other player on this list, of course, as he broke Major League Baseball's color barrier. The significance of those circumstances made Robinson’s debut one of the most famous days in modern American history, let alone baseball’s, and it opened the door for thousands of African-American players, including Paige, to follow in his footsteps. Robinson reached on a throwing error in the seventh and came around to score in his first game at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field, but he would have to endure much more vocal abuse once he and his Dodgers teammates hit the road. Robinson persevered anyway, capturing MLB’s first Rookie of the Year Award and compiling a Hall of Fame career. MLB now honors Robinson's debut with league-wide celebrations every April 15.

Bob Feller, Indians -- July 19, 1936

Feller’s friends in Van Meter, Iowa, were working summer jobs before their senior years of high school when the 17-year-old came on in the eighth inning of the Indians’ 9-5 loss to the Senators in Washington, D.C. His MLB debut included a strikeout, of course, as he worked around a pair of walks for a clean frame, but he really got people’s attention in his first big league start one month later. That’s when “Rapid Robert” struck out 15 Browns hitters and began his tenure as baseball’s most dominant strikeout ace.

Joe DiMaggio, Yankees -- May 3, 1936

DiMaggio, like Mantle, came from humble beginnings and was the son of Italian immigrants in the San Francisco area. Baseball was a way for DiMaggio to escape his father’s profession as a fisherman, and he used that motivation to make a name for himself in the Pacific Coast League, compiling a 61-game hit steak (foreshadowing the future) with the San Francisco Seals. A career-threatening knee injury for DiMaggio didn’t dissuade Yankees scout Bill Essick from signing the kid to a $50,000 contract and he debuted ahead of Lou Gehrig in the Yankees’ lineup at 21 years of age. The rest was history.

Rube Marquard, Giants -- Sept. 25, 1908

We’re stretching our collective memory here, but Marquard deserves mention after an auction for his services caused a bidding war between 10 Major League clubs -- with the Giants coming out on top at $11,000 -- an enormous sum for the time period. That earned Marquard the distinction of “the $11,000 beauty,” and Giants manager John McGraw put him right into the middle of a pennant race, with his debut coming just two days after Fred Merkle’s famous miscue against the Cubs. Marquard might not have been ready for the moment, as he allowed five runs in five innings, but under the tutelage of baseball legend Christy Mathewson he turned things around to become a Hall of Fame pitcher.