Brien Bickerton

Brien Cleve Bickerton (Bick)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 185 lb.

• High School Santana High School

• Born July 6, 1949

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Brien Bickerton was a first-round pick who peaked at AAA.

Bickerton was taken 7th overall in the 1967 amateur draft, going to the Oakland Athletics. He was chosen right after John Mayberry and right before Wayne Simpson. He debuted with the 1968 Burlington Bees, going 5-5 with a 3.87 ERA. He was no match for teammate Vida Blue, Oakland's second-round selection. In 1969, the left-hander pitched for the Lodi Crushers (7-9, 3.40) and Birmingham A's (1-0, 9 R in 9 IP). He wound up spending part or all of five seasons with Birmingham. Brien pitched for the 1970 Birmingham squad (1-3, 3.81) and the Iowa Oaks (2-2, 6.65, 53 BB in 46 IP). It would be his only stint in AAA. While he was fizzing out, Blue was leading the American Association in strikeouts.

The 21-year-old was only 2-9 with two saves and a 5.74 ERA for Birmingham in 1971, again showing horrid control (72 BB in 69 IP). He walked 27 in 28 innings in 1972, going 0-2 with a 7.39 ERA for the same club. He lost 17 games and walked 110 batters in 1973, which he split between Burlington (0-8, 5.28, 39 BB in 46 IP), Birmingham (0-4, 6.11, 30 BB in 28 IP) and the Key West Conchs (4-5, 2.81).

The Wichita Aeros in the Chicago Cubs chain drafted Bickerton from the Arkansas Travelers roster in the AAA phase of the 1973 Rule V Draft. He appeared for Key West (1-1, 3.15, 14 BB in 20 IP) and the Midland Cubs (0-1, 3.43, 20 BB in 21 IP). The former prospect played his last season with the 1975 Key West Cubs and allowed six runs and eight walks in six innings.

Overall, Bickerton had gone 23-49 with a 4.58 ERA in 145 minor league games, walking 484 in 562 innings.