Chet Trail

Chester Borner Trail

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 170 lb.
• High School Libbey High School

• Born January 19, 1944

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Chet Trail was the only player ever who was on a postseason roster, but who never appeared in a regular season or postseason game. This strange occurrence happened when the New York Yankees put him on their 25-man roster for the 1964 World Series. He was their 25th player during the season under a special 1964 rule permitting one bonus player to play in the minors while being charged to the 25-man roster. Commissioner Ford Frick ruled that Trail was eligible for the World Series roster, but he was not formally activated, and the Yanks played with 24 players during the 1964 World Series, which they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in 7 games.

Trail's minor league career lasted from 1963 to 1969. He spent all or part of every season from 1966 to 1969 in AAA.

In 2006, Mark Kiger of the Oakland A's was placed on the A's postseason roster following an injury to Mark Ellis. Like Trail, Kiger had not played in the regular season; unlike Trail, he did appear in a playoff game (his only MLB appearances of his career). In 2015, Raul Mondesi made his big league debut in a World Series game, but he went on to play in the regular season as well.

Trail was later traded to the Baltimore Orioles as part of a trade that brought Steve Barber to New York in 1967.