Dell Alston

Wendell Alston

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.
• School Concordia College
• High School Yonkers High School
• Debut May 17, 1977
• Final Game October 4, 1980
• Born September 22, 1952 in Valhalla, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

The New York Yankees signed Dell Alston as an amateur free agent on August 21, 1972. His first action in pro baseball came in 1973 with the Oneonta Yankees of the Class A (Short Season) New York-Pennsylvania League. He appeared in 61 games with 246 at bats for a .321 average. Alston spent three years, 1974 through 1976, in the high minors before getting his first chance at major league competition. He appeared in 22 games for the Yankees in 1977, had 40 at bats and hit for a .325 average. He also spent time with the Syracuse Chiefs in the International League that year, where he got into 63 games, had 248 at bats and hit for a .298 average. Dell started 1978 in the Pacific Coast League with the Tacoma Yankees, appearing in 40 games. He also got into three games with the major league Yankees but on June 15th, he was traded, along with Mickey Klutts and $50,000, to the Oakland Athletics for Gary Thomasson. Alston appeared in 58 games for the 1978 Athletics, had 173 at bats with 36 hits for a .208 average. That same season, Alston also appeared in 29 games for the PCL Vancouver Canadians, an Oakland affiliate.

On March 23, 1979 Alston was released by Oakland. On April 5th, he was signed as a free agent by the Cleveland Indians. Dell appeared in 54 games for the Indians in 1979, used mainly as a pinch-hitter; he garnered 18 hits in 62 at bats for a .290 average. He also appeared in 75 games for the PCL Tacoma Tugs, hitting at a .268 clip. 1980 was to be Alston's last year in professional baseball. He was with Cleveland for 54 games, hitting .222. He also spent time with the PCL Tacoma Tigers, getting into 69 games and hitting for a .220 average. On April 9, 1981, Alston was released by the Indians. He spent the next two seasons in the Mexican League, stealing 53 bases for the 1982 Azules de Coatzacoalcos while batting .290 with 98 runs scored. In 213 LMB games, he batted .285 with 177 runs scored and 89 steals.

Alston is the cousin of Garvin Alston, fellow big leaguer and former pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins.

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
SABR Minor League Database
baseball-reference.com