Ed Sprague (spraged02)

Edward Nelson Sprague Jr.

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 210 lb.
• School Stanford University
• High School St. Mary's High School (Stockton)
• Debut May 8, 1991
• Final Game October 7, 2001
• Born July 25, 1967 in Castro Valley, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

In the 1988 Baseball World Cup, Ed Sprague hit .313/.421/.563 as the backup to Robin Ventura at third base. He primarily played DH, when Mike Fiore took the field. He had previously won the Silver Medal at the 1987 Pan American Games with the US. He was signed as a 1st round pick in the 1988 amateur draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and scout Wayne Morgan. Ed had his finest season in 1996, hitting 36 home runs and driving in 101 runs for the Blue Jays.

His wife is American Olympic synchronized swimmer Kristen Babb-Sprague. In the 1992 Olympics, she won a gold medal ahead of Canadian swimmer Sylvie Fréchette as a result of some questionable judging. After the games, Blue Jay fans booed Sprague. However, he was forgiven when he hit a game-winning home run in Game 2 of the 1992 World Series.

Ed was an assistant baseball coach at St. Mary's High School in Stockton, CA, his alma mater, for one season in 2002. He served as head coach of the University of the Pacific baseball team from 2003-2015, going 250-406 before stepping down to spend more time with family. In 2016, he became a Special Assistant to the General Manager with the Oakland Athletics. He has held multiple roles for the A's including Assistant Director of Player Development and Coordinator of On-field Analytics, Coordinator of Instruction, and roving instructor. Since 2020 he has been Director of Player Development (as of 2023).

In 2008, Sprague told the Stockton Record that he used Androstenedione and amphetamines in the 1990s, before they were formally banned from Major League Baseball.

He is the son of former big leaguer, Ed Sprague Sr..

Notable Achievements

• NL All-Star (1999)
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 3 (1996, 1998 & 1999)
• 30-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1996)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1996)
• Won two World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays (1992 & 1993)

Related Sites

• Ed Sprague at the SABR Bio Project