Mel Barrow

Melvin Josef Barrow

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
• High School Harlan High School

• Born April 25, 1954 in Chicago, IL USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Outfielder Mel Barrow played 11 minor league seasons, all of them in the organization of the Texas Rangers, who drafted him in the 6th round of the 1972 amateur draft. He started off with the Geneva Senators of the New York-Penn League in 1972 and eventually made it AAA for parts of three different seasons before he called it quits.

Overall, he was a .272 hitter in 915 games, but his batting averages varied widely, from .194 in 71 games with the Gastonia Rangers in 1973 to .339 with the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League in 1980. That season also stood out as he slugged 17 homers - his only season with more than 4 long balls. He had good speed though, with a high of 55 stolen bases while on loan to the co-operated Kinston Eagles of the Carolina League in 1978, and other seasons with steal totals of 31, 27 and 20 (twice). He first made it to AAA in 1979 when he was already 25, and just for 10 games with the Tucson Toros of the Pacific Coast League, and returned for 32 games with the Wichita Aeros of the American Association in 1981, and 36 games with the Denver Bears of the same circuit in 1982.

In his career year of 1980, when he made the Texas League All-Star team, he was involved in a strange play on July 3rd when all three runners scored on an otherwise routine sacrifice fly in a game against the Jackson Mets. He was the runner on first base when Ron Gooch lifted a fly ball to OF Archie Amerson, who tried unsuccesfully to cut down Mike Jirschele at home. His throw bounced away from C Stan Hough, prompting George Wright to make a dash for home plate, which P Tom Thurberg rushed to cover. However, Hough's throw hit the on-deck batter, Phil Klimas, and not only did Wright score easily, Barrow made it safe all the way from first base as Tulsa went on to win the game, 7-1.