Rod Boxberger

Rodney Warren Boxberger

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 170 lb.
• School University of Southern California
• High School Foothill High School (Santa Ana)

• Born August 22, 1957 in Santa Ana, CA USA

BR Minors page

Biographical information

Rod Boxberger was a starting pitcher who is most notable for winning the 1978 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a junior at University of Southern California. He is one of seven players from University of Southern California to win that award. The others are Bill Thom, Bud Hollowell, Russ McQueen, George Milke, Bill Seinsoth and Wes Rachels.

Boxberger was drafted twice by two different big league teams. In the 1975 amateur draft, he was taken in the second round by the New York Mets. In 1978, he was taken in the first round - 11th overall - by the Houston Astros. He played six years professionally, never reaching the big leagues.

His first professional season was 1978. He split the season between the Daytona Beach Astros and Columbus Astros. He went 1-2 with a 1.20 ERA in three games with Daytona Beach and 5-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 11 games with Columbus. In 1979, Boxberger played with the Columbus Astros again, going 6-7 with a 4.80 ERA in 21 games. For the third year in a row, Boxberger played with Columbus again in 1980, and for the third year in a row he got worse. He went 4-13 with a 5.62 ERA in 23 games in 1980.

Taken in the AAA phase of the 1980 Rule V Draft, Boxberger moved to the New York Yankees organization in 1981, playing for the Nashville Sounds. He went 4-9 with a 4.54 ERA in 23 games that year.

Boxberger played the final two years of his professional career in the California Angels organization. In 1982, he played for the Holyoke Millers, going 5-9 with a 3.78 ERA. He played for the Nashua Angels in 1983, going 5-10 with a 5.43 ERA.

Overall, Boxberger went 30-55 with a 4.67 ERA in 134 minor league games. He had poor control, walking 504 batters and striking out only 389 in 702 innings.

His son, Brad Boxberger, was drafted by the Kansas City Royals of the 20th round of the 2006 amateur draft. After attending USC, he was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 2009 amateur draft and made his major league debut in 2012.