Roy Branch

Roy Branch

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.
• High School Beaumont High School (St. Louis)
• Debut September 11, 1979
• Final Game September 18, 1979
• Born July 12, 1953 in St. Louis, MO USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Roy Branch was a high draft pick from an esteemed high school who pitched two games in the majors.

Roy came out of Beaumont High School in St. Louis, which produced other major leaguers such as Pete Reiser and Roy Sievers. Roy was drafted 5th overall in the first round in the 1971 amateur draft. He played in the minors from 1971 to 1980, reaching the majors in 1979. From 1971 to 1977, he was in the Kansas City Royals organization. A teammate on the 1972 San Jose Bees was 19-year-old George Brett. Roy spent parts of four seasons with teams in San Jose, and parts of three with the Jacksonville Suns. He had a notable year in 1975 when, split between two teams, he went 13-7. When he came to the majors with the Seattle Mariners in 1979, he was 25, the same age as fellow pitcher Rick Honeycutt. Roy started both his games, and each time pitched 5 2/3 innings. In the second game, against the Milwaukee Brewers, the first four batters he faced were Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Cecil Cooper and Gorman Thomas.

In 1989, he played for the Orlando Juice of the Senior Professional Baseball Association. In 1990, he pitched for the Florida Tropics, pitching 7 games and going 2-1 before the league folded.

"Branch reportedly had loads of talent but battled arm trouble." - Royals Review [1]

"The Royals drafted a guy named Roy Branch in the first round, and he only asked for $30,000, so I got $25,000." - George Brett, about signing as a draft pick with the Kansas City Royals in 1971 [2]