Scott Bakkum

Scott Gregory Bakkum

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 205 lb.
• School University of Minnesota
• High School Aquinas High School (La Crosse)

• Born November 20, 1969 in La Crosse, WI USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Scott Bakkum played in the minor leagues from 1992 to 1996, all but one half-season in the Boston Red Sox organization. He was first drafted in the 23rd round of the 1988 amateur draft, by the Red Sox, coming out of high school, and the Sox drafted him again four years later, in the 30th round of the 1992 amateur draft, after he completed his senior year at the University of Minnesota.

He began his pro career in 1992 with the GCL Red Sox then after 4 games was promoted to the Winter Haven Red Sox of the Florida State League. It was with Winter Haven on August 23rd that he was involved in a historic game, as he and future major leaguer Andy Carter of the Clearwater Phillies both pitched a no-hitter in a game won 1-0 by Clearwater. It was believed to be the first such game in the minor leagues in 40 years, when Jim Mitchell and Frank Etchberger had pulled off the feat in a game in the New York-Penn League. The only run scored in the 7th inning on two walks and two sacrifice bunts, the second one a successful squeeze, as he walked 3 and struck out 3 in 8 innings. Scott's combined record that first season was 1-4, 4.66. In 1993, he spent the entire season with the Lynchburg Red Sox of the Carolina League and had a good season, finishing 12-11, 3.77 in 26 games as a starter, with 98 strikeouts in 169 2/3 innings. He set personal bests for wins, innings pitched and strikeouts that season, but there was one red flag as he allowed 201 hits. That tendency came back to bite him the following season, 1994, as he appeared with three teams - Lynchburg, West Haven and the AA New Britain Red Sox of the Eastern League. his record fell to 4-14, with an ERA of 581 and 164 hits allowed in 128 2/3 innings.

As will often happen with pitchers who show some promise but put up a poor record as a starter in the minors, he was moved to the bullpen in 1995 and he was excellent. He started off with Boston's new AA affiliate, the Trenton Thunder, going 6-4, 1.34 in 28 games, then was promoted to the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox where he continued to pitch well, going 1-0, 1.71 in 12 games, to finish with a combined 1,47 ERA in 73 innings. However, he did not get a call-up to the majors, then got off to a poor start in 1996, going 4-2, 6.09 in his first 14 games for Pawtucket. On June 9th, he was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in return for OF Lee Tinsley. He was assigned to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons after the trade but couldn't turn things around as he went 1-5, 6.06 in 30 games the rest of the way. It was his final professional season.