Todd Azar

Todd R. Azar

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 218 lb.

• School Old Dominion University
• High School Cherry Hill East High School

• Born January 28, 1965

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Todd Azar spent two seasons in the minor leagues.

Azar was taken by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 30th round of the 1983 amateur draft as a high-school pitcher. He went on to college as an outfielder. Todd hit .486 for Old Dominion University in 1986, leading the Sun Belt Conference and taking home Player of the Year honors. Baseball America named him an All-American outfielder alongside Thomas Howard and Casey Close and ahead of Albert Belle and Paul Sorrento. Azar's 87 RBI were 7th in NCAA Division I between Matt Williams and Paul Sorrento and he was second in average. In the summer, he was Team USA's top performer at the plate, hitting .384/~.437/.585. Only two part-timers (one of them John Vander Wal) had a better average. His 40 runs tied Kevin Burdick for the team lead, he led in hits (61), was second in doubles (12), tied Steve Finley and others for second in homers (6, trailing Boi Rodriguez) and led with 38 RBI. In the 1986 Amateur World Series, he again outshone players like Finley, Dave Hollins and Bob Zupcic, batting .391 to tie Orestes Kindelan for 8th in the tourney. He slugged .696. The Milwaukee Brewers picked him in the 32nd round of the 1986 amateur draft and he opted to return for his senior year.

Undrafted as a senior, Azar finished as Old Dominion's all-time leader in average (.378), hits (301), RBI (258), doubles (65), homers (35) and total bases (487). He signed with the Seattle Mariners. Todd hit .289 as a pro in 1987 between the Bellingham Mariners and Salinas Spurs. He played for the 1988 Wausau Timbers, hitting .288/.345/.385 and had 12 assists in 61 outfield games. Azar tied Reggie Jefferson and Lenny Webster for 10th in the Midwest League in average. It was his last season in baseball.

Sources

• 1989 Baseball Guide
• 1988 Baseball Almanac
• 1987 Baseball America Statistics Report
• Old Dominion bio