Tommy Dean

Tommy Douglas Dean

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 165 lb.
• High School Iuka High School
• Debut September 17, 1967
• Final Game September 30, 1971
• Born August 30, 1945 in Iuka, MS USA

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Biographical Information

Tommy Dean signed for a large bonus in 1964, and played four years in the majors leagues. He was primarily a shortstop.

Signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1964, he played at various times in the minors for the St. Petersburg Saints and at Spokane and at Albuquerque. He never hit over .268 in the minors or had more than six homers.

He came up to the majors for 12 games with the Dodgers at age 22 in 1967. The Dodgers mostly used Gene Michael and Dick Schofield at shortstop that year.

Early in the 1969 season, Dean was traded to the San Diego Padres, and he was their chief shortstop in their inaugural season. He appeared in 101 games and hit .176/.251/.245, making only 9 errors in the field.

In 1970, he was in 61 games, hitting .222/.271/.304. The following year, 1971, his last in professional baseball, he was in 41 games as a back-up for San Diego.

"Virtually certain to stay with the Dodgers is Tommy Dean, a $60,000 bonus baby from Iuka, Miss., one of the most exciting young shortstops to come into the National League in years. 'No player has ever reminded me so much of Pee Wee Reese at the same age', says Bavasi. 'And no one is going to get him away from us in any draft.' " - Sports Illustrated, March 29, 1965