The first Topps Vault images of one of the Angels' near-misses, Bill Merrifield, were unveiled today. Named to the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame and a member of the ACC's 50th Anniversary team, Merrifield was a second-round pick of the Angels in 1983 after the shortstop was named the ACC's Player of the Year as both a sophomore and junior and earned first team All-America status.
He seemed well on his way after a .272-29-97 year in Class A Peoria in his first full pro season, then drove in 91 runs and made it all the way to Triple-A in 1985. At the end of yet another productive '86 season (.283-19-76), he was traded to the Pirates for second baseman Johnny Ray. At the end of spring training in '86, he found himself shuttled off to the Rangers for catcher Dave Sax. And the magic was gone: in 90 games that year, he hit .222 with only four homers in his final pro season. He still hit 94 homers in his pro career.
Now the regional director for athletic development for his alma mater, Bill might soon get a chance to be the father (and agent) of a major leaguer. His son, Whit Merrifield, drove in the College World Series-clinching run for South Carolina in 2010 and was subsequently drafted by the Royals. He just completed his first full season in Triple-A in 2015.
