Mike Hessman has more home runs than Cal Ripken, Mike Piazza and Joe DiMaggio, and there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of him. That’s because all 433 of his 447 homers have come in the minor leagues.
Yup, Hessman is essentially the real-life version of Kevin Costner’s character in Bull Durham; the clever, not quite burned out veteran who breaks the all-time minor league home run record after spending decades in the farm system.
For Hessman, who hit the record-breaking home run earlier this month, the journey only took 2,080 minor league games, 7,484 at-bats, 3,489 total bases and 2,353 strikeouts, all of which began in 1996 — Yup, a 19-year-career in the minors.
While he’s currently an infielder for the Triple-A Toledo Mudhens (Detroit Tigers’ farm system), Hessman has had a taste of the major leagues.
Congrats @MudHens Mike Hessman on breaking the all-time @MiLB HR record in grand slam fashion tonight! #HomeRunKing pic.twitter.com/tnOgBDrDcG
— MiLB Communications (@MiLB_PR) August 4, 2015
The 37-year-old has had MLB stints with the Braves, Tigers and most recently the Mets, racking up a meager 250 career plate appearances, batting only .188 but with 14 bombs. His last call up was in 2010 for New York when he appeared in 32 games.
So you wanna see the actual tater? Of course you do.
Here is the man, knocking the record-breaking home run in tremendous fashion — a grand slam to break a tie.
Hessman has a career .233 average to go with his 433 career home runs in the minors.
Hessman has noted this will be his last season as a player. There is a small hint that the Tigers might talk about calling him up in September when rosters expand to give him one final hurrah. So do your good deed for the year and give Detroit a call and tell them you want to see Hessman in uniform!
Buzz Arlett, who played in the minors from 1918 to 1937 held the previous record.
Josh Helmuth is the editor of CraveOnline Sports.
