Baseball Hall of Fame Members - Mike Piazza - Unisex Long Sleeve Shirt

Mike Piazza As a baseball underdog, it doesn’t get much more challenging than being a 62nd round draft choice. But in less than 30 years, Mike Piazza went from the 1,390th player chosen in the 1988 MLB Draft to a plaque in Cooperstown. Along the way, Piazza firmly established himself as one of the greatest hitting catchers in the history of the game. Born Sept. 4, 1968 in Norristown, Pa., Piazza had baseball connections from the start. His father, Vince, grew up in the same Norristown neighborhood as Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda. After attending the University of Miami and Miami-Dade Community College, Piazza was taken in the 62nd round by the Dodgers – on the recommendation of Lasorda – in 1988. A first baseman in college, Piazza moved to catcher with the Dodgers. After a couple tough years in the minors – including a season in which he briefly quit the game – Piazza established himself as a top prospect by hitting 52 home runs combined during the 1991 and 1992 seasons. He was c