Name: Chad Kreuter
Rank: 127
Position: C
Years With White Sox: 1996-1997, 1998
Following the 1995 season, the White Sox signed Chad Kreuter to back up incumbent starter Ron Karkovice. He appeared in only 46 games before his season came to a premature end on July 19 due to a home plate collision with the Royals’ Johnny Damon. Kreuter suffered a shattered shoulder socket and a lacerated stomach, which nearly claimed his life. Surgery tried to repair the shoulder, but Kreuter was told he would likely never play baseball again.
When Kreuter started to regain strength in his arm in mid-October, he dedicated himself to making it back to the big leagues. General Manager Ron Schueler offered him a minor league deal for 1997, with a chance to earn a roster spot in spring training. He not only earned his way onto the roster, but had supplanted Karkovice as the everyday catcher by mid-May, when he was traded, along with Tony Phillips, to the Angels for Jorge Fabergas and Chuck McElroy.
Following the 1997 season, Kreuter re-signed with the White Sox and once again became the primary catcher. In September, for the second consecutive year, he was traded to the Angels, ending his White Sox career.
Kreuter’s numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:
