Ty Griffin facts for kids

Tyrone "Ty" Vontrace Griffin was born on September 5, 1967. He is an American former professional baseball player. Ty was a talented second baseman. He played in minor league baseball for many years. He also played for the United States national baseball team in big international competitions.

Ty Griffin's Baseball Journey

Ty Griffin had an exciting career in baseball. He played in college, for his country, and in professional leagues.

College Star

Ty went to C. Leon King High School. After high school, he studied at the Georgia Institute of Technology. While there, he played baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team. They were part of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Ty was a fantastic player in college. He was named an All-ACC second baseman. This means he was one of the best players in his college league. He also won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the 1988 Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament.

Playing for Team USA

Ty Griffin was chosen to play for the United States national baseball team. This was a huge honor! He competed in two major international events:

• The 1987 Pan American Games
• The 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea

At the 1988 Summer Olympics, Ty and his team won a gold medal in baseball. This was a very special achievement for him and his country.

Professional Baseball Career

After his great college and international play, Ty started his professional baseball journey.

Drafted by the Cubs

The Chicago Cubs baseball team noticed Ty's talent. They picked him in the first round of the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft. He was the 9th player chosen overall!

Ty started playing professionally in 1989. His first team was the Peoria Chiefs in the Class-A Midwest League. Later that year, he moved up to the Charlotte Knights in the Class-AA Southern League. Baseball America magazine even said he was the 22nd best young player in all of baseball before the 1990 season.

Moving to Other Teams

Ty played for the Winston-Salem Spirits and the Charlotte Knights in 1990 and 1991. After the 1991 season, the Cubs traded Ty to the Cincinnati Reds.

The Reds sent Ty to play for their team, the Chattanooga Lookouts. After one season, the Reds released him. Ty then played in independent baseball leagues. These leagues are not directly connected to Major League Baseball teams. He played for the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks and the Sioux City Explorers in 1993.

In 1995, Ty signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for their team, the Arkansas Travelers. He returned to independent baseball in 1996 and 1997, playing for the Grand Forks Varmints.