Ty Griffin facts for kids

Tyrone Vontrace Griffin, born on September 5, 1967, is an American who used to play professional baseball. He was a second baseman, which is a key position on the field. Ty Griffin played in what's called "minor league baseball" and also represented the United States on their national baseball team in big international games.

Ty Griffin's Baseball Journey

High School and College Years

Ty Griffin went to C. Leon King High School. After that, he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology. While at Georgia Tech, he played baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets baseball team. They were part of a sports group called the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

College Achievements

Ty was a fantastic player in college. He was chosen as an All-ACC second baseman. This means he was one of the best players in his position in the entire conference. He was also named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1988 ACC baseball tournament. This award goes to the player who performs the best in the tournament.

Playing for Team USA

Ty Griffin was a part of the United States national team. He helped represent his country in two major international events.

Pan American Games

First, he competed in the 1987 Pan American Games. This is a big sports event for countries in the Americas.

Olympic Games

Next, he played in the 1988 Summer Olympics. The Olympics are the biggest sports competition in the world. Playing for your country in the Olympics is a huge honor for any athlete.

Professional Baseball Career

Drafted by the Cubs

After his college and international success, Ty Griffin was chosen by a professional team. The Chicago Cubs picked him in the first round of the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft. Being a first-round pick means teams thought he was one of the best young players available.

Starting in the Minor Leagues

Ty began his professional journey in 1989. He played for the Peoria Chiefs in a league called Class-A Midwest League. Later that same year, he moved up to the Charlotte Knights. They played in a higher league, Class-AA Southern League.

Top Prospect

Before the 1990 season, a magazine called Baseball America rated Ty Griffin very highly. They said he was the 22nd best young player in all of baseball. For the next two years, 1990 and 1991, he played for both the Winston-Salem Spirits and the Charlotte Knights.

Moving to the Reds

After the 1991 season, the Cubs traded Ty Griffin to the Cincinnati Reds. A trade means one team sends a player to another team. The Reds sent Ty to their team in the Southern League, the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Independent Baseball

After playing for the Reds, Ty Griffin joined some "independent" baseball leagues. These leagues are not connected to Major League Baseball teams. He played for the Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks and the Sioux City Explorers in 1993.

Later Career

In 1995, Ty signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for their team, the Arkansas Travelers, in the Double-A Texas League. He also played as a "replacement player" during spring training that year. He returned to independent baseball in 1996 and 1997. During those years, he played for the Grand Forks Varmints.