Hot shot prospects that failed

[Steve Jeltz]

Were there any top flight Senator minor league prospects that were expected to do well, but failed in the majors? One name that jumps out to me is Frank Coggins. I don't know how highly regarded Coggins was, but as a late season call-up in 1967, he hit .307 in 75 AB. In 1968, he hit .175 in 171 AB and his career was essentially finished. Are there any others?

[TallIndian]

Alas, the Nats had numerous minor league stars that never made it to stardom in the big leagues.

Two come to mind almost immediately:

Richie Scheinblum was hitting close to .400 (with a .700+ slugging average) in the minors and then proceeded to hit .143 when called up to the majors. I believe he might have had .300 + season later in his career.

Mike Cubbage was a minor league phenom. The Post would often carry a paragraph about his exploits in A and AA ball. Never did much in the majors.

[welch]

- Dan Dobbek was going to be the 1960 version of Bob Allison. Hit about 24 HR's and about .300 at Chattanooga (?). Hit nothing in 1960

- Gerry Schoonmaker was the other "bonus baby" signed with Harmon Killebrew. Not quite a minor-league phenom, since the rules said that a bonus player had to be kept on the major league roster for a couple of years. Killebrew eventually went to the minors and came back in 1959 to hit 42 homers. Schoonmaker just went. Was he hurt? I can't remember.

[nl1899fan]

How about Gil Coan? I once read the Senators turned down a deal sending him to the Yankees for Mickey Mantle:eek:

[TallIndian]

Wow! It looks as if Gil Coan was the major league's last .500 hitter (in 1947).