Bobby Thigpen (2020) - Hall of Fame

Bobby Thigpen

Induction:
2020
Class:
1985

Bobby Thigpen spent two seasons as a Diamond Dawg and left quite the legacy behind. Before State, Thigpen played two years at the junior college level. After, he came to play outfield for the Bulldogs and was a part of of Mississippi State's 1985 College World Series team, recording a .305 batting average and saving seven games during the season. Right after State, Thigpen was drafted in the fourth round to the Chicago White Sox. During his 1993 season, Thigpen was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies and pitched in the World Series for Philadelphia. His professional career lasted almost ten years, and Thigpen's 201 career saves rank him 55th on the all-time saves list.

After appearing in 53 games in his first season on campus – most of which came in the outfield – Thigpen set the standard for what the college baseball two-way player would look like during his second season in Starkville. In two seasons, Thigpen appeared in 118 career games, which included jogging from the outfield to the pitcher's mound on 29 occasions.

The right-hander tallied a then-school-record seven saves during the 1985 College World Series season and carried a .306 batting average. For his career, Thigpen drove in 101 runs, hit seven home runs and was credited with seven saves and one victory. He fanned 49 batters in 42 innings of work on the mound in 1985, while also posting career highs for average (.306), hits (70), runs scored (46), home runs (9), total bases (109), walks (40) and RBIs (56).

One of five Bulldogs selected in first 10 rounds of 1985 Major League Baseball Draft, Thigpen was taken during the fourth round by the Chicago White Sox. His nine-year MLB career included a 1990 All-Star selection and 1990 Rolaids Relief Pitcher of the Year award. He posted a then-MLB record 57 saves in 1990, a record which stood for 18 seasons. Overall, Thigpen amassed 201 saves and 31 victories in 448 appearances with three MLB organizations. He also spent three seasons as a coach in the White Sox organization, most notably serving as the bullpen coach for the White Sox after making his way through the ranks in the minor leagues.