A Third Round Pick from Washington State, John Olerud is one of a handful of players who never played in the Minors before tasting the Majors.

Playing only a handful of games in 1989, the First Baseman was used in a platoon in 1990 and 1991, but it was evident that Olerud was ready to take it over full-time.  Olerud was their everyday First Baseman when they won their first World Series in 1992, and he was one of the best players in the AL the following season when the Blue Jays repeated as champions.  

Olerud was still good over the next three seasons, though he was not as offensively potent.  Olerud won the 1993 Batting Title (.363) and led the league in OBP (.473), OPS (1.072), OPS+ (186), and Doubles (54).  He finished third in MVP voting, and this was his only season as a Jay where he went to an All-Star Game.  Toronto traded Olerud to the Mets as part of an overhaul, leaving the organization with 910 Hits, 109 Home Runs, and a Batting Average of .293.  Olerud was also inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

There are many people who think of John Olerud only as the guy who wore a batting helmet in the field, which he did so to protect his skull, as he had a brain aneurysm as a teenager.  He was undoubtedly a lot more than that!

Olerud came up through the Blue Jays system and would become their starting First Baseman in 1992, after platooning for three years.  Having never played a game in the minors, Olerud would help Toronto win the World Series in back-to-back seasons (1992 & 1993), with 1993 being incredibly impressive.  In that season, he would win the Batting Title (.363) and would also lead the American League in On Base Percentage (.473), OPS (1.072), and Doubles (54). 

Olerud would not have another year like that, but there was a lot left for him to offer.  He had three more .300 Seasons (one with the New York Mets and two with Seattle), was an All-Star for a second time in 2001, and overall had five 20 Home Run Seasons, with 255.  

Defensively speaking, Olerud was one of the best at his position.  He would win the Gold Glove three times and would finish either first or second in Total Zone Runs for First Basemen seven times.

John Olerud had previously won a Batting Title and two World Series Rings with the Toronto Blue Jays, and he would also have a productive run with the New York Mets.  His renaissance would, however, take place in the city of Seattle.

John Olerud was only with the New York Mets for three seasons, but the already two time World Series Champion subtly racked up a lot of hits, including a 1998 season where he batted .354 and finished 12th in MVP voting.  Overall, Olerud had an excellent Slash Line as a Met of .315/.425/.501, which is an incredible number that propelled him to this rank.