Steve Gasser

[Brock Beauchamp]

Steve Gasser was a second-round draft pick of the Twins in the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft. He was drafted as an 18-year-old straight out of high school in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Gasser stood 6’3” and was a right-hander who threw with some speed. In the minor leagues, he produced a high strikeout per inning pitched but also had a high WHIP and a losing record each season. Nevertheless, he marched up the minor league ladder to Class AAA Portland in 1987. Once there, he suddenly lost control, walking 16.1 per nine innings. He began the 1988 season back in class AA, started one game, walked all six batters he faced, got no outs, and that was the end of his season. He was simply unable to throw strikes. After the 1988 season, Gasser was traded to the Mets in a package with two other pitchers for second baseman Wally Backman and a pitcher, Mike Santiago, who never threw a pitch in the Twins system. Gasser went from being untouchable to being a part of a package for players without much left to offer. Backman was the Twins' main second basemen in 1989 but had a pathetic .591 OPS and was allowed to leave as a free agent in the offseason without the Twins putting up much of a fight. 

After being traded from the Twins, the big right-hander did not pitch in 1989. In 1990, Gasser appeared in 24 innings for Class A teams in the Mets and Braves systems. His combined ERA was 11.25, and his WHIP was 2.833. He was done. 

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