Brian Cofer went from fielder to pitcher in 4 seasons

Brian Cofer got off to a slow start to his pro career, but his old baseball coach Lothian Smallwood believed Cofer would come around, he told The Selma Times-Journal in July 1988.

"He has tremendous speed, very strong and he has a tremendous arm," Smallwood told The Times-Journal. "His weakest point is his hitting, but he can improve on that as time goes on."

Cofer played at that point as an infielder. But the Indians tested out Cofer's arm, turning him into a pitcher. His pitching career lasted three seasons. He made high-A.

Cofer's career began that year in 1988, signed by the Indians as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Montevallo in Alabama.

Cofer started with the Indians in the rookie Gulf Coast League, as an infielder. He hit .259 in 45 games.

Cofer then isn't credited as playing in 1989, but he returned for 1990, as a pitcher. He saw 15 appearances between the GCL and short-season Watertown. He went 1-2 over 15 games, two starts, with a 4.01 ERA.

He moved to single-A Columbus for 1991. He saw 41 relief outings there, with a 7-3 record and a 2.62 ERA. He also had 12 saves. 

He picked up his sixth save that year in a May contest, getting it on a key sacrifice bunt attempt where he threw out the lead runner, The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer wrote.

"It wasn't routine," Cofer told The Ledger-Enquirer of the bunt play. "(But) I was a middle infielder, so I came up throwing."

Cofer started 1992 at high-A Kinston, but moved mid-season to the Brewers and single-A Beloit. He went 1-2, in 12 outings at Beloit, with a 5.09 ERA to end his career.

Cofer soon returned home to Alabama, coaching his children and others. In October 2023, he passed away at the age of 57.

Updated April 2024

• Selma Times-Journal, July 13, 1988: Two Patriots make the minors
• Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, May 21, 1991: Win moves Indians into 3rd-place tie

More: The 1990 Watertown Indians

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:4,219
Made the Majors:1,384-32.8%
Never Made Majors:2,835-67.2%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:562
10+ Seasons in the Minors:345

More 1990 Minor Leaguers:

 - Troy Clemens found baseball in college, saw 7 seasons, 5/17/17
 - Stan Cliburn played, managed, cared for players' careers, 9/4/16
 - Jeff Clifford played single season, in Athletics system, 3/19/14

 - Steve Cline played six seasons, then saw years as coach, 1/28/15
 - Jim Clinton played anywhere over 7 seasons, made AAA, 5/24/14
 - Casey Close saw 5 seasons, AAA, later became top agent, 9/21/11
 - Pete Coachman got his callup in 1990, saw 16 ML games, 11/28/10
 - Marvin Cobb helped in relief at Bend, saw 4 seasons, 5/17/15
 - Tony Coble played one pro season, then joined the Army, 7/14/20
 - Dave Cochrane overcame bad infection to make majors, 12/6/11