Ed Larregui, Running Hard - 3300

Trying to break himself out of high-A in 1994, Ed Larregui seemed to be doing a good job of it.

By the end of June, he was hitting .297 at high-A Daytona, according to The Orlando Sentinel. He'd also knocked in 48. 

''This is me,'' Larregui told The Sentinel in early July. ''I'm running hard and hustling. This is what they've wanted from me. I've proved that. I got in my mind I'd have to look good, concentrate on hitting and moving the runner over.''

By the end of the year, Larregui was in AA Orlando. Orlando, though, would be as high as Larregui would get. In a career that spanned eight seasons, Larregui never made the majors.

Larregui's career began in 1989, taken by the Cubs in the seventh round, out of Villa Fontana High School in his native Puerto Rico. Larregui is also known by his full first name, Edgardo Larregui.

With the Cubs, Larregui hit the field first in 1990, the 17-year-old playing at rookie Huntington. He hit .186 there, with two home runs.

He moved to short-season Geneva for 1991, improving his average to .248. For 1992, he was at single-A Peoria with a .287 average.

For 1993, Larregui made high-A Daytona. His batting averaged then dropped back to .237. After playing 1994 between Daytona and AA Orlando, Larregui returned to Orlando for 1995. He hit .300 that year, with 11 home runs.

In a June 1995 game, Larregui knocked in three runs, one of them the game-winner. He also got praise from his manager, Bruce Kimm, according to The Sentinel.

"He's been one of our most consistent players all year,'' Kimm told The Sentinel. ''Ed is . . . definitely on his way up the hill."

For Larregui, though, it ended up being his final full season in the Cubs organization. He played 17 games back at Orlando in 1996 before moving to the White Sox and AA Birmingham. He played one more season in independent ball, at Aberdeen in the Prairie League, ending his career short of the bigs.

• Orlando Sentinel, July 3, 1994: Larregui's Hustle Speaks For Itself
• Orlando Sentinel, July 16, 1995: Larregui Gets Extra Punch From Leg Kick

1990 CMC-Pro Cards Tally 
Players/Coaches Featured:1,233
Made the Majors: 693 - 56.2%
Never Made Majors: 540-43.8%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 297
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 177