Daryl Blanks played 3 pro seasons, later coached youth ball

Daryl Blanks hoped to make his Hudson River Whalers youth baseball team competitive with teams in the weather-favored South and the West.

And he was trying to do it in weather-challenged Upstate New York.

"That's the main goal of the Whalers," Blanks told The Hudson Register-Star in 2011, after his 14U team lost in the league championship game, but looked forward to another tournament. "Play a lot of games."

Blanks knew what it was like to come out of the Northeast. He did it and turned pro. His professional career, though, lasted just three seasons, never making AA.

Blanks' professional career began in 1988, taken by the Braves, out of Grambling State University. He went to Grambling out of Hudson High School.

In college, Blanks played his summers in nearby Schenectady, in the Northeast Collegiate Baseball League's Mohawks. Overall, he played three seasons there.

With the Mohawks, Blanks knocked three singles in a June 1986 contest, and did it again in a June 1987 game.

With the Braves, Blanks played 1988 at rookie Idaho Falls. He hit .307 over 67 games. He also knocked in 34 and stole 32. He helped lead off the scoring in a June 1988 game with a lead-off double.

Blanks moved to single-A Burlington in 1989, but his average dropped. Over 93 games, Blanks hit .209. His stolen base total also dropped to four.

Blanks returned to Burlington for 1990, but he only got into 48 games. He hit just .203, knocked in 11 and stole just one base. It was his final year as a pro.

Originally published Jan. 23, 2014

• Schenectady Gazette, Oct. 4, 1988: Mohawks Had Three Alumni Playing Pro Ball This Year
• Hudson Register-Star, July 27, 2011: 14U Whalers fall in championship

More: The 1990 Burlington Braves

More 1990 Minor Leaguers

 - Kevin Blankenship saw 3 ML seasons, became worst enemy, 6/22/10
 - Daryl Blanks played 3 pro seasons, later coached youth ball, 1/23/14
 - Tony Blasucci won praise upon AA promotion, passed in 2014, 5/31/11
 - Ron Blazier made bigs ahead of schedule, saw two seasons, 7/24/17

 - Greg Blevins had big college day, played two pro seasons, 8/25/20

 - Pete Blohm had good Augusta season, played seven total, 3/16/13

 - Greg Blosser saw 22 ML games in two seasons, also Japan, 2/26/23 

 - Jim Blueberg proved a late bloomer, saw six pro seasons, 8/11/12
 - Brad Bluestone was trainer in Louisville in pros, college, 2/28/12
 - Rob Blumberg proved strikeout pitcher early, saw 4 seasons, 10/24/13