Frank Campos got win in long game, saw 9 seasons, made AAA

Frank Campos came on late in this July 1988 game and picked up the win, according to The Associated Press.

That is, he came in late, as in to start the 19th inning - and he still pitched three innings to pick up the victory in the South Atlantic League's longest game in league history, The AP wrote.

Campos finished out that game in his second season as a pro. He went on to play in six more. He made AAA, but he didn't make the bigs.

Campos' career began in 1987, signed by the Cubs as an undrafted free agent out of his native Venezuela.

Campos started with the Cubs at rookie Wytheville. He got into 18 games, started two and saved four.

He moved to single-A Charleston for 1988 and most of 1989. He went 9-13 in 1988 and 2-11 in 1989. He picked up a loss in a late-May 1989 game to start the season 1-5. He also saw two outings that year at single-A Winston-Salem.

Campos started 1990 at single-A Peoria, but was soon traded to the White Sox for Bill Long. He played out the year between single-A South Bend and short-season Utica.

He played 1991 back at South Bend. He had a tough inning in an April game, giving up runs on a dropped ball at home and a single. Overall, he went 7-9, with a 4.28 ERA.

He made AA Birmingham in 1992 and AAA Nashville in 1993. He gave up two walks and hit two batters in the first inning of an April game. He went 7-5 over 19 starts, with a 3.55 ERA, but he didn't see Chicago.

Campos played one more season over three levels with the White Sox to end his minor league career. He's later credited with playing at least two seasons in Mexico, for Saltillo, Nuevo Laredo and Minatitlan in 1996 and 1997.

Originally published Oct. 29, 2018

• Burlington Times-News, Associated Press, July  12, 1988: 21-inning game

More: The 1990 Utica Blue Sox

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:3,609
Made the Majors:1,247-34.6%
Never Made Majors:2,362-65.4%
5+ Seasons in the Majors:520
10+ Seasons in the Minors:306