Baseball America named Boo Moore one of the top 25 high school prospects in the nation in early 1988 and then his average started to drop, The Los Angeles Times wrote.
Teams started to pitch him differently, or just around him, due to his notoriety, The Times wrote, but his coach at Nogales High, John Romano believed he'd be just fine.
"He's had a difficult time, but I still think he's going to be a great pro," Romano told The Times that May. "These scouting directors look at Boo's size and that's the thing they like. He's the highest ranked player we've ever had. He's got the tools, no question about it."
Moore soon did turn pro, directly out of Nogales. He played eight seasons. He topped out at AA.
Moore's career began that year in 1988, taken by the Red Sox in the 10th round of the draft out of Nogales in La Puente, Ca. Moore was also credited by his given middle name, Sean Moore. His full name is Meredith Sean Moore.
Moore started with the Red Sox in the rookie Arizona League. He hit .276 over 28 games. He then played in the rookie GCL and at single-A Winter Haven for 1989, hitting .221 over 40 games.
He played 1990 entirely at Winter Haven, at high-A. He saw 123 games and hit .255. He played at high-A Lynchburg for 1991 and 1992.
Moore made the league All-Star game in July 1991 and went 3 for 4 in the game and scored a run, The Durham Herald-Sun wrote.
"I was just lucky tonight, I guess," Moore told The Herald-Sun after that game. "I've been practicing extra b.p., and tonight I got some pitches I could hit."
Moore made AA New Britain for 1993. He hit .209 in 96 games there. He then saw 17 games back at Lynchburg in 1994 to end his Red Sox career.
Moore then moved to independent Dakota in the Prairie League for 1995. When he arrived there, Moore told The Bismarck Tribune what to expect.
"I'm not an average hitter," Moore told The Tribune. "I've been expected to hit home runs as long as I've played. I'm going to drive in runs and hit home runs ... no doubt about it."
Moore hit .348 over 71 games, with 20 home runs there to end his career.
- Los Angeles Times, May 12, 1988: Nogales Slugger Has a Dream - Majors
- Durham Herald-Sun, July 25, 1991: All-Star win goes to Taylor
- Bismarck Tribune, May 30, 1995: Rattlers pick up real slugger
Made the Majors:1,301-33.3%
Never Made Majors:2,605-66.7%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:528
10+ Seasons in the Minors:326
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