Scout Jay North assessed young Oregon State catcher David Schmidt and saw potential, enough so that North's St. Louis Cardinals took Schmidt late in the 1996 draft, The Salem Statesman-Journal wrote.
"He has good arm strength and good mobility," North told The Statesman-Journal of Schmidt that June. "He's a gamer. he likes to play the game. And he has some power."
Schmidt didn't quite make it, hitting AA in four seasons. But North never really made it as a player, either. But he did turn it into a long career in the game, first as a coach and then as a scout.
North's career began in 1980, taken by the Cardinals in the eighth round of the draft out of Ygnacio Valley High School in California.
North started at rookie Johnson City. The pitcher went 2-6, with a 5.13 ERA over 14 outings, 13 starts.
He moved to short-season Erie in 1981, then single-A Gastonia and Macon in 1982 and 1983. He went 11-5, with a 4.50 ERA in 30 outings at Macon.
North made AA Arkansas for two starts in 1985, then for 23 outings in 1986. He then played his final two seasons at single-A St. Petersburg. In 1987, he went 13-9, with a 2.67 ERA at St. Petersburg.
In August 1988, North's wife Anni was featured in a Tampa Bay Times article on baseball wives.
"I married a ballplayer, and I'm following his career," she told The Times. "We both have a dream, and my career right now is secondary."
North moved to coaching for 1989 at single-A Savannah. He coached at high-A St. Petersburg for 1990 and 1991.
He then turned Cardinals scout. He's credited as continuing as a scout through at least 2008, all with the Cardinals.
- Tampa Bay Times, Aug. 7, 1988: The No. 1 fans
- Salem Statesman Journal, June 5, 1996: Cardinals draft OSU catcher
Made the Majors:1,323-33.3%
Never Made Majors:2,648-66.7%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:541
10+ Seasons in the Minors:329
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