Todd Dewey looked at new organization as new shot at bigs; Saw six seasons, made AAA

Todd Dewey made it to AAA with the Braves, but an injury suffered in a home plate collision set him back, The Los Angeles Times wrote. 

So, released part way into the 1990 season, Dewey signed with a new club, the Padres, and headed to high-A Riverside.

"Why sign in A ball?" Dewey said to The Times that July, repeating the reporter's question. "The way I look at it, it's another chance to go up again. I've seen guys go up and down awful fast. If the timing is right, things could work out for me."

Dewey soon went up to AA Wichita, but he didn't make it higher. That season, his sixth, proved his last as a pro.

Dewey's career began in 1985, taken by the Braves in the sixth round out of Cal Lutheran University.

Dewey started with the Braves at rookie Pulaski. The catcher saw 46 games and hit .261. He then moved to single-A Durham for 1986. He hit .239 there in 100 games.

In July 1986, Dewey assessed his pitcher Cesar Jimenez after a win to The Durham Herald-Sun.

"The reason he was so effective was he had all three pitches working," Dewey told The Herald-Sun of his hurler. "He got his fastball over, he got his slider over and he got his changeup over. It was fun catching him."

Dewey moved to AA Greenville for 1987. He hit .238 in 98 games. He then saw both Greenville and AAA Richmond in 1988. He played 24 games at Richmond and hit .150.

He returned to Durham for 1989 and caught a young Steve Avery as Avery threw a seven-inning, 1-0 shutout, The Herald-Sun wrote. 

"He showed me a lot in the last inning when he was in trouble," Dewey told The Herald-Sun of Avery. "A lot of 19-year-olds would have crumbled; he went right after them. That shows a lot at this stage in his career. Mental toughness: some guys never have it. You can't teach it."

Dewey hit .170 in 79 games at Durham in 1990. He then saw seven more in 1990 before moving to the Padres. He saw 20 games at AA Wichita and hit .260 to end his career.

• Durham Herald-Sun, July 9, 1986: Bulls
• Durham Herald-Sun, April 10, 1989: Bulls
• Los Angeles Times, July, 20, 1990: Wave

More: The 1990 Durham Bulls

1990 Minor League Tally 

Players/Coaches Featured:4,155
Made the Majors:1,372-33.0%
Never Made Majors:2,783-67.0%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors:557
10+ Seasons in the Minors:338