Selected by the Houston Astros early in the 1987 draft, University of Hawaii center fielder Dan Nyssen spoke to The Honolulu Star-Bulletin about his prospects for going pro.
"I'm happy with the Astros, I was expecting it," Nyssen told The Star-Bulletin. "I talked with (Astros scout) Reggie Waller a week ago and they sounded like they were the most interested in me at the time."
Nyssen signed and turned pro. His pro career lasted four seasons as frustration eventually replaced the happiness. He topped out at AA.
Nyssen's career began that year in 1987, taken by the Astros in the seventh round of the draft out of Hawaii. He played his high school ball at Eisenhower High School in his hometown of Yakima, Wash.
He started with the Astros at short-season Auburn. He saw 73 games and hit .315
He then moved to single-A Osceola and single-A Asheville for 1988. He hit .253 over 84 games between them.
Nyssen returned to Osceola for 1989 and most of 1990. He also saw 18 games at AA Columbus in 1990. He hit .218 there. That April, The Osceola News-Gazette featured Nyssen and his leadership.
"Dan was kept here for a very key purpose, and that was to lead the club on and off the field," Osceola general manager Pat O'Conner told The News-Gazette. "At this point, two weeks into the season, he has done an admirable job. He's had several key hits for us, and he's been a leader by example."
That October, he looked forward to 1991, The Star-Bulletin wrote. He also looked forward to leaving Osceola behind.
"There's no reason why I shouldn't be in Double A next year," Nyssen told The Star-Bulletin. "I played every day this year and led the team (Osceola) in RBIs."
But, by the end of that next spring training, Nyssen was ready to go home. His hoped-for assignment to AA turned into another trip to Osceola. He asked for and received his release, he told The Star-Bulletin.
"I didn't really want to do it and they didn't really want to give it to me, but they did," Nyssen told The Star-Bulletin. "I was sick and tired of going nowhere. It wasn't very good for my ego. I felt I was in a no-win situation."
Nyssen soon returned home to Yakima and went into pest control. The Yakima Herald-Republic spoke to him in 2015 as owner of Valley Pest Control on the topic of roof rats.
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- Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 21, 1987: Astros pick Rainbows' Nyssen
- Osceola News-Gazette, April 21, 1990: Astros' Dan Nyssen a leader
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Oct. 24, 1990: Trying to move up can be real tough
- Honolulu Star-Bulletin, June 8, 1991: Frustrated Nyssen asked for release
- Yakima Herald-Republic, Oct. 12, 2015: Here's more fallout from the mild winter - rats
Made the Majors:1,397-32.3%
Never Made Majors:2,928-67.7%-X
10+ Seasons in the Minors:351
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