Danny Klassen | |||
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Shortstop | |||
Born: Leamington, Ontario |
September 22, 1975 |||
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MLB debut | |||
July 4, 1998, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 25, 2003, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .226 | ||
Home runs | 6 | ||
Runs batted in | 23 | ||
Teams | |||
Daniel Victor Klassen (born September 22, 1975) is a former American professional baseball infielder. He played four seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks and one season with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Klassen attended high school at John Carroll Catholic High School in Fort Pierce, Florida. He was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the 1993 Major League Baseball draft.
In 1993, Klassen made his professional debut at the age of 17. He began with the Rookie–level Arizona League Brewers, appearing in 38 games and batting .222 with two home runs and 20 runs batted in. He stole 14 bases and was caught stealing three times. Klassen finished the 1993 season with the Helena Brewers, also a Rookie–level team. In 18 games with Helena, Klassen hit .200 and drove in three runs.
Klassen spent the 1994 season with the Single-A Beloit Brewers of the Midwest League. In 133 games, his average climbed to .260 and he totaled 6 homers, 54 RBI, and 28 stolen bases in 42 attempts. The following year, Klassen remained in Beloit and only appeared in 59 games. He batted .275 and tallied a pair of home runs, 25 runs batted in, and 12 stolen bases.
For the 1996 season, Klassen was promoted to the of the California League. He made 118 appearances and posted a .269 average. Klassen hit two homers, drove in 46 runs, and stole 14 bases in 22 attempts.
Klassen joined the El Paso Diablos for the 1997 season. Playing in the AA–level Texas League, Klassen appeared in 133 games and his average rose to .331, which would prove to be a career–high. Klassen drove in 81 runs, also the most of his career, while hitting 14 home runs and stealing 16 bases. Klassen's best statistical season in the Brewers organization was also his last. On November 18, 1997, Klassen was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in an expansion draft.