This is a list of baseball players who went directly to the major leagues. They are distinguished as a group by having made their North American professional baseball debut with a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise without having previously played at the professional level. After their major-league debuts, many of these players appeared in professional leagues other than MLB.
Included are multiple "bonus babies" who were signed under the bonus rule, in force intermittently between 1947 and 1964, which obligated major-league teams to keep players awarded large signing bonuses on their rosters. Excluded are players who, prior to their major-league debut, appeared in any professional baseball game, such as within Minor League Baseball, Negro league baseball, professional leagues outside of North America (such as Nippon Professional Baseball), or independent baseball leagues. A player who participated only in offseason developmental baseball (such as winter league baseball) is not excluded.
The practice of players directly joining a major-league team has become increasingly rare since the major-league draft was instituted in 1965, as only 24 drafted players have accomplished the feat. The most recent player to accomplish the feat is pitcher Ryan Johnson, who made his debut in 2025 with the Los Angeles Angels.
Players
Listed below are baseball players who did not play baseball professionally before their major-league debuts. The players are grouped by era: the early years of baseball, "bonus babies" (circa 1947–1964), and players selected in the major-league draft (1965–present). A few players who have accomplished the feat since World War II were neither bonus babies nor draft selections; they are listed independently.
Each of these players, with the exception of Charlie Faust, Eddie Gaedel, and Herb Washington, first played amateur baseball in an organized sports league, typically at the high school or college level. Faust played two games with the 1911 New York Giants, essentially as a good luck charm under manager John McGraw. Gaedel, who stood 3 feet 7 inches (1.09 m), played one game with the 1951 St. Louis Browns, as a gimmick of owner Bill Veeck. Washington, who played for the Oakland Athletics in the mid-1970s, was put under contract by owner Charlie Finley due to his experience as a world-class sprinter.
Early years
The below players are known to have advanced directly to the major leagues between the start of the modern baseball era (considered 1900) and the creation of the bonus rule in 1947. Listed alphabetically.
Several of the below made their debuts due to a shortage of players during World War II. Examples include Joe Nuxhall, who went on to pitch in over 500 major-league games, and Harry MacPherson, who appeared in a single game in 1944. Multiple of the listed players made their debuts with the Philadelphia Athletics, as longtime manager Connie Mack "relied largely on an informal network of old ballplayers, high school and college coaches, and other friendly sources" to find players.
Note that some major-league players listed in some sources as having never played in the minor leagues are excluded here, as they played semi-professionally before their major-league debuts. Examples include Milt Gaston and Danny MacFayden. Other players, whose statistics are incomplete or appear to indicate that they did not first play in the minor leagues, are known to have played professionally prior to their major-league debuts. Examples include Wayne Ambler.
Bonus babies
These players advanced directly to the major leagues while being subjected to baseball's bonus rule, which required teams to place any player who received a signing bonus of greater than $4,000 on their major-league rosters. The rule was in force intermittently from 1947 through 1964, most notably from 1953 through 1957. Not all players who were subjected to the bonus rule went on to play in the major leagues. There were also instances of teams avoiding the bonus rule, such as by having a player sign their contract with a minor-league affiliate. "Bonus babies" who did make their major-league debuts without playing in the minor leagues are listed below, alphabetically.
Draft selections
A total of 24 players have accomplished the feat after being selected in a major-league draft, the first of which occurred in 1965. Listed chronologically.
Source:
Other players
Listed here are players who have debuted directly in the major leagues since World War II without playing professionally beforehand and without being subjected to the bonus rule or being selected in the major-league draft. Listed alphabetically.
Notes
References
