Arizona Wildcats: Top 30 athletes in school history

Aug 30, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres former closer Trevor Hoffman acknowledges the crowd during his Padres Hall of Fame induction ceremony as his wife Tracy (left, background) looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Former Arizona Wildcat Trevor Hoffman, a seven-time All-Star, and San Diego Padre Hall of Fame pitcher, played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons.

Trevor Hoffman had a legendary career in the majors started with the Florida Marlins for one season, followed by 16 seasons with the Padres, ending his career with a couple seasons playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. The Padres retired his No. 51 jersey in 2011. Hoffman played alongside San Diego Padre Tony Gwynn for nine years, and after Gwynn had retired, he became the face of the Padres franchise.

His journey began when he was drafted in the 11th round by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1989 amateur draft. Three years later he was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 1992 expansion draft; he was then traded to the Sand Diego Padres.

Hoffman earned over $80 million during his MLB career. His career earned run average was 2.78; he recorded 1,133 strikeouts and 601 saves in the 1,035 games and 1,089 innings he pitched.

The MLB determines a relief pitcher each year for an award in Hoffman’s name. This year the ‘Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year’ award went to Pittsburgh Pirate reliever, Mark Melancon.

Hoffman was not offered a scholarship out of high school, partly because of his height and partly because he was missing a kidney that was taken out when he was six weeks old. He grew three inches, and Arizona picked him up making him sign a waiver in case something horrible happened to left kidney while playing.

The University of Arizona has a Hall of Fame Page for Hoffman on their website, here is an excerpt (note: Hoffman played shortstop on pitcher as a Wildcat):

"One of the most esteemed and well respected student-athletes in Wildcat baseball history, surprisingly during his time at Arizona, shortstop Trevor Hoffman led the Wildcats in hitting in 1988 and in 1989 and had a .371 batting average, which was 35 points better than his fellow teammate J.T. Snow. In 1989."

Hoffman has not forgotten his roots, and recently visited the University of Arizona and bumped into Arizona Football Director of Personnel Matt Dudek.

Trevor Hoffman is now a San Deigo Padre’s executive overseeing all pitching development in seven of the Padre’s minor-league affiliates in locations such as the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest and the Caribbean. Pitchers all over the world are benefitting from his advice.

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