Mitchell Page – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Mitchell Page exploded onto the baseball scene in 1977, delivering one of the most memorable rookie seasons in Oakland Athletics history. Things changed pretty quickly after that, though. As a left-handed outfielder and designated hitter, he made an instant impression, becoming just the second player in Major League Baseball history to smack 20 home runs and swipe 40 bases in his debut year. That’s a club that would later include Mike Trout and Corbin Carroll—pretty good company, right?

Page played eight years in the majors, from 1977 to 1984. He spent seven of those seasons in Oakland’s green and gold before wrapping up his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. During his rookie campaign, he hit .307, launched 21 home runs, and stole 42 bases. That effort earned him second place in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, losing out only to Hall of Famer Eddie Murray. He also set an American League record for consecutive stolen bases without getting caught—26 straight.

But after that hot start, Page’s numbers dropped off, and he never really found that same magic again. His journey from breakout star to role player, and then eventually into coaching, really shows how unpredictable baseball careers can be.

Mitchell Page’s Early Life and Background

Mitchell Otis Page grew up in a working-class family in Los Angeles, where he started showing his baseball skills early. During his high school years in Compton, he played alongside guys who’d end up in the majors too.

Birth and Family

Mitchell Otis Page was born October 15, 1951, in Los Angeles, California. His dad, Artis Page, worked as a machinist, and his mom was Odessa Page (née Webb).

He grew up with four siblings—two older sisters, Jeannette and Lola, a twin brother named Michael, and a younger sister, Debbie.

His parents split up when he was still young, but his dad stayed involved in his baseball life. Artis would show up at the house every evening after work to play catch with Mitchell and Michael.

Mitchell’s friends never knew about his parents’ separation. Those daily games of catch with his dad helped keep things feeling normal.

Education and Early Baseball Experience

Mitchell went to Centennial High School in Compton, California. He starred as an outfielder on the baseball team, playing next to Al Cowens, who also made it to the majors.

He played in several youth baseball leagues—Little League, American Legion, Connie Mack. Those experiences really shaped him as a teenager.

Scouts noticed his high school performance. The Oakland Athletics drafted him in the fourth round of the January 1970 draft while he was still in school.

Instead of signing right away, Page chose to keep studying. He enrolled at Compton Community College after graduation.

Path to Professional Baseball

After Compton Community College, Mitchell transferred to California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. He played college ball there during the 1972 and 1973 seasons.

Page built a strong offensive partnership with Wayne Gross, who later joined him on the Oakland A’s. “We were a one-two punch, he batted third and I batted fourth,” Gross remembered. “We roomed together on college road trips.”

The Pittsburgh Pirates picked Page in the third round of the 1973 draft after his junior season. Gross went to Oakland in the ninth round that same year.

Page signed with Pittsburgh and jumped into pro ball. He started with Salem in the Class A Carolina League, then moved to Charleston in the Western Carolinas League. He played 18 games there and hit .277 before an injury cut his first season short.

Major League Career Overview

Mitchell Page played eight seasons in the big leagues from 1977 to 1984. He spent seven years with the Oakland Athletics and finished with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over 673 games, he hit .266 with 72 home runs and 259 RBIs, mostly as an outfielder and designated hitter.

Debut With the Oakland Athletics

Page made his MLB debut on April 9, 1977, for the Oakland Athletics at 25. He stepped in as left fielder after Joe Rudi left, joining a team that was rebuilding after their early 1970s championships.

Oakland got Page in a big trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 15, 1977. The deal brought Page, Tony Armas, Doc Medich, Doug Bair, Dave Giusti, and Rick Langford to Oakland for Phil Garner, Chris Batton, and Tommy Helms.

Page wasted no time making an impact. He started his rookie year with an eight-game hitting streak and a .500 average, helping Oakland start 7-1. Just two weeks in, he grabbed American League Player of the Week honors on April 17th.

Peak Years and Notable Achievements

Page’s rookie season in 1977 put him on the map as one of baseball’s brightest young stars. He finished with a .307 average, 21 homers, 75 RBIs, and 42 steals. Only one other rookie in MLB history had ever hit 20+ home runs and stolen 40+ bases.

He picked up a few awards for his efforts:

• Sporting News Rookie of the Year
• Second place in AL Rookie of the Year voting (behind Eddie Murray)
• Fourth in AL with 6.1 Wins Above Replacement
• Fourth in AL with .926 OPS

Page broke Don Baylor’s American League record by stealing 26 bases in a row without getting caught. He earned his second Player of the Week award on September 2nd to close out his rookie year.

In 1978, he followed up with a .285 average, 17 home runs, and 70 RBIs. During the 1978-79 Venezuelan winter league, he led Navegantes del Magallanes to the Caribbean Series title and took home MVP honors.

Transition to the Pittsburgh Pirates

Page’s numbers took a dive in his later years with Oakland. A contract dispute with owner Charlie Finley during 1979 spring training led to a suspension and affected his play. Injuries forced him to become a designated hitter, as he lost range in the outfield.

Here’s how his stats looked:

• 1979: .247 average, 9 home runs, 42 RBIs
• 1981: .146 average, 4 home runs, 13 RBIs (strike-shortened season)

He spent most of 1982 with Triple-A Tacoma and was on the disabled list in 1983. The Athletics released him during spring training in 1984, ending his run with Oakland.

Retirement in 1984

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who originally drafted Page, signed him to a minor league deal after Oakland let him go. He got into a few games as a pinch hitter in August 1984, hitting .333 in 12 at-bats with three walks.

Page played his last major league game on September 30, 1984, at 32. He spent 1985 with Pittsburgh’s Triple-A club in Hawaii before being released, closing the book on his playing days.

Career Statistics Summary:

• Games: 673
• Batting Average: .266
• Hits: 560
• Home Runs: 72
• RBIs: 259
• Stolen Bases: 104
• On-base Percentage: .346
• Fielding Percentage: .963

Playing Style and Positions

Mitchell Page adjusted his game as his career went on, shifting from an athletic outfielder to mainly a designated hitter when injuries slowed him down. His lefty bat and speed made him a real asset offensively, no matter where he played.

Designated Hitter Role

Page’s move to designated hitter happened in 1979 when injuries made it tough for him to play the outfield. The A’s kept him in the lineup for his bat, taking away most of his defensive duties.

He struggled to keep up his offensive numbers as a DH. His average dropped to .247 with nine home runs in 1979. The switch came during a contract standoff with owner Charlie Finley.

Page never regained his rookie-year form as a designated hitter. He fought for consistency at the plate, especially in the strike-shortened 1981 season when he hit just .146.

Still, the DH role let him stick around in the majors despite his injuries. In his last season with the Pirates in 1984, he mostly pinch hit, batting .333 in a handful of at-bats.

Outfield Skills and Contributions

Page started out as Oakland’s left fielder, taking over for Joe Rudi in 1977. His speed and athleticism made him a solid outfielder early on.

He really showed off his base-running ability as a rookie. Page set an AL record with 26 straight stolen bases without getting thrown out, finishing that season with 42 steals.

His mix of power and speed was pretty rare back then. In his rookie year, he became just the second player ever to reach 20 homers and 40 steals.

As injuries piled up, Page lost his range in the outfield. By 1979, he had to move to designated hitter, ending his days as an everyday outfielder after just three seasons.

Career Statistics and Milestones

Mitchell Page put up some strong offensive stats in his eight years in the majors. He hit .266 with 72 home runs and 259 RBIs in 673 games. His best year was 1977, when he finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting and swiped 42 bases for the A’s.

Batting Records and Home Runs

Page’s biggest year at the plate came in 1977. He hit .307 with 21 home runs and 75 RBIs over 145 games.

That season, he racked up 154 hits and scored 85 runs. He got on base at a .405 clip and slugged .521, giving him a .926 OPS.

Career home run totals by season:

• 1977: 21 home runs
• 1978: 17 home runs
• 1980: 17 home runs
• 1979: 9 home runs

He hit 17 homers in both 1978 and 1980. In 1979, his power dipped, and he managed just 9 homers in 133 games.

Over his career, Page collected 560 hits in 2,104 at-bats. He added 84 doubles and 21 triples during his time in the majors.

RBI and Run Production

Page drove in 75 runs as a rookie in 1977, and that ended up being his career high for a single season.

He followed that with 70 RBIs in 1978 and 51 in 1980. In his later years with Oakland, his run production really tailed off.

Career RBI totals:

• 259 career RBIs over eight seasons
• 75 RBIs in 1977 (career high)
• 70 RBIs in 1978
• 51 RBIs in 1980

Page scored 297 runs in his MLB career. His best season for runs scored was 1977, with 85.

He crossed the plate 62 times in 1978 and 58 times in 1980. Page’s knack for getting on base and scoring made him a key part of the A’s offense.

Stolen Bases and Fielding Stats

Page swiped 42 bases in 1977, which ended up as his career high. That year, he got caught stealing just 5 times, so he managed an impressive 89% success rate.

After that, his stolen base numbers dropped. In 1978, he stole 23 bases but got caught 19 times, so his efficiency really took a hit.

Career stolen base numbers:

• 104 career stolen bases
• 55 times caught stealing
• 42 stolen bases in 1977 (career high)
• 23 stolen bases in 1978

Page mostly played left field and also filled in as a designated hitter. In 1977, he racked up 14 errors over 133 outfield games, which gave him a .954 fielding percentage.

Things got better for him in 1978, when he made only 6 errors across 114 games. If you look at Page’s defensive statistics, he was solid, though nobody would call him a defensive wizard.

Post-Retirement Involvement in Baseball

After his playing days ended in 1984, Mitchell Page stayed close to the game. He jumped into coaching and shared his hitting knowledge with several organizations, but especially the St. Louis Cardinals, where he helped shape some future stars.

Transition to Coaching

Page kicked off his coaching career back in the Pacific Northwest. From 1992 to 1994, he worked as hitting coach for the Tacoma Tigers.

That Triple-A gig gave him his first real shot at teaching the skills he’d picked up as a player. Page found the move from player to coach pretty natural, honestly.

His time as a DH and outfielder gave him a unique perspective on hitting. He seemed to really get the mental side of batting, which, let’s be honest, trips up a lot of guys at the pro level.

In 1995, the Kansas City Royals brought him up as their first base coach. He stuck with the Royals through 1997, picking up major league coaching experience.

That job let him work hands-on with players during games and keep sharpening his coaching chops.

Roles as Hitting Instructor

By the late ‘90s, Page really leaned into his role as a hitting instructor. In 1998, the St. Louis Cardinals hired him to coach hitters for their Triple-A team, the Memphis Redbirds.

He made an impression in the minors, and Cardinals management took notice. In 1999, they bumped him up to minor league hitting coordinator.

That new role put him in charge of hitting instruction throughout the Cardinals’ whole farm system. He worked with prospects at every level, helping shape the next wave of Cardinals hitters.

Page really hammered home the basics and the mental approach to hitting. In 2006, he wrote “The Complete Manual of Hitting” and shared his methods with players and coaches beyond the Cardinals.

The book captured years of his experience—both in the batter’s box and in the dugout.

St. Louis Cardinals and Beyond

Page got his biggest break when the St. Louis Cardinals named him major league hitting coach halfway through the 2001 season. He dove right in, working closely with rookie Albert Pujols, who ended up winning National League Rookie of the Year.

With Page on board, the Cardinals offense took off. In 2004, they led the National League in batting average, runs, and slugging percentage.

That offensive surge helped them reach the World Series, even if they did lose to the Boston Red Sox.

After 2004, Page left the Cardinals to get alcohol treatment. He came back in 2005 as a minor league hitting instructor for the Washington Nationals.

The Nationals promoted him to major league hitting coach in 2006. He left in May 2007, again for personal reasons.

In 2010, Page returned to the Cardinals organization for one last coaching stint. He worked with the Quad Cities River Bandits but left in May, which pretty much marked the end of his baseball career.

Legacy and Personal Life

Mitchell Page made his mark on the game, especially as a hitting coach for young players. His battles with alcohol shaped his later years in coaching.

He kept his family life mostly private until his death in 2011.

Influence on Teammates and Players

Page’s biggest contribution to baseball probably came as a coach with the St. Louis Cardinals. During the 2001 season, he worked side by side with rookie Albert Pujols, helping guide him to the Rookie of the Year award.

The Cardinals’ offense under Page really stood out. In 2004, they led the National League in batting average, runs scored, and slugging percentage.

Page also wrote “The Complete Manual of Hitting“ in 2006. That book summed up his wisdom and approach to hitting for future players.

He always pushed fundamentals and consistency. Players who worked with him often said he could break down complicated hitting mechanics into something simple and easy to understand.

Recognition and Honors

Page picked up some impressive achievements, even though his career wasn’t the longest. In 1977, he earned Sporting News Rookie of the Year and finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.

He set an American League record by stealing 26 consecutive bases without being caught, edging past Don Baylor’s record of 25.

Page became just the second player in MLB history to notch 20 home runs and 40 stolen bases as a rookie. Only Tommie Agee had done it before him, back in 1965.

He called his Caribbean Series MVP award in 1979 with Navegantes del Magallanes “the biggest thrill of his baseball career.”

Personal Life, Family, and Passing

Page grew up in Los Angeles and went to Centennial High School in Compton, California.

He shared the field with Al Cowens, who later made it to the majors, during those high school years.

Alcoholism really took a toll on his coaching career. After the 2004 World Series, Page decided to leave his job with the Cardinals and checked into an alcohol treatment facility near his home in Oakland.

He had a son, Kyle Page, who played baseball at Brevard Community College.

You might’ve spotted Page in the 1994 Disney movie “Angels in the Outfield.” He played the Angels’ first baseman, “Abascal,” which is a fun little detail.

On March 12, 2011, Page died peacefully in his sleep in Glendale, Arizona at age 59.

His family didn’t immediately share the cause of death.