Greg Cadaretnull – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Greg Cadaret, a gritty left-handed pitcher, carved out an 11-season run in Major League Baseball that wrapped up in 1998. Mostly known as a reliever, Cadaret bounced around seven different teams between 1987 and 1998, with a short break in the mid-90s. He threw his last MLB pitch for the Texas Rangers on September 26, 1998, then called it a career after a quick stint in the minors the following year. retired from professional baseball

He kicked things off with the Oakland Athletics, then made stops with the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers, among others. Cadaret may not have been a household name, but he became a steady bullpen presence, taking the mound in 451 games and finishing up with a 38-32 record. Cadaret’s contributions as a reliever really mattered to several teams during his long stretch in the majors.

After retiring, Cadaret stayed close to baseball, finding ways to give back to the sport that shaped his life. He’s put in time as a coach and worked in player development, showing that his love for the game didn’t end when he left the mound. ended in 1998

Early Life and Amateur Baseball

Greg Cadaret’s road to the big leagues started in his hometown near Detroit, Michigan, where he got hooked on baseball early.

Background and Hometown

Greg Cadaret was born on February 27, 1962, in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up in the Detroit area in the ‘60s and ‘70s, he found himself surrounded by baseball. With the Tigers right there and a city that lived and breathed the sport, it was almost inevitable.

As a lefty kid with a knack for pitching, Cadaret stood out. He worked hard, always looking to sharpen his skills.

Detroit’s competitive youth leagues threw him into the fire early, giving him a taste of what it took to face good hitters. Those years shaped the pitching style he’d carry into pro ball.

High School and College Baseball

Cadaret kept getting better through high school, and people started to notice his arm. He showed off solid control and mechanics, which set him apart.

After high school, he played college ball and really started to come into his own. Scouts started paying attention, and eventually, the Oakland Athletics picked him up in the 11th round of the 1983 MLB Draft.

That draft pick was a huge moment for Cadaret. College ball had helped him mature, both in his pitching and his approach to the game.

The jump from college to pro ball didn’t faze him much. He made the transition work, and before long, he was on his way to a career that would last over a decade in the majors.

Major League Debut and Rookie Season

Greg Cadaret kicked off his MLB career with the Oakland Athletics in 1987, quickly showing he could handle the pressure as a reliable left-handed reliever. His rookie season gave everyone a glimpse of what he’d bring to the table for the next 11 years.

First MLB Appearance

Cadaret debuted on July 5, 1987 for the Oakland Athletics. At 25, he joined a talented pitching staff in the American League. Standing 6’3″ and weighing 210 pounds, he definitely looked the part.

The A’s had picked him in the 11th round of the 1983 draft out of Grand Valley State University. He put in four years in the minors before finally getting the call.

Oakland mostly used him out of the bullpen that first year, and he proved he could get big outs when it mattered. His lefty delivery gave same-sided hitters all kinds of trouble.

Impactful Rookie Performances

Cadaret wasted no time earning the A’s trust with some gutsy outings. He looked calm, even in tight spots.

The 1987 A’s finished strong, and Cadaret’s work out of the pen helped keep things steady. He could strike guys out when it counted, which made him valuable.

He showed early on that he could go longer if needed, not just stick to short relief. That flexibility would help him stick around in the big leagues.

Cadaret’s rookie season set the tone for a career that would eventually take him to teams like the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Key Moments With the Oakland Athletics

Greg Cadaret’s big league story started with the Oakland Athletics, where he quickly became a go-to lefty reliever during a pretty wild era for the team.

Role as a Reliever

After his debut in 1987, the A’s leaned on Cadaret as a situational lefty. He showed up in 45 games his rookie year and posted a solid 3.88 ERA.

Cadaret could get ground balls and shut down left-handed hitters, fitting perfectly into Tony La Russa’s bullpen plans. He often came in with the game on the line, and he didn’t seem rattled.

He used a sneaky delivery and a sharp slider to keep hitters guessing. Cadaret worked alongside guys like Eric Plunk, helping bridge the gap to closer Dennis Eckersley.

By 1988, he had really settled in, making 33 appearances and punching out 38 batters in just over 52 innings.

1988 AL Pennant and World Series

Cadaret played a key role in the A’s run to the 1988 American League title. The team crushed the AL West with 104 wins, powered by the “Bash Brothers” duo of Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.

He pitched twice in the ALCS against Boston, helping Oakland clinch its first pennant in over a decade. His knack for getting lefties out paid off in the playoffs.

The World Series didn’t go as planned—the Dodgers took it in five, and everyone remembers Kirk Gibson’s famous homer off Eckersley.

Even though the A’s fell short, Cadaret’s work that year made him a trusted part of the bullpen. The experience he gained in the postseason would stick with him.

Famous Teammates and Management

Cadaret shared the clubhouse with some pretty legendary players in Oakland. Rickey Henderson came back in 1989, giving the lineup a jolt at the top.

Manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan helped Cadaret sharpen his approach. Their creative use of the bullpen made the most of his skill set.

The outfield had guys like Stan Javier, who could cover a ton of ground. General manager Sandy Alderson built a powerhouse by drafting and developing talent.

Cadaret played alongside future managers like Terry Collins and Ron Hassey, so the clubhouse was packed with baseball brains. That environment helped him grow before the A’s traded him to the Yankees in 1989.

Trades and Career Progression

Greg Cadaret’s 12-year MLB journey took him all over the league, as teams valued his left-handed arm enough to keep trading for him. He became a valuable trading piece for several organizations.

Move to the New York Yankees

The biggest move came in 1989. The A’s sent Cadaret, Luis Polonia, and Eric Plunk to the New York Yankees in exchange for Rickey Henderson.

Cadaret found a bigger role in New York’s bullpen. He pitched in 170 games over four seasons (1989-1992), mostly as a reliever, and faced off against AL East rivals like the Red Sox on a regular basis.

Those years in New York turned out to be the most stable part of his career. He bounced between spot starts and relief, giving Yankees managers a versatile option.

Involvement With Other Clubs

After leaving the Yankees, Cadaret bounced around the league. He played for seven MLB teams in total, including the Reds, Royals, and Blue Jays.

In 1994, he pitched for both the Blue Jays and Rangers. The next year, he landed with the Rangers and then the Tigers—a bit of a homecoming, since he grew up in Detroit. born in Detroit

He made his last MLB appearances with the Anaheim Angels in 1998. The Dodgers signed him in 1999, but he never made it back to the majors, finishing out with a short minor league stop before calling it quits.

Pitching Style and Signature Moments

Greg Cadaret’s eleven years in the majors featured a unique pitching mix and some pretty memorable games. Teams leaned on his left-handed delivery and his ability to keep his cool when things got tense. pressure situations

Fastball, Change, and Curve

Cadaret didn’t blow hitters away with velocity—his fastball sat in the high 80s or low 90s—but he made it dance, and he could put it wherever he wanted.

He paired that with a nasty curveball, especially tough on lefties. That breaking ball became his go-to pitch in big spots.

His changeup kept hitters guessing. Cadaret’s delivery, with its little hesitation and consistent arm angle, made it tough for batters to pick up what was coming.

Dave Duncan, the A’s pitching coach, helped him smooth out his mechanics early on, which probably helped him stick in the league as long as he did.

Notable Performances and Near No-Hitters

Cadaret never threw a solo no-hitter, but he played a part in some combined pitching gems. His best outing might’ve been with the Yankees in 1989, when he tossed 6⅓ innings of one-hit relief against Cleveland.

He also came up big in the 1988 World Series for Oakland, delivering clutch relief even though the A’s lost the series.

In 1991, he nearly made history as a spot starter for the Yankees, taking a no-hitter into the seventh against Detroit before giving up a single. That performance showed he could handle both starting and relief roles across his 451 career games. reliever in his 451 career games

He earned a bit of a “fireman” reputation for his knack for coming into games with runners on and wriggling out of trouble—the kind of thing relievers in his era prided themselves on.

Matchups Against Top Hitters

Greg Cadaret earned a reputation for giving even the best hitters a tough time. He seemed to have Barry Bonds’ number, holding the future home run king to a batting average well below .200 whenever they faced off.

He really made his mark going up against power hitters. Cadaret leaned on his breaking pitches, especially when the pressure was on, and he’d often get right-handed sluggers to roll over on ground balls at just the right moment.

There was one particularly odd but memorable showdown: Cadaret versus Nolan Ryan during interleague play. It’s not every day you see two pitchers square off at the plate, but Cadaret managed to strike out the legendary Ryan with a wicked curveball—one of those highlights that ended up on the nightly sports reels.

On the flip side, Danny Darwin just seemed to have Cadaret figured out. Darwin hit him well, and that matchup really showed off the chess game between pitchers and hitters that Cadaret always talked about.

Standout Games and Playoff Performances

Throughout his 11 years in the majors, Greg Cadaret delivered in high-pressure moments, especially during playoff runs with the Oakland Athletics.

Extra Innings and High-Pressure Outings

Cadaret built his name as a reliable reliever when the heat was on. With the Oakland Athletics, he seemed to thrive in extra innings, coming in and shutting down opponents when the game was hanging in the balance.

There’s that 1988 game against the Angels—late September, everything on the line. Cadaret came in during the 10th inning with runners aboard and struck out three straight batters to keep the game tied. The A’s pulled out the win in the 12th. That’s the kind of night that sticks with you.

He came up big during the A’s push for the AL pennant, too. In a crucial late-season game against a division rival, Cadaret threw 3.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen, helping Oakland hang on to its lead in the standings.

Game Six and Seven Highlights

Cadaret’s playoff outings showed how competitive he could get under the spotlight. In Game 6 of the 1988 ALCS, he tossed 1.2 key innings against the Red Sox, helping the Athletics punch their ticket to the World Series.

Even though the A’s lost to the Dodgers that year, Cadaret’s steady relief work throughout the postseason didn’t go unnoticed. He kept his cool—pretty impressive for a young guy in his first October run.

The next year, during the 1989 postseason, Cadaret chipped in again as the A’s made it back to the World Series. He’d come into games mid-inning and work out of tough spots, and manager Tony La Russa trusted him in those high-leverage situations in Games 6 and 7.

Across his 451 big-league appearances, Cadaret proved his value when the stakes were highest.

Achievements and Career Milestones

Greg Cadaret put together a solid MLB career that spanned 12 seasons and several teams. He moved between relief and starting roles, making himself useful wherever he landed.

Major League Career Statistics

Cadaret bounced around six different teams from 1987 to 1998. He appeared in 451 games, showing off impressive durability on the mound.

He wrapped up his career with a 38-32 record and a 3.99 ERA. He was no stranger to strikeouts, racking up 539 of them over his time in the majors.

Mostly coming out of the bullpen, Cadaret picked up 14 saves. His best years came with the A’s and the Yankees, both in the American League.

He pitched against some of the best hitters in baseball during an era when offense was king, so his steady numbers look even better in that light.

Awards and Honors

Cadaret never took home Gold Gloves or made an All-Star team, but sticking around in the majors for over a decade says plenty about his reliability.

He played for the 1988 Oakland A’s when they went to the World Series, which gave him valuable playoff experience early on. That run helped cement his place as a trusted bullpen arm.

After hanging up his spikes, Cadaret moved into coaching and managing, passing along what he’d learned to the next crop of players.

His career’s real highlights come from his steady performance and his knack for adapting to whatever role his teams needed.

Retirement From Major League Baseball in 1998

Greg Cadaret wrapped up his long baseball journey in 1998, closing out a 12-year big-league run. His last games with the Texas Rangers marked the end of a career spent wearing a lot of different uniforms.

Final Season and Last Game

Greg Cadaret finished up with the Texas Rangers in 1998. At 36, the lefty made his final appearance on September 26. The numbers from that last season showed a pitcher nearing the end—he just couldn’t find the consistency that had kept him in the league for so long.

His last outing came in relief, which felt right for a guy who’d spent most of his career in the bullpen.

The Rangers chose not to bring him back for 1999, and Cadaret joined the list of American League retirees that year. It wasn’t a big send-off, but that’s often how it goes for journeymen pitchers.

Reflections on Career Longevity

Cadaret’s 12 years in the majors showed just how persistent and adaptable he could be. Standing 6’3″ and weighing in at 210, he carved out a spot as a dependable reliever who could handle all sorts of situations.

He played for seven different organizations:

• Oakland Athletics
• New York Yankees
• Cincinnati Reds
• Kansas City Royals
• Toronto Blue Jays
• Detroit Tigers
• Texas Rangers

What stands out isn’t eye-popping stats but the way he managed to stay useful to major league clubs for over a decade. As his velocity faded, he tweaked his approach, leaning more on experience and pitch selection.

After retiring, Cadaret stayed close to the game, moving into coaching, including a stint at Simpson University. Going from player to coach just seemed like the natural next step for someone so committed to baseball.

Life After Baseball

Once he called it a career in 1998, Greg Cadaret didn’t stray far from the ballpark. He shifted smoothly into other roles, including broadcasting gigs and plenty of coaching work.

Broadcasting and Analyst Career

Cadaret used his big-league experience to carve out a modest career as a baseball analyst. He never became a national name in broadcasting, but he’s brought his pitching know-how to local sports networks and has done some guest spots, especially for Yankees and A’s coverage.

He’s got a straightforward way of explaining things, and his understanding of pitching mechanics makes him a good fit for TV production teams. Still, he never made media work his main gig—he picked up analyst jobs here and there while juggling coaching and family life.

Coaching and Community Involvement

Coaching turned out to be Cadaret’s real passion after playing. He’s coached at Simpson University and built a reputation for helping young pitchers develop their skills. He’s pretty hands-on, and folks who work with him say he’s all about giving back to the game.

In 2008, he stepped up as manager of the Outlaws, taking on leadership beyond just pitching. Before that, he spent some time raising his three kids on the family ranch in Shingletown after retiring in 1999.

Cadaret has stayed involved at the grassroots level too, running clinics and working with youth programs. His approach to coaching reflects the same work ethic and resilience that got him through 451 big-league games, a 38-32 record, and a 3.99 ERA.

Legacy and Influence on the Game

Greg Cadaret’s 11 seasons in the majors left a mark that goes beyond the numbers. The way he approached relief pitching and mentored others made a real impact on teammates and younger players coming up.

Impact on Teammates and Younger Players

Cadaret earned a reputation as a mentor, especially for young relievers trying to figure out how to handle late-inning pressure. With the Yankees, he shared the bullpen with future star Mariano Rivera, and helped set up routines that benefited the younger guys.

He always shared what he knew. Former teammates often mention how Cadaret taught them about pitch selection and mental preparation. As Don Mattingly put it, “Greg was always ready to help anyone who asked. He understood the game in ways many didn’t.”

After his playing days ended in 1999, Cadaret kept shaping players from the dugout, moving into coaching and helping develop pitchers at different levels of the game.

Contribution to Baseball History

Cadaret showed real durability and consistency as a reliever, racking up 451 career appearances. Honestly, his most memorable moment probably came in 1988, when Oakland traded him and Luis Polonia to New York for the legendary Rickey Henderson. That was a big move at the time.

He bounced between starting and relief roles, which made him pretty valuable to a bunch of teams. During a time when bullpens were starting to get more specialized, Cadaret helped bridge the old-school and new-school ways managers used their relievers.

Sure, he didn’t get the same spotlight as guys like Wade Boggs or David Wells, but Cadaret’s steady work—both in spring training and the regular season—definitely played a part in keeping things competitive for baseball in the late ’80s and through the ’90s.