Mike Harkey – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Mike Harkey wrapped up his baseball career in 1997, closing out almost a decade in the major leagues. He pitched nine seasons in MLB from 1988 to 1997, suiting up for five teams: the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, California Angels, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Harkey’s numbers might not scream Hall of Fame, but his career really shows the grit it takes to stick around in pro baseball.

Born October 25, 1966, in San Diego, California, Harkey got picked in the first round of the 1987 MLB draft by the Chicago Cubs. Injuries often slowed him down, but he still managed to put together a solid run as both a starter and reliever. After he retired in 1997, Harkey jumped into coaching, eventually landing as a pitching coach in the San Diego Padres organization from 2000 to 2005.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Harkey’s path to professional baseball started with standout high school performances that caught college scouts’ eyes. He kept developing his pitching skills in college, which eventually led to his MLB draft selection.

High School Achievements

Mike Harkey went to Ganesha High School in Pomona, California, where he quickly became a dominant pitcher. With his tall frame and a strong arm, he was hard to miss on the mound. His fastball regularly hit impressive speeds, making life tough for high school batters.

In his senior year, Harkey picked up All-League honors and led his team to a conference championship. His stats? Pretty wild—several shutouts and an ERA under 2.00.

He didn’t just focus on baseball, either. Harkey played basketball, using his height to his advantage. That multi-sport background definitely helped his overall athleticism, which paid off in his baseball career.

College Baseball Experience

After high school, Harkey went on to play for Cal State Fullerton. As a Titan, he worked on his pitching mechanics and added more pitches to his arsenal. His coaches helped him shift from just throwing hard to actually pitching smart.

Each year, Harkey improved, and by his junior season, he was the ace of the staff. He showed off his control and could go deep into games.

College ball was a big deal for Harkey’s growth. He faced tougher hitters and learned how to handle pressure. His success at Cal State Fullerton got him noticed by pro scouts, who started showing up regularly at his games.

Scouting and Draft Selection

Scouts loved Harkey’s mix of size, strength, and pitching instincts. At 6’5″, he looked imposing on the mound and got natural downward movement on his pitches.

Reports raved about his fastball and his developing breaking stuff. What really stood out was his competitiveness and calm in big moments. No wonder he became such a hot prospect.

The Chicago Cubs grabbed Harkey with the fourth overall pick in the 1987 MLB Draft. That high pick showed the Cubs really believed he could become a top starter in the majors. After signing, Harkey jumped right into their minor league system.

Minor League Development

Mike Harkey’s climb to the majors really showed off his talent as he moved through the Cubs’ farm system. His early progress set the stage for his nine-year MLB career.

Initial Progress in the Minor League System

Harkey started his pro journey after the Cubs picked him fourth overall in the 1987 MLB Draft, following his strong run at Cal State Fullerton. At 6’5″ and 220 pounds, he quickly stood out as a power pitcher with lots of promise.

He started with the Cubs’ Class-A team, where his fastball and developing off-speed pitches caught the organization’s attention. Harkey’s rookie year looked good—he showed decent control and struck out plenty of batters.

Cubs coaches worked closely with him, helping him fine-tune his mechanics and build stamina. When he was on the mound, his size alone intimidated hitters in the minors.

Key Performances and Advancement

Harkey’s quick rise through the minors made it clear why scouts couldn’t stop talking about his potential. In 1988, he put up big numbers at Double-A, mixing his power fastball with sharper breaking pitches.

He earned a move to Triple-A and kept impressing, even against more experienced hitters. During this stretch, Harkey worked on:

• Sharpening his pitch selection
• Gaining better command of the strike zone
• Building up for longer outings
• Adding movement to his fastball

By spring training in 1989, Harkey was already competing for a big-league spot, though the Cubs played it safe with their top prospect. His minor league stats showed he was almost ready for the majors, with a low ERA and a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Transition to Major League

Harkey’s impressive minor league run earned him his first big-league call-up in 1988 with the Cubs. He showed flashes of the raw talent that got him drafted high, but, like most young pitchers, he had to adjust to MLB hitters.

That adjustment period wasn’t always smooth, but his minor league experience helped. The jump in competition made him work even harder on his approach.

By 1990, Harkey had really settled in at the major league level, bouncing back from earlier struggles. He leaned on the lessons from his minor league days, showing why he was a first-round pick.

The Cubs’ development process turned Harkey into a pitcher who would go on to play for several teams over his nine-year MLB career, which wrapped up in 1997.

Major League Debut and Early Career

Mike Harkey started his pro baseball journey as the fourth overall pick in the 1987 draft by the Cubs. People had high hopes for him, and he didn’t take long to climb through the minors.

Chicago Cubs Tenure

Harkey debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1988. At 6’5″ and 220 pounds, he cut a pretty intimidating figure on the mound. Early on, he flashed the potential that made him a first-rounder.

His first full season came in 1990, and he went 12-6 with a 3.26 ERA. That year really put him on the map as a promising young starter for the Cubs.

Unfortunately, shoulder problems kept getting in his way and ended up shaping his career path. Even with those challenges, Harkey stayed a valued part of the Cubs’ staff until 1993.

Role in the Starting Rotation

As a starter, Harkey looked like he could be a real frontline guy. He had a power fastball and some decent breaking stuff—when he was healthy, hitters had trouble with him.

That 1990 season was his most consistent as a starter. He made 27 starts and pitched nearly 174 innings, both career highs. It was a glimpse of what he could have been if injuries hadn’t slowed him down.

The Cubs’ coaches tried to keep his shoulder healthy, tweaking his mechanics and watching his workload to get the most out of him.

Earning a Spot on the Major League Roster

Harkey’s shot at the majors came after a strong college run at Cal State Fullerton and a quick trip through the minors.

After being drafted in 1987, Harkey only spent parts of two seasons in the minors before getting called up to Chicago. That fast rise showed both his talent and the Cubs’ faith in him as a future rotation anchor.

Competition in the Cubs’ system was tough, but Harkey’s size, power, and smarts helped him stand out among prospects. The organization hoped he’d be their ace for years.

Pitching Style and Notable Performances

Mike Harkey’s pitching style and some memorable outings defined his nine-year MLB career. Even though he battled shoulder injuries, Harkey still had moments where he really shined.

Fastball and Velocity

Harkey’s game centered on his powerful fastball, which sat in the low-90s during his best years with the Cubs. In 1990, he kept his ERA at 3.26 over 27 starts—no small feat.

When he felt good, Harkey could reach 94-95 mph with his fastball, making it his go-to pitch. Teammates often talked about how he could keep his velocity up even late in games.

“Mike had natural movement on his fastball that made it tough for hitters to square up,” one former Cubs coach said. “When his shoulder wasn’t acting up, he could just overpower guys.”

He mixed in a slider and changeup, but those never quite matched his fastball. When healthy, his delivery looked smooth and let him generate a ton of power, despite those shoulder issues.

Using Radar Guns

Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, radar guns were becoming a big thing in baseball. Scouts and coaches tracked Harkey’s velocity, which often gave hints about his health.

The Cubs’ pitching staff used radar readings to keep tabs on Harkey’s rehab progress after his shoulder injuries. They’d watch his numbers closely to see if he was getting back to his old self.

Analysts pointed out that when Harkey pitched through pain, his fastball would drop 3-4 mph—a pretty clear sign he wasn’t 100 percent.

Fans at the ballpark got in on it too, checking the scoreboard for his velocity and cheering when he hit the upper 90s.

Memorable Games and No-Hitter Attempts

Harkey never threw a no-hitter in MLB, but he came close a few times. His best shot came on June 25, 1990, when he held the Expos hitless into the seventh before Tim Wallach broke it up.

That night, Harkey struck out eight and showed off his command and velocity.

Another big game came in April 1991, when he shut out the Pirates, giving up just three hits and striking out seven. He went the distance, proving he could still bring it when everything clicked.

Even with injuries cutting his career short, Harkey finished with some solid numbers, including a career-best 12 wins in 1990. During his peak, you could see his confidence on the mound—just a shame those shoulder problems kept him from reaching his full potential before he retired in 1997.

Challenges and Injuries

Mike Harkey’s baseball career hit some rough patches thanks to a series of tough physical setbacks. He kept fighting, though, and his determination to push through those injuries says a lot about his resilience as an athlete.

Tendinitis and Throwing Shoulder Issues

Early in his career, Harkey developed tendinitis in his throwing shoulder during spring training. At first, he tried to handle it on his own and didn’t tell the team’s medical staff.

“I tried to work it out by myself,” Harkey said, and honestly, that choice probably made things worse.

This shoulder weakness kept coming back and haunted him throughout his career. Scouts and analysts often described Harkey as a “well-regarded pitcher with a weak shoulder,” which really held him back on the mound.

The Chicago Cubs drafted Harkey in the first round back in 1987, hoping for big things. But those nagging shoulder problems kept him from ever quite reaching the heights they’d imagined.

Bounce Back Following Surgery

Harkey bounced back from a string of injuries that might’ve ended a lot of other pitchers’ careers. On June 25, he tore cartilage in his right knee during a game at Syracuse. He had surgery a month later and missed the rest of that season.

Then, in a bizarre twist on September 6, Harkey ruptured his patella tendon after trying a cartwheel during pregame warmups at Wrigley Field. That ended his season fast.

He didn’t let these injuries stop him. Harkey pushed through rehab programs, and his patience in recovery got him back on the mound. Still, he had to adjust his pitching mechanics to work around his history of injuries.

Impact on Career Longevity

Harkey’s injuries really shaped his nine-year MLB run from 1988 to 1997. He pitched for five different teams—the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics, California Angels, and others—but his performance always seemed tied to how his body felt.

His shoulder and knee problems made it tough to keep up his velocity and command. That pattern—get hurt, work back, try again—sort of defined his whole pro life.

Pitchers live and die by their health, and Harkey’s career stats show both the good times when he felt strong and the rough patches when he was just trying to get back.

He never became the dominant ace some expected, but he stuck it out through a lot, managing to help several MLB teams before he finally called it quits in 1997.

Team Transitions and Career Highlights

Mike Harkey’s career took him all over the league, and he filled a bunch of different roles. He adapted wherever he went, which made him useful to a handful of teams.

San Diego Padres and Dodgers Stints

Harkey’s work with the San Diego Padres mostly came after he stopped playing. After retiring in 1997, he took on pitching coach duties in the Padres organization from 2000 to 2005. That move into coaching really showed how much he understood pitching and the game itself.

He never actually pitched for the Padres, but his Southern California roots ran deep—he was born in San Diego on October 25, 1966, and that connection shaped his path.

People sometimes linked him to the Dodgers, but he never played for them. Instead, his California ties showed up with the Oakland Athletics and California Angels.

Yankees and Role as Long Reliever

With the New York Yankees, Harkey found his place as a long reliever. He’d come in when starters struggled early, eating up innings and saving the bullpen. That’s not the flashiest job, but he did it well.

The Yankees counted on him to keep things steady in tough spots, and he usually delivered. He worked efficiently, often giving his team a real shot to stay in games.

Later, Harkey joined the Yankees’ coaching staff as bullpen coach under Joe Girardi, someone he’d worked with before. That connection kept him close to the game long after his playing days.

Encountering Notable Opponents

During his nine seasons (1988-1997), Harkey went up against plenty of big names. He never faced Hall of Famer Bob Gibson—Gibson retired before Harkey even reached the majors—but Harkey did compete against some of the best hitters of his era.

He shared a rotation with Rick Sutcliffe on the Chicago Cubs. Sutcliffe, who won the 1984 NL Cy Young, probably gave Harkey a few pointers along the way.

The late ‘80s and ‘90s were wild for pitchers—offense exploded, and Harkey had to find ways to survive. He pitched for several clubs, including the Cubs, Rockies, Athletics, and Angels, and those experiences gave him a front-row seat to some of baseball’s best talent.

Retirement in 1997

By 1997, Mike Harkey’s body had just about had enough. Years of injuries caught up to him, and he decided to step away from the game.

Decision to Retire

Harkey retired from baseball in 1997 after his last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. At 31, he’d gone through a lot—shoulder surgeries, knee injuries, the works. He’d shown flashes of the talent that made him the Cubs’ first-round pick in 1987, but he just couldn’t get back to that level.

His final MLB appearance didn’t make headlines. It was a quiet end for a guy who once looked like he might be a star.

He joined plenty of other players retiring in the 1990s, a time when lots of talented athletes left the game.

Reflections on Career Achievements

Even with all the injuries, Harkey put together solid career numbers. He finished with a 36-36 record, 370 strikeouts, and a 4.49 ERA over 131 games, pitching for five teams:

• Chicago Cubs (1988-1993)
• Colorado Rockies (1994)
• Oakland Athletics (1995)
• California Angels (1995)
• Los Angeles Dodgers (1996-1997)

His best year came in 1990 with the Cubs: 12-6 record, 3.26 ERA. That season showed what he could do when healthy.

Harkey took pride in battling back from injuries, even if he never became an All-Star. He stuck with it, fighting through setbacks, and kept finding ways to help his teams.

After retiring, Harkey shifted to coaching and found new ways to stay involved in the sport he’d called home for so long.

Coaching Career and Staff Roles

Once he hung up his cleats in 1997, Mike Harkey didn’t disappear from baseball. Instead, he built a respected coaching career across several organizations, taking on all sorts of roles.

Transition from Player to Coach

Harkey spent a little time away from the game after retiring, but before long, he came back as a coach. He started out in the Padres’ farm system, working as pitching coach for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2000.

He kept honing his teaching skills with the Fort Wayne Wizards in 2001 and 2003. Those early coaching years let him pass on what he’d learned as a player and figure out how to help young pitchers grow.

Moving from player to coach felt like a natural step. Harkey’s grasp of pitching mechanics and game strategy made him a real asset to any organization.

Pitching Coach and Bullpen Coach Positions

Harkey’s big break as a coach came with the Florida Marlins in 2006, working under Joe Girardi. That partnership paid off—Girardi later brought Harkey to the Yankees.

From 2008 to 2013, Harkey served as the Yankees’ bullpen coach, teaming up with pitching coach Dave Eiland and hitting coach Kevin Long. He helped build one of baseball’s best bullpens and was part of the 2009 World Series-winning staff.

After his Yankees stint, Harkey joined the Arizona Diamondbacks coaching staff, adding another chapter to his coaching resume. Players respected his steady hand and deep knowledge, and he earned a reputation for developing pitchers and managing bullpens effectively.

Personal Life and Legacy

Mike Harkey managed to balance his baseball career with a full personal life, and his influence on the sport went way beyond the box scores. Even after his playing days, he found ways to give back and stay involved.

Influence on Teammates and Baseball Community

People respected Harkey for more than his pitching. He was known for his mentoring and his positive clubhouse presence. He always seemed willing to help younger players, focusing on fundamentals and mental toughness.

After playing, he put those same qualities into coaching. He worked with the Padres as a pitching coach from 2000 to 2005, helping to bring up the next wave of talent. Harkey didn’t force a single approach on everyone; he adjusted to each pitcher’s style.

Later, as the Yankees’ bullpen coach, he connected with relievers and helped them stay consistent during the grind of a long season.

Connection to the World Series

Harkey never won a World Series as a player, but his coaching career brought him close to the game’s biggest stage. With the Yankees, he got to be part of postseason baseball at the highest level.

As bullpen coach, he helped get relievers ready for those high-pressure October games. His time pitching for the Cubs in the early ‘90s gave him a sense of what playoff pressure felt like.

Players have mentioned how his calm demeanor helped settle nerves in stressful moments. His focus on preparation and mental strength really paid off in the postseason, where every detail can make the difference.

Life After Baseball

After his coaching days, Harkey mostly keeps his personal life out of the spotlight. He’s especially proud of his family—his son, in particular, chased his own dream in pro football as a tight end with the Rams.

The relationship between Mike and his son is pretty fascinating. They ended up in totally different sports, but both know what it’s like to compete at the top and push themselves to succeed. That shared drive must make for some interesting conversations at family gatherings.

When Harkey retired in 1997, he didn’t just step away—he jumped back in, this time as a coach. He took what he’d learned on the mound and started helping others, showing just how much he really gets the game.

You can see his impact in the pitchers he’s guided and the advice he still gives. Some people just can’t leave the game behind—and honestly, why should they?