A well-regarded offensive and defensive outfielder, Shannon Stewart at age 19 was the #1 draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1992. After playing in the minors with St. Catherines, Hagerstown, and Knoxville from 1993-1995 he had a trial with the Blue Jays in the last month of the 1995 season, batted .211 in 12 games. He batted .298 in 1996 with Syracuse and later .178 in 7 games with Toronto. Showing his Speed on the Bases Playing only 44 games in 1997 with the Blue Jays Shannon Stewart burned shoe leather and ranked 5th in the entire American League in triples with 7, he also stole 10 bases and batted a solid .286. Shannon Stewart set the Toronto Blue Jays table as leadoff man, and his great speed on the base paths and great batting eye made him one of the game’s most exciting players. In 1998 he stole 58 bases, and from 1998-2002 he scored over 100 runs each year. On July 16 2003 he was traded to the Minnesota Twins for Bobby Kielty. |