Dean Palmer
Dean Palmer (born December 27, 1968) is a former American MLB third baseman who played 14 seasons from 1989 to 2003. He spent his career with the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals, and Detroit Tigers, all in the American League.
Palmer batted and threw right-handed. He debuted on September 1, 1989, with the Rangers and played his last game on May 9, 2003, with the Tigers. Over his career, he appeared in 1,357 games, posting a .251 batting average with 275 home runs and 849 RBIs. He also had 231 doubles, 15 triples, 48 stolen bases, 502 walks, a .324 on-base percentage, and a .472 slugging percentage. Defensively, he finished with a .937 fielding percentage at third base.
Highlights of Palmer’s career include an All-Star selection in 1998 and Silver Slugger awards at third base in 1998 (with Kansas City) and 1999 (with Detroit). In 1991, he led the minor-league American Association in home runs with 22 in just 60 games. In 1992, he became the first Texas player to homer in the first three games of a season—a feat later matched by Ian Kinsler and Nelson Cruz in 2011. He led the American League in strikeouts in 1992 with 154.
Palmer’s only postseason appearance came in the 1996 American League Division Series, where he batted .211 with 1 home run and 2 RBIs. He retired after the 2003 season due to injuries, and he attempted a comeback with the Tigers in 2005 spring training but did not make the team.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 07:32 (CET).