Devon White (baseball)

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Devon White, born Devon Markes Whyte on December 29, 1962, in Kingston, Jamaica, is a former Major League Baseball center fielder known for his strong defense. He moved to the United States with his family when he was nine, and his last name was often spelled “White” even though it was originally Whyte. His children later helped him clarify his name, and he’s commonly known as Devo White.

Early life
- White grew up in New York City and attended Park West High School in Manhattan.
- He played basketball in high school and started playing baseball after watching Yankees and Mets games with his father.
- He received scholarship offers for both college basketball and baseball, including a chance to play for Oklahoma State.

Baseball career
- He was drafted by the California Angels in the 6th round of the 1981 MLB draft.
- Debuted in the majors with the Angels in 1985 and truly broke out in 1987, hitting 24 home runs and stealing 32 bases in a full season. He won his first Gold Glove in 1988.
- On September 9, 1989, he became famous for a rare baserunning feat: getting on base at first and scoring by stealing second, third, and home in the same play.
- In December 1990, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays (along with Willie Fraser and Marcus Moore) for Junior Félix and Luis Sojo.
- With the Blue Jays, White helped the team win two World Series titles (1992 and 1993) and earned multiple Gold Glove awards. He was known for his elite defense and strong postseason performances, including a career postseason batting average of .336.
- A memorable moment in the 1992 World Series came in Game 3 when Rob Davis missed a pivotal call on a potential triple play, an event that’s still discussed today.
- White also appeared on a Canadian children’s TV show, Under the Umbrella Tree, in 1993 while with the Blue Jays.
- After leaving Toronto, White joined the Florida Marlins in 1995 and was part of their 1997 World Series-winning team. He batted .215 in the 1997 playoffs.
- He continued his career with several other teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers, finally retiring in 2002.
- Notably, on April 11, 2000, White recorded the first-ever base hit at Oracle Park (then Pacific Bell Park) as the Dodgers led off the game in its first game at the ballpark.

Career statistics and highlights
- In 1,941 games over 17 seasons, White posted a .263 batting average (1,934 hits in 7,344 at-bats), with 1,125 runs, 378 doubles, 71 triples, 208 home runs, 846 RBIs, 346 stolen bases, 541 walks, an on-base percentage of .319, and a slugging percentage of .419.
- He finished with a fielding percentage of .986 and played all three outfield positions.
- In 49 postseason games (including three World Series), he batted .296 with 56 hits in 189 at-bats, 27 runs, 12 doubles, 4 triples, 3 home runs, 20 RBIs, 7 stolen bases, and 19 walks.
- Career honors include three MLB All-Star selections (1989, 1993, 1998) and seven Gold Glove Awards (1988–1995).

Coaching and post-playing career
- In January 2017, White was hired as the hitting coach for the Buffalo Bisons, the Toronto Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate.
- In July 2022, he joined the Blue Jays as interim first base coach while the incumbent was on bereavement leave.
- Since 2024, White has served as a special assistant to player development within the Blue Jays organization.