Cesar Cedeno is top ten in value in the first five seasons of his career. He was an everyday player by the time he was 20. He was a star before his 22 birthday, but then he fell off a bit and had a pretty solid career. In 17 seasons with the Astros, Reds, Dodgers, and Cardinals he hit .285/.347/.443 with 1084 runs, 2087 hits, 199 homers, 976 RBI’s, and 550 stolen bases.

Very good numbers and if he had played another 5 years at a little above league average we may be having a Hall of Fame conversation. From 1972-1977 he hit .295/.362/.481 averaging 105 runs, 184 hits, 37 doubles, 6 triples, 23 homers and 89 RBI’s with 64 stolen bases per 162. One of the best six year peaks of the 1970s. He accomplished all that before he was 26.

For the rest of his career he was oft-injured and averaging only 99 games a season. However he hit .277/.341/.411 averaging 153 hits and 49 XBHs not terrible numbers at all. He bounced around for a few years and was done by 35. You can understand why he was pretty hyped up coming out of the minors. In 1970, his debut season, in the minors he slashed .373/.402/.691 with 14 homers and 61 RBI’s in only 54 games. This was after jumping from A ball all the way to Triple A in less than a year and a half. Cedeno was a great young talent, and then a solid speedy outfielder. Thanks for reading.