TBT 1984: Brent Casteel signs with Chicago Cubs

In April 1984, Ocoee resident Brent Casteel was headed to Arizona to spend six weeks in Class A baseball. The former West Orange High School and Sante Fe Junior College baseball standout signed a professional contract with the Chicago Cubs that year. After the six weeks, he was to play in a Class A league in New York for the rest of the season.

He had just completed his second season at Sante Fe, where he led the Saints in RBIs (with 46), hit four homeruns and seven doubles, posted a .833 stolen-base record, earned a .368 batting average and was selected as the All-Star catcher in the Mid Florida Junior College Conference.

Although he had received letters from a host of four-year schools about continuing his college career, the 20-year-old felt the Cubs had made him an offer that was hard to refuse.

In the off season, he would be a counselor at the Professional Baseball School in Winter Haven, he said.

In his first two professional games, Casteel was 3 for 7 at the plate, with ah double, two singles and an RBI to his credit, as well as three runners thrown out at second for an impressive Class A debut.

 Contact Amy Quesinberry at [email protected].