Former Minnesota Twins pitcher Bill Pleis, who went on to serve as a scout for the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers, has died, his family has announced. He was 88 years old.
A former left-handed pitcher, Pleis started his pro baseball career in 1955 when he was 18 years old. He went on to make his Major League Baseball debut with the Minnesota Twins in 1961 and was a part of the first Twins team after the franchise moved over from Washington.
Bill Pleis spent six seasons in the majors, all with the Twins. He appeared in 190 games and made 10 starts in his career.
Pleis compiled a 21-16 record during his MLB career and finished with a 4.07 ERA. He struck out 184 batters in 280 2/3 innings pitched.
A Missouri native, Pleis was a MLB scout for nearly 40 years after his playing days.
He started off with the Houston Astros, before transitioning to work for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
According to the Society for American Baseball Research, Pleis joined the Dodgers as a scout in 1976. He started off as an area scout in the Midwest, before becoming the Dodgers’ Florida scout in 1987. He retired in 2006.
“I was a 5-foot-10 left-hander who didn’t throw very hard,” Pleis said, according to the SABR. “It was a great thing to get to play for the Twins. The ’65 Twins were a great bunch of guys, who really pulled for each other. My wife (Sue) is the most wonderful person. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”
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