Wesley Adam Rachels was a second baseman who is most notable for winning the 1998 College World Series

1998 College World Series

The 1998 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 29 to June 6. The fifty-second tournament's champion was the University of Southern California, coached by Mike Gillespie. The championship was the Trojans' record 11th, but their first since 1978, the...

 Most Outstanding Player

College World Series Most Outstanding Player

The College World Series Most Outstanding Player is an award for the best individual performance during the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. The recipient of the award is announced at the completion of the College World Series Championship Game...

 award while a senior at University of Southern California

University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...

. He is one of seven players from University of Southern California to win that award. The others are Bill Thom

Bill Thom

William Charles Thom was a pitcher who is most notable for winning the 1958 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a junior at University of Southern California. He is one of seven players from University of Southern Califnoria to win that award...

, Bud Hollowell

Bud Hollowell

Buddy Ryan Hollowell was a baseball catcher who is notable for multiple reasons. He won the 1963 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a junior at University of Southern California after hitting .350 in the Series, he participated in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, he was a minor...

, Russ McQueen

Russ McQueen

Russell L. McQueen was a pitcher who is most notable for winning the 1972 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a sophomore at University of Southern California. He is one of seven players from University of Southern California to win that award. The others are Bill Thom, Bud...

, George Milke

George Milke

George E. Milke was a pitcher who is most notable for winning the 1974 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a sophomore at University of Southern California. He is one of seven players from University of Southern California to win that award...

, Bill Seinsoth

Bill Seinsoth

William R. Seinsoth was a first baseman who is most notable for winning the 1968 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a junior at University of Southern California. He is one of seven players from University of Southern California to win that award...

 and Rod Boxberger

Rod Boxberger

Rodney Warren Boxberger is a former starting pitcher who is most notable for winning the 1978 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a junior at the University of Southern California...

. In that College World Series, he set a championship game record with seven RBI. He tied another when he had five hits in a game.http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/chronology/1998JUNE.stm

Professional career

Rachels was drafted in the 33rd round of the 1998 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

, playing professionally in 1998 and from 2000 to 2002, never reaching the major leagues. He began his professional career with the Batavia Muckdogs

Batavia Muckdogs

The Batavia Muckdogs are a minor league baseball team based in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. The Muckdogs are the current Short-Season A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals...

, hitting .301 with 16 RBI. He had a good eye at the plate, walking 18 times and striking out only 15 times in 133 at-bats. He missed the 1999 season.

For the remainder of his career, he'd play in the Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...

 organization. In 2000, he played for the Delmarva Shorebirds

Delmarva Shorebirds

The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...

, hitting .260 with 46 RBI. He walked 96 times and had 58 strikeouts. He played for the Frederick Keys

Frederick Keys

The Frederick Keys minor league baseball team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as...

 in 2001, hitting .261 with 26 RBI, 58 walks and only 52 strikeouts. 2002 was his final professional season. He spent it with the Bowie Baysox

Bowie Baysox

The Bowie Baysox are a minor league baseball team located in Bowie, Maryland. They are the class-AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles, and play in the Eastern League...

, hitting .201 with 21 walks and 33 strikeouts.

Overall, Rachels hit .254 in 340 minor league games. In 1062 at-bats, he did not hit a single home run, however he scored 139 runs and drove 107 in. He walked 193 times and struck out 158 times.