South Dakota. A land well known for its seemingly endless prairies dotted here and there with various cities and national landmarks. Nestled in its mass of farmland are such noteworthy examples of Americana as Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills. However, we’re not here to sightsee. No, we’re here to find out just who populates the list of South Dakota’s best MLB players. Much like the aforementioned presidential mountain, these men should all have their faces carved into a granite efface; or, at least, have their names mentioned here.
As with North Dakota, finding South Dakota’s best MLB players wasn’t tricky. Only 39 men from the state have ever made it to baseball’s highest level. However, you might find some surprising names here. Players like Sean Doolittle, Kerry Ligtenberg, and Dave Collins call the state home. Terry Francona and Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson are two of baseball’s greatest managers from the state. Unfortunately, there’s only room on our list for five stories. Here they are, in order of ascending WAR.
South Dakota’s Best MLB Players
Terry Forster (15.8 WAR)
Terry Forster, a Sioux Falls native, was one of baseball’s better relief pitchers in the 1970s and ‘80s. Overall, he managed a 16-year career, during which he pitched to a respectable 3.23 ERA. He also had 127 career saves and a 116 ERA+. His best years were with the Chicago White Sox. He appeared in 263 games and his 75 saves are eighth in franchise history. In 1974, he led the league with 24 saves. After that, he bounced around the league. In total, he made four more stops, though he never quite reached the same level of success. Nevertheless, a 15.8 career WAR is good enough to earn him a spot among South Dakota’s best MLB players.
Keith Foulke (20.7 WAR)
South Dakota has something of a knack for producing great relief pitchers that wind up with the White Sox. Keith Foulke is no exception. His 11 years as a big leaguer yielded 191 saves, a 3.33 ERA, and a 140 ERA+. He spent six seasons with Chicago and his 100 saves rank fourth in franchise history. However, his best season came in 2003 with the Oakland Athletics. He went 9-1 with a league-leading 43 saves and a sparkling 2.08 ERA. His good work led to his only career All-Star nod and his second top-ten finish in Cy Young voting. Foulke then contributed to the Boston Red Sox snapping their championship drought in 2004, recording the final three outs of the World Series. From there, his career took a tumble. But his good work with Chicago, Oakland, and Boston gives him a spot as one of South Dakota’s best MLB players.
On this day in 2004, Boston ended the curse 😤
The Red Sox swept the Cardinals to win their first World Series title in 86 years
🎥: @ESPN | #WorldSeries pic.twitter.com/BmLcUnoufU
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) October 27, 2023
Jim Scott (25.1 WAR)
One wouldn’t be alone in scratching their head and wondering who this Jim Scott player is, and how he makes it on this list. Once again, we find another South Dakota pitcher who wound up having a standout career with the White Sox. Only, this time, he’s a starter. Though he retired with a losing record, Scott managed a 2.30 career ERA and a 121 ERA+. His best season came in 1913, when he won 20 games and posted a 1.90 ERA. He hurled over 312 innings and finished 25 of his league-best 38 starts. In the Dead Ball Era, Scott was one of the more underrated starters. That’s what makes him one of South Dakota’s best MLB players.
Floyd Bannister (26.4 WAR)
A theme has been detected here. Once again, we’re looking at a South Dakota pitcher whose greatest success came with the White Sox. However, Floyd Bannister didn’t merely play well on the South Side. In the early 1980s, he came to prominence as the ace of the Seattle Mariners. He ranks in the franchise’s top ten among pitchers for WAR (13.1), ERA (3.75), and WHIP (1.286). His ERA+ of 112 is tied for fifth in franchise history. When it comes to Chicago, Bannister won 66 games with an ERA a tad over four. Overall, he took home 134 career wins, a 4.06 ERA, 1,723 strikeouts, and a 102 ERA+.
Mark Ellis (33.5 WAR)
Mark Ellis tops our list of South Dakota’s best MLB players. Ironically enough, he’s also the only position player here. But the WAR numbers don’t lie, and Ellis’s good work with the Athletics from 2005 to 2009 helped push him to the top. In 2007, he had his best career year, hitting .276 with 19 homers, 76 RBI, and 161 hits in 150 games. He was also excellent at putting the ball in play. In all, Ellis only struck out 801 times in over 5,100 career at-bats. A patient offensive approach coupled with solid defensive work is why Ellis sits at the top of this list.
Photo Credit: © Erin Bormett / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK
