Goodwin was initially drafted first overall by the Chicago White Sox in the 1971 Major League Baseball draft straight out of Peoria Central High School. He chose, instead, to attend Southern University and A&M in Baton Rouge. He batted .394 with twenty home runs & 166 runs batted in for SUBR. He was a three time All-America, at the NAIA level his sophomore & junior year, and at the NCAA level his senior year, and was named the Sporting News 1975 College Player of the Year. Shortly afterwards, the California Angels selected him first overall pick in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft, and signed him for a major league record $150,000.\n', '

Eager to get their top prospect to the majors as quickly as possible, the Angels assigned Goodwin to the double A El Paso Diablos upon his signing. Joining El Paso midway through the 1975 season, Goodwin batted .275 with two home runs & eighteen RBIs. He was called up to California in September, and had just one hit (off the Kansas City Royals\' Steve Busby) in ten at bats.\n', '

Goodwin split 1976 between El Paso & the California League Salinas Angels. He batted over .300 for both clubs, while hitting eight home runs & driving in 69. Playing triple A ball for the first time in his career in 1977, Goodwin batted .305 with ten home runs & 66 RBIs in half a season with the Salt Lake City Gulls to earn a call back up to the majors in mid July. On July 29, Goodwin hit his first career home run off Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins. He would end the season with a .209 batting average, eight RBIs & just the one home run.\n', '

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