Rex Johnston

An outfielder who threw and batted right-handed, Johnston signed with the Pirates in 1959 and spent five full seasons in Pittsburgh\'s minor league system before making the Bucs\' varsity out of spring training in 1964. MLB teams were then allowed to carry three extra players on their roster for the first 30 days of the season, and Johnston appeared in 14 games as a leftfielder, centerfielder, pinch hitter and pinch runner between April 15 and May 11. He logged ten plate appearances and drew three bases on balls, but went hitless in seven at bats. In his only Major League start, as a centerfielder on May 2 against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Johnston came to the plate five times against southpaws Curt Simmons and Bobby Shantz; he walked once, reached on an error, and grounded out three times. His baseball career continued at the Triple-A level through 1966, and he batted…