Craig Eaton

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Wikipedia

Craig Eaton
Eaton with the Indianapolis Indians c. 1984
Pitcher
Born: (1954-09-07)September 7, 1954
Glendale, Ohio, U.S.
Died: October 14, 2025(2025-10-14) (aged 71)
Jupiter, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 5, 1979, for the Kansas City Royals
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 1979, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average2.70
Strikeouts4
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Craig Eaton (September 7, 1954 – October 14, 2025) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher who played for one season. He was a pitcher who pitched in five games for the Kansas City Royals during the 1979 season. Eaton played college baseball at Florida State University.

Biography

Eaton attended Lake Worth Community High School (Lake Worth Beach, Florida) and graduated in the class of 1972 at the age of 17. He went to Miami-Dade College (Miami, FL) for 2 years and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 6th round of the 1974 MLB June Amateur Draft. He declined the draft to complete his B.S. in Marine Biology at Florida State University. After graduating, he signed with the Kansas City Royals on June 25 as a free agent, and was called up to the major leagues toward the end of the 1979 season.

He was sent to the California Angels on April 1, 1980, to complete a transaction from four months prior on December 6, 1979, when the Royals acquired Willie Aikens and Rance Mulliniks for Al Cowens and Todd Cruz.[1] At Angel's organization he played in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League (PCL), followed by Triple-A for the Detroit Tigers in 1983 and finished his career with the Montreal Expos in 1984. In the 1983 off-season, Craig sustained knee injuries on a golf course and had the first of three knee surgeries after completing the 1984 season.

Eaton married his high school sweetheart, Suzanne Sullivan, in 1977 and they had four daughters. He later lived in Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Eaton died in Jupiter, Florida, on October 14, 2025, at the age of 71.[2][3]

References

  1. ↑ Durso, Joseph (December 7, 1979). "Angels Get Cowens In Deal With Royals". The New York Times. p. B-11. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Craig Eaton". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Craig Eaton". Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home. Retrieved November 4, 2025.