It wasn't easy being a prospect in the O's farm system in the 1970s. Royle Stillman arrived from the Dodgers in the Frank Robinson trade prior to the 1972 season. At age 21, he batted .297/.404/.505 with 23 home runs at AA Asheville. The following year, the young outfielder couldn't replicate that power stroke in his first crack at AAA Rochester, but he did lead the league with a .354 average in 94 games, with a .441 on-base percentage to boot. That earned Stillman a return ticket to the Red Wings in 1974, with Rich Coggins, Paul Blair, Al Bumbry, and Don Baylor blocking his path to the major leagues.
Vintage Fridays: Royle Stillman, 1975 SSPC #393
