David Eckstein paved the way for changing how scouts and fans view players of smaller frames. Eckstein was listed as being 5’6 and 170 pounds. He was tiny in comparison to other Major League players. The Boston Red Sox took a (long) shot on him by picking him in the 19th round of the 1997 Draft.
He spent four years in the Red Sox minor league system before being picked up by the Anaheim Angels in 2000. Eckstein didn’t last long with the Sox but he got his foot in the door with them.