Lafayette Drillers Flashback: John Andrews

The Lafayette Drillers, a Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, called Lafayette, Louisiana their home for two years, from 1975-1976.

The Drillers, who played their home games at Clark Field, were co-champions of the Texas League in 1975 with the Midland Cubs, finishing 72-57, before going 58-76 in 1976, the last year of affiliated professional baseball in Lafayette.

A number of outstanding players, who eventually made it into Major League Baseball ranks played at Clark Field in 1975 & 1976, including five former Lafayette Driller players.

All summer long, we’re taking a look back at some of the former players for the Drillers.

Today, John Andrews:

Andrews was a third baseman for the Drillers during the 1976 season.

A native of Lincoln, Illinois, Andrews attended Lincoln High School, before being drafted in the 14th round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft by the Montreal Expos.

After electing not to sign with the Expos, Andrews attended Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois, before being drafted two years later, in 1973, in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft, with the 5th-overall pick, by the San Francisco Giants, at age the age of 20.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Andrews made minor league stops in Decatur, Georgia and Fresno, California before joining the Drillers in 1976, at the age of 23.

With Lafayette, Andrews hit a .234, along with nine home runs, 47 runs batted in, and seven stolen bases.

In 444 at-bats, Andrews, a right-handed hitter, collected 104 hits, including 19 doubles, and two triples, with 36 walks and 66 strikeouts.

Defensively, Andrews played 123 games at third base, committing 33 errors.

The following year, in 1977, Andrews ended his professional career by spending the season in Waterbury, Florida, a AA affiliate of the Giants.

Andrews compiled a .245 career batting average, along with 26 home runs, 221 RBI’s, and 19 stolen bases in 498 minor league games, covering five seasons.