Lafayette Drillers Flashback: Kyle Hypes

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, Kyle Hypes.

Hypes was a starting pitcher for the Drillers during part of the 1975 season.

A native of Santana, California, Hypes attended Santana High School, before being drafted in the third round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft by the San Francisco Giants at the age of 17.

The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Hypes made minor league stops in Great Falls, Montana, Fresno, California, and Amarillo, Texas, before joining the Drillers in 1975 at the age of 22.

With Lafayette, Hypes pitched in ten games in ’75, all as a starter, going 6-3 with a 3.47 earned run average.

In 70 innings pitched, Hypes allowed 75 hits, 27 earned runs, and 25 walks, while striking out 28 hitters.

Despite only starting ten games, Hypes, a left-hander, still finished third on the team in complete games, with four, behind only Julio Divison (13) and Frank Riccelli (10).

Hypes pitched four more years of professional baseball after his stint in Lafayette, making it as high as AAA.

Hypes concluded his long 10-year professional career going 66-59 with a 4.53 ERA, and five saves, over 242 appearances.