Lafayette Drillers Flashback: Rick D’Innocenzio

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, Rick D'Innocenzio.

D'Innocenzio was an outfielder for the Drillers during the 1975 season.

Before signing with the San Francisco Giants as an undrafted free agent in 1975, D'Innocenzio played his college baseball at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound D'Innocenzio made a minor league stop in Great Falls, Montana, before joining the Drillers in 1975.

With Lafayette, D'Innocenzio played sparingly, hitting a .291 with one home run, 13 runs runs batted in, and two stolen bases.

In 79 at-bats, D'Innocenzio, a right-handed hitter, collected 23 hits, including one double and one triple, along with 14 walks and 13 strikeouts.

Defensively, D'Innocenzio appeared in 18 games in the outfield, committing only one error.

D'Innocenzio went on to play one more season of professional baseball, retiring after the 1976 season, which he spent with Fresno.

D'Innocenzio compiled a .258 career batting average, along with one home run and 19 RBI’s in 71 minor league games, covering three seasons.