Johnny Ray (second baseman)

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title: "Johnny Ray (second baseman)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1957-births", "living-people", "african-american-baseball-players", "american-expatriate-baseball-players-in-japan", "american-league-all-stars", "arkansas-razorbacks-baseball-players", "baseball-players-from-oklahoma", "california-angels-players", "cardenales-de-lara-players", "american-expatriate-baseball-players-in-venezuela", "daytona-beach-astros-players", "gulf-coast-astros-players", "major-league-baseball-second-basemen", "northeastern-oklahoma-a&m-college-alumni", "northeastern-oklahoma-a&m-golden-norsemen-baseball-players", "people-from-mayes-county,-oklahoma", "pittsburgh-pirates-players", "silver-slugger-award-winners", "tucson-toros-players", "yakult-swallows-players", "21st-century-african-american-sportsmen", "20th-century-african-american-sportsmen", "21st-century-american-sportsmen", "20th-century-american-sportsmen"] description: "American baseball player (born 1957)" topic_path: "science/astronomy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Ray_(second_baseman)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American baseball player (born 1957) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox baseball biography"]

Field	Value
name	Johnny Ray
image	Johnny Ray.jpg
position	Second baseman
birth_date
birth_place	Chouteau, Oklahoma, U.S.
bats	Switch
throws	Right
debutleague	MLB
debutdate	September 2
debutyear	1981
debutteam	Pittsburgh Pirates
finalleague	MLB
finaldate	September 30
finalyear	1990
finalteam	California Angels
debut2league	NPB
debut2date	April 6
debut2year	1991
debut2team	Yakult Swallows
final2league	NPB
final2date	July 16
final2year	1992
final2team	Yakult Swallows
statleague	MLB
stat1label	Batting average
stat1value	.290
stat2label	Home runs
stat2value	53
stat3label	Runs batted in
stat3value	594
stat2league	NPB
stat21label	Batting average
stat21value	.269
stat22label	Home runs
stat22value	13
stat23label	Runs batted in
stat23value	64
::

|name=Johnny Ray |image=Johnny Ray.jpg |position=Second baseman |birth_date= |birth_place=Chouteau, Oklahoma, U.S. |bats=Switch |throws=Right |debutleague=MLB |debutdate=September 2 |debutyear=1981 |debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates |finalleague=MLB |finaldate=September 30 |finalyear=1990 |finalteam=California Angels |debut2league=NPB |debut2date=April 6 |debut2year=1991 |debut2team=Yakult Swallows |final2league=NPB |final2date=July 16 |final2year=1992 |final2team=Yakult Swallows |statleague=MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.290 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=53 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=594 |stat2league=NPB |stat21label=Batting average |stat21value=.269 |stat22label=Home runs |stat22value=13 |stat23label=Runs batted in |stat23value=64 |teams=

• Pittsburgh Pirates (–)
• California Angels (–)
• Yakult Swallows (–) |highlights=
• All-Star (1988)
• Silver Slugger Award (1983) Johnny Cornelius Ray (born March 1, 1957) is an American former second baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a 10-year career from 1981 to 1990. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League and the California Angels of the American League. He also played two seasons for the Yakult Swallows in Japan in 1991 and 1992.

Biography

Ray played college baseball for the University of Arkansas, finishing up in the 1979 College World Series for the runner-up Razorbacks. Ray was selected by the Houston Astros in the 12th round of the amateur baseball draft. He was traded to the Pirates on August 31, 1981, along with Randy Niemann for Phil Garner.

Ray became the Pirates' starting second baseman. As a rookie in 1982 he played in every game and was named the Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News, even though the Baseball Writers' Association of America selected Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Steve Sax as the Rookie of the Year.

Besides, Ray continued his productive hitting, leading the league in doubles in 1983 and 1984. He then won the Silver Slugger Award for second baseman in 1983, and finished fifth in the league in batting average in 1984. By that time, the switch-hitting Ray was consistently one of the most difficult batters to strike out.

The Pirates, going with a youth movement, traded Ray to the Angels on August 29, 1987, for Miguel García and minor league prospect Bill Merrifield. García had a brief career in the major leagues while Merrifield never made it out of the minor leagues. Meanwhile, after narrowly missing making the All-Star team during a couple of seasons, Ray was finally chosen to the American League All-Star team in 1988. Ray also played some games in left field.

After his career in the Major Leagues, Ray played for two seasons with the Yakult Swallows in Japan. Since retiring, Ray returned to Chouteau, Oklahoma, where he was born, raised and still lives. As a mark of distinction, one roadside sign outside the eastern Oklahoma town reads "Chouteau, OK. Home of Johnny Ray."

Career statistics

::data[format=table title="Career Hitting[https://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rayjo01.shtml Baseball-Reference.com]."]

G	AB	H	2B	3B	HR	R	RBI	SB	BB	SO	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
1,353	5,188	1,502	294	36	53	604	594	80	353	329	.290	.333	.391	.724
::

References

References

1. [http://newsok.com/article/2229622 A Ray of Hope Remains for California But Oklahoma Native Still Calls Chouteau Home]. ''Newsok.com''. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.
2. [https://www.baseball-reference.com/r/rayjo01.shtml Baseball-Reference.com].

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::