Which Baseball Team Did Michael Jordan Play For?

Michael Jordan played minor league baseball for the Birmingham Barons, a farm team of the Chicago White Sox, in 1994.

Michael Jordan’s Baseball Career

Michael Jordan is a legend in the world of basketball, but did you know that he also had a brief career in baseball? Jordan played for the Birmingham Barons, a Minor League Baseball team, in 1994. He struggled during his time with the team, but he was still an inspiration to his teammates. Let’s take a closer look at Michael Jordan’s baseball career.

Michael Jordan’s Retirement from the NBA

In October 1993, after winning three consecutive NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan announced his retirement from professional basketball. At the time, many believed that this was due to Jordan’s father’s murder earlier that year. However, in March 1995, Jordan announced his return to the Bulls.

During his time away from the NBA, Jordan pursued a career in baseball. In February 1994, he signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox organization. He was assigned to the Birmingham Barons, a Double-A affiliate of the White Sox. Jordan played for the Barons for one season before returning to basketball in March 1995.

Despite never playing organized baseball beyond high school, Jordan was surprisingly successful in his one season as a professional player. He batted .202 with three home runs, 51 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.

Michael Jordan’s Training with the White Sox

In 1994, following his first retirement from the NBA, Michael Jordan attempted to pursue a career in professional baseball. After signing a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox, he was assigned to the organization’s Double-A affiliate, the Birmingham Barons. Jordan struggled in his initial games with the Barons, compiling a batting average of just .202 with three home runs, 51 runs batted in (RBIs), 11 stolen bases and 114 strikeouts in 127 games played. He later attributed his early struggles to the adjustments he had to make from playing basketball on a daily basis to playing baseball every day. Despite his Statistical struggles, Jordan was selected for the Southern League All-Star team and won a spot on the Minor League Baseball All-Star team.

Michael Jordan’s Contract with the White Sox

The White Sox contract was for $3 million over two years, with a $600,000 signing bonus. The deal also included some interesting language, as Jordan would receive $1 million if he made the majors, and another $1 million if he stayed on the active roster for more than one season.

Interestingly enough, though, Jordan’s contract also had an “escape clause” that would allow him to opt out and return to basketball if he wanted to. Obviously, that’s exactly what happened, as Jordan announced his retirement from baseball just before the start of the 1995 season.

Michael Jordan’s Time with the Birmingham Barons

In 1994, Michael Jordan retired from the NBA to pursue a career in baseball. He played for the Birmingham Barons, a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Although he was a skilled basketball player, Jordan struggled with baseball. After a year with the Barons, he returned to the NBA.

Michael Jordan’s Debut with the Birmingham Barons

On April 8, 1994, Michael Jordan made his professional baseball debut with the Birmingham Barons, a minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. Wearing number 45 (his basketball number with the Chicago Bulls had been retired), Jordan batted seventh and played right field. He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the Barons’ 7-5 loss to the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Michael Jordan’s Statistics with the Birmingham Barons

Jordan played in 127 games for the Barons, compiling a batting average of .202 with 114 hits, 3 home runs, 51 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and 51 strikeouts.

Michael Jordan’s Time with the Scottsdale Scorpions

Michael Jordan’s time with the Scottsdale Scorpions was short-lived, but it made a lasting impact on the sport of baseball.

Jordan signed a minor league contract with the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League in 1994. He played in only 24 games for the team, but his presence was felt throughout the league.

In his first game with the Scorpions, Jordan went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. He would eventually improve his batting average to .252 by the end of his short stint with the team.

Although he only played in a handful of games, Jordan’s impact on the Scottsdale Scorpions was significant. His signing brought a lot of attention to the team and helped to increase attendance at their games.

Jordan’s time with the Scorpions was cut short when he was called up to join the Chicago White Sox for spring training in 1995. He would later retire from baseball after only one season with the White Sox.

Michael Jordan’s Return to the NBA

Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, played for the Chicago White Sox in 1994. After a successful career in the NBA, he decided to try his hand at baseball. While he was not as successful as he was in basketball, he still managed to hit a few home runs.

Michael Jordan’s Unsuccessful Comeback with the Wizards

In 2001, at the age of 38, Michael Jordan came out of retirement to play for the Washington Wizards, the team he now owned. It was his second comeback after his first retirement in 1998. Unfortunately, this return was not as successful as his first one. He averaged only 20 points per game, his lowest average since 1985. The Wizards also did not make the playoffs during his two seasons with the team.

Michael Jordan’s Return to the Bulls

On March 18, 1995, Michael Jordan announced his return to the NBA after a brief retirement. He had left the game to pursue a career in professional baseball, but he now wanted to come back and play for the Chicago Bulls again.

Jordan had originally retired from basketball in October 1993, after winning his third NBA championship with the Bulls. He then decided to try his hand at baseball, signing a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox. However, Jordan wasn’t very successful on the diamond and only played one season in the minors before returning to the NBA.

In his first season back with the Bulls, Jordan led them to an impressive 55-27 record. He also won the NBA scoring title, averaging 30.4 points per game. The Bulls went on to lose in the Eastern Conference Semifinals that year, but Jordan’s return was considered a success nonetheless.

He would go on to play three more seasons with the Bulls, winning two more NBA championships before retiring for good in 1999.

Michael Jordan’s Retirement from the NBA

In October 1993, Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA, citing a lack of desire to play the game. He stated that he would instead be focusing on his new career in baseball. Jordan had been drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 1991 MLB Draft and was assigned to play for their affiliate, the Birmingham Barons. In 1994, he made his debut with the team, playing right field.

Jordan’s retirement from basketball left many fans wondering what could have been. Had he not retired, it’s possible that Jordan would have continued to dominate the NBA and cement his legacy as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. However, we’ll never know for sure what would have happened if Jordan had stayed in the NBA.