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On This Day in Baseball History: April 17
Sources Lahman People + MLB StatsAPI340 debuts67 transactions
Every major-league debut, final game, transaction, birth and death recorded for April 17, newest first. Player names link to career pages where one exists, and each season links onward to that year’s awards and postseason archives.
Debuts340
Final games44
Transactions67
Born45
Died28
| Year | Move | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent 2B Luke Ritter to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Houston Astros signed free agent RHP Brandon Bielak to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Houston Astros signed free agent RHP Miguel Yajure to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2026 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent RHP Jason Shockley to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent LHP Kolby Allard to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Washington Nationals signed free agent RHP Gus Hughes to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Washington Nationals signed free agent C Kyle Hayes to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2026 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Abraham Prado to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent OF Jesus Mancera to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Charlis Medina to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2026 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent LHP Brendan Parks to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | Pittsburgh Pirates traded RF Bryce Johnson to San Diego Padres. 2025 transaction archive |  |  |
| 2025 | Seattle Mariners signed free agent RHP Casey Lawrence to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent RHP Abraham Negrin to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent RHP Abraham Negrin to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent RHP Handrychson Colina to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2024 | Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Bryan Shaw to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | San Diego Padres traded RHP Pedro Avila to Cleveland Guardians for cash. 2024 transaction archive | | |
| 2024 | Toronto Blue Jays traded LHP Jimmy Robbins to Texas Rangers for cash. 2024 transaction archive |  |  |
| 2024 | Chicago White Sox signed free agent RHP Cody Sedlock to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | San Diego Padres signed free agent 2B Donovan Solano to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - | |
| 2024 | Minnesota Twins signed free agent LF Tony Kemp to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | Colorado Rockies signed free agent RHP Peyton Battenfield to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2024 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent RHP Alexander Garcia to a minor league contract. 2024 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Chicago White Sox signed free agent RHP Luke Farrell to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Houston Astros signed free agent RHP Heribert Garcia to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | San Francisco Giants signed free agent RHP Ubert Mejias to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Cleveland Guardians signed free agent LHP Daiher Hernandez to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent RHP Emmanuel Polo to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2023 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent LHP Oscar Sanchez to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | Houston Astros signed free agent C Yosweld Vasquez to a minor league contract. 2023 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Kansas City Royals traded CF Nick Heath to Arizona Diamondbacks for RHP Eduardo Herrera. 2021 transaction archive |  |  |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Jesse Chavez to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent C Gabriel Silva to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Colorado Rockies signed free agent LHP Wilker Ruiz to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Boston Red Sox signed free agent LHP Jeremy Bleich to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent CF Hansel Otamendi to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2019 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent IF Anyelo Reyes to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent C Roblin Heredia to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Frankelyn Feliz to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2019 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP Edgar Manzo to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent SS Carlos Arcia to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent C Randy Ruiz to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent C Jefferson Valladares to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP Wilmer Ortega to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2019 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent LHP Chris Nunn to a minor league contract. 2019 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Cincinnati Reds traded RHP Ariel Hernandez to Los Angeles Dodgers for 1B Ibandel Isabel and RHP Zach Neal. 2018 transaction archive |  | |
| 2018 | New York Mets signed free agent RHP Scott Copeland to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2018 | Washington Nationals signed free agent 1B Mark Reynolds to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | New York Yankees traded RHP Johnny Barbato to Pittsburgh Pirates. 2017 transaction archive |  | |
| 2017 | Baltimore Orioles traded RHP Parker Bridwell to Los Angeles Angels for cash. 2017 transaction archive | | |
| 2017 | Seattle Mariners signed free agent 2B Nelson Ward to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Miami Marlins signed free agent SS Manuel Arrojo to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2015 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent C J.P. Arencibia to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2015 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent LHP Andy Oliver to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Washington Nationals signed free agent RHP Justin Amlung to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | New York Yankees signed free agent RHP Kenlly Montas to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2014 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent RHP Elvin Ramirez to a minor league contract. 2014 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Chicago White Sox released LHP Charlie Leesman. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent RHP Francisco Rodriguez to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Erik Hamren to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Cleveland Indians signed free agent LF Johnny Damon to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | New York Yankees signed free agent RHP Nelson Figueroa to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Colorado Rockies signed free agent RHP Brandon Hynick to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent C Nohisglin Rivero to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Victor Constanzo to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Chicago Cubs signed free agent RHP Harrinson Bermudez to a minor league contract. 2012 transaction archive | - |  |
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Ronny Simon |
| 1997 | Logan Gillaspie |
| 1996 | Mauricio Llovera |
| 1995 | Kean Wong |
| 1993 | Greg Mahle |
| 1992 | Ronny Rodriguez |
| 1990 | Chris O'Grady |
| 1989 | Deolis Guerra |
| 1987 | Dan Jennings |
| 1984 | Jed Lowrie |
| 1981 | Ryan Raburn |
| 1980 | Max St. Pierre |
| 1979 | Jorge Piedra |
| 1972 | Gary Bennett |
| 1971 | Keith Johnson |
| 1969 | Jeff Ball |
| 1967 | Marquis Grissom |
| 1965 | Craig Worthington |
| 1957 | Dave Huppert |
| 1955 | Tom Runnells |
| 1954 | Denny Walling |
| 1950 | Pedro Garcia |
| 1945 | Dennis Paepke |
| 1937 | Roberto Peña |
| 1923 | Solly Hemus |
| 1917 | Stan Andrews |
| 1914 | Clyde Smoll |
| 1909 | Chuck Sheerin |
| 1907 | Bobby Stevens |
| 1906 | Eddie Delker |
| 1903 | Bob Osborn |
| 1903 | Elmer Miller |
| 1892 | Morrie Schick |
| 1891 | Scott Perry |
| 1884 | Jake Daubert |
| 1879 | Tom Needham |
| 1876 | Mike Jacobs |
| 1875 | Charlie Jaeger |
| 1870 | Ad Yale |
| 1869 | John Grimes |
| 1867 | Walter Fisher |
| 1864 | Jersey Bakley |
| 1863 | Charlie Ferguson |
| 1862 | Henry Mullin |
| 1852 | Cap Anson |
| Year | Player | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dave Frost | 70 |
| 2012 | Stan Johnson | 75 |
| 1996 | Bill Serena | 71 |
| 1994 | Walter Wilson | 80 |
| 1991 | Les Mallon | 85 |
| 1983 | Dutch Leonard | 74 |
| 1980 | Ed Miller | 91 |
| 1980 | Hooks Iott | 60 |
| 1979 | Joe Conzelman | 89 |
| 1973 | Lefty Weinert | 70 |
| 1973 | Vic Aldridge | 79 |
| 1970 | Dick Brown | 35 |
| 1967 | John Rudolph | 84 |
| 1964 | Kid Willson | 68 |
| 1960 | Ricardo Torres | 69 |
| 1959 | Fred Brainard | 67 |
| 1948 | Pat Deisel | 71 |
| 1946 | Jack Quinn | 62 |
| 1938 | Alex Beam | 68 |
| 1937 | Bill Foxen | 57 |
| 1933 | Thomas Griffin | - |
| 1923 | Frank Keffer | 61 |
| 1913 | Jerry Harrington | 44 |
| 1912 | Ace Stewart | 43 |
| 1909 | Oscar Westerberg | 26 |
| 1898 | Bobby Mathews | 46 |
| 1893 | Joe Farrell | - |
| 1883 | John Bergh | 25 |
About these records
Every dated event on this page is read directly from the source tables: debuts, final games, birth dates and death dates from the SABR / Sean Lahman baseball database (2025 edition, People table), used under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, and transactions from the official MLB StatsAPI transactions archive captured through 2026-10-22. Nothing is inferred: a record appears here only when the source carries a complete month and day for April 17.
Honesty notes: the staged People table records complete dates or none, and no partial dates had to be excluded. Missing dates are not unknowns everywhere: an empty death date means the player is living (10,918 rows), an empty final-game date means no end date is recorded (1,932 rows), and 398 rows have no birth date. Early records reach back to the 1870s; 19th-century dates reflect the best retrospective research in the source and are shown exactly as recorded. Award winners and postseason series are staged by season with no calendar day in the source, so they are linked from each season above instead of being dated here. The transaction window covers 2011 to 2026 only. Player names link to career pages for every player who has one.
See the sources page for every dataset behind Legends Deck.