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On This Day in Baseball History: April 21
Sources Lahman People + MLB StatsAPI210 debuts68 transactions
Every major-league debut, final game, transaction, birth and death recorded for April 21, newest first. Player names link to career pages where one exists, and each season links onward to that year’s awards and postseason archives.
Debuts210
Final games65
Transactions68
Born49
Died29
| Year | Move | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent OF Caleb Shpur to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent C Johnny Tincher to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent C Patrick Winkel to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Texas Rangers signed free agent 3B Max Wagner to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Minnesota Twins signed free agent RHP Luis García to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | New York Mets signed free agent RHP Derlin Rojas to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Houston Astros signed free agent C Jesus Teran to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2026 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent RHP Alexander Bertiz to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2026 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent LHP Santiago De Freitas to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2026 | Texas Rangers signed free agent LHP Dustin Saenz to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - | |
| 2026 | Washington Nationals signed free agent RHP Jackson Dannelley to a minor league contract. 2026 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Wagner Soto to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | Kansas City Royals traded RHP Cesar Espinal to Milwaukee Brewers. 2025 transaction archive |  |  |
| 2025 | Seattle Mariners traded LHP Drew Pomeranz to Chicago Cubs. 2025 transaction archive |  |  |
| 2025 | Chicago White Sox signed free agent LHP Darlyn Almanzar to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | San Diego Padres signed free agent IF Ariel Dilone to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | Washington Nationals signed free agent OF Nauris De La Cruz to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | Houston Astros signed free agent IF Sami Manzueta to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | San Diego Padres signed free agent RHP Daniel Burciaga to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2025 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent C Santiago Figueroa to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2025 | Tampa Bay Rays signed free agent C Santiago Mendoza to a minor league contract. 2025 transaction archive | - | |
| 2024 | Chicago Cubs signed LHP Mitchell Tyranski. 2024 transaction archive | - | |
| 2023 | San Francisco Giants traded RHP Nick Duron to San Diego Padres. 2023 transaction archive |  | |
| 2022 | Atlanta Braves traded LHP Sean Newcomb to Chicago Cubs for RHP Jesse Chavez and cash. 2022 transaction archive |  | |
| 2022 | Chicago Cubs traded RHP Cory Abbott to San Francisco Giants. 2022 transaction archive | | |
| 2022 | Colorado Rockies signed free agent RHP Iverson Corpas to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2022 | Washington Nationals signed free agent RHP Zack Burdi to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | San Diego Padres traded RHP Brayan Medina to Minnesota Twins. 2022 transaction archive | | |
| 2022 | Chicago White Sox traded LHP Garvin Alston to Washington Nationals. 2022 transaction archive | | |
| 2022 | Detroit Tigers signed free agent RHP Cameron Brown to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Chicago Cubs signed free agent OF Joan Delgado to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2022 | Chicago Cubs signed free agent RHP Wilber Rodriguez to a minor league contract. 2022 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent 2B Dee Strange-Gordon to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Jose Rodriguez to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Miami Marlins signed free agent SS Alejandro Salazar to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2021 | Minnesota Twins signed free agent RF Leobaldo Cabrera to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP Will Latcham to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Jason Alexander to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2021 | Miami Marlins signed free agent SS Connor Justus to a minor league contract. 2021 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Toronto Blue Jays traded 2B Jon Berti to Cleveland Indians for cash. 2018 transaction archive | |  |
| 2018 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP Martin Cordova to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2018 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent LHP Elvis Contreras to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2018 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Xavier Concepcion to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP Hector De Los Santos to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent OF Germin Lopez to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent OF Darlin Moquete to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP Luis Ortiz to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2018 | Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent RHP Raydel Velette to a minor league contract. 2018 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Bryan Alcala to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2017 | Seattle Mariners signed free agent RHP Juan Mercedes to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Seattle Mariners signed free agent RHP Jesus Ozoria to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - | |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Angels signed free agent C Franklin Navarro to a minor league contract. 2017 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2016 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent LHP Joe Thatcher to a minor league contract. 2016 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2016 | Washington Nationals signed free agent RHP Greg Ross to a minor league contract. 2016 transaction archive | - | |
| 2016 | Pittsburgh Pirates released 1B Michael Morse. 2016 transaction archive | - | |
| 2016 | Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent OF Yerwin Trejo to a minor league contract. 2016 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent IF Kevin Frandsen to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2015 | Atlanta Braves signed LHP Greg Smith. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2015 | Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent LHP Michael Kirkman to a minor league contract. 2015 transaction archive | - | |
| 2014 | Minnesota Twins released SS Jason Bartlett. 2014 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent RHP Anthony Ortega to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2013 | Atlanta Braves signed free agent SS Ray-Patrick Didder to a minor league contract. 2013 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Baltimore Orioles signed free agent Carlos R Rojas. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2012 | Baltimore Orioles traded 3B Josh Bell to Arizona Diamondbacks for Player To Be Named Later. 2012 transaction archive | | |
| 2012 | Chicago Cubs traded CF Marlon Byrd to Boston Red Sox for RHP Michael Bowden. 2012 transaction archive | |  |
| 2012 | Los Angeles Angels signed free agent John Hester. 2012 transaction archive | - | |
| 2011 | Cincinnati Reds signed free agent CF Quintin Berry to a minor league contract. 2011 transaction archive | - |  |
| 2011 | Kansas City Royals signed free agent 1B Steven Caseres to a minor league contract. 2011 transaction archive | - | |
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2000 | Jack Leiter |
| 2000 | Wade Meckler |
| 1998 | A. J. Alexy |
| 1996 | Cionel Perez |
| 1994 | Edwin Rios |
| 1994 | Ryan Hartman |
| 1993 | Jordan Romano |
| 1992 | Joc Pederson |
| 1990 | Zack Godley |
| 1989 | Josh Rutledge |
| 1987 | Brent Morel |
| 1987 | Ryan Adams |
| 1984 | Zach Kroenke |
| 1981 | Ronny Paulino |
| 1980 | Jeff Keppinger |
| 1979 | Terry Tiffee |
| 1978 | Jack Taschner |
| 1977 | Kip Wells |
| 1975 | Aquilino Lopez |
| 1975 | Carlos Castillo |
| 1974 | Cliff Brumbaugh |
| 1973 | Kevin Brown |
| 1972 | Keith Williams |
| 1966 | Chris Donnels |
| 1963 | Ken Caminiti |
| 1962 | Les Lancaster |
| 1960 | Greg Legg |
| 1957 | Jesse Orosco |
| 1953 | Joe Keener |
| 1951 | Randy Sterling |
| 1950 | Greg Harts |
| 1947 | Al Bumbry |
| 1941 | Dick Green |
| 1940 | Bill Faul |
| 1937 | Bill Haywood |
| 1937 | Gary Peters |
| 1935 | Mack Burk |
| 1921 | Bob Rinker |
| 1919 | Stan Rojek |
| 1918 | Jack Brewer |
| 1913 | Bert Hogg |
| 1909 | Bill Chamberlain |
| 1902 | Lefty Weinert |
| 1894 | Charlie Maisel |
| 1890 | Wally Reinecker |
| 1887 | John Raleigh |
| 1865 | Fred Hartman |
| 1855 | Hardy Richardson |
| 1845 | George Fletcher |
| Year | Player | Age |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Jim Heise | 80 |
| 2005 | Ed Butka | 89 |
| 2002 | Sam Dente | 79 |
| 2001 | Hal White | 82 |
| 2001 | Sandy Ullrich | 79 |
| 1996 | Walker Cress | 79 |
| 1993 | Hal Schumacher | 82 |
| 1991 | Dick Weik | 63 |
| 1990 | Johnny Beazley | 71 |
| 1980 | Joe Page | 62 |
| 1980 | Ray Dobens | 73 |
| 1979 | Cliff Bolton | 72 |
| 1968 | Fred Applegate | 88 |
| 1965 | John Somerlott | 82 |
| 1965 | Steve Biras | 48 |
| 1962 | Bill Norman | 51 |
| 1961 | Lum Davenport | 60 |
| 1959 | Don Black | 42 |
| 1952 | Sheldon Lejeune | 66 |
| 1949 | Harry Morelock | 79 |
| 1947 | Steamer Flanagan | 66 |
| 1923 | Joe Ellick | 69 |
| 1921 | Tom O'Brien | 60 |
| 1918 | Pete Woodruff | 44 |
| 1917 | Cooney Snyder | 43 |
| 1915 | Jack Allen | 59 |
| 1907 | Nat Hicks | 62 |
| 1895 | Jim Tipper | 45 |
| 1881 | Josh Snyder | - |
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 21.
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.