Former Rangers, Mariners, Twins first baseman dies at 72

Pat Putnam, a former first baseman who played for the Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners, and Minnesota Twins, passed away on August 25 at the age of 72, according to a report in Florida Weekly on September 6. Putnam died of natural causes, according to the report. The cause of death has not been disclosed further. Andy Hill, who played with Putnam in Fort Myers Little League and remained friends with him into adulthood, shared that a neighbor found Putnam in his bedroom.

During his eight-season MLB career, Putnam played a total of 677 games. He played for the Rangers from 1977 to 1982, the Mariners in 1983 and 1984, and the Twins in 1984. He retired with a .255 batting average, 63 home runs, and 255 RBIs. Putnam was drafted by the New York Mets out of Miami-Dade College, but he did not sign with them.

After transferring to the University of South Alabama, the Rangers selected Putnam 22nd overall in 1975. In 1976, Putnam had an impressive season with the Asheville Tourists in the Class A Western Carolinas League, hitting .361 with 24 home runs and 142 RBIs, which earned him the league’s first Triple Crown and Player of the Year honors.

He made his big league debut in 1979, hitting .277 with 18 homers and 64 RBIs in 139 games for the Rangers. Putnam was a downballot vote for the American League Rookie of the Year. In 1982, the Rangers traded him to the Mariners, where he hit .269 with 19 homers and 67 RBIs in 1983, earning the team’s MVP award. He was traded to the Minnesota Twins in August 1984, but the Twins ultimately missed the playoffs.

Putnam spent the 1985 season with the Kansas City Royals’ Triple-A affiliate before signing with the Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan, where he hit 27 home runs over two seasons (1986-87). After returning to the United States, Putnam eventually retired from the baseball industry and settled in Fort Myers, where he owned a business specializing in air and water purification.