Piazza was drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 amateur draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, a pick that many considered to be a fluke. Piazza proved the skeptics wrong, quickly rising through the Dodgers' farm system and making his major league debut in 1992.
Piazza quickly established himself as one of the premier catchers in the National League. He earned the first of his 12 All-Star selections in 1993, and won the Rookie of the Year Award that same season.
Piazza went on to become one of the most feared sluggers in the game. He set a major league record for most home runs by a catcher, launching 427 home runs over the course of his career. He also won 10 Silver Slugger Awards, and won the home run derby at the 1996 All-Star Game.
In addition to his offensive accomplishments, Piazza was also a defensive standout. He won the Gold Glove Award in 1997, and set several major league records for catchers, including most home runs and most RBIs.
The end of Piazza's career was marked by numerous injuries, but he continued to play until 2007. When he retired, he was the all-time leader in home runs by a catcher, and was widely considered to be one of the greatest catchers of all time.
Piazza's legacy lives on to this day. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, and his number 31 was retired by the Dodgers. He remains an inspiration to catchers across the world, and his accomplishments will forever be remembered in the annals of baseball history.
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