Joe Coleman, a prominent figure in Major League Baseball history as the first drafted player to make it to the major leagues, died in his sleep at his home in Jamestown, Tennessee, on Wednesday morning, July 9, 2025. He was 78.
Coleman’s passing was confirmed by his son, Casey, who stated that his father died peacefully. Coleman, a right-handed pitcher, achieved 142 wins over a 15-season MLB career and was an American League All-Star in 1972 with the Detroit Tigers.
Chosen as the third overall pick in MLB’s first amateur draft by Washington in 1965, he signed a $75,000 contract, facilitated by his father, Joe Coleman Sr., who also pitched professionally from 1942 to 1955.
Standing 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 175 pounds, Coleman made history by reaching the major leagues after being drafted. He debuted on September 28, 1965, pitching a complete game and allowing just four hits against Kansas City.
Born on February 3, 1947, in Boston, Massachusetts, Coleman graduated from Natick High School before starting his professional career. He honed his pitching skills, including his curveball and slider, at Ted Williams’ instructional camps in Lakeville, Massachusetts, and showcased his talent at the Hearst Sandlot Classic at Yankee Stadium in 1964.
After a brief stint with Burlington in the Carolina League, the right-hander debuted in the majors at age 18, just three months post-high school graduation. In the final week of the 1965 season, he achieved two complete-game wins, ending with a 2-0 record and a 1.00 ERA.
Coleman spent his first six professional seasons with Washington from 1965 to 1970. In 1969, under manager Ted Williams, he led the team in several categories, including 36 starts, 247⅔ innings pitched, and compiled a 12-13 record.
Post the 1970 season, Coleman was acquired by Detroit in an eight-player trade on October 9, which sent Denny McLain to Washington. He secured 88 wins over his six seasons with Detroit.
In 1971, Coleman suffered a skull fracture from a line drive during spring training on March 27. Despite two weeks of hospitalization, he returned to achieve a 20-9 record with a 3.15 ERA. His 236 strikeouts ranked third in the American League.
In the following year, Coleman was named to the American League All-Star team. During the 1972 AL Championship Series against Oakland, he pitched a complete-game shutout with 14 strikeouts, a record that stood for 25 years until Mike Mussina’s 15 strikeouts in 1997.
Coleman led Detroit in 1973 with 23 victories, achieving a 23-15 record and a 3.53 ERA over 40 starts, accumulating 288⅓ innings. From 1971 to 1973, he amassed a 62-38 win-loss record.
After 1973, his performance declined, notably in 1975, with a 10-18 record and a 5.55 ERA. Chicago acquired him from Detroit on June 8, 1976. He later played for the Oakland Athletics, finding success as a relief pitcher.
Coleman also played for the Chicago Cubs, Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates. In his final season, he appeared in 10 relief games for the 1979 Pirates, who won the World Series. Throughout his career, Coleman achieved a 142-135 record with a 3.70 ERA.
After retiring as a player, Coleman turned to coaching, serving as a pitching instructor for the California Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, and Seattle Mariners, as well as several minor league teams. He was a pitching coach for the Cardinals under manager Joe Torre from 1991 to 1994.
Casey Coleman highlighted his father’s influence in baseball, stating, “He was a good man with a really good heart.”
Casey Coleman played 58 major league games for Chicago and Kansas City from 2010 to 2014, making the Colemans baseball’s first three-generation pitching family. Joe Coleman Sr. played 10 seasons for the Philadelphia Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and Detroit Tigers from 1942 to 1955.
Coleman is survived by his wife Donna, son Casey, daughter Kristen, and three grandchildren.
