Jim Pankovits

Who is Jim Pankovits?

James Franklin Pankovits is an American professional baseball coach, a former Major League Baseball infielder, and former minor league manager. In MLB, he appeared in 318 games played, 316 of them with the Houston Astros. As of 2014, he is a roving minor league infield instructor for the Seattle Mariners.

The 5 ft 10 in, 170 lb Pankovits was selected by the Astros in the fourth round of the 1976 Major League Baseball Draft from the University of South Carolina. During his six-year Major League career, Pankovits was used primarily as a pinch hitter and occasional second baseman. In one instance, he even caught an inning of a 1986 game. In his career, he hit .250 with nine home runs and 55 RBI. His best season came in 1986 as a member of the National League West Division champion Astros, when he hit .283 in 70 games as the primary back up to Bill Doran.

Late in his playing career, Pankovits appeared in two games for the Boston Red Sox in September 1990 as defensive replacement—without logging a plate appearance—then began his managing career in the Red Sox' farm system in 1992.