Buck Showalter

Buck Showalter was one of the winningest managers of the last decade of the 20th century and first three decades of the 21st. He never played in the majors, but he carefully observed his skippers during his seven years playing in the New York Yankees farm system, leading to a 27-year managing career at all levels of baseball. His four Manager of the Year Awards at the top level matched Hall of Famers Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox, but Showalter alone earned his with four different teams. He developed a reputation for being a disciplinarian as well as an astute student of the game, attributes that helped him succeed in the dugout and as a television analyst.

William Nathaniel Showalter III was born on May 23, 1956, in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. He spent his school years in Century, Florida, where his father – Bill Showalter, a World War II veteran and former football All-American – was a teacher and later the principal. His mother, Lina Carrie Spires Showalter, was the director of nurses at the local hospital. Showalter also had three sisters, Melanie, Marina, and Malinda.

Showalter was a three-sport athlete at Century High School, lettering in football, basketball, and baseball (outfield and first base). After graduating in 1975, he played baseball at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida in 1976.1 At the end of the school term, Showalter played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League. The lefty hitter (and thrower) batted .434 for the Hyannis Mets to earn league MVP honors.2

Prior to the 1977 season, Showalter transferred to Mississippi State. During his one year there, he earned first team All-American honors, and his .459 batting average and 44 RBIs set school records. He completed his Bachelor of Science degree in education in 1979. The university inducted him into its sports hall of fame in 2002.

The Yankees selected Showalter in the fifth round of the 1977 June amateur draft. He signed through scout Gust Poulos. Showalter’s first stop was the Class A Florida State League, where he batted .362 in 56 games with the Fort Lauderdale Yankees in the summer of 1977. His manager was Ed Napoleon, later one of his coaches.3 At the time, Showalter went by “Nat”, the nickname his family gave him when he was growing up. Napoleon recalled their first meeting: “He came to me with long hair, he looked like Prince Valiant, the cartoon guy.”4

Napoleon, who worked with Showalter several times in his minor league career, recalled, “I saw the intensity and dedication that [Showalter] had. We became very close. One day, I come into the dressing room. He’s always got that stern face like you see on TV. He just had a towel draped over him. I said, ‘Hey do you have any street clothes? You’re always buck naked.’”

Showalter’s teammates heard Napoleon’s quip and began calling him “Buck.” The nickname stuck.5

Showalter spent the next three seasons in Class AA: two with the West Haven Yankees (Eastern League), then 1980 with the Nashville Sounds (Southern League) after the Yankees changed affiliates. In 142 games in 1980, Showalter led the league with 178 hits, batted .324 to rank second, and produced one home run and 82 RBIs.

Other than a late-season promotion to the Class AAA Columbus Clippers (International League), Showalter returned to the Sounds for most of 1981. He competed with a younger first baseman/outfielder for playing time – future AL MVP Don Mattingly.

“[Mattingly] did a lot for my career because I knew rather quickly that I was not going to be the left fielder or first baseman for the Yankees,” said Showalter. “Back then just because you had a great season doesn’t mean you are going to advance.”6

As Mattingly split the next two seasons between Triple A and the majors, Showalter remained with the Sounds, leading the Southern League in hits (152) for the second time while batting .294 in 1982. Despite another late-season promotion to the Clippers, the 1983 season would be his last as a player. Showalter never made it into a major league game. His seven-year minor-league totals included 793 games, a .294 batting average, 17 home runs, and 336 RBIs.

“I had one of three decisions to make,” recalled Showalter. “I could continue to play in Triple-A with the Yankees. I could become a free agent and play in Triple-A with somebody else or I could take a job as a hitting coach in Ft. Lauderdale in the Florida State League with the Yankees.”7

Showalter quickly learned that he got a lot of gratification in teaching fundamentals to rookies with the same big-league aspirations he had when he began his career. “You live vicariously through the players, their improvements, their successes,” he said. “You try to give them shortcuts, so they don’t trip on their tail. The players are so raw, everything is just like a piece of clay that you can mold.”8

He was hired as a minor league coach in the Yankees farm system. His first job was as the hitting and first base coach for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees (Florida League, Class A) in 1984.

One year later Showalter, at the age of 28, became the manager of the Oneonta Yankees (New York-Penn League, short-season Class A). His teams won 114 games in two seasons, twice setting league records for victories. Oneonta won the 1985 championship and lost in the playoffs in 1986.

When the Yankees sent Showalter to Fort Lauderdale in 1987, he led that team to an 85-53 record and the league championship. The club posted another winning record (69-65) in 1988.

Showalter was promoted again in 1989, this time to New York’s Class AA team, the Albany-Colonie Yankees (Eastern League). His team had a 92-48 record and won the league championship.9

Showalter finally reached the majors when the Yankees added him to their coaching staff in 1990. He initially worked in the press box as the “Eye in the Sky”10 but became the third base coach in June 1990. Showalter stayed in that role until 1992. He was initially fired when manager Stump Merrill’s staff was released on October 7, 1991.

Yankees general manager Gene Michael initially said that he wanted to find a manager with major-league experience. But the Yankee ownership – George Steinbrenner was then banned from baseball – told Michael that they wanted to hire Showalter.

He was originally given a one-year contract but said at the time, “I figure that if things work out well here, everything else will work itself out already. Even if I sign a 20-year contract, I still may be out after a year if the team doesn’t perform.”11 The Yankees extended his contract in July 1992, signing him for three years; Michael said that Showalter had been “outstanding.”12

The Yankees tied for fourth place in the American League East with a 76-86 record in 1992.13 But New York improved in 1993, finishing 88-74, second in the division.

Showalter’s team was in first place at 70-43 when the player’s strike ended the 1994 season. He received the AL Manager of the Year award, the first Yankee manager to win it. New York outfielder Paul O’Neill said of Showalter, “He prepares so much for games. People see that and say ‘If he prepares that much, so should I.’”14 By lasting three straight seasons, Showalter was the franchise’s longest-tenured manager since Steinbrenner had become the principal owner in 1973.15

Showalter also made an appearance on the television show Seinfeld in 1994, playing himself. In the episode, the George Costanza character (played by Jason Alexander) convinced Showalter to have the Yankees uniforms made of cotton instead of polyester. The team struggled when the cotton shrank in the wash.

In 1995, Showalter managed the AL All-Star team.16 His Yankees went 79-65 and reached the postseason for the first time since 1981.17 After New York lost to the Seattle Mariners in the AL Division Series, Steinbrenner told Showalter that he would sign him to a new contract only if he fired hitting coach Rick Down. Showalter refused to dismiss Down and Steinbrenner announced on October 26 that Showalter would not return as manager.

The majors’ youngest manager in each of his four seasons in New York, Showalter departed with a 313-268 record. The year after replacing him, the Yankees won the 1996 World Series under Joe Torre.

Shortly after Showalter left the Yankees, the Arizona Diamondbacks spoke to him. The expansion team would not play until 1998, but Showalter signed a seven-year contract to manage the team on November 16, 1995. Arizona also agreed to let Showalter have an active role in developing the team’s roster as they prepared for their first season.

“I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and dig in,” said Showalter. Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo said, “He’ll have more input than he ever dreamed possible. In every aspect of our organization.”18 Showalter joined forces with Mel Didier in shaping and developing the roster.

Arizona was 65-97 in its inaugural 1998 campaign. Prior to 1999, the team made several offseason moves, adding Randy Johnson, Luis González, Steve Finley, and several others.

These new additions helped the Diamondbacks improve by a record 35 victories, going 100-62 to win the National League West. It was the fastest that an expansion team had reached the postseason in major league history.19 Arizona lost to the New York Mets in the NL Division Series.

In 2000, Showalter managed the Diamondbacks to an 85-77 record, third place in the NL West. Yet Arizona fired him on October 2, 2000. “I can thank you for a job well done,” said Colangelo. “But I also know in my heart of hearts that it was time to make a change, for a different look and a different feel. Buck had a good run.”20

Showalter’s three-year record was 250-236. Arizona, with Bob Brenly as their manager, won the World Series in 2001, the second time that a team won the championship one year after Showalter was replaced.

Showalter was a baseball analyst for ESPN in 2001 and 2002. He returned to managing when the Texas Rangers announced his hiring on October 11, 2002. The Rangers had finished last in the AL West, and ownership also announced that they planned to reduce their payroll.

Showalter was tasked with developing the Rangers’ young pitching staff and improving their bullpen. “This is a proven guy in a lot of areas. That doesn’t mean he’s going to snap his fingers and it’s going to happen,” said Rangers general manager John Hart. “I’m certainly not going to be restrictive at all as to what he wants to do, because he’s our skipper.”21

Showalter had developed a reputation for being passionate and intense in his previous two stints as manager. “Buck Showalter has proven that not only is he a winner, but someone who is very competitive and pays attention to details,” said Ranger outfielder Rusty Greer.22

The Rangers were 71-91 and finished in last place again in 2003 – but they improved to 89-73 in 2004, third place in the AL West. Showalter earned his second Manager of the Year honors after the season. “I approach this job, as I want this to be my last stop,” said Showalter. “This is a special place with an opportunity to be even better.”23

But following two more third-place finishes, Showalter was fired at the end of the 2006 season. His record with Texas was 319-329.

Showalter was not out of baseball long. On December 2, 2006, the Cleveland Indians hired him as a senior advisor. His role included giving input to the major league club as well as trying to improve the minor league system.

Showalter described how he would work with Cleveland manager Eric Wedge, saying “It’s always nice to have someone around to bounce things off of, someone who has walked in the same shoes.”24 However, Showalter worked in the Cleveland front office only in 2007. At the end of the season, he returned to ESPN to work as a color analyst.

He continued to work with ESPN until 2010, when the Baltimore Orioles hired him to be their manager on July 30, 2010. At the time, Baltimore had 12 consecutive losing seasons and the worst record in baseball. “I look forward to the challenge of competing in the American League East. Baltimore is a tremendous baseball town with passion and pride in its club,” he said when he was hired.

The Orioles felt like Showalter would bring discipline to the club’s roster and help the young inexperienced players on the team. “Buck’s baseball IQ is off the charts. He’s really good at building something up, working with young players, and building them into something where they can be a contender,” said Michael Young, who played for him in Texas.25

One of Showalter’s first actions was calling Gloria Oates, the widow of former Baltimore manager Johnny Oates. “He said, ‘I’d like for you and your children to think about me wearing number 26 [which Oates had worn as skipper for both Baltimore and Texas],’” she recalled. “I was overwhelmed that he would even think to do that.”26 Showalter felt that Oates – his former skipper at Nashville – had taught him a lot about the game and managing a team.

Oates was scheduled for induction into the Orioles Hall of Fame a few days later. “We were sitting on the field, and I glanced into the dugout,” Oates’ widow remembered. “I couldn’t see [Buck’s] face but I could see the number 26. It very well could have been Johnny. To see that number on the field again and to know that it’s being worn out of love and respect for Johnny is a true blessing.”27

Baltimore went 34-23 in the final two months of the 2010 season under Showalter’s leadership. The Orioles had another losing season (69-93) in 2011. But by the next year, Showalter had turned the team around.

The Orioles had a 93-69 record in 2012 and Showalter earned his 1,000th win as a manager, becoming the 58th manager to reach that milestone. He was modest when asked about the accomplishment, saying, “It’s kind of embarrassing, quite frankly. I love baseball players, and it’s been an honor to manage this long with so many good people.”28

Baltimore finished second in the AL East and made the postseason for the first time since 1997. The team beat the Rangers in the Wild Card game but lost the AL Division Series to the Yankees, three games to two. After the season, Showalter was the runner-up for the AL Manager of the Year honors.29 Baltimore rewarded him with a contract extension through the 2018 season.

Baltimore was 85-77 in 2013 and finished third in the AL East. In 2014, however, the Orioles (96-66) ascended to first place in the division for the first time in 17 years. They swept the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series before losing to the Kansas City Royals in a four-game AL Championship Series sweep.

Showalter was voted the AL Manager of the Year for the third time after the season. When he learned about it, he said, “It’s such an honor to manage in the big leagues. Not a day goes by when I don’t look around and say ‘Really?’ It’s pretty cool, and I don’t ever take it for granted.”30

Baltimore finished 81-81 in 2015, then tied for second in the AL East with an 89-73 record in 2016. The team’s fifth straight non-losing season ended when they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL Wild Card game.

The Orioles dropped to 75-87 in 2017, fourth in the division. In 2018, a rebuilding Baltimore club finished with a franchise-worst record of 47-115. Showalter was fired shortly after the season ended. During his nine-year tenure in Baltimore – the longest of his career – his record was 669-684. His win total was second only to Earl Weaver in Orioles franchise history.

Many Orioles players expressed regret that Showalter was leaving. First baseman Trey Mancini said, “I’ve got absolutely nothing but respect for Buck. He loves his players and protects his players a lot. That’s the most admirable quality for a manager to have.”31

After leaving the Orioles, Showalter became a baseball analyst for the YES Network, providing commentary for Yankees games in 2019. On August 25, 2020, Showalter was hired by the MLB Network as a studio analyst, a position he retained until he was hired to manage the New York Mets.

After the club named Showalter their manager on December 18, 2021, former Mets skipper Terry Collins said Showalter was an ideal choice to lead the team, saying, “It’s time to make an impact. The impact is Buck Showalter. He’s one of the most prepared guys I’ve ever been around.”32

Showalter led the Mets to a 101-61 record in 2022 to tie the Atlanta Braves for first in the NL East. It was the first time that the Mets had won 100 or more games since 1988 and the second winningest year in franchise history.33 The Mets’ season ended when they lost the NL Wild Card Series to the San Diego Padres in three games.

When baseball writers voted Showalter the NL Manager of the Year that November, he became the first Mets manager to win it. His fourth overall award tied for tops, but no one had done it with four different teams.34

Showalter expressed his feelings about the award by saying, “It was always about the players, and it was always about wanting to adjust to what the players need as opposed to the other way around.” He continued, “You treat people like you want to be treated regardless of what life may have in store for you. If it’s always about ‘What’s in it for me?’, you’re in the wrong profession.”35

The Mets struggled to a 75-87 record in 2023, and Showalter was criticized by fans and sportswriters. Still, he remained the manager through the end of the season until new Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns announced his firing in October. Showalter had a 176-148 record during his two years with the Mets.

Mets owner Steve Cohen said he wanted to allow Stearns to hire the staff in order to set the team on a new course. “[W]hen you bring in a president of baseball operations, they’re entitled to bring in their own people,” said Cohen.36

Mets players, who learned of the firing on the last day of the season, had high praise for Showalter. “He does a great job of understanding his personnel – not just their talents and what they do day to day on the field, but he understands how each guy ticks on the roster as an individual. My experience playing under Buck, I feel he’s a Hall of Fame manager,” said Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.37

Showalter returned to MLB Network in March 2024 as a studio analyst. He said, “I’ve enjoyed my time at MLB Network with people I know and respect. There are many ways to analyze baseball, and I appreciate the different perspectives that come with working at the network. The place is filled with smart, passionate people – who want to teach and grow the game, so I’m excited to be back on the team.”38 He provided expert insights, such as the impact of rule changes and how pitcher velocity influenced team decisions, in the 2024 and 2025 MLB seasons.

Showalter married Angela Jane McMahan in 1983. The two met when he was playing for Nashville and Angela was a “Soundette” cheerleader. They reside near Dallas and have two children: Allie, born in 1987 and Nathan, born in 1991.39

Showalter was known throughout his career as a serious student of the game. His teams were recognized as being some of the most prepared in baseball. Showalter consistently pushed his players to be aggressive, work through their individual struggles, and always respect the game. “He expects a lot out of his players,” said Mark Teixeira, who played for him in Texas. “He expects you to play hard, he expects you to play the game the right way.”40

After 22 years as a manager for five different teams, Showalter has a 1727-1665 record. It is the 19th most managerial wins in MLB history as of 2026. He led four teams to the postseason during his career and won Manager of the Year awards in both leagues but never reached the World Series. Although he affirmed his longstanding desire to lead “the last team standing,” he also said, “It’s not going to define my life.”41

Last revised: September 24, 2026

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Malcolm Allen and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Dan Schoenholz.

Photo credits: Buck Showalter, Trading Card Database.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author also used Baseball-Reference.com for player, team, and season pages, and other pertinent material.

Notes

1 Chipola retired Showalter’s number in 2011.

2 Showalter was inducted into the Cape Cod League Hall of Fame in 2002.

3 Napoleon managed the Fort Lauderdale Yankees in 1977, coached with the Nashville Sounds from 1980-1982 and eventually coached with Showalter on the Yankees from 1992-1993.

4 Mike Unger, “The Buck Stops Here,” BaltimoreMagazine.com, April 2011. https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/sports/buck-showalter-comes-to-baltimore/

5 Unger, “The Buck Stops Here.”

6 Bill Traughber, “Looking Back: Buck Showalter Recalls Nashville Days,” MLB.com, June 6, 2014. https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-79599212

7 Traughber, “Looking Back: Buck Showalter Recalls Nashville Days.”

8 Unger, “The Buck Stops Here.”

9 Showalter was named the Eastern League’s Manager of the Year in 1989.

10 The Dickson Baseball Dictionary defines this role as “A strategic observer, such as a coach positioning the defense, a scout, or other individual, in a press box or other elevated position who communicates with the dugout.”

11 Jeff Shain, “Showalter named Yankees manager,” UPI.com, October 29, 1991. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/10/29/Showalter-named-Yankees-manager/8447688712400/

12 Jon Heyman, “Yanks Give Showalter Extension,” Newsday (New York), July 29, 1992: 137.

13 Showalter was ejected four times in 1992, the most in the AL (and tied for tops in the majors). He never led in that category again and only had four in a season one more time in 2006. Half of them came on consecutive days when he was tossed along with his pitcher in a brushback-filled series against the Angels.

14 Jon Heyman, “Yankees’ Showalter Named Top AL Manager,” Newsday, October 19, 1994: 67.

15 Billy Martin managed the Yankees for three full seasons and parts of five others in five separate stints. His longest single stretch as manager was from August 2, 1975, through July 24, 1978, just short of three seasons’ equivalent. After Showalter was fired, Torre managed the Yankees from 1995-2007, Joe Girardi managed them from 2008-2017, and Aaron Boone has managed the team since 2018.

16 Showalter managed the team because the New York Yankees had the best record, 70-43, in the AL at the time of the 1994 strike.

17 The Yankees’ 1995 playoff appearance snapped the team’s 14-year postseason drought. It is still the longest in franchise history since New York’s first pennant in 1920.

18 Don Ketchum, “New Manager on Ground Floor of Expansion,” Arizona Republic, November 16, 1995: D1.

19 The Diamondbacks’ 35-victory improvement from 1998 to 1999 was a major-league record that still stands at the time of this writing.

20 Jack Magruder, “Bye, Bye Buck,” Arizona Daily Star, October 3, 2000: B1.

21 Kathleen O’Brien, “Sharing of Power Will Be New Experience for Buck,” Fort Worth Telegram, October 12, 2002: 5D.

22 T.R. Sullivan, “Veterans Open to Showalter’s Strict Ways,” Fort Worth Telegram, October 12, 2000: 5D.

23 Kathleen O’Brien, “Showalter Takes Home Honor,” Fort Worth Telegram, November 12, 2004: 4D.

24 Paul Hoynes, “Showalter Aboard as Senior Advisor,” Cleveland Plains Dealer, December 2, 2006: D3.

25 Dan Connolly, “Show Time,” Baltimore Sun, July 30, 2010: D1.

26 Unger, “The Buck Stops Here.”

27 Unger, “The Buck Stops Here.”

28 Dan Connolly, “Happy Endings, Grand Celebration,” Baltimore Sun, May 2, 2012: D1.

29 Although Showalter did not win the 2012 BBWAA Manager of the Year Award, he did win Baseball America‘s version of the award, plus top AL manager honors from The Sporting News and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (C.I. Taylor Legacy Award).

30 Eduardo Encina, “Show’s Time,” Baltimore Sun, November 12, 2014: D1.

31 Eduardo Encina, “Out the Door,” Baltimore Sun, October 4, 2018: A1.

32 David Lennon, “Make Buck Stop Here,” Newsday, December 19, 2021: A52.

33 The 1986 New York Mets won 108 games.

34 Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa also won the award four times. Cox won it as the Braves manager and La Russa won it as manager of the Cardinals, A’s, and White Sox.

35 Laura Albanese, “Buck Named Manager of the Year,” Newsday (New York), November 16, 2022: A43.

36 Tim Britton and Will Sammon, “Inside the Mets’ Decision to Fire Buck Showalter and His Team’s Reaction,” New York Times.com/athletic, October 22, 2023. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4919791/2023/10/02/mets-buck-showalter-fired/

37 Britton and Sammon, “Inside the Mets’ Decision to Fire Buck Showalter and His Team’s Reaction.”

38 “Buck Showalter Rejoins MLB Network as a Studio Analyst,” MLB.com, March 18, 2024. https://www.mlb.com/news/buck-showalter-rejoins-mlb-network-as-a-studio-analyst

39 Nathan Showalter scouted for the San Diego Padres from 2013-2014 and the Orioles from 2015-2019.

40 Unger, “The Buck Stops Here.”

41 Bill Ladson, “Buck’s mission: ‘Be the last team standing,’’” MLB.com, December 21, 2021, https://www.mlb.com/news/buck-showalter-seeks-world-series-title.