Today's Birthday: Willie Royster, Niagara Falls Pirates (1976)

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Former New York-Penn League prospect Willie Royster was born on this date in 1954. He played for the 1976 Niagara Falls Pirates.

Royster was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 22nd round of the 1972 Major League Baseball amateur draft. He spent four seasons in the Orioles organization and was released by Baltimore on April 8, 1976.

The Pittsburgh Pirates signed him as a free agent on May 11, 1976. He was assigned to the Niagara Falls Pirates in the New York-Penn League.

Royster was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 1, 1977. He was out of baseball until the Baltimore Orioles re-signed him on October 27, 1977. He spent five seasons in Baltimore's minor league system and appeared in four games for the Orioles in 1981.

Royster finished his pro career playing for the 1983 Evansville Triplets in the Detroit Tigers organization.

He died on November 23, 2015, in Ocean View, New Jersey at the age of 61.

Source: Baseball Reference

New York-Penn League History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball or any of its teams