Terry Pendleton - Pre-Major League Career

Pre-Major League Career

Terry Pendleton started his baseball career as an Eastside Little League player, then moved on to play at Channel Islands High, then moved on to a collegiate baseball career at Fresno State. He played the 1981 and 1982 seasons with the Bulldogs, and was a key contributor to the team's fourth consecutive conference title in the 1982 season when he set a school record with 98 hits. That feat led to his recognition as an All-American. As a result, Pendleton had his jersey retired in 2007, alongside the jerseys of Tex Clevenger and Jimy Williams. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1982 amateur draft, and subsequently signed with the team on June 12, 1982.

With little haste after his signing, Pendleton's minor league campaign began with the Johnson City Cardinals and the St. Petersburg Cardinals during the 1982 season. Pendleton impressed the organization enough to warrant being moved up to class AA baseball with the Arkansas Travelers for the 1983 season. He was selected to the league's all star team for his performance at Arkansas. Making steady progress, Pendleton was promoted to class AAA in 1984 and played for the Louisville Redbirds. After four games at second base, Pendleton was moved to third and became a third baseman, the position he would play the rest of his career. The Cardinals were so impressed with Pendleton's development as a third baseman in Louisville that they traded their starting third baseman, Ken Oberkfell, to the Atlanta Braves and temporarily placed Andy Van Slyke at third base while Pendleton continued to gain experience. However, when Van Slyke committed seven errors in thirty games, the Cardinals promoted Pendleton to the majors and began his major league career as the starting third baseman.