Shawn Riggans
A dependable backup catcher whose steady hands and clutch hitting were part of the foundation for the Tampa Bay Rays' stunning 2008 pennant run.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American baseball player·Birthday: July 25·Generation X
Biography
Shawn Riggans carved out a classic baseball niche: the reliable, defense-first backup catcher. Drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, he patiently climbed through a minor league system known more for its struggles than its prospects. When he finally reached the majors, his arrival coincided with the franchise's dramatic transformation into the contending Tampa Bay Rays. In 2008, Riggans served as the perfect complement to starting catcher Dioner Navarro, providing solid game-calling and a capable bat off the bench. His contributions, though often unsung, were woven into the fabric of a magical season that saw the Rays shock the baseball world by winning the American League pennant. While injuries later curtailed his career, Riggans remains a remembered piece of that historic team, a player who fulfilled the essential, demanding role of a big-league catcher for a club that reached the World Series.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Shawn was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Shawn Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Shawn's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was a member of the 2008 American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays, appearing in 45 games during their pennant-winning season.
- Hit his first major league home run off future Hall of Famer Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Maintained a .992 fielding percentage as a catcher during his MLB career, demonstrating consistent defensive reliability.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted as a third baseman in the 1999 MLB Draft before converting to catcher in the minors.
In his MLB debut on September 2, 2006, he recorded a hit and an RBI.
He played his college baseball at the University of New Mexico.
“My job was to handle the pitching staff and be ready whenever they called.”
