Buchanan was born in Miami, on July 21, 1973. He attended Fairfax High School in Fairfax, Virginia, where he excelled not only at hitting but at first base as well, and was named First Team All-Region for all of Northern Virginia. The team finished the regular season with a 17–4 record. Fairfax teammate Bill Pulsipher also made it to the Major Leagues after being drafted in the second round of the 1991 MLB draft by the New York Mets.
A standout player at the University of Virginia (UVA), in 1993 Buchanan played collegiate summer baseball with the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and in 1994 returned to the Cape League to play for the Hyannis Mets.[1][2][3] He was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round (24th overall) of the 1994 MLB draft. Buchanan still holds Virginia baseball season records for home runs, slugging percentage, and total bases. He was the first University of Virginia player to be chosen in the first round of the MLB draft and was inducted into the Virginia Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018.[4]
Playing career
New York Yankees
From 1994 through 1997, Buchanan played in the New York Yankees' minor league system, advancing to the Triple-A level. While playing at Class A Greensboro, a horrific ankle injury in the spring of 1995 nearly ended Buchanan's career after his left foot hit first base at an awkward angle. Doctors were uncertain that Buchanan would recover, let alone play baseball again.[5]
With the Twins, Buchanan made his MLB debut in the 2000 season, appearing in 30 games. He went on to play 69 games with the Twins in 2001, and 44 games in 2002. In his 143 games with the Twins, he batted .258 with 16 home runs and 55 RBIs.
San Diego Padres
In July 2002, Buchanan was traded to the San Diego Padres for Jason Bartlett. He appeared in 48 games with the Padres in 2002, batting .293; 115 games in 2003, batting .263; and 38 games in 2004, batting .200. He had a total of 16 home runs and 48 RBIs with the Padres. During his time with the Padres, Buchanan was considered one of the most feared right-handed pinch hitters in the game.[citation needed] He was one of the few hitters in the league who would wear only one batting glove, and batting glove company, Franklin, decided to come out with a signature "Buck" batting glove.[citation needed]
New York Mets
In 2004, Buchanan appeared in two games with the New York Mets; he was hitless in three at bats. Overall in his MLB career, Buchanan appeared in 346 games, batting .258 with 32 home runs and 103 RBIs.
During the 2007–08 offseason, Buchanan signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals and became a free agent after the season. In January 2009, he re-signed with the Royals and played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Royals, and even made relief pitching appearances on several occasions. Buchanan retired on November 18, 2009.
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