One of a family of pro ballplayers (older brother George pitched in the NL), fast, smooth-fielding Hal Jeffcoat broke in with the 1948 Cubs as an outfielder. His light hitting forced him into a backup role by 1950, and he converted to pitching in 1954 to utilize his strong arm. He became a top reliever, making 50 appearances (2.95 ERA) in 1955 and, after his trade to the Reds, went 8-2 in 1956.