James Christopher Maloney (born September 6, 1961) is the manager for the Mississippi Braves of Minor League Baseball.

[1] He was nicknamed "The Hammer" and "Wally Pipp" during his MSU playing days for his smooth stroke and for being the starting first baseman on State's 1983 squad before contracting a stomach virus early in that campaign.

College Baseball Hall of Fame member and MLB All-Star Will Clark took over for the ailing Maloney at first and started every game from mid-1983 through the semifinals of the 1985 NCAA World Series for the Bulldogs.

A switch-hitter who threw right-handed, Maloney stood 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg) during his playing career.

With the exception of three seasons (2002–04) as manager of the New Orleans Zephyrs, top farm club of the Houston Astros at the time, all of those years have been spent with the Cardinals' organization.