Hardgrave played first base for Bullard High School in Fresno, California.
He was selected with the 59th pick of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft by the Cleveland Indians.
[1] Hardgrave did not sign with the Indians, opting to attend Stanford University, where he played for four seasons with the Cardinal.
In his senior year of 1983, Hardgrave had a .360 batting average, hit 24 home runs, and batted in 81 runs, leading the Cardinal to its second straight College World Series appearance for the first time in history.
[5] He played for the affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers before retiring from baseball in 1988.