 Born in Chicago, Illinois, Pappas was drafted by the California Angels as the 6th overall pick in the first round of 1984 Major League Baseball draft.He made his major league debut with the Chicago Cubs on April 19, 1991, at the age of 24.He appeared in 8 games for the Cubs during the 1991 season and appeared in a total of 97 games for the Cardinals during 1993 and 1994 seasons.