An all-around athlete at Brunswick High School, electing to pursue a career in baseball following graduation in 1935, Carl McQuillen joined the Washington Senator Farm System in Orlando, Florida, playing Class D ball for three years. He joined the New York Yankee organization in 1942, moving from Class B to AA ball with Kansas City. He became a player-manager in the North Carolina Tobacco League in 1947 and continued to manage and play through 1952 with several minor league teams, including the Canadian League, making all-star team status numerous times. McQuillen was respected by his peers and spectators alike for his athletic skill and his ability to handle people.