Joey Wendle

Joey Wendle
Wendle with the Oakland Athletics
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 18
Second baseman
Born: (1990-04-26) April 26, 1990
Wilmington, Delaware
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 31, 2016, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2018 season)
Batting average .294
Home runs 9
Runs batted in 77
Teams

Joseph Patrick Wendle (born April 26, 1990) is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Oakland Athletics.

Early life

Wendle was born in Wilmington, Delaware on April 26, 1990. He attended Avon Grove High School in West Grove, Pennsylvania, and West Chester University.[1]

Wendle was a four-year starter for the West Chester Golden Rams baseball team, where he compiled a .366 career batting average with 23 home runs and 185 runs batted in (RBIs).[2] During his senior season, Wendle hit .399 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI as the Golden Rams went on to win the 2012 NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.[3]

Professional career

The Cleveland Indians selected Wendle in the sixth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.[4][5] He made his professional debut with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League.[6] In 61 games he hit .327/.375/.469 with four home runs and 37 (RBIs).[7]

Wendle played the 2013 season with the Carolina Mudcats of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League.[8] He hit .295/.372/.513 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs over 107 games. He won the Lou Boudreau Award as the Indians minor league player of the year.[9][10] He started the 2014 season with the Akron RubberDucks of the Class AA Eastern League.[11][12]

Oakland Athletics

On December 8, 2014, the Indians traded Wendle to the Oakland Athletics for Brandon Moss.[13] On April 21, 2015, Wendle (as a member of Oakland's Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds) hit the first home run in the history of First Tennessee Park.[14] The Athletics added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[15]

Wendle began the 2016 season with Nashville. The Athletics promoted Wendle to the major leagues on August 31, 2016. He made his major league debut that day.[16] Over the next season and a half, Wendle would appear in 36 games for the Athletics, collecting 29 hits in 109 at bats. Following the conclusion of the 2017 season, Wendle was designated for assignment on December 7, 2017.[17]

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 11, the Athletics traded Wendle to the Tampa Bay Rays for Jonah Heim.[18][19] Wendle entered 2018 Spring Training competing for the starting second baseman job with Micah Johnson and Daniel Robertson.[20] After hitting .327 in 52 Spring Training at bats, Rays manager Kevin Cash announced that Wendle had made the team's Opening Day roster to platoon at second base with Daniel Robertson.[21] Wendle was awarded the Rays Heart & Hustle award, which is given to those who “demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game.” [22] Wendle ended his breakout season leading all rookies in wins above replacement (4.3), batting average (.300), on-base percentage (.350), and triples (6), as well as placing second in hits (146), doubles (33), and runs (62).[23][24] Wendle was the first Rays player since 2011 to hit .300, and the first rookie to ever reach that mark.[25] At the conclusion of the season, Wendle was unanimously chosen as the Rays Outstanding Rookie award for the 2018 season.[26]

References

  1. ↑ http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/04/18/wcus-wendle-one-of-areas-best/
  2. ↑ "Joey Wendle". The Baseball Cube.
  3. ↑ "West Chester earns first national title". West Chester Athletics. NCAA.com. June 3, 2012.
  4. ↑ "West Chester's Wendle Follows Up Title With Draft". CBS Philadelphia. June 7, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  5. ↑ "oe Wendle Selected In Sixth Round By Cleveland Indians". Wcupagoldenrams.com. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  6. ↑ "West Chester's Wendle Just Keeps On Hitting". CBS Philadelphia. August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Wendle making a name for himself in minors". Daily Local News. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Indians: Carolina second baseman Joe Wendle could be hidden gem in Tribe's farm system". News-Herald. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Wendle, Anderson named Indians' top Minor Leaguers". MLB.com. November 21, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Cleveland Indians name Joe Wendle, Cody Anderson minor league players of the year". The Plain Dealer. November 21, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  11. ↑ Legard, Ron (December 20, 2013). "Indians name David Wallace as manager of RubberDucks along with rest of coaching staff". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ Cahill, Teddy (June 17, 2014). "Lindor, Wendle erupt at plate for Double-A Akron". MLB.com. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Indians acquire Brandon Moss". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Sounds Bested By Dodgers In Series Opener". MILB.com. April 21, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  15. ↑ Wendle, Torres added to A's 40-man roster
  16. ↑ Ray, Jordan (August 31, 2016). "Wendle gets callup for Major League debut". MLB.com. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Athletics' Joey Wendle: Designated for assignment". cbssports.com. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Rays acquire infielder Wendle in deal with A's". MLB.com. December 11, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  19. ↑ Adams, Steve (December 19, 2017). "Athletics Acquire Jonah Heim From Rays". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Tampa Bay Rays Season Preview: The Battle for Second Base". DRaysBay. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  21. ↑ "Here's your 2018 Rays Opening Day Roster". DRaysBay. Retrieved 2018-04-10.
  22. ↑ "Marc Topkin Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-07-24.
  23. ↑ "Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Batters » Dashboard | FanGraphs Baseball". Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  24. ↑ "Major League Baseball Rookie Stats". Major League Baseball. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  25. ↑ "Blue Jays vs. Rays - Game Recap - September 30, 2018 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
  26. ↑ "Blake Snell wins Rays MVP award; Wendle, Smith also honored". 2018-09-28. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
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