Chris Paterson (baseball)

Christopher Scott Paterson (born October 2, 1985) is a professional baseball manager and coach as well as a professional baseball scout for the Miami Marlins. Paterson attended Barstow Community College and North Dakota State University. He has managed four different independent minor league teams and has scouted with two Major League Baseball clubs: the (Tampa Bay Rays and the Miami Marlins).

College career

Junior college

Paterson graduated from Redlands East Valley High School in Redlands, California, where he played for California Angels' scout Steve Hernandez. After high school, he attended and played baseball at Mt. San Jacinto College in Riverside County, California, before transferring to Barstow College. At Barstow, Paterson earned honorable mention all-conference selection for his 2005 season, which included hitting .330 with four home runs, 18 Runs batted in (RBIs) and 25 runs scored. As a relief pitcher, had a 4.40 Earned run average (ERA) in over 20 innings.

North Dakota State University

While at North Dakota State, Patterson played outfield and pitcher for two seasons, 2007 and 2008. In 2008, against the Creighton University team, Paterson threw a no hitter. He earned national recognition and award for the feat, including the Ping national collegiate player performance of the week. Paterson started the second game of the doubleheader after the no-hitter and pitched another 3 ⅓ scoreless innings.[1]

Paterson also set a college mark of 12 innings of scoreless baseball as a relief pitcher for North Dakota. He ended his college career with a 1.80 ERA for his 2007 season and a 4.87 ERA for his 2008 season. He had over 40 abs, including a home run his junior season. He made several starts in the outfield during his career.

Professional career

After college, Paterson was not drafted by Major League Baseball. He attended some workouts, including being invited to a San Diego Padres invite-only tryout. He continued his career internationally and in the professional independent leagues. He played for the (Montingy Cougars) in the French Elite League as well as in Germany (Regensburg Legionnaire) Baseball Bundesliga and had appearances in Italy and winter baseball in Australia (the Doncaster Dragons). Paterson returned home to play baseball in the independent leagues with the Desert Valley Mountain Lions of the Continental Baseball League. He also had stints in the Pecos League (Roswell, New Mexico, and White Sands, New Mexico), the Golden League (Tijuana, Mexico), and the United League (the Rio Grande Valley) as well as in the CWL, AWL, and TWL.

After his 2010 season, where his record was 8–0 with a 2.91 era on the mound for the Desert Valley Mountain Lions, including an all star game appearance where he had a 0.00 era, he received a spring training invitation with the Chicago White Sox for the 2011 season. Tommy John surgery in January 2011 and multiple concussions ended his playing career.

Professional managing and coaching career

Paterson's managing career began in 2010 with the Desert Valley Mtn. Lions of the Continental Baseball League, where he became the youngest manager in professional baseball at the age of 24. The team was based in El Paso, Texas, as a road team. In his first managing stint, Paterson led the travel team in the league to a 26–26 record, becoming the first road team in league history to finish with a .500 record for the season. He guided the team to a third-place finish in the CBL that year. Paterson won the 2010 Continental Baseball League Manager of the Year award.

In 2011 he took the reins of the newly formed Roswell Invaders of the Pecos League, where he guided the team to a 47–27 record, winning the regular season and the Pecos League Championship. He also managed the Pecos League all star game in 2011. During the 2011 season Paterson took his Invaders to El Paso to play the El Paso Diablos of the American Association and defeated them 10–7, being the first ever Pecos League team to beat an AA team. Paterson won the 2011 Pecos League Manager of the Year award for his feats. Paterson became the youngest manager in pro baseball to win a championship, at age 25.

In 2012 Paterson took over in White Sands of the Pecos League for the Pupfish. He led the team to a 5th place finish there, repairing the team's reputation in town and around baseball. The team finished with a 27-41 record. He was chosen to manage in the Pecos League All Star game in 2012 and led the team to victory. He returned to El Paso with his White Sands Pupfish and again beat the Diablos of the American Association.

In 2012 Chris Paterson was named ninth on the Baseballeworld.com top ten managers list in Independent Baseball.[2]

In 2013 Paterson moved on to the United Baseball League, where he managed the Rio Grande valley White Wings. At age 27 Paterson was the youngest manager in United Baseball League history.[3] He would guide the White Wings to a 36-44 record and 4th place finish after being in 2nd place for the majority of the season. He would do this while having the youngest team in the league as well as the lowest payroll in the ULB.

in 2014 Paterson would return to the Rio Grande Valley White Wings and would lead the team to a record of 51-27. Paterson would guide the team to a regular season championship. His team would take on the Ft Worth Cats in the ULB championship where they would sweep them 3 games to 0 to win the United Leagues 2014 Championship. Paterson would be awarded the 2014 ULB Manager of the Year Award.

In his career Paterson would also manage in the California Winter League, Arizona Winter League, Pecos Spring League as well as the Texas Winter League. In 2014 Paterson would lead his Texas Winter League team the Abilene Prairie Dogs to the 2014 Texas Winter League championship as well as setting the leagues all time wins record in a season. Paterson would be awarded the 2014 Texas Winter League Manager of the Year award. Paterson is widely regarded in Independent League baseball as one of the best procurement people around. Having placed and signed over 200 players to professional baseball contracts in his career and promoting 100 to higher leagues and MLB organizations.

He also served as the Pitching coordinator for the Pecos Spring League. Was the Director of Baseball Operations in 2012 for the White Sands Pupfish Paterson was an Operations Assistant for the Texas Winter League.

College coaching career

In 2011, Paterson served as the pitching coach for Pacifica College in Moreno Valley, California. Paterson coached the 16 and under juniors team for the Doncaster Baseball League in Melbourne, Australia. He assisted with the juniors team for the Montingy Cougars in Paris, France. Paterson has coached softball and baseball at the youth level as well as adult leagues.

Scouting career

In 2011, Paterson became an associate scout with the Tampa Bay Rays organization. In 2012, he signed with the Miami Marlins as a scout.

Awards and records

2014 United League Manager of the Year- Rio Grande Valley White Wings 2014 Texas Winter League Manager of the Year- Abilene Prairie Dogs 2011 Pecos League Champions- Roswell Invaders 2014 United League Champions- Rio Grande Valley White Wings 2014 Texas Winter League Champions- Abilene Prairie Dogs 2012 Arizona Winter League Division Champions- Arizona Road Runners Ranked #9 in Baseballdeworld publication of top managers in Independent baseball 2012

As well Chris Paterson is: Youngest manager in Continental League history - 24 yo Youngest manager in Pecos League history - 25 yo Youngest manager in United League history - 27 yo Youngest manager to win a championship - 25 yo

References

  1. ↑ http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3338726
  2. ↑ http://baseballdeworld.com/2012/03/12/independent-minor-league-managers-top-10-s-610/
  3. ↑ http://www.valleymorningstar.com/sports/article_c8007ed2-ec38-11e2-8f90-0019bb30f31a.html