Jason Pridie

Jason Pridie

Pridie with the Baltimore Orioles
Oakland Athletics
Outfielder
Born: October 9, 1983
Phoenix, Arizona
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 3, 2008 for the Minnesota Twins
Career statistics
(through 2013 Season)
Batting average .228
Home runs 5
Runs batted in 24
Teams

Jason Orville Pridie (born October 9, 1983) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Oakland Athletics organization. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Tampa Bay Rays, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles and Colorado Rockies.

Baseball career

Tampa Bay Rays

Pridie was drafted out of Prescott High School, where he hit a record-setting 13 triples, by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft. After signing with the Devil Rays, Pridie was assigned to play with the Rookie League Princeton Devil Rays. In 67 games, he batted .368 with 7 home runs. Pridie was promoted on August 28, 2002, to the Hudson Valley Renegades, the Devil Rays' Single-A team. He finished the season there and batted .344 with 1 home run in 8 games. Baseball America named Pridie to the Rookie League All-Star team and also rated him as the best hitter and the best tools player in the Devil Rays' organization.

In 2003 and 2004, Pridie played the entire two seasons with the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs. Playing in 128 games during both seasons, Pridie hit .260 with seven home runs in 2003 and .276 with 17 home runs in 2004. Pridie was also rated by Baseball America as the best defensive outfielder in the Rays' organization. In 2005, he began the season with the Single-A Visalia Oaks. He played just one game before being on the disabled list for three and a half months from April 9 to July 26. Immediately upon being activated from the disabled list, he was promoted to the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits. He finished the season for the Biscuits and played in 28 games for them, batting .213 with 3 home runs.

On December 8, 2005, the Minnesota Twins selected Pridie in the Rule 5 Draft. Without enough roster room for Pridie, the Twins sent him back to the Rays on March 29, 2006.[1] In the 2006 season, Pridie played in 132 games and batted .230 with 5 home runs with the Biscuits. He also began the 2007 season in Double-A, playing in 71 games and batted .290 with 4 home runs. After Dustan Mohr's promotion to the Devil Rays on June 27, Pridie was sent to the Triple-A Durham Bulls to take his roster spot. He finished the season with the Bulls, posting a .318 batting average with 10 home runs. While in Durham, Pridie was the focal point of an unofficial Bulls fanclub named "Pridie's Pack."

Minnesota Twins

Pridie during his tenure with the Rochester Red Wings, Triple-A affiliates of the Minnesota Twins, in 2008

On November 20, 2007, the Rays purchased Pridie's contract, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. Eight days later, the Rays traded Pridie along with Delmon Young and Brendan Harris to the Minnesota Twins for Matt Garza, Jason Bartlett, and Eduardo Morlan.

Pridie began the 2008 season with the Twins' Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. On July 12, he hit a go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth, and another go- ahead solo home run in the top of the 13th inning to give the Red Wings a 9–8 win at Durham.[2]

He received a September call-up, and made his major league debut on September 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays as a pinch runner for Delmon Young, and scored on a Joe Mauer double. He remained in the game in right field, and committed a game-tying error with two outs in the ninth inning, allowing the game (eventually won by the Jays) to go into extra innings.[3] He remained with the club for the rest of the season, but did not have a hit in six plate appearances.

Pridie batted .265 with nine home runs and 53 RBIs for the Red Wings in 2009. His only major league appearance in 2009 was as a pinch runner against the Houston Astros on June 20.[4]

New York Mets

On February 9, 2010, Pridie was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.[5] The Mets purchased his contract on April 22, 2011, when starting center fielder Angel Pagan was placed on the 15-day Disabled List.[6] On April 23, Pridie collected his first major league hit off Diamondbacks pitcher Barry Enright. The very next day, he hit a 3-run home run, the first of his career, off Armando Gallaraga. He hit .241 for the Mets with 4 home runs in 101 games. After the season, he was out-righted to Triple-A Buffalo, but elected free agency.

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics signed Pridie to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training on November 15. On March 9, 2012, Pridie was suspended for 50 games for violating the minor league drug-testing policy.[7] He was granted free agency on June 4.

Philadelphia Phillies

On June 15, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Pridie to a minor league contract, and assigned him to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.[8] After batting .370 in 13 games with Lehigh Valley, Pridie was called up to Philadelphia to fill the roster spot vacated by Jim Thome on June 30. He hit his first home run with the Phillies on July 8 against the Atlanta Braves.[9] Pridie was designated for assignment by the Phillies on July 22. On October 6, he elected free agency.

Baltimore Orioles

In October 2012, Pridie signed a Minor League deal with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2013 season.[10] The Orioles purchased Pridie's contract from the Triple-A Norfolk Tides on September 25 when Manny Machado was placed on the 60-day disabled list.[11] After the season, Pridie was non-tendered by Baltimore, becoming a free agent.[12]

Colorado Rockies

Pridie signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies in December 2013. He was designated for assignment on August 6, 2014.[13] Pridie elected free agency on October 12, 2014.[14]

Oakland Athletics

Pridie signed a minor league deal with the Oakland Athletics on January 10, 2015.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Thesier, Kelly (November 29, 2007). "Twins pick up Young in six-player deal". MLB.com. Retrieved November 30, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Pridie tees off on former team's pitchers". July 13, 2008. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Toronto Blue Jays 5, Minnesota Twins 4". Baseball-reference.com. September 3, 2008.
  4. ↑ "Houston Astros 6, Minnesota Twins 5". Baseball-reference.com. June 20, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Mets claim OF Jason Pridie". MLB.com. February 9, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Mets to place Angel Pagan on DL, call up Jason Pridie". NBC Sports. April 22, 2011. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  7. ↑ Shea, John (March 9, 2012). "A's outfielder Jason Pridie to be suspended for positive drug test". San Francisco Gate.
  8. ↑ "IronPigs get outfielder Jason Pridie". TheMorningCall.com. Jun 15, 2012. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Brian McCann's fourth homer in 4 games fuels Braves".
  10. ↑ https://twitter.com/eddymk/status/265864053849743360
  11. ↑ "Orioles select contract of Jason Pridie, Machado placed on 60-day DL". Baltimore News Journal. September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  12. ↑ Twitter / Orioles: Lastly, RHP Eddie Gamboa and OF Jason Pridie were not tendered contracts for 2014.
  13. ↑ "Rockies activate RHP Lyles from 60-day DL". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  14. ↑ Creech, Edward (October 12, 2014). "Minor Moves: Reimold, Wilson, Cedeno, Bianchi, Pagnozzi". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
  15. ↑ Eddy, Matt (January 11, 2015). "Minor League Transactions: Dec. 24-Jan. 8". Baseball America.

External links