Brandon Wood
Encyclopedia
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He bats and throws right-handed and was born in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
.
2003-05
Wood was drafted by the Angels in the first round (23rd overall) of the 2003 amateur draft2003 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2003 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams.Source: -First round selections:...
.
He spent most of the 2005 season with the Angels' High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
The Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are a minor league baseball team in Rancho Cucamonga, California, USA. They are a Class A – Advanced team in the California League and a farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers, their third major league affiliate in team history....
, hitting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.321 with a California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
record 43 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 51 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. Combined with two doubles and a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in four games with the Triple-A Salt Lake Stingers, Wood became the first known minor leaguer to hit more than 100 extra-base hits in one year.
Wood received several awards for his performance in 2005. Amongst his accolades were: the Joe Bauman Home Run Award
Joe Bauman Home Run Award
The Joe Bauman Home Run Award is the award given to the minor league baseball player who hit the most regular season home runs that year. The award, first given in 2002, is named after Joe Bauman, who set a then-professional record with 72 home runs in 1954, while playing for the Roswell Rockets of...
, the California League and Single-A Offensive Player of the Year awards, player of the year by Minor League Baseball's official website, and co-player of the year of the Angels minor league system, alongside fellow prospect Howie Kendrick
Howie Kendrick
Howard "Howie" Joseph Kendrick III is a Major League Baseball second baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Early life:...
.
Wood was selected by the Angels to play on their Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
team, the Surprise Scorpions, in October and early November 2005. He hit a league-record 14 home runs for the league runner-up. In mid-November 2005, he represented the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the U.S. Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
regional qualifying team.
2006
Prior to the season, Wood was ranked as the 3rd best prospect by Baseball AmericaBaseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, behind Delmon Young
Delmon Young
Delmon Damarcus Young is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is the younger brother of former major league outfielder and first baseman Dmitri Young. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama.Young is known for having a strong and accurate...
and Justin Upton
Justin Upton
Justin Irvin Upton is a National Major League Baseball right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks....
. He had a solid, though not spectacular year, hitting .276 with 25 home runs and 19 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 453 at-bats for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers
Arkansas Travelers
The Arkansas Travelers, also known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Major League club....
.
2007
Wood began 2007 as a top 10 prospect by Baseball America once more, holding the 8th spot overall. He changed positions however, as he slid over to third base for the other highly talented shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Erick Aybar
Erick Aybar
Erick Johan Aybar is a Major League Baseball shortstop with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Dominican Republic:Aybar has also previously played in the Dominican Republic...
. This move was made in part to accelerate his track to the majors.
Major league career
Wood was called up to Angels' major league club on April 25, 2007 and made his major league debut at third base the following day against the Tampa Bay Devil RaysTampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. Prior to the call-up to the big club, Wood was batting .278 (22-for-79) with three home runs and 15 RBI in 20 games with Salt Lake. Wood's first major league at-bat came against Jae Seo
Jae Weong Seo
Jae Weong Seo , usually referred to as simply Jae Seo and pronounced "Jay So", is a Korean professional baseball player...
. He struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
swinging. He started his second game at third base for the Halos on April 29, picking up his first career base hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
off Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
Bobby Jenks
Bobby Jenks
Robert Scott "Bobby" Jenks is an American professional baseball relief pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball...
. After the game he was optioned back to Triple-A Salt Lake. He was recalled to the Angels on May 2. On September 12, , against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, he hit his first major league home run off Danys Baez
Danys Báez
Danys Báez González is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Báez has previously played for the Cleveland Indians , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Los Angeles Dodgers , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles , and Philadelphia Phillies .-Cleveland Indians:Báez was signed by the Cleveland...
.
2010
In the 2009 offseason, third base appeared to open up for Wood as All-Star third baseman Chone Figgins signed a four year deal with division rivals the Seattle MarinersSeattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. Wood went into Spring Training, preparing for a shot at the majors. "I'm going in to spring training to win a job," he said, "That keeps you on your toes. If you think that job is yours, you might get lazy. I've got to be ready to work, rather than sitting back and saying I paid my dues, I waited for my time." He cited first baseman Kendry Morales
Kendry Morales
Kendrys Morales Rodriguez is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He is a switch hitter and throws right-handed.-Cuban career:...
, who had just come off a breakout 2009 season, as a role model. The Angels' willingness to part with Figgins was in part because they had Wood waiting in Triple-A. Bill Shaikin reported, "The Angels also think that, as Wood improves his plate discipline and gains a better command of the strike zone, he will add a key power component to the lineup."
On June 27, Wood hit his first Major League grand slam off Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
reliever Manny Corpas. He finished the season with a .146 batting average, including four home runs, in 226 official at-bats.
2011
On April 19, Wood was designated for assignmentDesignated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
by the Angels to accommodate Erick Aybar
Erick Aybar
Erick Johan Aybar is a Major League Baseball shortstop with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.-Dominican Republic:Aybar has also previously played in the Dominican Republic...
's activation from the disabled list.
He was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
on April 22. In his April 25 debut for the Pirates, a home game against the Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
, Wood hit two-run double and was part of a four-run fourth inning that gave the Pirates a 4-2 win.