Chris Barnwell
Encyclopedia
Christopher Edward Barnwell (born March 1, 1979 in Jacksonville, Florida
) is a Major League Baseball
infielder
for the Pittsburgh Pirates
organization.
in the 25th round of the 2001 Amateur Draft. He began the 2001 season at the Milwaukee Brewers
' rookie league affiliate, the Ogden Raptors
. He was awarded the Coaches Award in 2001. He started 2002 at their Single-A Beloit Snappers
, and was promoted to their High-A High Desert Mavericks
during the season. Barnwell played at the Brewers Double-A Huntsville Stars
during 2003 and 2004, and the beginning of 2005. Early in the season, he was promoted to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
. He started the 2006 season in Nashville before being called up to Milwaukee to make his major league debut on June 20, 2006. He played in thirteen games for the Brewers before returning to the Sounds. He spent the remainder of the 2006 season and the entire 2007 season at Nashville. He became a free agent after the 2007 season.
On January 4, 2008, the Florida Marlins
signed Barnwell to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training
. Chris was selected as a 2008 Triple-A Pacific Coast League
All-Star. He became a free agent
at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros
in January 2009. In April 2009 Chris was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and reported to Triple-A Indianapolis
.
He was the starting shortstop and lead-off hitter for Team Canada at the 2009 World Baseball Classic
. His father is Canadian making him eligible for the Canadian team. Team Canada lost both of their pool C and were eliminated early from the tournament.
Chris was also a collegiate standout at now NCAA Div. II Flagler College in Florida. He holds most offensive records, and had his number "5" retired in 2007.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
) is a 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...
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 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...
organization.
Career
Barnwell was drafted by the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the 25th round of the 2001 Amateur Draft. He began the 2001 season at the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
' rookie league affiliate, the Ogden Raptors
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are a minor league baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Ogden, Utah, United States. The club plays at Lindquist Field, whose view beyond the outfield fence was named the best in professional baseball by a staff writer for Grand Slam Enterprises, INC.The Raptors are one of...
. He was awarded the Coaches Award in 2001. He started 2002 at their Single-A Beloit Snappers
Beloit Snappers
The Beloit Snappers are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, that plays in the Midwest League.Beloit joined the Midwest League as an expansion franchise in 1982. They were a Milwaukee Brewers farm team from its beginning through 2004; they switched to the...
, and was promoted to their High-A High Desert Mavericks
High Desert Mavericks
The High Desert Mavericks are a minor league baseball team in Adelanto, California, USA. Their Major League parent club is the Seattle Mariners. They are a Class A - Advanced team in the California League and had been a farm team of the Kansas City Royals since 2005 before the switch...
during the season. Barnwell played at the Brewers Double-A Huntsville Stars
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
during 2003 and 2004, and the beginning of 2005. Early in the season, he was promoted to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
. He started the 2006 season in Nashville before being called up to Milwaukee to make his major league debut on June 20, 2006. He played in thirteen games for the Brewers before returning to the Sounds. He spent the remainder of the 2006 season and the entire 2007 season at Nashville. He became a free agent after the 2007 season.
On January 4, 2008, the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
signed Barnwell to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. Chris was selected as a 2008 Triple-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
All-Star. He became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in January 2009. In April 2009 Chris was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and reported to Triple-A Indianapolis
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
.
He was the starting shortstop and lead-off hitter for Team Canada at the 2009 World Baseball Classic
World Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
. His father is Canadian making him eligible for the Canadian team. Team Canada lost both of their pool C and were eliminated early from the tournament.
Chris was also a collegiate standout at now NCAA Div. II Flagler College in Florida. He holds most offensive records, and had his number "5" retired in 2007.
External links
- "Chris Barnwell Statisitics". The Baseball Cube. Retrieved on 17 December 2007.
- "Chris Barnwell Statisitics". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved on 17 December 2007.