Chris Iannetta
Encyclopedia
Christopher Domenic Iannetta (born April 8, 1983, in Providence, Rhode Island
) is an American professional baseball
catcher
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
of Major League Baseball
.
, a Roman Catholic high school in Pawtucket
, Rhode Island. His jersey was retired there, and is hung there for all to see. He was awarded All-State honors on three consecutive occasions. He was awarded the C. Dona Manyard Award which is given to a male athlete who excels in the classroom and on the field.
and played catcher and first base
.He played on the 2002 Chatham A's of the Cape Cod League, and is featured in the book The Last Best League: One Summer, One Season, One Dream by Jim Collins. As a sophomore in , he finished fourth on the squad with a .319 batting average
and ranked third with 55 RBI
. Ianetta was named to the NCAA Starkville Regional All-Tournament Team and tallied five hits
and four RBI in the Tar Heels' NCAA Tournament
run.
He earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
as a member of the Newport Gulls
in 2003
. He batted .302 with 20 RBIs on the season, and was selected to the NECBL All-Star Game
.
. He played the majority of the season with Double-A Tulsa Drillers
before being promoted to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox
. Iannetta was promoted to the majors in late August.
He collected his first career hit on August 27, , against the San Diego Padres
.
In , he was named the starting catcher coming out of spring training
over Yorvit Torrealba
, but struggled at the plate and became Torrealba's back-up. In , he was designated the back-up once again, but enjoyed much more success at the plate, and, due to injuries to Torrealba, took over the everyday catcher role.
Iannetta had a solid 2009, but was slow to start in 2010 and ended up being optioned back to AAA.
for pitcher Tyler Chatwood
.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
) is an American professional baseball
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...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
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...
.
High school
He went to St. Ann School in Providence, Rhode Island, and attended St. Raphael AcademySt. Raphael Academy
Saint Raphael Academy is a Roman Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, USA. It was founded in the tradition of Saint John Baptist de Lasalle and rooted in the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Academy welcomes students that are academically, economically,...
, a Roman Catholic high school in Pawtucket
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
, Rhode Island. His jersey was retired there, and is hung there for all to see. He was awarded All-State honors on three consecutive occasions. He was awarded the C. Dona Manyard Award which is given to a male athlete who excels in the classroom and on the field.
College
Iannetta attended the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
and played catcher and first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
.He played on the 2002 Chatham A's of the Cape Cod League, and is featured in the book The Last Best League: One Summer, One Season, One Dream by Jim Collins. As a sophomore in , he finished fourth on the squad with a .319 batting average
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 :...
and ranked third with 55 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. Ianetta was named to the NCAA Starkville Regional All-Tournament Team and tallied five hits
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....
and four RBI in the Tar Heels' NCAA Tournament
NCAA Division I Baseball Championship
The NCAA Division I Baseball Championship tournament is held each year from May through June and features 64 college baseball teams in the United States, culminating in the College World Series....
run.
He earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in the New England Collegiate Baseball League
New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League is a 12-team collegiate summer baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 42-game schedule during June and July, with a playoff in early August...
as a member of the Newport Gulls
Newport Gulls
The Newport Gulls are a wooden-bat, summer collegiate baseball team based in Newport, Rhode Island. The Newport Gulls Baseball Club is a member of both the New England Collegiate Baseball League and the NECBL's East Division. From 2001 to the present, the Gulls have played at Cardines...
in 2003
2003 NECBL season
The 2003 NECBL season marked the tenth season of the existence of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. The league expanded to thirteen teams with the addition of the Vermont Mountaineers of Montpelier, Vermont. The franchise was the league's first in the New England state of Vermont...
. He batted .302 with 20 RBIs on the season, and was selected to the NECBL All-Star Game
2003 NECBL All-Star Game
The 2003 NECBL All-Star Game was the 11th exhibition game between all-stars from the NECBL's Northern and the Southern Divisions. The National All-Stars shut out the Southern All-Stars 6-0...
.
Colorado Rockies
Iannetta was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 4th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft2004 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
. He played the majority of the season with Double-A Tulsa Drillers
Tulsa Drillers
The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies major-league club.-Stadium:...
before being promoted to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox
Colorado Springs Sky Sox
The Colorado Springs Sky Sox are a minor league baseball team in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The team's colors are red and blue. The team plays in the Pacific Coast League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the major league Colorado Rockies...
. Iannetta was promoted to the majors in late August.
He collected his first career hit on August 27, , against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
.
In , he was named the starting catcher coming out of 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...
over Yorvit Torrealba
Yorvit Torrealba
Yorvit Adolfo Torrealba is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers. He previously played for the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. He bats and throws right-handed.-San Francisco Giants:...
, but struggled at the plate and became Torrealba's back-up. In , he was designated the back-up once again, but enjoyed much more success at the plate, and, due to injuries to Torrealba, took over the everyday catcher role.
Iannetta had a solid 2009, but was slow to start in 2010 and ended up being optioned back to AAA.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
On November 30, 2011, Ianneta was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of AnaheimLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
for pitcher Tyler Chatwood
Tyler Chatwood
Tyler Cole Chatwood is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim:...
.