Ian Stewart (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Ian Kenneth Stewart is a Major League Baseball
infielder
for the Colorado Rockies
.
in Westminster, California
, Stewart showed great promise in short-season rookie-league ball at Casper, Wyoming
in the Pioneer League. His .401 on-base percentage and .558 slugging average appeared to justify his first-round selection. In , Stewart continued to progress in low-A ball at Asheville, North Carolina
in the South Atlantic League
with a .398 OBP and .594 SLG. Baseball America
ranked him as the fourth best prospect in baseball behind Delmon Young
, Félix Hernández
and Joe Mauer
.
Stewart's career has not continued at the same quick pace since then. In , he began play in high-A ball in Modesto, California
in the California League
. He got off to a very slow start, hitting for a low average with little power. He went to extended spring training
and came back to play with Modesto in June, 2005. Up until June 20, Stewart was hitting under .230 with few homers
. His supposedly improving defense, which had impressed former Rockies, Marlins
, and Braves
player Walt Weiss
, also suffered. However, Stewart rebounded later in the season and finished with a respectable .353 OBP and .497 SLG, although he showed a worrisome tendency to strike out.
Stewart played in the Arizona Fall League
after the conclusion of the 2005 minor league season. Here, Stewart got off to a good start with impressive power. Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist
injury while sliding into second base. The MRI showed limited damage, but any wrist injury is troublesome for a power hitter. He was shut down for the rest of the AFL.
Stewart was invited to the Colorado Rockies spring training
. He began well, hitting six home runs and batting over .400 in the first few games. Stewart re-established himself as a power-hitting prospect, and the Rockies sent him to Tulsa, Oklahoma
in the AA Texas League
. Here Stewart began the season well, but fell into a slump that sent his average
to .235 in mid-May before being sidelined with another injury. The injury was not serious, and Stewart only missed ten games. When he returned, Stewart improved noticeably and finished the season with a .351 on-base percentage and a .452 slugging average.
Stewart's power potential makes him a possibility for the Rockies' third base position. However, his performance at higher levels in the minors has tailed off from his impressive 2003-04 seasons. In , he was selected to the All-Star Futures Game
.
Stewart had his contract purchased on August 11, 2007, when Jeff Baker was placed on the disabled list
. He made his major league debut on that same day when he started the game at third base. He hit is first major league home run, a grand slam
on August 21, 2007, against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, making him only the second Rockie ever to hit a grand slam as his first major league home run.
Stewart, in his limited time in the majors, endeared himself to fans by frequently signing autographs. He struggled early, striking out 28 times in his first 55 ABs, and was sent down to Colorado Springs to regain his hitting stroke. He found it once again, and was called back to the Majors on July 19. Stewart won the starting third base job when Garrett Atkins
moved to first base in place for the injured Todd Helton
.
Stewart received the NL Rookie of the Month award for his accomplishments in July 2008. He hit .432 with one home run, five doubles, eight runs scored and 15 RBIs in 12 games during the month of July. He also had a .614 slugging percentage and a .519 on-base percentage.
After starting the season with a .077 batting average, Stewart was sent down to Triple-A on April 19. He was recalled to the big league club on May 3, 2011.
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 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...
.
Baseball career
Drafted in the first round out of La Quinta High SchoolLa Quinta High School (Westminster, California)
La Quinta High School a public high school located in Westminster, Orange County, California, is one of seven high-schools of the Garden Grove Unified School District—recipient of the 2004 Broad Prize for Excellence in Urban Education...
in Westminster, California
Westminster, California
-Government:In the state legislature Westminster is located in the 34th, Senate District, represented by Democrat Lou Correa and Republican Tom Harman respectively, and in the 67th and 68th Assembly District, represented by Republicans Jim Silva and Van Tran respectively...
, Stewart showed great promise in short-season rookie-league ball at Casper, Wyoming
Casper, Wyoming
Casper is the county seat of Natrona County, Wyoming, United States.. Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming , according to the 2010 census, with a population of 55,316...
in the Pioneer League. His .401 on-base percentage and .558 slugging average appeared to justify his first-round selection. In , Stewart continued to progress in low-A ball at Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
in the South Atlantic League
South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League is a minor league baseball league based chiefly in the Southeastern United States, with the exception of three teams in the Mid-Atlantic States...
with a .398 OBP and .594 SLG. Baseball America
Baseball 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...
ranked him as the fourth best prospect in baseball 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...
, Félix Hernández
Félix Hernández
Félix Abraham Hernández , nicknamed "King Félix", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners....
and Joe Mauer
Joe Mauer
Joseph Patrick Mauer is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Minnesota Twins. He is the only catcher in Major League history to win three batting titles...
.
Stewart's career has not continued at the same quick pace since then. In , he began play in high-A ball in Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
in the 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...
. He got off to a very slow start, hitting for a low average with little power. He went to extended 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...
and came back to play with Modesto in June, 2005. Up until June 20, Stewart was hitting under .230 with few homers
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...
. His supposedly improving defense, which had impressed former Rockies, 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...
, and Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
player Walt Weiss
Walt Weiss
Walter William Weiss is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball.Weiss was a member of the National League All-Star Team...
, also suffered. However, Stewart rebounded later in the season and finished with a respectable .353 OBP and .497 SLG, although he showed a worrisome tendency to strike out.
Stewart played in the 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...
after the conclusion of the 2005 minor league season. Here, Stewart got off to a good start with impressive power. Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist
Wrist
In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...
injury while sliding into second base. The MRI showed limited damage, but any wrist injury is troublesome for a power hitter. He was shut down for the rest of the AFL.
Stewart was invited to the Colorado Rockies 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...
. He began well, hitting six home runs and batting over .400 in the first few games. Stewart re-established himself as a power-hitting prospect, and the Rockies sent him to Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
in the AA Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
. Here Stewart began the season well, but fell into a slump that sent his 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 :...
to .235 in mid-May before being sidelined with another injury. The injury was not serious, and Stewart only missed ten games. When he returned, Stewart improved noticeably and finished the season with a .351 on-base percentage and a .452 slugging average.
Stewart's power potential makes him a possibility for the Rockies' third base position. However, his performance at higher levels in the minors has tailed off from his impressive 2003-04 seasons. In , he was selected to the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
.
Stewart had his contract purchased on August 11, 2007, when Jeff Baker was placed on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. He made his major league debut on that same day when he started the game at third base. He hit is first major league home run, a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
on August 21, 2007, against 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...
, making him only the second Rockie ever to hit a grand slam as his first major league home run.
Stewart, in his limited time in the majors, endeared himself to fans by frequently signing autographs. He struggled early, striking out 28 times in his first 55 ABs, and was sent down to Colorado Springs to regain his hitting stroke. He found it once again, and was called back to the Majors on July 19. Stewart won the starting third base job when Garrett Atkins
Garrett Atkins
Garrett Bernard Atkins is a Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently a Free Agent. He bats and throws right-handed....
moved to first base in place for the injured Todd Helton
Todd Helton
Todd Lynn Helton is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies. He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner....
.
Stewart received the NL Rookie of the Month award for his accomplishments in July 2008. He hit .432 with one home run, five doubles, eight runs scored and 15 RBIs in 12 games during the month of July. He also had a .614 slugging percentage and a .519 on-base percentage.
After starting the season with a .077 batting average, Stewart was sent down to Triple-A on April 19. He was recalled to the big league club on May 3, 2011.