Jason Pridie
Encyclopedia
Jason Orville Pridie is an American professional baseball
outfielder
for the Oakland Athletics
of Major League Baseball
.
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
. He had an excellent 67 games with them as he batted .368 with 7 home runs. Pridie was promoted on August 28, , 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 –, 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 , 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 only .213 with 3 home runs.
On December 8, 2005, the Minnesota Twins
selected Pridie in the Rule 5 Draft
. With not enough roster room for Pridie, the Twins sent him back to the Rays on March 29, . Pridie did poorly in the 2006 season, playing for the Biscuits again. He played in 132 games and batted only .230 with 5 home runs. In , Pridie once again began the season for the Biscuits. With the Biscuits, he played in 71 games and batted .290 with 4 home runs. When Dustan Mohr
was promoted to the Devil Rays, Pridie was sent to the Triple-A Durham Bulls
to take his roster spot on June 23, 2007. He finished the season with the Bulls, excelling in batting average
(.318) and home runs (10). While in Durham, Pridie was the focal point of an unofficial Bulls fanclub named "Pridie's Pack."
and Brendan Harris
to the Minnesota Twins for Matt Garza
, Jason Bartlett, and Eduardo Morlan.
Pridie began the 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.
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. 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 . His only major league appearance in 2009 was as a pinch runner against the Houston Astros
on June 20.
The Mets purchased his contract on April 22, , when starting center fielder Angel Pagan
was placed on the 15-day Disabled List.
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 was out-righted to AAA Buffalo, and he elected for free agency.
signed Pridie to a minor league contract on November 15, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training.
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...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
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...
.
Tampa Bay Rays
Pridie was drafted out of Prescott High SchoolPrescott High School (Arizona)
Prescott High School is a public high school located in Yavapai County, Arizona, serving the Prescott Unified School District. Historically, Prescott High School drew students from various adjacent School Districts, mostly in Prescott Valley , and Chino Valley, Arizona , via bussing...
by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the second round (43rd overall) of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft
2002 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2002 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 4 and 5.This year's draft is featured in Michael Lewis' 2003 book Moneyball.-First Round Selections:-Supplemental First Round Compensation Selections:...
. After signing with the Devil Rays, Pridie was assigned to play with the Rookie League Princeton Devil Rays
Princeton Devil Rays
The Princeton Rays are a minor league baseball team in Princeton, West Virginia, USA. They are an Advanced Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League and have been an affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays since September 27, 1996...
. He had an excellent 67 games with them as he batted .368 with 7 home runs. Pridie was promoted on August 28, , to the Hudson Valley Renegades
Hudson Valley Renegades
The Hudson Valley Renegades are a minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is a member of the New York - Penn League, a Class A Short Season league. The Renegades play at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, NY....
, the Devil Rays Single-A team. He finished the season there and batted .344 with 1 home run in 8 games. 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...
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 –, Pridie played the entire two seasons with the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs
Charleston RiverDogs
The Charleston RiverDogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Charleston, South Carolina. They play in the class A South Atlantic League and are an affiliate of the New York Yankees. Their home stadium is at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park...
. 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 , he began the season with the Single-A Visalia Oaks
Visalia Oaks
The Visalia Rawhide are a minor league baseball team in Visalia, California, U.S. They are a Class A - Advanced team of the Arizona Diamondbacks operating in the California League and have recently agreed to renew their affiliation through 2012....
. He played just one game before being 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:...
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
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
. He finished the season for the Biscuits and played in 28 games for them, batting only .213 with 3 home runs.
On December 8, 2005, the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
selected Pridie in the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. With not enough roster room for Pridie, the Twins sent him back to the Rays on March 29, . Pridie did poorly in the 2006 season, playing for the Biscuits again. He played in 132 games and batted only .230 with 5 home runs. In , Pridie once again began the season for the Biscuits. With the Biscuits, he played in 71 games and batted .290 with 4 home runs. When Dustan Mohr
Dustan Mohr
Dustan Kyle Mohr is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who currently plays for the independent Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
was promoted to the Devil Rays, Pridie was sent to the Triple-A Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
to take his roster spot on June 23, 2007. He finished the season with the Bulls, excelling in 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 :...
(.318) and home runs (10). While in Durham, Pridie was the focal point of an unofficial Bulls fanclub named "Pridie's Pack."
Minnesota Twins
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 YoungDelmon 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 Brendan Harris
Brendan Harris
Brendan Michael Harris Brendan Michael Harris Brendan Michael Harris (born August 26, 1980 in Albany, New York is a Major League Baseball utility infielder who is a free agent.Brendan grew up in Queensbury, New York and led the Spartans to the 1998 State Baseball Tournament. He graduated from the...
to the Minnesota Twins for Matt Garza
Matt Garza
Matthew Scott Garza is a United States professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Amateur career:He attended Washington Union High School and Fresno State.-Minnesota Twins:...
, Jason Bartlett, and Eduardo Morlan.
Pridie began the season with the Twins Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
. On July 12, he hit a go-ahead 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...
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.
He received a September call-up, and made his major league debut on September 3 against the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
for 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 scored on a 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...
double
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....
. He remained in the game in right field, and committed a game-tying error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
with two outs in the ninth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
, allowing the game (eventually won by the Jays) to go into extra innings. 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 . His only major league appearance in 2009 was as a pinch runner against 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...
on June 20.
New York Mets
On February 9, , Pridie was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.The Mets purchased his contract on April 22, , when starting center fielder Angel Pagan
Angel Pagán
Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...
was placed on the 15-day Disabled List.
On April 23, Pridie collected his first major league hit off Diamondbacks pitcher Barry Enright
Barry Enright
Barry Ryan Enright is a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher currently on the Arizona Diamondbacks active roster....
. The very next day, he hit a 3-run home run, the first of his career, off Armando Gallaraga. He was out-righted to AAA Buffalo, and he elected for free agency.
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
signed Pridie to a minor league contract on November 15, 2011. He also received an invitation to spring training.