Nathaniel Joseph Spears (born May 3, 1985 in Fort Myers, Florida

Fort Myers, Florida

Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....

) 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...

 second baseman

Second baseman

Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...

 with the Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...

 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 was drafted by 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...

 in the 5th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft

2003 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:...

 out of Port Charlotte High School

Port Charlotte High School

Port Charlotte High School is a four-year, comprehensive, public high school located in Port Charlotte, Florida, US. The school opened in 1982, its mascot is the pirate, and the school motto is "Yes, I am a Pirate." It is operated by Charlotte County Public Schools...

.

Spears made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles

Gulf Coast League Orioles

The Gulf Coast League Orioles are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Gulf Coast League. The Orioles were originally a team from 1991-2003, but were reactivated in 2007...

, hitting .289 in 56 games. He played 2004 with Single-A Delmarva

Delmarva Shorebirds

The Delmarva Shorebirds are a minor league baseball team based in Salisbury, Maryland. They are one of three Single-A affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles and a member of the South Atlantic League. The Shorebirds play at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium.The "Shorebirds" name refers to the marine waterfowl...

, hitting .275 in 97 games. His best year in the Oriole organization was in 2005 with High-A Frederick

Frederick Keys

The Frederick Keys minor league baseball team is the "High-A" class A baseball affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. The Keys are based in Frederick, Maryland. The franchise is named for Star Spangled Banner poet Francis Scott Key, a native of Frederick County. The team mascot is a coyote known as...

, where he hit .294 in 112 games and was both a Mid-Season and Post-Season Carolina League

Carolina League

The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. 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...

 All-Star. On January 9, 2006, Spears was traded to the Chicago Cubs in the Corey Patterson

Corey Patterson

Donald Corey Patterson is an American professional baseball free agent outfielder in Major League Baseball. He is the older brother of outfielder Eric Patterson.-Amateur career:...

 deal. His debut in the Cubs' organization wasn't the greatest, hitting only .246 in 97 games with High-A Daytona

Daytona Cubs

The Daytona Cubs are a minor league baseball team based in Daytona Beach, Florida. The team plays in the Florida State League , and is the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Chicago Cubs major league club. The Cubs play at Jackie Robinson Ballpark; opened in 1914, the park seats 5,100 fans.The...

. He started 2007 with Daytona, but was promoted to Double-A Tennessee

Tennessee Smokies

The Tennessee Smokies are a Minor League Baseball team based in the Knoxville, Tennessee metropolitan area. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball as of the 2011 season...

, where he hit .298 in 38 games there. He played 2008 with Tennessee, where he was a Southern League

Southern League (baseball)

The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...

 All-Star and was the Best Hustler. He also played five games with Triple-A Iowa

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...

. He also 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...

 for Mesa

Mesa Solar Sox

The Mesa Solar Sox are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games in Mesa, Arizona at HoHoKam Stadium, which is also the spring training facility of the Chicago Cubs....

, hitting .349 in 23 games. He played 2009 with Iowa, where he only hit .253 in 128 games. On March 3, 2010, Spears was signed to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, where he went 4-6 in 6 games. He played that year with Double-A Portland

Portland Sea Dogs

The Portland Sea Dogs are the Double-A minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Established in 1994 and based in Portland, Maine, the Sea Dogs play in the Northern Division of the Eastern League....

, where he was an Eastern League All-Star, hitting .272 in 136 games. He was again invited to spring training, hitting .290 in 28 games. He started 2011 with Triple-A Pawtucket

Pawtucket Red Sox

The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...

 before his promotion.

He was called up to the Red Sox on September 5, 2011. Drew Sutton

Drew Sutton

Stephen Drew Sutton is an American professional baseball infielder and outfielder for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball....

 was designated for assignment to make room for him on the 40-man roster.

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