Nick Stavinoha
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Lee "Nick" Stavinoha (born May 3, 1982 in Houston, Texas
) is an American professional baseball
outfielder
for the Houston Astros
of Major League Baseball
.
before attending the University of Houston
for football.
He later transferred to San Jacinto College
and played there for two seasons as a catcher. While at San Jacinto, Stavinoha hit 49 Home Runs and is a member of the Golden Anniversary all 50 Greatest JUCO World Series Participants.
Stavinoha went on to attend Louisiana State University
.
He is one of the few players in college baseball to participate in both the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado
(twice) and also at the NCAA D1 World Series
in Omaha, Nebraska
.
in 2002
, but did not sign. He was drafted again by the Cardinals in 2005
and signed.
He hit for a .337 average with 16 home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds
in . He hit .261 with 13 home runs in 2007 while stealing seven bases, also at Memphis. He hit .297 with 12 home runs at Double A-Springfield in 2006. That batting average ranked fourth among all Cardinal minor league players that played a full season. In 2005, he hit .344 with 14 home runs in 65 games at Single A-Quad Cities in 2005 as a 23-year old. He has 55 career minor league home runs. He also has a career average of .304 in the minors.
Stavinoha made his big-league debut on June 22, , as a designated hitter
, and getting the first hit
of his major league career against the Boston Red Sox
at Fenway Park
. Stavinoha is to be placed in the Rule 5 draft at the end of the 2010 season. Stavinoha was designated to the Cardinals once again on January 14, 2011. He became a free agent after the 2011 season.
On November 9, 2011, he signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros
. He also received an invitation to Spring Training.
with his wife, Casey, and daughter, Kate Elaine (born 9/29/2008).
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
) 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...
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 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...
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...
.
Early life
He played football and baseball at Jersey Village High SchoolJersey Village High School
Jersey Village High School is located in Jersey Village, Texas, United States. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, is a part of the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. Ralph Funk serves as its principal....
before attending the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
for football.
He later transferred to San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College
San Jacinto College is a community college in the Greater Houston area in the U.S. state of Texas. Established in 1961, San Jacinto College originally consisted of the areas of Channelview ISD, Deer Park ISD, Galena Park ISD, La Porte ISD, and Pasadena ISD. The College now also serves Sheldon ISD,...
and played there for two seasons as a catcher. While at San Jacinto, Stavinoha hit 49 Home Runs and is a member of the Golden Anniversary all 50 Greatest JUCO World Series Participants.
Stavinoha went on to attend Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
.
He is one of the few players in college baseball to participate in both the JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado
Grand Junction, Colorado
The City of Grand Junction is the largest city in western Colorado. It is a city with a council–manager government form that is the county seat and the most populous city of Mesa County, Colorado, United States. Grand Junction is situated west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. As...
(twice) and also at the NCAA D1 World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
.
Professional career
Stavinoha was drafted by the Houston AstrosHouston 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 2002
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:...
, but did not sign. He was drafted again by the Cardinals in 2005
2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 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...
and signed.
He hit for a .337 average with 16 home runs for the St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
in . He hit .261 with 13 home runs in 2007 while stealing seven bases, also at Memphis. He hit .297 with 12 home runs at Double A-Springfield in 2006. That batting average ranked fourth among all Cardinal minor league players that played a full season. In 2005, he hit .344 with 14 home runs in 65 games at Single A-Quad Cities in 2005 as a 23-year old. He has 55 career minor league home runs. He also has a career average of .304 in the minors.
Stavinoha made his big-league debut on June 22, , as a designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, and getting the first hit
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....
of his major league career against 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"...
at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
. Stavinoha is to be placed in the Rule 5 draft at the end of the 2010 season. Stavinoha was designated to the Cardinals once again on January 14, 2011. He became a free agent after the 2011 season.
On November 9, 2011, he 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...
. He also received an invitation to Spring Training.
Family
Stavinoha resides in Magnolia, TexasMagnolia, Texas
Magnolia is a city in southwestern Montgomery County, Texas, United States outside Houston and right next to The Woodlands. The population was 1,111 at the 2000 census. Settled in the late 1840s, the town has gone by several names including "Mink's Prairie" and "Mink".-Geography:Magnolia is located...
with his wife, Casey, and daughter, Kate Elaine (born 9/29/2008).