Trevor Plouffe
Encyclopedia
Trevor Patrick Plouffe (born June 15, 1986 in West Hills, California) is an American professional baseball
outfielder
. He currently plays for the Minnesota Twins
of Major League Baseball
.
. After signing for $1.5 million, Plouffe spent the 2004 season with the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins
. He batted .283 and was named the league's sixth best prospect by Baseball America
. Plouffe spent 2005 with the Midwest League
's Beloit Snappers
, where he was again recognized as one of the league's top prospects, this time ranking 12th overall.
In 2006, Plouffe played for the Fort Myers Miracle
of the Florida State League
. During the season, he played third base
in 25 games, the first time he had played a position other than shortstop
as a professional.
In 2007, Plouffe was promoted to the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
. He was chosen as the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week (April 27-May 3), Eastern League Player of the Week (May 28-June 3) and an Arizona Fall League
Rising Star.
Plouffe split the 2008 season between the Rock Cats and Triple-A Rochester Red Wings
, where he hit a combined .262 with nine home runs and sixty RBIs. With the Red Wings, he was used at second base
as well as third base and shortstop. After the season, on November 20, Plouffe was added to the Twins' 40-man roster.
In 2009, Plouffe spent the entire year in Rochester. He also returned to playing shortstop full-time while batting .260 in 118 games.
Jeff Manship
on the 25-man roster. He started his first major league game for the Twins on May 21 against the Milwaukee Brewers
, singling and driving in a run in his first big league at bat. Plouffe remained with the club through June 19, batting .130 in seven games over his time with the club. Plouffe was recalled again on July 30, after an injury to Twins infielder Nick Punto
.
, and in his first at bat
hit a home run over the Green Monster
off of Tim Wakefield
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
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...
. He currently plays for 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...
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...
.
Minor leagues
After being named a 2004 Collegiate Baseball News High School All-American, Plouffe was drafted by the Minnesota Twins with the 20th overall pick in 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...
. After signing for $1.5 million, Plouffe spent the 2004 season with the Rookie-level Elizabethton Twins
Elizabethton Twins
The Elizabethton Twins are a minor league baseball team in Elizabethton, Tennessee, USA. They are a Rookie-level team in the Appalachian League, and have been a farm team of the Minnesota Twins since 1974. The Twins play home games at Joe O'Brien Field...
. He batted .283 and was named the league's sixth best prospect by 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...
. Plouffe spent 2005 with the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
's Beloit Snappers
Beloit Snappers
The Beloit Snappers are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Minnesota Twins, that plays in the Midwest League.Beloit joined the Midwest League as an expansion franchise in 1982. They were a Milwaukee Brewers farm team from its beginning through 2004; they switched to the...
, where he was again recognized as one of the league's top prospects, this time ranking 12th overall.
In 2006, Plouffe played for the Fort Myers Miracle
Fort Myers Miracle
The Fort Myers Miracle is the Class A Advanced minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club, currently managed by Jake Mauer. Home games are played at the Lee County Sports Complex in Hammond Stadium, which has a capacity of 7,500, and opened in...
of the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
. During the season, he played third base
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in 25 games, the first time he had played a position other than shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
as a professional.
In 2007, Plouffe was promoted to the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats
New Britain Rock Cats
The New Britain Rock Cats are the Double-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Minnesota Twins Major League Baseball club. They compete in the Eastern League and play their home games at New Britain Stadium in New Britain, Connecticut.-History:...
. He was chosen as the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week (April 27-May 3), Eastern League Player of the Week (May 28-June 3) and an 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...
Rising Star.
Plouffe split the 2008 season between the Rock Cats and 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...
, where he hit a combined .262 with nine home runs and sixty RBIs. With the Red Wings, he was used at second base
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...
as well as third base and shortstop. After the season, on November 20, Plouffe was added to the Twins' 40-man roster.
In 2009, Plouffe spent the entire year in Rochester. He also returned to playing shortstop full-time while batting .260 in 118 games.
Major league debut
After starting the 2010 season with Rochester, he was called up to the Twins on May 20, replacing pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Jeff Manship
Jeff Manship
Jeffrey Michael Manship is a right-handed pitcher for the Minnesota Twins. He was the Twins' 14th round selection of the June 2006 Major League Baseball Draft.-Amateur career:...
on the 25-man roster. He started his first major league game for the Twins on May 21 against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, singling and driving in a run in his first big league at bat. Plouffe remained with the club through June 19, batting .130 in seven games over his time with the club. Plouffe was recalled again on July 30, after an injury to Twins infielder Nick Punto
Nick Punto
Nicholas Paul Punto is a Major League Baseball utility player. He has played second base, third base, shortstop, and center field. Punto is a switch hitter and throws right-handed....
.
2011
Ploufe returned to the Red Wings at the start of the 2011 season. After a fast start in which he batted .282 with 6 home runs in 21 games, Plouffe was called up on May 6. That day, he started at shortstop against the Boston Red SoxBoston 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"...
, and in his first at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
hit a home run over the Green Monster
Green Monster
The Green Monster is a popular nickname for the thirty-seven foot , two-inch high left field wall at Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox baseball team...
off of Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
.