Steve Clevenger

Steve Clevenger

Clevenger with the Baltimore Orioles
Seattle Mariners – No. 32
Catcher
Born: (1986-04-05) April 5, 1986
Baltimore, Maryland
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 26, 2011, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
(through April 21, 2016)
Batting average .228
Home runs 4
Runs batted in 44
Teams

Steven Scott Clevenger (born April 5, 1986) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles.

Early life

Clevenger, who was raised in Glen Burnie, Maryland, attended Overlook Elementary and graduated from Mount Saint Joseph High School in 2004. He was the starting shortstop on the school's varsity baseball team which won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A conference championship in his senior year.[1][2]

He hit .347 as a first-team All-Southland Conference shortstop in his only year at Southeastern Louisiana University in 2005.[3] After transferring to Chipola College, he led the Indians with a .395 batting average and 77 hits.[4][5]

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

He was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the seventh round (209th overall) of the 2006 MLB Draft.[6] After signing with the Cubs on June 14,[7] he began his professional career as the starting second baseman with the Boise Hawks. He started making the transition to catcher the following season after Hawks manager Steve McFarland convinced him that a left-handed batter at the position had a better chance of a faster promotion to the majors.[1]

During the 2011 season Clevenger played for the Tennessee Smokies where he batted .295 and hit 5 home runs. He also played for the Iowa Cubs where in 86 at bats he batted .407 and hit 3 home runs.[8]

Chicago Cubs

Clevenger during his tenure with the Chicago Cubs in 2012

Clevenger was called up to the Cubs from the expanded 40-man roster.[9] He made his major league debut September 26, 2011, however he only played in two games during the 2011 season.

Clevenger made the opening day roster during the 2012 season. However, on April 28, Clevenger was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right oblique.[10] Clevenger finished the 2012 season with a .201 batting average, one home run, and 16 RBIs.[11]

Baltimore Orioles

On July 2, 2013, Clevenger was traded to the Baltimore Orioles with Scott Feldman for pitchers Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop.[12][13] He was optioned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides after the trade. He was recalled on September 1, but did not play for the Orioles until September 13 against the Toronto Blue Jays.[14] On August 17, 2015 he became the first Baltimore native to hit a home run for the Orioles at Camden Yards.[15]

Clevengeer batted .225/.289/.337 for the 2014 season. Showalter was dissatisfied with Clevenger's defense (he caught 3 of 20 attempted base-stealers), and the team had problems with his conditioning.[13] Clevenger as of December 2014 had one minor league option remaining.[13] Clevenger was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk Tides on April 7 of 2015 and on April 24, was placed on the DL with a left thumb contusion. He was recalled to Baltimore on May 26, and made his season debut two days later. He went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the game. Clevenger played in four games before being optioned back to Norfolk on June 5. Clevenger would end up making the IL All-Star team. After several roster moves by the Orioles, Clevenger was once again recalled by Baltimore on August 14. Two days later, he set a New career-high in hits, going 4-for-6 with a double and an RBI in an 18-2 rout over the Oakland Athletics.

Seattle Mariners

On December 2, 2015, the Orioles traded Clevenger to the Seattle Mariners for Mark Trumbo and C. J. Riefenhauser.[16]

References

External links

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