Max Stassi

Max Stassi

Stassi batting for the Stockton Ports, advanced-A affiliates of the Oakland Athletics, in 2011
Houston Astros – No. 12
Catcher
Born: (1991-03-15) March 15, 1991
Woodland, California
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 20, 2013, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .291
Home runs 1
Runs batted in 7
Teams

Max Robert Stassi (born March 15, 1991) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Astros in the 2013 season.

Amateur career and draft

Stassi attended Yuba City High School in Yuba City, California. He played for his school's baseball team, and was twice named The Sacramento Bee's player of the year.[1] Stassi also competed for the United States national baseball team, winning gold in the 2006 Pan American Games in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and the International Baseball Federation's 16 and Under Baseball World Championship in 2007.[2] He finished his high school career with a .514 batting average, 40 home runs, and 162 runs batted in.[3] Stassi committed to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to play college baseball for the UCLA Bruins.[1]

Heading into the 2009 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, Sporting News called Stassi the best available high school catcher. Stassi made it clear that he expected a large signing bonus to agree to a professional contract. A potential first round pick, Stassi was not selected in the first three rounds, which Baseball America called "one of the biggest surprises" of the draft.[4] The Oakland Athletics selected Stassi in the fourth round, with the 123rd overall selection, of the draft.[5] He received a $1.5 million bonus, a record for a fourth round pick, forgoing his commitment to UCLA.[1] Stassi also negotiated in his contract that the Athletics would invite him to spring training with the major league team in 2010.[6]

Professional career

Stassi playing for the Oklahoma City RedHawks in 2014

Stassi played for the Vancouver Canadians of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League, and had a .280 batting average.[6] In 2010, he performed well at spring training, impressing team officials, who assigned him to the Kane County Cougars of the Class A Midwest League.[7][8] He played for the Stockton Ports of the Class A-Advanced California League in 2011,[9] but missed the end of the season with shoulder surgery. The Athletics invited him to spring training in 2012.[10] He batted .268 with 15 home runs and 45 RBIs in 84 games with Stockton during the 2012 season.[11]

After the 2012 season, the Athletics traded Stassi to the Houston Astros with Brad Peacock and Chris Carter for Jed Lowrie and Fernando Rodriguez.[11] Playing for the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Class AA Texas League in 2013, Stassi hit home runs in five consecutive games in July.[12] He was named the Texas League's player of the week twice in July,[13] and was named the Texas League's player of month for July.[14]

The Astros promoted Stassi to the majors on August 20, 2013,[13] to serve as a backup to Jason Castro when the Astros placed Carlos Corporán on the disabled list. Making his MLB debut that day, he recorded two hits.[14] In his second MLB game, Stassi was hit in the face by a 96 miles per hour (154 km/h) fastball,[15] which resulted in his being placed on the disabled list.[16][17] Since the bases were loaded at the time he was plunked, he earned his first major-league RBI. Stassi began the 2014 season with the Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL).[18] He finished the season with the Houston Astros, batting .350 (7 for 20) and driving in four runs in seven games played.

Stassi played for the Fresno Grizzlies of the PCL in 2015, before being promoted to the major leagues in August due to an injury to Castro.[19] He played in 11 games for the Astros. Following the offseason trade of Hank Conger, Stassi entered spring training in 2016 expected to become the backup to Castro.[20] In March, he had surgery on a fractured hamate bone in his left wrist, and will miss six weeks.[21]

Personal life

Stassi's father, grandfather, and great-grandfather played as catchers in minor league baseball. His father, Jim, coached him at Yuba City.[22] Max's great uncle, Myril Hoag, played in three World Series, batting .320 in them.[23][24] His brother, Brock Stassi, is a minor league player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Max and Brock Stassi have raised more than $100,000 with an annual charity event held in Yuba City, called "Homers for the Hungry." The money goes to local food banks.[25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Stassi takes bonus over Bruins. UCLA Ride is Off; Yuba City Grad Gets $1.5 Million Bonus From A's". The Sacramento Bee. August 18, 2009. p. C5. Retrieved December 18, 2012. (subscription required)
  2. ↑ "Max Stassi catches on with USA". Marysville, California: Appeal-Democrat. August 11, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  3. ↑ Klocke, Ryan (August 12, 2009). "Decision time approaching for Stassi | stassi, offer, round - Local Sports". Appeal-Democrat. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ Paterson, Bill. "Prep Blog: Oakland scouting director loves Stassi, but can they sign him?". Sacbee.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  5. ↑ "A's pick Stassi in fourth; Phils tab Susac". The Sacramento Bee. June 11, 2009. p. C8. Retrieved August 23, 2013. (subscription required)
  6. 1 2 "Stassi gets Spring Training invite | stassi, training, spring - Local Sports". Appeal-Democrat. December 14, 2009. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  7. ↑ "The ups and downs | stassi, three, team - Local Sports". Appeal-Democrat. April 26, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Yuba City's Cates, Stassi prepare for full seasons | cat - Local Sports". Appeal-Democrat. April 7, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  9. ↑ The Record (April 22, 2011). "Stassi's slam leads slugfest". Recordnet.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  10. ↑ "National media spotlight awaits Manny Ramirez' arrival to Oakland A's camp - San Jose Mercury News". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  11. 1 2 Smith, Brian T. (February 4, 2013). "Ultimate Astros » Astros trade Jed Lowrie to Oakland in 5-player deal". Blog.chron.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  12. ↑ Cahill, Teddy (July 22, 2013). "Houston Astros prospect Max Stassi hit his fifth home run in as many games Sunday". MLB.com. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  13. 1 2 McTaggart, Brian (August 20, 2013). "Catcher Stassi, righty Martinez called up by Astros". MLB.com. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  14. 1 2 Tesfatsion, Master (August 21, 2013). "Memorable debut for Stassi includes two hits: DH also commits rare baserunning mistake in eventful first game". MLB.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  15. ↑ Kruth, Cash (May 24, 2013). "Astros catcher Max Stassi's CAT scan, X-ray results rule out fracture". MLB.com. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  16. ↑ de Jesus Ortiz, Jose (August 23, 2013). "Ultimate Astros » Stassi goes on 7-day DL, Cody Clark gets a shot in the majors". Blog.chron.com. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Catching prospect Max Stassi putting injuries behind him". Ultimate Astros. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  18. ↑ "OKC RedHawks catcher Max Stassi on the way back". NewsOK.com. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Astros welcome catcher Max Stassi back as Jason Castro lands on DL". Ultimate Astros. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Jason Castro, Max Stassi to catch for Astros". Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  21. ↑ Jose de Jesus Ortiz (March 15, 2016). "Astros catcher Max Stassi has wrist surgery". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  22. ↑ Bryan DeMain/Appeal-Democrat (April 20, 2009). "One of the nation's best | stassi, year, jim - Top Stories". Appeal-Democrat. Retrieved October 5, 2013.
  23. ↑ Winston, Lisa (May 13, 2009). "Bloodlines run deep during Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  24. ↑ "All in the Family: Yuba City is grateful the three Stassi boys have continued a tradition". The Sacramento Bee. April 25, 2007. p. C1. Retrieved August 23, 2013. (subscription required)
  25. ↑ Appeal-Democrat newspaper, November 30, 2014
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