Joey Wendle

Joseph Patrick Wendle (born April 26, 1990) is an American professional baseball second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Oakland Athletics from 2016 to 2017, and has played for the Rays since 2018.

Joey Wendle
Wendle with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 18
Second baseman
Born: (1990-04-26) April 26, 1990
Wilmington, Delaware
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 31, 2016, for the Oakland Athletics
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.277
Home runs16
Runs batted in113
Teams

Early life

Wendle was born in Wilmington, Delaware on April 26, 1990. He attended Avon Grove High School in West Grove, Pennsylvania, and West Chester University.[1] Wendle played travel baseball for the Chester County Crawdads.

Wendle was a four-year starter for the West Chester Golden Rams baseball team, where he compiled a .366 career batting average with 23 home runs and 185 runs batted in (RBIs).[2] During his senior season, Wendle hit .399 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI as the Golden Rams went on to win the 2012 NCAA Division II Baseball Tournament.[3]

Professional career

Minor Leagues

The Cleveland Indians selected Wendle in the sixth round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft.[4][5] He made his professional debut with the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the Class A-Short Season New York-Penn League.[6] In 61 games he hit .327/.375/.469 with four home runs and 37 (RBIs).[7]

Wendle played the 2013 season with the Carolina Mudcats of the Class A-Advanced Carolina League.[8] He hit .295/.372/.513 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs over 107 games. He won the Lou Boudreau Award as the Indians minor league player of the year.[9][10] He started the 2014 season with the Akron RubberDucks of the Class AA Eastern League.[11][12]

Oakland Athletics

On December 8, 2014, the Indians traded Wendle to the Oakland Athletics for Brandon Moss.[13] On April 21, 2015, Wendle (as a member of Oakland's Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds) hit the first home run in the history of First Tennessee Park.[14] The Athletics added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[15]

Wendle during his tenure with the Oakland Athletics in 2017

Wendle began the 2016 season with Nashville. The Athletics promoted Wendle to the major leagues on August 31, 2016. He made his major league debut that day.[16] Over the next season and a half, Wendle would appear in 36 games for the Athletics, collecting 29 hits in 109 at bats. Following the conclusion of the 2017 season, Wendle was designated for assignment on December 7, 2017.[17]

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 11, 2017, the Athletics traded Wendle to the Tampa Bay Rays for Jonah Heim.[18][19] Wendle entered spring training in 2018 competing for the starting second baseman job with Micah Johnson and Daniel Robertson.[20] After hitting .327 in 52 spring training at bats, Rays manager Kevin Cash announced that Wendle had made the team's Opening Day roster to platoon at second base with Daniel Robertson.[21]

Wendle ended the season leading all rookies in wins above replacement (4.3), batting average (.300), on-base percentage (.350), and triples (6), as well as placing second in hits (146), doubles (33), and runs (62).[22][23] Wendle was the first Rays player since 2011 to hit .300, and the first rookie to ever reach that mark.[24] He tied for the major league lead in sacrifice flies (10).[25] At the conclusion of the season, Wendle was unanimously chosen as the Rays Outstanding Rookie award for the 2018 season and finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year award.[26][27]

Wendle began the 2019 season starting at second base with the intention of playing nearly every day. However, on March 31, Wendle injured his hamstring tagging out Jake Marisnick attempting to steal second base and was placed on the 10-day injured list.[28] He was activated 3 weeks later. He was placed back on the disabled list on April 24 due to a fracture in his right wrist by a hit by pitch.[29] Overall, Wendle ended the season playing in just 75 games. Wendle appeared in 5 postseason games, recording 2 hits in 10 at bats as the Rays were eliminated In the ALDS in five games by the Houston Astros. [30]

In 2020, Wendle started 50 games for the Rays despite being considered a back-up player.[31] His defensive versatility allowed him to give fellow teammates Willy Adames and Brandon Lowe games off, while platooning at third base with Yandy Diaz. For the season, Wendle hit .286 with 4 home runs and 17 RBI as the Rays clinched their first division title in ten years. In the ALDS against the Yankees, Wendle hit .353 as the Rays beat the Yankees in 5 games. Against the Houston Astros in the ALCS, Wendle made attention for his stellar defense at third base. Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker went as far to compare his play to Brooks Robinson.[32] The Rays would go on to beat the Astros in 7 games.[33]

References
  1. "WCU's Wendle One of Area's Best – CBS Philly". Philadelphia.cbslocal.com. April 18, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  2. "Joey Wendle". The Baseball Cube.
  3. "West Chester earns first national title". West Chester Athletics. NCAA.com. June 3, 2012.
  4. "West Chester's Wendle Follows Up Title With Draft". CBS Philadelphia. June 7, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  5. "oe Wendle Selected In Sixth Round By Cleveland Indians". Wcupagoldenrams.com. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  6. "West Chester's Wendle Just Keeps On Hitting". CBS Philadelphia. August 23, 2012. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  7. "Wendle making a name for himself in minors". Daily Local News. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  8. "Indians: Carolina second baseman Joe Wendle could be hidden gem in Tribe's farm system". News-Herald. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  9. "Wendle, Anderson named Indians' top Minor Leaguers". MLB.com. November 21, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  10. "Cleveland Indians name Joe Wendle, Cody Anderson minor league players of the year". The Plain Dealer. November 21, 2013. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  11. Legard, Ron (December 20, 2013). "Indians name David Wallace as manager of RubberDucks along with rest of coaching staff". Akron Beacon Journal. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  12. Cahill, Teddy (June 17, 2014). "Lindor, Wendle erupt at plate for Double-A Akron". MLB.com. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  13. "Indians acquire Brandon Moss". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 8, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2014.
  14. "Sounds Bested By Dodgers In Series Opener". MILB.com. April 21, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  15. Lee, Jane. "Wendle, Torres added to A's 40-man roster". M.athletics.mlb.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  16. Ray, Jordan (August 31, 2016). "Wendle gets callup for Major League debut". MLB.com. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  17. "Athletics' Joey Wendle: Designated for assignment". cbssports.com. December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  18. "Rays acquire infielder Wendle in deal with A's". MLB.com. December 11, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
  19. Adams, Steve (December 19, 2017). "Athletics Acquire Jonah Heim From Rays". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  20. "Tampa Bay Rays Season Preview: The Battle for Second Base". DRaysBay. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  21. "Here's your 2018 Rays Opening Day Roster". DRaysBay. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
  22. "Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Batters » Dashboard | FanGraphs Baseball". Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  23. "Major League Baseball Rookie Stats". Major League Baseball. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  24. "Blue Jays vs. Rays - Game Recap - September 30, 2018 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  25. "Major League Leaderboards » 2018 » Batters » Standard Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  26. "Blake Snell wins Rays MVP award; Wendle, Smith also honored". September 28, 2018. Retrieved September 28, 2018.
  27. "Rookie of the Year poll". MLB.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
  28. Sanford, Adam (April 1, 2019). "Rays place Wendle on IL, promote Arroyo". DRaysBay. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  29. "Rays lose another starter to the injured list as Joey Wendle suffers fractured wrist on HBP". CBSSports.com.
  30. "Postseason Game Log - Joey Wendle".
  31. "He may not be the Rays' MVP, but he's still indispensable". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  32. "He may not be the Rays' MVP, but he's still indispensable". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  33. Gaydos, Ryan (October 17, 2020). "Rays beat Astros in Game 7, heading to World Series for second time in franchise history". Fox News. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
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