Chris Aguila
Filipino American outfielder for the Marlins and Mets.
Last updated
via Wikipedia: Chris Aguila · see source
Chris Aguila, a Filipino American outfielder, played parts of three MLB seasons with the Florida Marlins and a brief stint with the New York Mets. He is capable of playing all three outfield positions. Born February 23, 1979, he was drafted as a third baseman but converted to the outfield in the minors. His major league career included pinch-hitting roles and flashes of promise in Triple-A, though he never secured a full-time starting job.
Professional baseball career
Chris Aguila was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the third round of the MLB draft as a third baseman straight out of McQueen High School in Reno, Nevada, where he had set a single-season home run record. Though he started as a highly touted prospect, he spent two years in rookie ball with the Gulf Coast League and another two and a half in Single-A before moving up to the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He switched to the outfield in 1999 while playing for the Kane County Cougars.
Florida Marlins
By the time he reached Portland, he was in his fifth professional season but still only 22 years old, batting .257 in 64 games. He returned to the Sea Dogs the next year and hit .294. When the Marlins changed their Double-A affiliate to the Carolina Mudcats, Aguila played there and posted a .320 average over 93 games, showing his hitting potential again and earning an invitation to spring training.
Aguila did not make the Marlins' opening day roster in 2004, but he impressed manager Jack McKeon and batted .312 for Triple-A Albuquerque. He had two stints in the majors that year, which helped him secure a spot on the opening day roster in 2005. That season, he was the team's fifth outfielder behind Miguel Cabrera, Juan Pierre, Juan Encarnación, and Jeff Conine, mostly used as a pinch hitter. He had only 16 at bats in the first two months and was sent back to Albuquerque on May 27.
There, he became the everyday center fielder, hitting .351 with 7 home runs and 25 RBI in 35 games. He was called back up on July 7 when Josh Willingham went on the disabled list, and spent the rest of the year as a pinch hitter, starting just 12 games, most while Encarnación was hurt. He finished 2005 with a .244 average, no home runs, and 4 RBI in 78 at bats. After the season, he played for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League.
Did You Know?
- In 35 games with Triple-A Albuquerque in 2005, he batted .351 with 7 home runs and 25 RBI.
- He hit a grand slam during a 13-game stint with Albuquerque in 2006, where he batted .383.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Chris Aguila (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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