A.J. Pierzynski, Catcher, Retired
Date of Birth: 12/30/1976
Birthplace: Bridgehampton, New York
A.J. Pierzynski, retired catcher, was first drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1994. He played in the minor leagues from 1994 through most of 2000, playing in just 49 games with the Twins from 1998 through 2000.
In 2001, his first full season in the major leagues, Pierzynski batted .289 with 110 hits, 33 doubles, and 55 RBIs. He had his best season two years later when he batted .312 with career highs in hits with 152 and doubles with 35. After that strong 2003 season, the Twins traded Pierzynski to the San Francisco Giants.
Pierzynski played with the Giants for just one season. In 2004, he batted .272 with 128 hits, 28 doubles, and 77 RBIs in 131 games. He became a free agent after the season ended and he signed with the Chicago White Sox.
In 2005, his first season with the White Sox, Pierzynski batted .257 with 118 hits, 21 doubles, 18 home runs, and 56 RBIs in 128 games. He stayed with the White Sox through 2012. His last season with them was a strong one. In 2012, he won a Silver Slugger award for batting .278 with 133 hits, 18 doubles, a career high 27 home runs, and 77 RBIs in 135 games.
After the 2012 season ended, Pierzynski signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Texas Rangers. In 2013, he batted .272 with 137 hits, 24 doubles, 17 home runs, and 70 RBIs in 134 games.
In December, 2013, Pierzynski signed a one-year contract with the Red Sox. He was designated for assignment on July 9, 2014, and then signed by the St. Louis Cardinals on July 26, 2014. He finished the 2014 season with 85 hits and a .251 batting average in 72 games with the Red Sox and 30 games with the Cardinals. In the postseason, he batted .167 with one hit and one RBI in six at-bats in two games.
Pierzynski signed a one-year contract with the Braves on December 24, 2014. He finished the 2015 season with a .300 batting average, 122 hits, 24 doubles, and 49 RBIs in 113 games. As a catcher in 107 games, he made 44 assists, 729 putouts, and 2 errors. He caught players trying to steal 23.9% of the time and he had a .997 fielding percentage.
Pierzynski played in 81 games with the Braves in 2016. He had 54 hits and a .219 batting average. Defensively, as a catcher in 64 games, he made 23 assists, 457 putouts, and 4 errors.
Pierzynski became a free agent on November 3, 2016. He retired on March 28, 2017.
Statistics for Pierzynski in 15 full seasons (2001-2015) in the major leagues include:
- 4 seasons with 150 or more hits, with a high of 152 in 2003
- 4 seasons with over 30 doubles, with a high of 35 in 2003
- 4 seasons with a batting average of .300 or better, with a high of .312 in 2003
Career batting statistics for Pierzynski through 2016 include:
- 2,059 games played
- 2,043 hits
- 407 doubles
- 188 home runs
- 909 RBIs
- 895 strikeouts to 308 walks
- .280 batting average
Career fielding statistics for Pierzynski as a catcher through 2016 include:
- 1,936 games played
- 823 assists
- 12,600 putouts
- 68 errors
- .239 caught stealing percentage
- .995 fielding percentage
Personal Life
Pierzynski and his wife Lisa have a son and a daughter.
From 2011 through 2013, Pierzynski was an analyst for Fox sports during postseason play.
Sources for Information
Wikipedia - A.J. Pierzynski
ESPN - A.J. Pierzynski