Bridgeport Signs Chaves, Jones, Parisi
Published on March 18, 2013 under Atlantic League (AtL)
Bridgeport Bluefish News Release
(Bridgeport, Conn. - March 18, 2013) - The Bridgeport Bluefish today announced the signings of infielder Brandon Chaves, along with pitchers Hunter Jones and Mike Parisi. Chaves returns for his third stint in Bridgeport, while Jones and Parisi make their Park City debuts.
"It's great to bring in players of this caliber and see our roster start to fill out," says Bluefish manager Willie Upshaw. "Brandon is an excellent fielder that will be an asset up the middle, while Hunter and Mike will be important members of our starting rotation."
Chaves will enter his 14th season of professional baseball and third in the Atlantic League. In 2012 the infielder played overseas with Rimini of the Italian Baseball League. In 118 at-bats with the club, he batted .237 with 14 RBI and 13 stolen bases. The 33-year-old made his Park City debut in 2010, batting .258 with 74 runs scored, 20 stolen bases and a career-best 34 extra-base hits in 121 games with the 'Fish. He would again return to Bridgeport the following season after spending time with Rimini and the Somerset Patriots to start the year. The Hawaii native has reached as high as the Triple-A level with Durham of the International League in 2009. Brandon began his minor league career in 2000 as a member of the Pirates organization, and also spent time with Cleveland and Tampa Bay affiliates. His best season as a professional came in 2003 with Lynchburg (A, Pirates) of the Carolina League. In 121 appearances, Chaves batted .268 and set career-highs in hits (116), runs scored (62), doubles (23), triples (6), and at-bats (443). He was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th round of the 2000 amateur draft.
Jones joins the Bluefish for his second tour in the Atlantic League and eighth of professional baseball. After a spring stint with the Boston Red Sox in 2012, the former Major Leaguer was picked up by Southern Maryland marking it his first year in the Atlantic League. With Southern Maryland, he set a career-high for starts in a season with 15, compiling a 4.66 ERA with a 3-5 record. Hunter walked only 31 batters in 87.0 innings pitched, while striking out 68. The 29-year-old lefthander was originally signed by Boston as a non drafted free agent in 2005. His best season came with Triple-A Pawtucket in 2008, where he posted a 7-2 record with a 2.45 ERA in 35 appearances. In 2009 he was called up to the Majors, where he saw action in 11 games from the bullpen and finished one game for the Red Sox. The following season, Jones was traded to the Florida Marlins where he spent the majority of the year with Triple-A New Orleans (4.17 ERA in 45.1 IP). He did see three games with the Marlins in 2010, pitching in 1.2 innings, allowing no hits. During his minor league career, Hunter owns a 25-24 record with a 3.48 ERA and 427 strikeouts over the course of 470.1 innings of work.
2013 marks Parisi's second stint in the Atlantic league. The former Major Leaguer spent last year in the Pacific Coast League with Triple-A Albuquerque. He started nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate, posting an impressive 2.72 ERA in 43.0 innings pitched while striking out 37 batters and only walking 11. The 30-year-old was originally drafted in the ninth round of the 2004 amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. Mike quickly rose through the St. Louis ranks landing in Triple-A Memphis in 2007 (4.91 ERA, 111 strike-outs, 165.0 IP). The following season, the righthander hit his stride in Memphis posting an 8-2 record with a 3.86 ERA, leading to call call-up to the Majors with the Cardinals. He appeared in 12 contests, logging 23.0 innings pitched for the Red Birds. In 2011, Parisi made his Atlantic League debut with the Long Island Ducks, collecting a 6-4 record with a 3.50 ERA and two complete games including a shutout. This prompted the Los Angeles Dodgers to purchase his contract and he would finish that season with Albuquerque recording six wins in nine starts. Over the course of 152 minor league starts, Mike owns a 53-49 record with a 4.27 ERA and 642 strikeouts in 849.2 innings of work.
The Bridgeport Bluefish Professional Baseball Club, a charter team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, plays its home games at The Ballpark at Harbor Yard, located off Exit 27 of I-95 on the corner of Broad Street and South Frontage Road in Bridgeport. 2013 season tickets, ticket plans, and group outings are available by calling 203-345-4800. Visit the Bluefish online at www.bridgeportbluefish.com.
Atlantic League Stories from March 18, 2013
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- Barnstormers Add Two More to Staff - Lancaster Stormers
- Bridgeport Signs Chaves, Jones, Parisi - Bridgeport Bluefish
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