Playing for the Fresno Grizzlies has been an important stepping stone in the careers of several Major Leaguers. Players develop and hone their abilities with us before moving on to the big show. Take a look at how many big leaguers used to call Fresno home!
Matt Cain
Born: October 1, 1984 in Dothan, Alabama
Drafted: 2002 amateur draft - 1st round by San Francisco Giants (25th Overall)
Height: 6'3
Weight: 180 lbs
Matt Cain made a huge impact on the Grizzlies (and their fans) in 2005. He lead the PCL in strikeouts for most of the season before being called up by the Giants late in the year. Cain was named organizational player of the year in 2004 after going 13-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 28 starts between single-A San Jose and double-A Norwich.
Noah Lowry
Born: October 10, 1980 in Ventura, CA
College: Pepperdine University
Drafted: 1999 amateur draft - 19th round by Texas Rangers (585th Overall)
Height: 6'2
Weight: 190 lbs
Noah spent most of the 2004 season with the Fresno Grizzlies before being called up to bolster the Giants' rotation for the playoff run. While here, Noah became an instant fan favorite, often signing autographs and making appearances. He was a guest speaker at our 2004 Luncheon and hung out afterwards to mingle with fans and take pictures.
Joe Nathan
Born: November 22, 1974 in Houston, TX
College: Stony Brook University
Drafted: 1995 amateur draft - 6th round by SF Giants (159th Overall)
Height: 6'4
Weight: 205 lbs
Originally a starting pitcher, Joe Nathan bounced back and forth between Fresno and the Giants from 1999 to 2002 due to a string of injuries. In 2003 he was converted to a reliever and provided a strong presence for the Giants at the end of games, posting a 2.96 ERA in 79 innings.
In 2004 he was traded to Minnesota, where he established himself as one of the most dominant closers in baseball. Among closers, only Armando Benitez recorded a lower ERA and opponent's batting average that season.
Russ Ortiz
Born: June 5, 1974 in Encino, CA
College: University of Oklahoma
Drafted: 1995 amateur draft - 4th round by SF Giants (103rd overall)
Height: 6'1
Weight: 210 lbs
In the half season Russ Ortiz spent with the Grizzlies, he dominated PCL hitters, striking out 59 batters in 51 innings while only allowing 35 hits and 9 earned runs (for a 1.60 ERA). After 10 starts with Fresno in 1998, Russ Ortiz was called up to the majors and became a mainstay of the Giants' starting staff.
In 2002, Ortiz (with some help from Barry Bonds) led the Giants to the World Series. Though they fell short to Anaheim, his clutch performance in game 6 earned him the game ball from manager Dusty Baker.
Jerome Williams
Born: December 4, 1981 in Honolulu, HI
High School: Waipahu (Waipahu, HI)
Drafted: 1999 amateur draft - 1st round by SF Giants (39th Overall)
Height: 6'3
Weight: 180 lbs
A native of Hawaii, Jerome entered the draft immediately after high school - and was drafted in the first round by the Giants. Williams has proven that the Giants' faith in him, even at the young age of 17, was warranted.
Williams spent one and a half seasons with the Grizzlies before being called up to the majors.
Pedro Feliz
Born: April 27, 1977 in Azua, Dominican Republic
Drafted: Not drafted - signed as an undrafted free agent by SF Giants in 1994
Height: 6'1
Weight: 195 lbs
Born: April 27, 1977 in Azua, Dominican Republic Drafted: Not drafted - signed as an undrafted free agent by SF Giants in 1994 Height: 6'1 Weight: 195 lbs
Pedro spent parts of the 1998 and 2000 seasons with the Grizzlies. In 2000, he was called up by the Giants, and has since become an important member of the team. Feliz had his best season in 2004, playing in 144 games while hitting .276 with 22 home runs and a .485 slugging percentage (all despite playing in the pitcher-friendly confines of SBC park).
All-Time Roster
Click here for a list of all Fresno Grizzlies, past and present. |
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