Major League Alumni: Aberdeen IronBirds
By Drew Balen
Team: Aberdeen IronBirds
League: New York-Penn League
Class Level: Short-Season A
Major League Affiliate: Baltimore Orioles
City: Aberdeen, Maryland
Population: 14,959
Ballpark: Ripken Stadium
Aberdeen joined the New York-Penn League in 2002 after the Utica Blue Sox relocated from Utica, New York. The IronBirds have been affiliated with Baltimore since 2002 and are currently owned by Orioles legend and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken.
Some notable alumni that played for the Renegades before making it to the major leagues include:
John Maine (RHP): In 2002, Maine posted a 1-1 record with a 1.74 ERA in 4 games with Aberdeen during his first professional season. Maine was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 6th round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft out of University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, North Carolina). Over the course of his seven year MLB career, Maine has appeared in 108 regular season games as a member of Baltimore and the New York Mets. In 2011, Maine started 11 games at Triple-A Colorado Springs (Pacific Coast League) (Colorado Rockies affiliate) before leaving the team in June and was contemplating retirement. Maine has had injuries to his rotator cuff and shoulder and it appears highly unlikely that Maine will ever pitch at the major league level again and realistically not pitch again at any level of professional baseball.
Val Majewski (OF): In 2002 & 2003, Majewski hit .310 with 1 HR and 18 RBI in 35 games with Aberdeen in his first and second professional seasons. Majewski was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft out of Rutgers (New Brunswick, New Jersey). He played in 9 career MLB games with Baltimore in 2004. In 2011 he split time between Triple-A Round Rock (Pacific Coast League) (Houston Astros affiliate) and playing Independent Ball with the Atlantic League York Revolution.
Nick Markakis (OF): In 2003, Markakis hit .283 with 1 HR and 28 RBI in 59 games with Aberdeen during his first professional season. Markakis was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round (7th overall) of the 2003 MLB amateur draft out of Young Harris College (Young Harris, Georgia). Markakis has played in 946 career MLB games with Baltimore over the last six seasons. He won a Gold Glove as an outfielder in 2011.
Adam Loewen (LHP/OF): In 2003, Loewen posted a 0-2 record with a 2.70 ERA in 7 starts with Aberdeen in his first professional season. Loewen was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 2002 MLB amateur draft out of Fraser Valley Christian High School (Surrey, British Columbia). He appeared in 35 games with Baltimore between 2006 and 2008. An elbow injury forced him into becoming an outfielder in 2009 and played in 14 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2011. He signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets in November 2011 and looks to win a roster spot with the club heading into spring training.
Chris Ray (RHP): In 2003, Ray posted a 2-0 record with a 2.82 ERA in 9 games with Aberdeen during his first professional season. Ray also appeared in 3 games with the IronBirds in 2008 while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Ray was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the 2003 MLB amateur draft out of William & Mary (Williamsburg, Virginia). Ray pitched in 283 career MLB regular season games with Baltimore, Texas, San Francisco, and Seattle. Ray signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians earlier this month.
Jeff Fiorentino (OF): In 2004, Fiorentino hit .348 with 2 HR and 12 RBI in 14 games with Aberdeen in his first professional season. Fiorentino was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 3rd round of the 2004 MLB amateur draft out of Florida Atlantic (Boca Raton, Florida). He played in 58 career MLB games, as a member of Baltimore and Oakland. He split the 2011 season between Double-A Mississippi (Southern League) and Triple-A Gwinnett (International League) in the Atlanta Braves organization. Fiorentino signed a minor league contract with the Oakland Athletics in November 2011.
Jim Hoey (RHP): In 2004 & 2005, Hoey posted a 1-2 record with a 6.23 ERA over 11 games with Aberdeen during his second and third professional seasons. Hoey was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th round of the 2003 MLB amateur draft out of Rider University (Lawrenceville, New Jersey). He has appeared in 61 career MLB regular season games, as a member of Baltimore and Minnesota. He is currently a member of the Toronto Blue Jays after being claimed off waivers from Minnesota in December 2011.
Bob McCrory (RHP): In 2004, 2005, 2006 & 2008, McCrory posted a 4-4 record with a 3.31 ERA over 27 games with Aberdeen during his 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th professional seasons. McCrory was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 4th round of the 2003 MLB amateur draft out of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, Mississippi). McCrory pitched in 15 career MLB games with Baltimore. In December 2010, he signed a contract with the Chiba Lotte Marines of the Japanese Pacific League.
Nolan Reimold (OF): In 2005, Reimold hit .294 with 9 HR and 30 RBI in 50 games with Aberdeen in his first professional season. Reimold was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 2005 MLB amateur draft out of Bowling Green State University (Bowling Green, Ohio). He has played in 230 career MLB games with Baltimore over the last three seasons.
Brandon Snyder (1B): In 2005, 2006 & 2010 Snyder hit .261 with 2 HR and 21 RBI in 45 games with Aberdeen during his 1st, 2nd, and 6th professional seasons. Snyder was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1st round (13th overall) of the 2005 MLB amateur draft out of Westfield High School (Westfield, Virginia). Snyder has played in 16 career MLB games with Baltimore over the past two seasons.
Brad Bergesen (RHP): In 2005, Bergesen posted a 1-3 record with a 4.82 ERA in 15 starts with Aberdeen in his second professional season. Bergesen was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 4th round of the 2004 MLB amateur draft out of Foothill High School (Santa Ana, California). Bergesen has pitched in 83 career MLB games with Baltimore over the previous three seasons.
David Hernandez (RHP): In 2005, Hernandez posted a 1-2 record with a 3.89 ERA in 12 games with Aberdeen during his first professional season. Hernandez was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 16th round of the 2005 MLB amateur draft out of Cosumnes River College (Sacramento, California). He has pitched in 135 career MLB games over the past three seasons, as a member of Baltimore and Arizona.
Radhames Liz (RHP): In 2005, Liz posted a 5-4 record with a 1.77 ERA in 11 starts with Aberdeen in his first professional season. Liz was signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 2003 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. Liz has appeared in 28 career MLB games with Baltimore. He spent the 2011 season with the LG Twins of the Korean Professional League.
Garrett Olson (LHP): In 2005, Olson posted a 2-1 record with a 1.58 ERA in 11 games with Aberdeen during his first professional season. Olson was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the supplemental 1st round (48th overall) of the 2005 MLB amateur draft out of Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (San Luis Obispo, California). He has pitched in 103 career MLB games, as a member of Baltimore, Seattle, and Pittsburgh. Olson signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets in December 2011.
Pedro Beato (RHP): In 2006, Beato posted a record of 3-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 14 games with Aberdeen during his first professional season. Beato was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the supplemental 1st round (32nd overall) of the 2006 MLB amateur draft out of St. Petersburg College (St. Petersburg, Florida). He pitched in 60 games with the New York Mets in 2011, his first season in the major leagues.
Pedro Florimon (SS): In 2006 & 2010, Florimon hit .234 with 5 RBI in 31 games with Aberdeen during his first and fifth professional seasons. Florimon was signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 2004 as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic. He played in 4 games with Baltimore in 2011, is only season in the majors to date. He is currently a member of the Minnesota Twins after being claimed off waivers from Baltimore in December 2011.
Ryan Adams (2B): In 2006 & 2007, Adams hit .242 with 4 HR and 27 RBI in 73 games with Aberdeen in his first and second professional seasons. Adams was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2nd round of the 2006 MLB amateur draft out of Jesuit High School (New Orleans, Louisiana). He played in 29 games with Baltimore in 2011, his first season in the majors.
Blake Davis (2B): In 2009, Davis hit .320 with 1 HR and 5 RBI in 13 games with Aberdeen during his fourth professional season. Davis was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 4th round of the 2006 MLB amateur draft out of Cal State Fullerton (Fullerton, California). Davis played in 25 games with Baltimore in 2011, his first season in the majors.
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