Jason Repko
Encyclopedia
Jason Edward Repko is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Minnesota Twins
. Naturally a centerfielder, his career has been slowed by numerous injuries.
in Richland, Washington
, and was a letterman in baseball
. As a senior, he posted a .581 batting average
with 18 home run
s and 14 stolen base
s. He also clocked a 94 MPH fastball
from the mound. A High School All-American infielder
, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
, Repko skipped his high school graduation ceremony and passed on a scholarship with San Diego State University
to sign with the Dodgers.
with the rookie league Great Falls Dodgers, hitting .304 with 8 homers and 12 steals and being selected to the Pioneer League All-Star Team.
His career was slowed when he suffered a torn hamstring
during extended spring training
in and missed most of the season. He then suffered a broken vertebra on the right side of his back, and only managed to play in 88 games for Single-A Wilmington
in .
Finally healthy for an entire season in , the Dodgers had him switch positions from shortstop, where he had played previously, to center field while playing for the Vero Beach Dodgers. Repko hit .272 for Vero Beach, with 9 homers and 29 steals that season and was selected to the Florida State League
All-Star team.
He played for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
in and split between Jacksonville and the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s
.
. He singled
off Jason Christiansen
in the sixth inning for his first major league hit
. His first major league home run came on April 10 in Arizona off Oscar Villarreal
and homered in his first at bat
at Dodger Stadium
on April 12 against the Giants. He hit .221 with 8 home runs and 30 RBI's for the Dodgers in 2005, playing in 129 games.
In , he was off to a fast start, but suffered a high ankle sprain and missed 2½ months, returning to the Dodgers on July 24. Repko never received much playing time after returning, buried behind the outfield rotation of J.D. Drew, Kenny Lofton
, Andre Ethier
, Marlon Anderson
, and Matt Kemp
.
Repko underwent a surgical procedure on October 20 that kept him sidelined for the first half of spring training in and then when he was finally cleared to play, he immediately suffered another injury...colliding with Rafael Furcal
on a play in a spring training game, he tore his hamstring, sidelining him for the entire 2007 season and causing a severe ankle injury that hampered Furcal all season..
Repko played his first game of on June 30 against the Houston Astros
, going 0 for 4 with 4 strikeout
s. He appeared in 22 games at the end of the season with the Dodgers after spending the majority of the season in AAA with Las Vegas.
In 2009 he played with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
and then appeared in 10 games with the Dodgers in September, primarily as a pinch runner or late inning defensive replacement.
On March 31, 2010, Repko was released by the Dodgers and became a free agent.
On April 6, 2010, Repko signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins
. He was called up to the Twins on June 24.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. Naturally a centerfielder, his career has been slowed by numerous injuries.
High school years
Repko attended Hanford High SchoolHanford High School
Hanford High School is located on the northern edge of Richland, Washington. The school's mascot is the Falcon, and its school colors are purple and gold....
in Richland, Washington
Richland, Washington
Richland is a city in Benton County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Washington, at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 48,058. April 1, 2011 estimates from the Washington State Office of Financial Management put the...
, and was a letterman in baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. As a senior, he posted a .581 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 18 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 14 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. He also clocked a 94 MPH fastball
Fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch in baseball. Some "power pitchers," such as Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, have thrown it at speeds of 95–106 mph and up to 108.1 mph , relying purely on speed to prevent the ball from being hit...
from the mound. A High School All-American infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
, Repko skipped his high school graduation ceremony and passed on a scholarship with San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
to sign with the Dodgers.
Minor leagues
He started his professional career as a shortstopShortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
with the rookie league Great Falls Dodgers, hitting .304 with 8 homers and 12 steals and being selected to the Pioneer League All-Star Team.
His career was slowed when he suffered a torn hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
during extended spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in and missed most of the season. He then suffered a broken vertebra on the right side of his back, and only managed to play in 88 games for Single-A Wilmington
Wilmington Waves
The Wilmington Waves were a minor league baseball team in Wilmington, North Carolina. They were a Low-A class team that played in the South Atlantic League, and were a farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the franchise’s only year in Wilmington. They played all of their home games at Brooks...
in .
Finally healthy for an entire season in , the Dodgers had him switch positions from shortstop, where he had played previously, to center field while playing for the Vero Beach Dodgers. Repko hit .272 for Vero Beach, with 9 homers and 29 steals that season and was selected to the Florida State League
Florida State League
The Florida State League is a Class A-Advanced minor league baseball league operating in the state of Florida. They are one of three leagues currently operating in Class A-Advanced, the third highest of six classifications of minor leagues...
All-Star team.
He played for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns
Jacksonville Suns
The Jacksonville Suns are a minor league baseball team based in Jacksonville, Florida. The team is currently a member of the Southern League and is the class Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team...
in and split between Jacksonville and the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
.
Major leagues
He made his MLB debut on April 6, , against the San Francisco GiantsSan Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. He singled
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
off Jason Christiansen
Jason Christiansen
Jason Samuel Christiansen is a former Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher. He is an alumnus of Cameron University....
in the sixth inning for his first major league hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
. His first major league home run came on April 10 in Arizona off Oscar Villarreal
Óscar Villarreal
Óscar Eduardo Villarreal is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in the majors for the Arizona Diamondbacks , Atlanta Braves , and Houston Astros .-Arizona Diamondbacks:...
and homered in his first at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
at Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium, also sometimes called Chavez Ravine, is a stadium in Los Angeles. Located adjacent to Downtown Los Angeles, Dodger Stadium has been the home ballpark of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers team since 1962...
on April 12 against the Giants. He hit .221 with 8 home runs and 30 RBI's for the Dodgers in 2005, playing in 129 games.
In , he was off to a fast start, but suffered a high ankle sprain and missed 2½ months, returning to the Dodgers on July 24. Repko never received much playing time after returning, buried behind the outfield rotation of J.D. Drew, Kenny Lofton
Kenny Lofton
Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
, Andre Ethier
Andre Ethier
Andre Everett Ethier , is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits , which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season...
, Marlon Anderson
Marlon Anderson
Marlon Ordell Anderson is a former Major League Baseball utility player. He was widely known for his clutch hits, and writers for publications including The New York Times and Newsday had referred to him as one of the best pinch-hitters in the game...
, and Matt Kemp
Matt Kemp
Matthew Ryan "Matt" Kemp is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.Kemp was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6th round of the 2003 draft and made his major league debut in 2006...
.
Repko underwent a surgical procedure on October 20 that kept him sidelined for the first half of spring training in and then when he was finally cleared to play, he immediately suffered another injury...colliding with Rafael Furcal
Rafael Furcal
Rafael Antonio Furcal , is a Major League Baseball shortstop who is currently a free agent.-Early career:...
on a play in a spring training game, he tore his hamstring, sidelining him for the entire 2007 season and causing a severe ankle injury that hampered Furcal all season..
Repko played his first game of on June 30 against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, going 0 for 4 with 4 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. He appeared in 22 games at the end of the season with the Dodgers after spending the majority of the season in AAA with Las Vegas.
In 2009 he played with the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes
Albuquerque Isotopes
The Albuquerque Isotopes are a minor league baseball team based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers...
and then appeared in 10 games with the Dodgers in September, primarily as a pinch runner or late inning defensive replacement.
On March 31, 2010, Repko was released by the Dodgers and became a free agent.
On April 6, 2010, Repko signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He was called up to the Twins on June 24.