Tommy Manzella
Encyclopedia
Thomas Samuel Manzella, Jr. (born April 16, 1983, in Chalmette, Louisiana
) is an American
professional baseball
shortstop
for the Arizona Diamondbacks
of Major League Baseball
.
, and was a three-year starting shortstop. He earned All-District 8-4A, All-St. Bernard Parish and academic all-state honors each year. He hit
.360 with 3 home run
s and 24 RBIs
during his senior season. He was selected to play in the LHSAA All-Star Game, and earned St. Bernard Parish Most Outstanding Player recognition as a senior.
of the Valley League in and the Brewster Whitecaps
of the Cape Cod League in . In 2002, he earned All-Valley League honors as a shortstop and was named to the All Star Game roster as he led his team with nine stolen base
s, and finished second on the club in batting average (.313) and doubles
(5). In 2003, he led the White Caps in assists
while collecting three doubles, a triple
, six RBIs and four stolen bases.
and played for the Tulane Green Wave baseball team. He played in 55 games as a true freshman
, mostly at shortstop, and led the team with 135 assists while finishing fifth on the team with a batting average .294. He earned Conference USA
All-Tournament honors after hitting .615 (8-for-13) with a double and five RBIs during the tournament. In 2003, he started all 59 games at second base and received honorable-mention All-Louisiana honors after tying for the team lead in doubles (20) while ranking tied for second in RBIs (44). Manzella was named to the C-USA All-Tournament Team after hitting .615 (8-for-13) with an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base.
In 2004, he was the only player on the team to start at the same position in all 62 games, and earned second-team All-Louisiana honors after leading the team in assists (185) and sacrifice bunts (school-record 12) while ranking second in steals (11). He was named to NCAA Oxford Regional All-Tournament Team after hitting .417 (5-for-12) with three RBIs and two sacrifice bunts, and posted nine putouts and nine assists while helping turn three double plays defensively. In 2005, he started all 65 games at shortstop and earned first-team All-Conference USA honors after leading the team in batting average (.356), hits (98), stolen bases (21) and assists (171), while tying for first in doubles (24), ranking second in RBIs (62), third in total bases (150), fourth in slugging percentage (.545) and runs scored (58), and fifth in home runs (eight). He led C-USA in hits and stolen bases. In the NCAA New Orleans Super Regional, Manzella started all three games at shortstop, hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two doubles and two RBIs and posted a .417 on-base percentage with a walk. He had two hits in all three games, and posted seven putouts, five assists, and one error defensively.
. Manzella went on to play for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. He played in 53 games and finished with a .232 batting average in 220 at-bats with 18 RBIs, and 5 stolen bases.
He was promoted to the Lexington Legends
in , where he played 99 games and finished with a .275 batting average in 338 at-bats with 7 home runs, 43 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases along with a .956 fielding percentage
. In , Manzella split time between the Salem Avalanche
and Corpus Christi Hooks
, playing in 121 games with a .264 combined batting average in 451 at bats with 1 home run, 39 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.
In , Manzella played in 54 games with the Hooks before being promoted to the Triple-A Round Rock Express
, where he struggled with a .219 batting average with 0 home runs and 15 RBIs, but had his best fielding percentage at .989.
The Astros signed Manzella to a one-year, $400,000 major league contract on February 15 after having added him to the 40-man roster in November, which protected him from the Rule 5 draft
. He was called up to the major leagues along with Chris Johnson and Billy Sadler by the Astros from the Round Rock Express.
On August 10, 2011, he was designated for assignment.
on August 11.
Chalmette, Louisiana
Chalmette is a census-designated place in and the parish seat of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 32,069 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional 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...
shortstop
Shortstop
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...
for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
of Major League Baseball
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...
.
High school
Manzella attended Archbishop Hannan High SchoolArchbishop Hannan High School
Archbishop Hannan High School is a Catholic, co-ed, high school located in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. Its mascot is called Harry The Hawk. The school's motto is Caritas Viniculum Perfectionis, which translates to "charity is the way to perfection." It is located in the Roman Catholic...
, and was a three-year starting shortstop. He earned All-District 8-4A, All-St. Bernard Parish and academic all-state honors each year. He hit
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 :...
.360 with 3 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 24 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
during his senior season. He was selected to play in the LHSAA All-Star Game, and earned St. Bernard Parish Most Outstanding Player recognition as a senior.
Summer Ball/Cape Cod League
Upon graduation, Manzella played for the Waynesboro GeneralsWaynesboro Generals
The Waynesboro Generals are a collegiate summer baseball team in Waynesboro, Virginia. They play in the southern division of the Valley Baseball League....
of the Valley League in and the Brewster Whitecaps
Brewster Whitecaps
The Brewster Whitecaps are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Brewster, MA. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League and plays in the league's Eastern Division. Brewster played its home games at Cape Cod Regional Technical High School until 2006, when Stony Brook Field was opened...
of the Cape Cod League in . In 2002, he earned All-Valley League honors as a shortstop and was named to the All Star Game roster as he led his team with nine 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, and finished second on the club in batting average (.313) and doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(5). In 2003, he led the White Caps in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
while collecting three doubles, a triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, six RBIs and four stolen bases.
College
Manzella attended Tulane UniversityTulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
and played for the Tulane Green Wave baseball team. He played in 55 games as a true freshman
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
, mostly at shortstop, and led the team with 135 assists while finishing fifth on the team with a batting average .294. He earned Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
All-Tournament honors after hitting .615 (8-for-13) with a double and five RBIs during the tournament. In 2003, he started all 59 games at second base and received honorable-mention All-Louisiana honors after tying for the team lead in doubles (20) while ranking tied for second in RBIs (44). Manzella was named to the C-USA All-Tournament Team after hitting .615 (8-for-13) with an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base.
In 2004, he was the only player on the team to start at the same position in all 62 games, and earned second-team All-Louisiana honors after leading the team in assists (185) and sacrifice bunts (school-record 12) while ranking second in steals (11). He was named to NCAA Oxford Regional All-Tournament Team after hitting .417 (5-for-12) with three RBIs and two sacrifice bunts, and posted nine putouts and nine assists while helping turn three double plays defensively. In 2005, he started all 65 games at shortstop and earned first-team All-Conference USA honors after leading the team in batting average (.356), hits (98), stolen bases (21) and assists (171), while tying for first in doubles (24), ranking second in RBIs (62), third in total bases (150), fourth in slugging percentage (.545) and runs scored (58), and fifth in home runs (eight). He led C-USA in hits and stolen bases. In the NCAA New Orleans Super Regional, Manzella started all three games at shortstop, hitting .400 (6-for-15) with two doubles and two RBIs and posted a .417 on-base percentage with a walk. He had two hits in all three games, and posted seven putouts, five assists, and one error defensively.
Houston Astros
He was drafted by the Astros in the 3rd round of the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft2005 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams...
. Manzella went on to play for the Tri-City ValleyCats of the New York-Penn League. He played in 53 games and finished with a .232 batting average in 220 at-bats with 18 RBIs, and 5 stolen bases.
He was promoted to the Lexington Legends
Lexington Legends
The Lexington Legends are a minor league baseball team of the South Atlantic League , and the Class A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Lexington, Kentucky, and play their home games at Whitaker Bank Ballpark, located in an industrial area on the northeast side of the city just...
in , where he played 99 games and finished with a .275 batting average in 338 at-bats with 7 home runs, 43 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases along with a .956 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. In , Manzella split time between the Salem Avalanche
Salem Avalanche
The Salem Red Sox are a minor league baseball team in Salem, Virginia, USA, an independent city adjacent to Roanoke, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League and are a farm team of the Boston Red Sox...
and Corpus Christi Hooks
Corpus Christi Hooks
The Corpus Christi Hooks are a minor league baseball team of the Texas League, and are the Double-A affiliate of the Houston Astros. They are located in Corpus Christi, Texas, and are named for the city's association with fishing. The team's ownership group is headed by Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan...
, playing in 121 games with a .264 combined batting average in 451 at bats with 1 home run, 39 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.
In , Manzella played in 54 games with the Hooks before being promoted to the Triple-A Round Rock Express
Round Rock Express
The Round Rock Express is a class Triple-A Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team in Round Rock, Texas, owned by RSR Sports and founded by Reid Ryan, son of Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. The team is affiliated with the Texas Rangers, for whom Nolan Ryan serves as the president and...
, where he struggled with a .219 batting average with 0 home runs and 15 RBIs, but had his best fielding percentage at .989.
The Astros signed Manzella to a one-year, $400,000 major league contract on February 15 after having added him to the 40-man roster in November, which protected him from the Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. He was called up to the major leagues along with Chris Johnson and Billy Sadler by the Astros from the Round Rock Express.
On August 10, 2011, he was designated for assignment.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Manzella was claimed off waivers by the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
on August 11.