Chris Archer

Christopher Alan Archer

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 185 lb.
• High School Clayton (NC) High School
• Debut June 20, 2012

• Born September 26, 1988 in Raleigh, NC USA

BR page

[edit] Biographical Information

Chris Archer made the majors in 2012.

[edit] Indians

He was signed by the Cleveland Indians and scout Bob Mayer as the 5th-round pick in the 2006 amateur draft. The next three picks were all fellow pitchers who wound up in the majors: David Herndon, Dustin Richardson and George Kontos. In his first summer as a pro, he was with the GCL Indians (0-3, 7.45, 17 BB in 19 1/3 IP) and Burlington Indians (2 R in 1 2/3 IP). In 2007, he was roughed up with the GCL Indians (1-7, 5.64) and Lake County Captains (4 R in 4 IP). He tied for 7th in the Gulf Coast League with nine wild pitches and tied Aaron Furhman and Gregorio Rosario for the GCL loss lead.

In 2008, the teenager was 4-8 with a 4.29 ERA for Lake County, with 84 walks and 18 wild pitches in 115 1/3 innings. He led the South Atlantic League in walks and was third in wild pitches behind Maikel Cleto and Michael Felix. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs with John Gaub and Jeff Stevens following the 2008 season in the Mark DeRosa deal.

[edit] Cubs and Team USA

Archer showed good progress with the 2009 Peoria Chiefs, going 6-4 with a 2.81 ERA. He still walked 66 and threw 10 wild pitches in 109 innings but fanned 119 and allowed a .202 opponent average. He did not give up a home run all year. He tied Tyler Chatwood for second in the Midwest League in free passes, behind Evan Frederickson. Baseball America rated him as the #16 MWL prospect, between James Darnell and Kyle Russell. In 2010, he was lights-out for the Daytona Cubs (7-1, 2.86, 82 K in 72 1/3 IP, .202 opponent average) and Tennessee Smokies (8-2, 1.80, 67 K, 39 BB, .198 opponent average in 70 IP). He did not allow an earned run in his first 31 1/3 innings in AA. For the season, he was third in the affiliated minors in wins (after Eric Hacker and Tom Koehler), third in opponent average (behind Matt Magill and Joseph Gardner) and 7th in ERA. He led Cubs farmhands in all three pitching Triple Crown departments. Baseball America rated him as the #1 Cubs prospect and as having the best slider in the Chicago minors. They also listed him as the #2 FSL prospect (after Matt Moore) and #9 in the Southern League (between Brett Jackson and Matt Dominguez). In the 2010 Pan American Games Qualifying Tournament, he was 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA for Team USA. He led the US staff with 15 whiffs as they qualified for both the 2011 Baseball World Cup and 2011 Pan American Games. He struck out 10 in a 2-hit, no-run, 6-inning gem to beat Cuba.

[edit] Rays

He was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays with Robinson Chirinos, Sam Fuld, Brandon Guyer and Hak-ju Lee in return for Matt Garza, Fernando Perez and Zach Rosscup on January 8, 2011. He had mediocre numbers with the Montgomery Biscuits (8-7, 4.42, 80 BB in 134 1/3 IP) and excelled in two late-season starts for the Durham Bulls (1-0, 0.69) before losing one playoff game for Durham. Baseball America rated him as being the Rays' #3 prospect after Matt Moore and Lee and as having the best slider in their organization. He led the Southern League with 16 wild pitches, was 3rd in walks and ranked 6th in strikeouts (between Chris Withrow and Wily Peralta.

Archer began 2012 with Durham and had a 4-8, 4.81 record, albeit with 90 strikeouts in 76 2/3 innings, after 14 starts. He was among the International League top five in both losses and walks (45) but was leading in strikeouts at the time. He was then called up to replace the injured Jeremy Hellickson.

Chris was charged with the loss in his major league debut with the Rays on June 20, 2012. Facing the Washington Nationals, he gave up three runs on as many hits in 6 innings, but as the Rays were facing Stephen Strasburg, that was enough to give him a 3-2 loss. Still, only one of the runs was earned, and he struck out 7 while walking only one.

[edit] Related Sites

• Chris Archer on mlb.com