John Hattig

From BR Bullpen

John Duane Hattig

Bats Both, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 230 lb.

High School Southern High School
Debut August 19, 2006
Born February 27, 1980 in Tamuning, Guam

[edit] Biographical Information

John Hattig is the first major leaguer from Guam. His uncle Keith Hattig had almost accomplished that before his career was cut short by an injury. John was picked by the Boston Red Sox in the 25th round of the 1998 amateur draft. He began his professional career the next year with the GCL Red Sox, batting .270/~.335/.368 while starting at third base. In 2000, John hit .289/.342/.331 with the Lowell Spinners. The next season, Hattig had a .285/.371/.363 campaign for the Augusta GreenJackets while moving primarily to first base. He also was only 5 for 45 in a return to Lowell.

2002 marked some improvement as John had a .282/.377/.401 line for Augusta while starting at third base there. He also put up a .247/.301/.318 line in 24 games with the Sarasota Red Sox. Hattig hit .295/.385/.423 for Sarasota in '03 and .219/.265/.281 in his first games at AA with the Portland Sea Dogs. He finished fifth in the Florida State League in batting average.

In 2004, the 24-year-old infielder had a fine .295/.411/.519 season for Portland. Boston traded Hattig to the Toronto Blue Jays for Terry Adams and he hit .296/.352/.556 in 40 games for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats for a composite .296/.391/.532 line with 22 HR. In game three of the Eastern League playoffs, he drove in all the runs in the clincher for the Fisher Cats, thanks to a 2-run homer.

Due to bone spurs in his right elbow, Hattig started the 2005 season late. He hit .316/.387/.421 in 26 games for the Syracuse SkyChiefs and .386/.417/.455 in 11 games with the Dunedin Blue Jays in an injury-riddled season. Picked to play in the Futures Game, he missed it due to a pulled left hamstring.

Batting .276/.341/.394 for Syracuse in 2006, Hattig was called up to Toronto in mid-August.

Sources include 2000-2006 Baseball Almanacs