Jamie Romak

James Robert Romak (born September 30, 1985) is a Canadian former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, and the KBO League for the SK Wyverns/SSG Landers. Romak has also competed for the Canadian national baseball team.

Jamie Romak
Romak with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
Right fielder / First baseman
Born: (1985-09-30) September 30, 1985
London, Ontario, Canada
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: May 28, 2014, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
NPB: March 25, 2016, for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
KBO: May 11, 2017, for the SK Wyverns
Last appearance
MLB: October 2, 2015, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
NPB: 2016, for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars
KBO: July 11, 2021, for the SSG Landers
MLB statistics
Batting average.167
Home runs0
Runs batted in4
NPB statistics
Batting average.113
Home runs0
Runs batted in2
KBO statistics
Batting average.277
Home runs153
Runs batted in403
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  Canada
Baseball World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Panama City Team
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Guadalajara Team

Amateur career

Romak attended A.B. Lucas Secondary School in London, Ontario, Canada.[1]

Professional career

Atlanta Braves

He was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the fourth round (127th overall) of the 2003 MLB draft.[2] He made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Braves of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2003, and played for the Danville Braves of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2004 and 2005. He was promoted to the Rome Braves of the Class-A South Atlantic League (SAL) in 2006, where he had a .247 batting average, 26 doubles, 16 home runs and 68 runs batted in.[3]

Pittsburgh Pirates

Before the 2007 season, the Braves traded Romak with Adam LaRoche to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Mike Gonzalez and Brent Lillibridge.[4] The Pirates assigned Romak to the Hickory Crawdads of the SAL, before promoting him to the Lynchburg Hillcats of the Class-A Advanced Carolina League. Before the 2008 season, Baseball Prospectus rated Romak as the Pirates sixth best prospect.[5] Romak split the 2008 and 2009 seasons with the Hillcats and Altoona Curve of the Class-AA Eastern League.[6]

Kansas City Royals

Romak signed with the Kansas City Royals as a minor league free agent for the 2010 season.[7] With the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the Carolina League, Romak was named Player of the Week three times in June, winning Player of the Month honours as well.[8] Romak batted .251 with 23 home runs for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Class-AA Texas League in 2011.[9] He resigned with the Royals for 2012.[9]

Romak playing for the Memphis Redbirds in 2013

St. Louis Cardinals

On May 17, 2012, Romak was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash considerations.[10] Romak spent most of the 2012 season with Cardinals Double-A affiliate Springfield. In December 2012 Romak re-signed with the Cardinals for 2013 and spent the season with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.[11]

Los Angeles Dodgers

On November 16, 2013, he signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was assigned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes. In 108 games for the Isotopes in 2014, he hit .280 with 24 homers and 85 RBI.

He was called up to the Dodgers on May 28, 2014, after 1,069 games and 4,306 plate appearances in the minor leagues.[12] He ground out to second base in his MLB debut, as a pinch hitter. His first hit was a 2-RBI double off Matt Belisle of the Colorado Rockies on June 8, 2014. That was his only hit in 21 at-bats for the Dodgers. He was designated for assignment on June 25, 2014.[13]

Arizona Diamondbacks

Romak signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks as a minor league free agent in November 2014.

On August 8, 2015, the Diamondbacks selected his contract from the Triple-A Reno Aces. On November 10, 2015, The Diamondbacks released Romak.

Yokohama DeNA BayStars

On November 13, 2015, he signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball.[14]

March 25, 2016, Romak made his NPB debut.

San Diego Padres

On November 8, 2016, Romak signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres.

SK Wyverns/SSG Landers

On May 7, 2017, Romak had his contract sold to the SK Wyverns of the KBO League.vOn May 11, 2017, Romak made his KBO debut. During the 2020/2021 offseason, the Wyverns rebranded as the SSG Landers. On October 31, 2021, Romak announced his retirement from professional baseball.[15] In 5 seasons in the KBO for the Wyverns/Landers, Romak played in 626 games, hitting .273/.376/.532 with 155 home runs and 409 RBI, and won the Korean Series with the team in 2018.

International career

Romak has played for the Canada national baseball team. He participated in the 2007 Baseball World Cup, the 2011 Baseball World Cup, winning the bronze medal, and the 2011 Pan American Games, winning the gold medal.[16][17] The 2011 Canadian team was inducted in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.[18]

References
  1. "Jamie Romak Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  2. "D-Rays take teen slugger with first selection in draft". June 4, 2003.
  3. "Pirates acquire Adam LaRoche from Atlanta" (Press release). Major League Baseball. January 19, 2007. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  4. "Pirates deal Gonzalez for LaRoche". CBC News. January 19, 2007.
  5. Goldstein, Kevin (February 14, 2008). "Future Shock: Pirates Top 11 Prospects". Baseball Prospectus. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  6. Kovacevic, Dejan (July 30, 2008). "Pirates Notebook: Rays part of deep talks involving Bay". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
  7. "Royals Sign Eight to Minor League Contracts for 2011 Season – Kansas City, Missouri News". Infozine.com. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  8. "Former Hillcat Romak heads to Double-A | MiLB.com News | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. January 1, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  9. Royals notes: Team signs seven to minor-league deals – KansasCity.com Archived January 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  10. Cardinals Acquire Jamie Romak, Bleacherreport.com (May 17, 2012)
  11. Langosch, Jenifer (December 6, 2012). "Cardinals achieve top objective at Winter Meetings". MLB.com via Cardinals team website. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  12. Eric Stephen (May 28, 2014). "Jamie Romak called up to Dodgers with Carl Crawford on DL". truebluela.com.
  13. "Dodgers add 1B Robinson from Triple-A Albuquerque". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 25, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
  14. "ニュース ｜ ジェイミー・ロマック選手と契約合意 ｜ 横浜DeNAベイスターズ".
  15. "Canadian slugger Romak retires after 5 seasons in KBO". October 31, 2021.
  16. Emrich, Robert (October 26, 2011). "Van Ostrand, Canada take Pan Am gold | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 30, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  17. nurun.com (January 30, 2012). "Canada golden on baseball's world stage | Bob Elliott | Columnists | Sports | London Free Press". Lfpress.com. Archived from the original on April 24, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
  18. "Three London ball players part of Hall of Fame-bound team". London Community News. February 8, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
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