Stephen Woods Jr.

Stephen Hugo Woods Jr. (born June 10, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).

Stephen Woods Jr.
Fubon Guardians – No. 23
Pitcher
Born: (1995-06-10) June 10, 1995
Huntington, New York
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
CPBL debut
August 2, 2023, for the Fubon Guardians
CPBL statistics
(through August 2, 2023)
Win–loss record0–1
Earned run average12.60
Strikeouts1
Teams

Amateur career

Woods attended Half Hollow Hills East High School in Dix Hills, New York. While pitching for the school's baseball team in 2013, he threw two consecutive no-hitters.[1]

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Woods in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB draft, but he did not sign with the Rays. He enrolled at State University of New York at Albany, and played college baseball for the Albany Great Danes.[2] In the summer of 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball for the North Fork Ospreys of the Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League,[3] and in the summer of 2015 he played for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4]

Professional career

San Francisco Giants

After his junior year, the San Francisco Giants selected Woods in the eighth round of the 2016 MLB draft. Woods signed with the Giants rather than return to Albany for his senior year.[2][5] He spent his first professional season with both the AZL Giants and the Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, posting a combined 1–2 record and 3.34 ERA in 35 total innings. In 2017, he played for the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets, going 6–7 with a 2.95 ERA in 110 innings.[6]

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 20, 2017, the Giants traded Woods, Denard Span, Christian Arroyo, and Matt Krook to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Evan Longoria and cash considerations.[7] He did not pitch in 2018 due to injury. Woods returned to pitch in 2019, spending the year with the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs and compiling a 9–3 record with a 1.88 ERA over 18 games (12 starts), striking out 79 over 86+1⁄3 innings.[8]

Kansas City Royals

On December 12, 2019, Woods was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 2019 Rule 5 draft.[8] On July 21, 2020, Woods was returned to the Rays organization, but was traded back to the Royals the same day in exchange for a player to be named later.[9] The Royals sent outfielder Michael Gigliotti to Tampa Bay on September 12 as the PTBNL.[10] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 since the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] He was assigned to the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals to begin the 2021 season. He elected free agency on November 10, 2022.

Long Island Ducks

On April 5, 2023, Woods signed with the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[12] After becoming a starting pitcher again, he made 6 starts and posted a 4–0 record and 3.03 ERA with 31 strikeouts. He would be named named the ALPB Co–Pitcher of the Month for April/May alongside Mitch Lambson of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs.[13] Woods made 11 total starts for the Ducks, registering a 7–2 record and 3.77 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 59+2⁄3 innings pitched.

Fubon Guardians

On July 5, 2023, Woods's contract was purchased by the Fubon Guardians of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).[14]

International career

Woods played for the Italy national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[15][16]

See also

References
  1. "Stephen Woods' back-to-back no-hitter lifts Hills East over Whitman". Newsday. April 16, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  2. "Former HHH East star Stephen Woods Jr. overjoyed at being picked by Giants". Newsday. June 12, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  3. "Baseball: In return to mound, Woods dominant for Ospreys | Riverhead News Review". Riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com. July 9, 2014. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  4. "Stephen Woods Jr. - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  5. Singelais, Mark (June 10, 2016). "Stephen Woods, Zach Remillard picked in MLB draft". Times Union. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  6. "Stephen Woods Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  7. "Giants acquire Longoria from Rays". MLB.com. December 20, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  8. "Tigers take RHP Rony Garcia from Yankees with top pick in Rule 5 draft". ESPN.com. December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  9. "Rays Trade Rule 5 Pick Stephen Woods Jr. To Royals". MLB Trade Rumors.
  10. "Rays Acquire Outfielder Michael Gigliotti From Royals". MLB Trade Rumors.
  11. "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". mlbtraderumors.com.
  12. "Huntington Native Stephen Woods Jr. Signs with Ducks". Long Island Ducks. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
  13. "Stephen Woods Jr. Named ALPB Co-Pitcher of the Month for April/May". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved 2023-06-05.
  14. "Stephen Woods Jr.'s Contract Purchased by Fubon Guardians". oursportscentral.com. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  15. 🖉Angotti, Roberto (February 28, 2023). "Team Italy Pitchers in the 2023 World Baseball Classic".
  16. "Woods Jr. Named to Team Italy WBC Roster".
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