Jon Switzer

Infobox MLB player


width = 150px
name = Jon Switzer
team = Boston Red Sox
number = --
position = Relief pitcher
birthdate = birth date and age|1979|8|13
birthplace = city-state|Bowling Green|Kentucky
bats = Left
throws = Left
debutdate = August 2
debutyear = 2003
debutteam = Tampa Bay Devil Rays
statyear = 2007
stat1label = Win-Loss
stat1value = 2-4
stat2label = Earned run average
stat2value = 6.11
stat3label = Strikeouts
stat3value = 43
teams =
*Tampa Bay Devil Rays (by|2003, by|2005-by|2007)

Jon Michael Switzer (born August 13, 1979 in Bowling Green, Kentucky) is a relief pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.

Amateur career

High school

Switzer is a 1998 graduate of Clear Lake High School in Houston, Texas While there he was three-year letterwinner and was selected for the following honors: '98 first-team all-district, '97 second-team all-district, USA Today 1998 All-USA honorable mention, Houston Area All-Star, '98 all-state selection. He also played for the South in the Texas North/South All-Star game at The Ballpark in Arlington.cite web | url = http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/switzer_jon00.html | title = Player Bio: Jon Switzer | author= |work = Arizona State University | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ]

College

In by|1998 Switzer was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 26th Round of the amateur entry draftcite web | url = http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/Jon-Switzer.shtml | title = Jon Switzer | author= |work = The Baseball Cube | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ] but chose to attend Arizona State University where he majored in marketing.

Switzer attended Arizona State for three years (1999-2001) and appeared in 66 games compiling a 23-13 record with a 4.01 ERA striking out 327 batters in 303.1 innings. He posted back-to-back seasons with 100+ strikeouts in 2000 (121) and 2001 (128). He was named Pac-10 Honorable Mention in 2000 and 2001, third-team Collegiate Baseball All-American in 2000.

Professional career

Switzer was selected by Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2nd Round of by|2001 amateur entry draft and began his professional career playing for the Hudson Valley Renegades of the New York-Penn League.

By by|2003 Switzer worked his way up to the Triple-A Durham Bulls and made his first major league appearance against the Kansas City Royals on August 2, 2003.cite web | url = http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/switzjo01.shtml | title = Jon Switzer | author= |work = Baseball Reference | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ]

Switzer missed the entire by|2004 season with an injury. [cite web | url = http://www.soxprospects.com/players/switzer-jon.htm | title = #25 Jon Switzer | author= |work = SoxProspects | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ] He split the by|2005 - by|2007 seasons between Durham and the parent club. On November 30, 2007 Tampa outrighted Switzer to Durham. [cite web | url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/index.jsp?c_id=tb&year=2007&month=11 | title = Tampa Bay Rays Transactions: November 2007 | author= |work = MLB.com | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ] December 1, he refused the minor league assignment and became a free agent. [cite web | url = http://stats.washingtonpost.com/mlb/teamreports.asp?tm=30&report=trans | title = Rays: Transactions 2008 | author= |work = Washington Post | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ]

On January 4, by|2008 Switzer was signed by the Boston Red Sox to a Minor League contract and was invited to spring training. [cite web | url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/index.jsp?c_id=bos&year=2008&month=1 | title = Boston Red Sox Transactions: January 2008 | author= |work = MLB.com | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ] On March 13 he was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. [cite web | url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/transactions/index.jsp?c_id=bos&year=2008&month=3 | title = Boston Red Sox Transactions: March 2008 | author= |work = MLB.com | date = | accessdate = 2008-04-12 ]

ee also

* Tampa Bay Devil Rays all-time roster

References

External links

* [http://www.soxprospects.com/players/switzer-jon.htm SoxProspects] Biography and scouting report
* [http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=28878 Baseball Reference] minor league statistics