Announcement
Eric Chavez was selected by the Oakland Athletics, in the first round, as the tenth pick, in the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft. He chose a professional baseball career over a full scholarship to the University of Southern California (USC). His time in the minor leagues was relatively short, lasting just under two seasons. He spent the 1997 season playing for the Visalia Oaks, the Single-A team in the Athletics' farm system. He played 134 games, all at third base, and hit .271 with 18 home runs and 100 RBI. Before the start of the 1998 season, Chavez was promoted to the Double-A Huntsville Stars. After 88 games, he had a batting average of .328, 28 home runs, 86 RBIs, 12 stolen bases, and a triple. His efforts caused him to be promoted to the Edmonton Trappers, where in 47 games he hit 11 home runs and had a .325 batting average. When Edmonton's season finished up on September 8, 1998, he was called up to the major leagues. He finished his minor league career by being named Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, as well as earning the J.G. Taylor Spink Award as the Topps/NAPBL Minor League Player of the Year.
At Mt. Carmel High School, Eric Chavez was a two-time Baseball America High School All-American selection. In his junior year, he was the only junior selected nationwide for the honor, finishing the year with a batting average of .537, nine home runs, 35 runs batted in, and 51 stolen bases. As a senior, he batted .458 with 11 home runs, 24 RBIs and 33 stolen bases in route to his second All-American selection.
Honors & Awards
• Silver Slugger Award winner (2002)
• Six Gold Glove Awards (winner 2001-06)
• Led AL
in bases on
balls
in 2004
• Hit for Cycle 2000
