Pirates Call Up Former Wave Chase d'Arnaud
6/24/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 24, 2011
MALIBU, Calif. – Pittsburgh’s fourth-round draft choice in 2008, former Pepperdine Wave Chase d’Arnaud was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis Thursday and will be in uniform for the Pirates series vs. the Boston Red Sox this weekend at PNC Park.
d'Arnaud, who has split time this season at short stop and second base, hit .280 with four home runs, 33 RBI and 17 stolen bases for the Indians, including .299 in June. He also was named to the MLB Futures game for Team USA, but because of his call up may not participate in the game.
"Chase has played very well at Indianapolis," Pirates general manager Neil Huntington told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "He has a chance to give us a boost while gaining valuable experience at the major league level."
d’Arnaud is the 33rd Wave to make it to the majors and the fourth recruited by head coach Steve Rodriguez. Arizona right-handed pitcher Barry Enright and Detroit infielder Danny Worth both made their major league debuts last season, and outfielder/designated hitter Eric Thames joined the professional ranks in May for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Other Waves currently playing in the pros include Dan Haren (Angels), Will Ohman (White Sox), Dane Sardinha (Phillies) and Randy Wolf (Brewers). Rob Picciolo (Angels) and Steve Smith (Indians) are both assistant coaches.
A native of Torrance, Calif., d’Arnaud originally was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 44th round of the 2005 Draft out of Los Alamitos High School, where he batted .512 with 29 RBI as a senior and was named All-Orange County by the Los Angeles Times.
During d’Arnaud’s tenure (2006-08) at Pepperdine, the Waves qualified for three NCAA postseasons and won the West Coast Conference title in 2006. His collegiate totals included a .309 batting average, 16 home runs, 100 RBI, 116 runs scored, 40 doubles and 16 stolen bases. Twice d’Arnaud was named to an All-WCC team and in 2008 he was honored with a spot on its All-Academic team.
Since leaving Pepperdine in the summer of 2008, d’Arnaud gradually ascended through the ranks of the Pirates farm system, first competing for both their single-A teams in 2009 before receiving a promotion to AA Altoona coming out of spring training camp in 2010. In 132 games for the Curve, he batted .247 with six home runs, a league-leading nine triples and 48 RBI along with 91 runs scored and 33 stolen bases.
d’Arnaud entered 2010 ranked as the fifth best prospect in the Pirates organization by Baseball America and was also tabbed by the publication as the organization’s best overall athlete. In July of 2010, he was tabbed to the Eastern League All-Star Team and voted Top Star of the game after blasting a pinch-hit grand slam in the seventh inning of a 10-3 win.
In September of 2010 d’Arnaud became the eighth Wave to don a USA Baseball jersey after he was added to its roster for the COPABE Pan American/World Cup Qualifying Tournament.
d’Arnaud, who had just finished celebrating an Eastern League (AA) Championship with the Curve, was the first Wave to wear the Red, White and Blue since current Oakland A’s’ minor leaguer Brett Hunter did so in 2008. Rodriguez and assistant coach Rick Hirtensteiner also have represented their country on the diamond, as have Mike Fetters, David Matranga, Dan Melendez and Wolf.
d’Arnaud won his first minor league team title (Carolina League) with the Lynchburg Hillcats in 2009 after starting the year at West Virginia. That year, which was his first full season in the minors, he hit .293 with seven round-trippers and 57 RBI.
d’Arnaud’s younger brother, Travis, is a catcher for Toronto’s Double-A affiliate in New Hampshire.
Information from wrta.com and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review was used in this release.
