Riverdale, N.Y. (August 22, 2007)- Jasper baseball alum John Fitzpatrick has been promoted by the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, and has reported to the State College Spikes of the New York-Penn League.
Fitzpatrick, who graduated from Manhattan following the 2006 season as the program's all-time leader in home runs, RBI, doubles, and hits, signed with the Pirates' organization on December 10, 2006, and played the majority of his first professional season with the Gulf Coast Pirates of the Rookie League.
The Yonkers, N.Y. native and Iona Prep alum was among the best sluggers in the league, belting nine home runs, with 31 RBI and 29 walks, while slugging at a .512 clip. Each of those stats led his team and ranked him among the Gulf Coast League leaders. In fact, Fitzpatrick's home run total tied him for the league lead and was six round trippers ahead of second place on his team, and his RBI total tied him for seventh in the league and was eight ahead of second place on his team. His slugging percentage ranked him seventh in the Gulf Coast League.
Fitzpatrick started at designated hitter and batted fifth in his first game for the State College Spikes, a 6-4 loss at the Batavia Muckdogs on Tuesday, August 21. With 18 games left in the regular season, the Spikes (29-28) currently stand in third place in the Pinckney Division, 4.5 games behind the Auburn Doubledays.
One series of note will take place on August 25-27, when the Spikes host the Williamsport Crosscutters. Another Jaspers baseball alum, Matt Rizzotti, is on the Crosscutters roster and Manhattan fans will fondly remember the back-to-back home runs off (current New York Yankee relief pitcher and prized prospect) Joba Chamberlain that the duo blasted in the Jaspers', 4-1, upset of the University of Nebraska in the 2006 NCAA Tournament.
