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International League Names Former Tribe OF Chad Mottola to Hall of Fame

Mottola spent four seasons in Indy, won 2000 IL MVP Award with Syracuse
Former Tribe outfielder Chad Mottola joins the IL Hall of Fame as part of its 2020 class.
January 28, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS - Today the International League named former Indianapolis Indian Chad Mottola as a member of the IL Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Two others join Mottola in this year's enshrinement: Chipper Jones, the 1993 IL Rookie of the Year and a National Baseball Hall of Famer, and Johnny

INDIANAPOLIS - Today the International League named former Indianapolis Indian Chad Mottola as a member of the IL Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Two others join Mottola in this year's enshrinement: Chipper Jones, the 1993 IL Rookie of the Year and a National Baseball Hall of Famer, and Johnny Neun, an IL All-Star first baseman and two-time Governors' Cup winning manager. Mottola joins 18 former Tribe players, managers or executives among the league's greatest.

Mottola spent 13 seasons at the Triple-A level, nine coming in the International League. After being selected by Cincinnati as the fifth-overall pick of the 1992 MLB June Amateur Draft - one slot ahead of Derek Jeter - he moved up the ranks of the organization and landed in Indy for part of the 1995 season. Mottola slashed .259/.315/.414 in his inaugural Triple-A campaign, earning him a roster spot the next year before making his major league debut on April 23, 1996. 
In his first of five major league seasons, Mottola hit .215 (17-for-79) over 35 games for Cincinnati between stints in Indianapolis. He then spent the 1997 season between Double-A Chattanooga and Indianapolis, hitting .289 (82-for-284) with the Tribe. 
Mottola spent five games of the 1998 season with Indianapolis, which had been moved from the American Association to the International League. That season marked his last as a member of the Reds organization. In his career with six different IL clubs, Mottola set multiple career highs. In 1999, he hit a career-best .321 (164-for-511) with Charlotte, who won the Governors' Cup. A year later, he had 102 RBI and 33 home runs with Syracuse en route to IL MVP honors. His career also included stints with Durham, Pawtucket and Ottawa. 
Mottola is the first Indianapolis Indian to join the International League Hall of Fame since chairman emeritus Max Schumacher in 2017. The last former Tribe players inducted were Red Barrett, Bill Short and Ed Stevens, who were part of the 2009 class. 
For more information or to purchase a 2020 tickets package, visit IndyIndians.com or call (317) 269-3545.