Get to Know Your A's: Joey Wendle
Joey Wendle was selected in the 6th Round of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Cleveland Indians. He joined the Athletics' after being traded for All-Star Brandon Moss on December 8, 2014.
Wendle played his college baseball at Division II West Chester University (Pennsylvania). He hit .366 in his four seasons only striking out eight times in 334 ABs his junior and senior seasons. In 2012, he won his conference's Triple Crown, slashing a .399 AVG, 12 HR and 59 RBI stat line.
After being drafted, Wendle joined Mahoning Valley of the New York Penn League where he hit .327 in 61 games and made the mid-season all-star game.
He continued to thrive the following season at Carolina by hitting .295 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs and earning a postseason all-star selection. He earned the Lou Boudreau Award as the top position players in the Indians' system. Past recipients include; Jason Kipnis (2x), Carlos Santana, Asdrubal Cabrera, Grady Sizemore, Victor Martinez (2x), Sean Casey, Richie Sexson, Jim Thome (2x) and Manny Ramirez.
Due a to a wrist injury, Wendle's numbers dipped a little at Double-A Akron in 2014. He hit just .254. He did play stellar defensively however, turning 73 double plays and committing just seven errors in 443 chances.
Wendle majored in Pre-Physical Therapy at WCU and was a first-team Capital One Academic All-American. Newlywed in October 2014, he resides in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Lindsey, an English teacher.
Wendle, the #16 prospect in the Athletics' organization according to Baseball America, earned rave reviews as a 2015 non-roster invitee to Athletics spring training. He will begin the season in Nashville, but it should not be long before he gets his chance in the big leagues.