Dragons Player in the Majors # 2: Jose Acevedo

The first Dayton Dragons team ever assembled in 2000 featured six players who would go on to play in the major leagues. Entering that season, most experts agreed that the Dragons top prospects were outfielders Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns, and starting pitcher Ty Howington. Howington, just 19 years old at the time, had been the Reds number one draft pick in 1999 and made his professional debut with the Dragons in 2000. Howington, in fact, was the starting pitcher in the very first game the Dragons played when they opened on the road in 2000 under manager Freddie Benavides. But shoulder and elbow injuries prevented Howington from ever reaching the big leagues. His career ended when he was released by the Reds in spring training, 2006.

But the number two starting pitcher on that 2000 Dragons team was a 22 year old native of the Dominican Republic named Jose Acevedo, the cousin of hall-of-fame pitcher Juan Marichal. By 2000, Acevedo was very experienced by Midwest League standards. He had already spent two and one-half seasons at the Single-A level. In fact, he spent the entire 1999 season in the Midwest League with the Clinton Lumber Kings and had pitched well, going 8-6 in 24 starts at a time when the Reds had the highly-unusual situation of having two farm clubs in the same league. So it was no surprise that Acevedo would pitch well for the Dragons.

The Dragons started that 2000 season with a lengthy road trip as the final stages of construction were completed on Fifth Third Field. By the time the Dragons opened the home season, Acevedo had already made three starts. He was 1-0 with a 1.17 earned run average, including a game when he struck out 13. His first start at home, the third game ever played at Fifth Third Field, was another win for him. In seven innings, Acevedo struck out nine and walked no one, allowing three runs to beat Cedar Rapids. He remained with the Dragons all the way through the season and into the playoffs. He finished the year with a fine record of 11-5 and a 3.89 ERA in 23 starts.

The next season, 2001, Acevedo jumped to Double-A Chattanooga, and after just 11 starts with the Lookouts, he was called to Cincinnati. Less than nine months after his last game at Fifth Third Field, Acevedo was pitching for the Reds.

His big league debut came on June 19, 2001, at Cinergy Field against the Milwaukee Brewers. Acevedo's first inning in the majors did not go as planned. He allowed a three-run home run to Jeremy Burnitz, and then a two-run homer to Jose Hernandez. It was 5-0 Brewers by the time the Reds came to bat in the bottom of the first. Acevedo settled down from there and stayed in the game through four innings, allowing only one more run. He suffered the loss in a 10-8 Brewers win. His second start yielded similar results, five runs in four innings to Houston.

But from there, Acevedo began to pitch the way the Reds had hoped when he was called to the big leagues. Start number three came against the Cubs, and Acevedo was brilliant, earning his first win as he allowed just one run in seven innings. In his next start, he beat the Pirates, allowing only one run in six innings on a day when Aaron Boone belted two homers for the Reds. At the end of that 2001 season, Acevedo had made 18 starts. His record as a National League rookie was 5-7 with a 5.44 ERA.

Acevedo spent most of 2002 and 2003 in Triple-A, but in 2004, he was back in the majors with the Reds, making 27 stars and another 12 relief appearances. He had some good days, like May 29th against Colorado when he struck out 11 batters over seven shutout innings, but he finished with a record of 5-12 with a 5.94 ERA. That season marked the end of Acevedo's career with the Reds. He was traded the next spring to Colorado for reliever Allan Simpson. Acevedo spent one year in the majors with the Rockies and one more year in the minors. By the end of the 2006 season, his career in professional baseball was over.

Acevedo pitched in 104 major league games including 59 as a starter. His final career record was 18-25. Acevedo followed Brian Reith to become the second Dayton Dragons player to reach the major leagues. Number three on the list would be Adam Dunn.