A non-roster invitee to Spring Training, Chris has appeared in the majors in each of the last nine seasons with Cleveland (2009-10, 2014, 2016), Seattle (2011), Tampa Bay (2012-13), Texas (2014-15) and Minnesota (2017) ... overall, he is in his 15th professional season... Has batted .218 (190-for-870) with 42 doubles, 22 homers and 82 RBI in 366-career major league games ... has thrown out 39-of-176 (22.2%) of attempted base stealers in his career... Appeared in a career-high 77 games with Minnesota last season ... has appeared in at least 40 major league games in five separate campaigns... Has twice appeared in the postseason ... played in two games in the 2015 ALDS with Texas and last season played in Minnesota's Wild Card Game... Named a Carolina League mid-season All-Star in 2007... Selected by Cleveland in the 19th round of the 2004 draft out of the University of Nevada-Reno ... was named first-team All-WAC in 2003 and second-team All-WAC in 2004.
2017
2017 A non-roster invitee to Spring Training with the Twins, Chris made the club's Opening Day roster and set single-season career-highs in games (77), runs (28), hits (41), home runs (7), RBI (16) and walks (33)... Made six pitching appearances: April 23 vs. Detroit, May 6 vs. Boston, May 31 vs. Houston, June 6 at Seattle, June 12 vs. Seattle and June 22 vs. Chicago (A.L.) ... tied Boston's Eddie Lake in 1944 for most in a season by a position player ... became the first player to pitch and catch at least six games since the late 1800s ... had a 7.20 ERA (4 ER/5.0 IP) with seven hits and one home run allowed on the mound... Recorded his first career multi-homer game, June 15 vs. Seattle, including four RBI... Caught 59 games (54 starts) and caught 475.2 innings... Selected as the recipient of the Mike Augustin "Media Good Guy" Award for the Twins.
2016
Batted .216 (30-for-139) with four doubles, four homers and 11 RBI in 68 games with Cleveland ... began the season in the Texas organization before being traded for cash, May 4 ... marked his third stint in the Cleveland organization... Spent spring training with Texas and missed time late in camp with a left ankle injury that eventually turned into a staph infection that required surgery and one-week hospital stay in early April ... began the season on the disabled list... Played 59 games (42 starts) at catcher as the Indians went 22-20 (.524) in his starts ... threw out 4-of-21 runners (19%) attempting to steal.
2015
Was purchased from Round Rock (AAA) on July 31 and split time with Bobby Wilson behind the plate in August and September when Robinson Chirinos and Carlos Corporan were injured…started 32 regular season games at catcher with Texas going 25-7 (.781) in those contests, winning each of the first five and 10 in a row from Sept. 8-25…set major league career bests for runs (19), total bases (48), homers (5), and RBI (14).
2014
Combined to hit .241 (28-116) with 11 RBI in 42 games with Texas and Cleveland…spent spring training with Oakland before being claimed on waivers by the Rangers on March 28…was on Texas' roster for March 31 season opener vs. PHI (DNP) before being designated for assignment on April 1…cleared waivers on April 3 and was granted free agency April 5 before re-signed to a minors contract on April 10…had contract purchased by Texas on May 20…started 26 games at catcher with club going 11-15 in those contests, and three at first base…was starting catcher for 11 of 12 Yu Darvish starts during his stint with Texas…pitched a scoreless ninth inning on July 10 vs. LA Angels….hit .417 (15-36) with 5 2B and 6 RBI in first nine games but just .183 (13-71) in final 24 contests…hit safely in career-high eight straight, May 22-June 6…had career-high four hits in second game with Rangers on May 22 at Detroit, first Ranger with a four-hit game within first two games with the club since Danny Thompson on June 4, 1976 vs. Detroit…was on Paternity List, Aug. 4-6, then was DFA'd again on Aug. 7 and outrighted to minors on Aug. 9…was traded to Cleveland on Aug. 23 and was 0-for-8 in nine games the rest of the year…had second stint on Paternity List, Aug. 29-31.
2013
Spent nearly the entire regular season at Triple-A Durham before he was called up by Tampa Bay when rosters expanded Sept. 1…went 1-for-3 (.333) with a double and walk in four games with the Rays … appeared in one game each at catcher, first base and third base…also pinch hit twice, collecting a double and walk … batted .224 with three home runs and 22 RBI in 95 games with the Bulls…added 57 walks for a .350 on-base percentage…hit .235 (51-for-217) against right-handed pitching compared to .198 (18-for-81) against left-handers…drew 26 of his 57 walks against lefties for a .376 on-base percentage, compared to .339 against righties…had one home run and 11 RBI in 70 games over the first four months of the season…then had two home runs and 11 RBI in 25 games in August…hit .370 with two of his three home runs in the ninth inning … appeared in 56 games at catcher, 19 in right field, 13 in left field, seven at first base and one at third base … committed just one error behind the plate for a .998 fielding percentage …tossed out 10-of-40 (25.0%) attempted base stealers…batted .274 while catching, .167 at all other positions…hit in every spot in the order except first and second…batted fifth and seventh 23 times and eighth 22 times.
DURHAM: Batted .298 over his first 16 games through April 23…scored a season-high three runs April 11 against Norfolk…went 0-for-2 but drew a season-high three walks April 28 at Syracuse … finished April with a .262 batting average and then hit .265 in May…went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and his only stolen base of the season May 15 at Rochester…the hits were a season high and the runs matched his best…that lifted his batting average to .270…went 0-for-3 over his next two games before going on the disabled list May 28 with a sprained left hand…was reinstated June 16 and hit .201 in 60 games following his return … including .147 in June…went 4-for-40 (.100) over a 13-game stretch from June 24 to July 8…then hit safely in a season-high seven consecutive games from July 9 to 18…went 9-for-25 (.360) with three doubles during the streak…matched his season high with three walks July 19 against Pawtucket … finished July with a .238 batting average but then hit .184 in August…however, seven of his 14 hits in the month were for extra bases (five doubles, two home runs)…hit just one home run over his first 79 games…then went deep in back-to-back contests Aug. 11 against Charlotte and Aug. 13 at Gwinnett … drove in a season-high three runs against Charlotte…was recalled by Tampa Bay Sept. 1 and missed the final two games of the regular season and the playoffs.
2012
The backstop completed his fourth major league season...split the year between Triple-A Durham and the Rays...played in 42 games (31 starts at catcher) over two stints in the majors: April 15-May 28 and Sept. 1 through season's end...hit .221 (19-for-86) with six RBI in 35 games at the major league level...Appeared in 11 games (10 starts) after his second recall on Sept. 1 and hit .406 (13-for-32) with one HR, five RBI and three doubles...started the final
five games of the season and hit .500 (7-for-14 with at least one hit in each game...In his first stint with the Rays, appeared in 24 games (21 starts, all at catcher) from April 15-May 28...hit .191/.236/.206 (13-for-68) during that stretch...was selected from Durham on April 15 to replace injured C Jose Lobaton and made his Rays debut that day in Boston, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles...Drove in the go-ahead run on a two-out, RBI single in the eighth inning in a 4-3 victory on Sept. 3 vs. NYY bringing the Rays to within 2.5 games of the first-place Yankees...it was his second career go-ahead hit and his first since July 27, 2009 with Cleveland...On Oct. 1 vs. BAL delivered a two-run double in the seventh inning to give the Rays a 4-1 lead in the eventual 5-3 win, helping the Rays stay alive in the postseason race...they were eliminated later that night with Oakland's victory...Lone home run came on Sept. 29 at CWS, a solo shot off RH Deunte Heath...Also appeared in one game each at 1B, 3B and LF, the only Rays catcher ever to play three other positions...Caught five of 25 attempted base stealers (20 pct.) and 21 of 82 (25.6 pct.) for his career...Was called for catcher's interference a clubrecord three times, the most in the majors since LAA Mike Napoli in 2006...became the first AL catcher to be called for catcher's interferencein back-to-back appearances (April 29-30) since DET Javier Cardona on Aug. 14-16, 2001 and the first in Rays history to do so...At Triple-A, hit .310/.389/.483 (81-for-261) in 71 games for the Bulls, including .375 (36-for-96) against left-handed pitchers and .351 (26-for-74) with runners in scoring position...appeared at several positions for Durham: C (47 games), LF (11), RF (11), 3B (2) and 1B (1)...Signed a minor league contract on Feb. 16 with an invite to spring training...appeared in 24 spring games, spending time at catcher (33 innings), 1B (14), 3B (36), LF (16), DH (3).
2011
Reassigned to Triple-A
Tacoma at the end of spring
training but did not appear
in any games before being
selected by the Mariners on
April 10 after C Adam Moore
was placed on the 60-day DL...hit .203 (12-for-59) in
24 games...played 20 games at catcher (17 starts),
3 in left field (1 start) and 2 at first base (2 starts)...
threw out 6 of 20 attempted base stealers (30 percent)
and did not have a passed ball in 152 innings
behind the plate...was on the disabled list from
June 29-Sep 1 with a strained left oblique...appeared
in 13 games on a rehab assignment with
Tacoma from Aug 12-31...designated for assignment
on Feb 7, 2012.
2010
Split the season between Cleveland and Columbus (AAA)...was with the Indians from
July 10-end of the season as the backup catcher and utility player...spent the first three
months of the season with Columbus...hit .276 (54x196) with 32 runs, 10 doubles, 9
home runs and 32 RBI in 55 games...appeared in 34 games in the outfield, 18 at catcher,
3 at first base and 1 at third base with the Clippers...promoted to Cleveland on July 10
(M. Redmond DFA)...made 19 starts at catcher (24 G) and saw action in 2 games in the
outfield...drove in career-high 4 runs and hit only homer Aug. 27 vs. Kansas City.
2009
Began the season at Columbus (AAA) and spent
the last 4 months of the season with the Indians after his recall on May 31...recalled to
Cleveland on May 31 (Grady Siemore DL)...made his MLB debut June 3 at Minnesota
and collected his first ML hit and home run June 4 against the Twins (off Scott Baker)...
appeared in 18 games at first base (13 GS), 14 games in left field (9 GS), 7 games in RF (4
GS) and 8 games at catcher (6 GS)...played briefly for Caracas in the Venezuelan winter
league after the season.
2008
Split the year between AA Akron and AAA Buffalo... Between the 2 stops this year he hit .304 (113-372) with
24 2B, 2 3B, 9HR & 45 RBI in 109 games...Also scored 69 runs...His .304 average was the 2nd highest of any
Indians minor leaguer...Began the season at AA Akron where he hit .339 (60-177) in 55 games w/15 2B, 6HR &
26 RBI (.487OB/.537SLG/1.024OPS) and hit in 11 straight games from May 10-26 and at one point from April
20-May 26 he hit in 22 of 25 games...Hit .352 (42-122) off RHP w/an OB% of .497 with Akron...Appeared in
48 games at catcher, 4 games at first base, 1 game at third and 2G in left field before being promoted to AAA
Buffalo on June 19...Got better as he gained more experience at AAA, hitting .310 (26-84) from August 1-Sept. 1 w/4 2B, 2HR
& 10RBI over his final 22 games to raise his AAA average from .243 to .272...Hit a grand slam and drove in
season-high 4 runs on August 23 at Syracuse...Went 3 for 5 w/a 2B, HR & 2RBI on Sept. 1 at Rochester, the
final day of the season...With Buffalo he appeared in 51 games at catcher and 3 games at third base...Hit .303
(46-152) over his last 42 games from July 3- end of season with the Bisons...Hit .297 (27-91) with runners
on for Buffalo...Between the 2 stops hit .300 (36-120) off LHP and .306 (77-252) off RHP...Also hit .319 (59-185) with runners on
base and .294 (32-109) with RISP...Combined on year threw out 20 of 73 runners attempting to steal (27.4%).
2007
Spent most of the season at Class-A
Kinston where his team-high 20 HR ranked tied
for 3rd in the Carolina League...ranked 2nd in the
Indians farm system with 26 HR and a .526 SLG...
was named a CL midseason All-Star and won the
home run derby.
2006
Spent his second year at Class-A Lake
County...appeared at catcher for the first time (62
games at catcher, 3 at 3B and 1 at 1B).
2004
Made his pro debut at Short-A Mahoning
Valley...led the New York-Penn League in total bases
(137), SLG (.527), 2B (23) XBH (36) and ranked
2nd in OBP (.419), 4th in HR (10) and 5th in hits
(78)...named a NYPL postseason All-Star.
