Chris Stewart Earns MLB Roster Spot.

April 19, 2007

2001 Knights Team Co-MVP Starts Season in the Big Leagues

Catcher Chris Stewart of the Texas Rangers is the Knights first wood bat era alum to appear in the Major Leagues. Mike Thurman of Oregon State is the only other collegian with Knights experience to appear in the bigs.

Stewart starred for the Knights in 2001 as a freshman out of Riverside (Ca) Community College. He was selected in the 12th round of the 2001 MLB draft by the Chicago White Sox. Instead of signing the 6'4" backstop from Moreno Valley, California decided to make the trek to Oregon to play summer ball with his RCC teammates Eddie Cornejo and Mike Swindell for the Aloha Knights. Both Cornejo and Swindell went on to star at University of Oklahoma and go pro. Cornejo, a slick-fielding infielder, opened his fifth pro season with the Midland Rockhounds (AA, Oakland A's) and Swindell, a right-handed pitcher, started his fourth pro season with the St. Lucie Mets (A, NY Mets).

Stewart's decision turned out to be fruitful as Chris excelled in the semi-pro Pacific International League winning league MVP honors as he hit .342 with 5 HR and 36 RBI and most impressively threw out 21 would-be base stealers. The Sox took notice and upped their ante by more than $100,000 signing Chris following his stellar summer season.

From there, Stewart worked his way up the Sox system making his first appearance in AAA in 2005. In September 2006, Chris made his big league debut for the defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox in a pinch-hitting appearance at Fenway Park in Boston. Chris made his first start last year vs. the Cleveland Indians and threw out the speedy Grady Sizemore.

This off-season Chris got married to his high school sweetheart in October and was traded prior to spring training as part of the trade that brought promising right-handed pitcher Brandon McCarthy to the Rangers and sent southpaw prospect John Danks to Chicago.

Chris has made three starts so far this season including a start last Sunday at Safeco Field. He is currently backing up Gerald Laird and hitting .333 (3 for 9 with 2 RBI). Chris picked up his first MLB hit and RBI in his first start at home vs. Tampa Bay.

The Knights 2001 club was so talented that freshman outfielder Kory Casto of University of Portland, who made his MLB debut this April with the Washington Nationals, played for Aloha's affiliate team the Portland Cardinals. The sweet-swinging left-handed hitter from North Marion High School manned rightfield for the Cardinals, but never cracked the Knights lineup. He was signed up to play for the 2002 Knights before deciding late to venture out-of-state to play for the semi-pro Southern California Fire. After starting the season with the Nationals, Casto was recently sent down to AAA.

Seven 2001 alums are still playing professionally including Stewart, Cornejo and Swindell. Third baseman Travis Hanson of University of Portland begins his second season in AAA with the Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals). Jeff Petersen and John Otness of University of Washington both started this season in AA. Otness starts his fourth season in pro ball as a teammate of ex-Oregon Stater Jacoby Ellsbury for the Portland Sea Dogs (Red Sox) and Petersen is pitching for the Connecticut Defenders (Giants). Southpaw reliever Ed Clelland of Gonzaga starts his fourth pro season with the Lake Michigan Whitecaps (A, Detroit Tigers). Other members of that club who went on to play pro ball who are no longer active were Joey Gerber of OSU (Padres, AAA), Travis Wong of Texas A&M (Reds, A), Tim Petke of L-C State (Angels, A) and Mike Gits of OSU/Western Oregon (Independent Pro Baseball).