C. J. Riefenhauser

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = C. J. Riefenhauser

| image =

| position = Pitcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|1|30}}

| birth_place = Yonkers, New York, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Left

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 19

| debutyear = 2014

| debutteam = Tampa Bay Rays

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = October 3

| finalyear = 2015

| finalteam = Tampa Bay Rays

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Win–loss record

| stat1value = 1–0

| stat2label = Earned run average

| stat2value = 6.30

| stat3label = Strikeouts

| stat3value = 9

| teams =

Tampa Bay Rays ({{mlby|2014}}–{{mlby|2015}})

}}

Charles Joseph Riefenhauser (born January 30, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Tampa Bay Rays. He is the head baseball coach at Yorktown High School, a position he has held since 2019.

Playing career

=Amateur career=

Riefenhauser was raised in Mahopac, New York, and he graduated from Mahopac High School. He then attended Chipola Junior College.{{cite web | url=https://www.recordonline.com/story/sports/mlb/2013/07/15/mahopac-s-riefenhauser-carries-flag/44758805007/ | title=Mahopac's Riefenhauser carries flag for New York }}

=Tampa Bay Rays=

Riefenhauser was drafted in the 20th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft. That year he played for the Princeton Rays and the Bowling Green Hot Rods, and recorded a combined ERA of 2.25 with only 28.0 IP. In the 2011 season he played for both the Hot Rods and the Charlotte Stone Crabs with an ERA of 2.80 and 138.1 IP.

Riefenhauser represented the Rays at the 2013 All-Star Futures Game.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130714&content_id=53787978&vkey=news_tb&c_id=tb|title=Rays prospect C.J. Riefenhauser throws heat in All-Star Futures Game|work=Tampa Bay Rays|accessdate=February 13, 2016}} He was added to the Rays 40-man roster on November 20, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/tb/rays-protect-four-prospects-from-rule-5-draft?ymd=20131120&content_id=64077770&vkey=news_tb |title=Rays protect four, sign seven Minor League free agents |publisher=Mlb.mlb.com |date=November 20, 2013 |accessdate=December 14, 2013}} He was called up on April 19, 2014 to make his MLB debut,{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20140419&content_id=72657230¬ebook_id=72657168&vkey=notebook_tb&c_id=tb|title=Riefenhauser recalled, makes debut|work=Tampa Bay Rays|accessdate=February 13, 2016}} and sent back down on April 21. He was recalled again on September 16, after the Durham Bulls' post-season ended.{{cite web|url=http://m.rays.mlb.com/news/article/94816816/trio-of-callups-out-to-make-an-impression-on-rays-as-season-winds-down|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210172608/http://m.rays.mlb.com/news/article/94816816/trio-of-callups-out-to-make-an-impression-on-rays-as-season-winds-down|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 10, 2014|title=Trio of callups out to make an impression on Rays as season winds down|publisher=rays.mlb.com|date=September 16, 2014|accessdate=December 5, 2014}}

In 2015, Riefenhauser made 17 appearances with the Rays, earning his first major league win on June 14 against the Chicago White Sox.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/TBA/TBA201506140.shtml|title=June 14, 2015 Chicago White Sox at Tampa Bay Rays Box Score and Play by Play - Baseball-Reference.com|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=February 13, 2016}}

=Chicago Cubs=

On November 5, 2015, the Rays traded Riefenhauser, Nate Karns, and Boog Powell to the Seattle Mariners for Brad Miller, Danny Farquhar, and Logan Morrison.{{cite web|url=http://mynorthwest.com/374/2840985/Mariners-send-Brad-Miller-Logan-Morrison-to-Rays-in-6player-trade|title=Mariners send Brad Miller, Logan Morrison to Rays in 6-player trade|first=Brent|last=Stecker|date=November 5, 2015|accessdate=November 5, 2015|work=mynorthwest.com}}

On December 2, before ever suiting up for the Mariners, Riefenhauser was the player to be named later traded along with Mark Trumbo to the Baltimore Orioles for Steve Clevenger.{{Cite web |last=Divish |first=Ryan |date=December 1, 2015 |title=Mariners trade Mark Trumbo to the Orioles for first baseman/catcher Steve Clevenger |url=http://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-trade-mark-trumbo-to-the-orioles-for-first-basemancatcher-steve-cleavenger/ |access-date=February 13, 2016 |website=The Seattle Times}} He was designated for assignment by the Orioles on February 4, 2016,{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Orioles/status/695317179428945921|title=Baltimore Orioles on Twitter|work=Twitter|date=February 4, 2016|accessdate=February 4, 2016}} and claimed by the Chicago Cubs on February 12.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-lose-lefthander-cj-riefenhauser-to-cubs-off-waivers-20160212-story.html|title=Orioles lose left-hander C.J. Riefenhauser to Cubs off waivers|author=Baltimore Sun|date=February 12, 2016|work=baltimoresun.com|accessdate=February 13, 2016}} He was released on August 20, 2016.

=Houston Astros=

On December 6, 2016, Riefenhauser signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-add-lefthander-C-J-Riefenhauser-on-minor-10754042.php|title=Astros add lefthander C.J. Riefenhauser on minor league deal|last=Kaplan|first=Jake|work=chron.com|date=December 6, 2016|accessdate=December 6, 2016}} He was released on March 27, 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/sports/astros/article/Astros-release-C-J-Riefenhauser-reassign-four-11027490.php|title=Astros release C.J. Riefenhauser, reassign four others|last=Kaplan|first=Jake|work=chron.com|date=March 27, 2017|accessdate=April 5, 2017}}

=Rockland Boulders=

On May 20, 2017, Riefenhauser signed with the Rockland Boulders of the Can-Am League. He was released on April 13, 2018.

Coaching career

In September 2019, Riefenhauser was hired as the coach for the baseball team at Yorktown High School in Yorktown Heights, New York.{{cite web | last=Thomson | first=Josh | title=Yorktown baseball stays unbeaten under new coach C.J. Riefenhauser | website=lohud.com | date=2021-05-07 | url=https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/high-school/varsity-insider/2021/05/06/yorktown-baseball-stays-unbeaten-under-new-coach-c-j-riefenhauser/4944187001/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}