Joey Curletta
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1994)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2019}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Joey Curletta
|image=Joey Curletta 2016 (33167156033) (cropped).jpg
|caption=Curletta with the Tulsa Drillers in 2016
|position=First baseman
|team=
|number=
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1994|3|8}}
|birth_place=Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
}}
Joseph Dominic Curletta (born March 8, 1994) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. Despite spending time on the 40-man rosters of the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox, he never played in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Career
=Los Angeles Dodgers=
Curletta attended Mountain Pointe High School in Ahwatukee, Phoenix, Arizona.{{cite web|last=Skoda |first=Jason P. |url=http://www.ahwatukee.com/sports/article_0b0db816-ac2f-11e1-aabd-0019bb2963f4.html |title=Curletta expected to go high in MLB draft | Sports |publisher=ahwatukee.com |date=June 3, 2012 |access-date=September 30, 2018}} The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Curletta in the sixth round of the 2012 MLB draft,{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/seattle-mariners-joey-curletta-busting-loose-for-arkansas-travelers/c-291600578 |title=Texas notes: Curletta busting loose for Travs |publisher=MiLB.com |date=August 24, 2018 |access-date=September 30, 2018}} and he signed with the Dodgers rather than attend the University of Arizona.
Curletta began his professional career with the Arizona League Dodgers.{{cite web|url=http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/the_valley/ahwatukee/article_889afbbe-58f0-57ba-b89a-48745941ad0b.html |title=Curletta begins pro career with Dodgers | Ahwatukee Foothills |publisher=eastvalleytribune.com |access-date=September 30, 2018}} He played for the Ogden Raptors in the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 2013 and the Great Lakes Loons of the Single–A Midwest League in 2014.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/loons/index.ssf/2014/05/los_angeles_dodgers_prospect_j_18.html |title=Los Angeles Dodgers prospect Joey Curletta enjoys home cooking for Great Lakes Loons |publisher=MLive.com |date=May 14, 2014 |access-date=September 30, 2018}}
=Seattle Mariners=
On September 15, 2016, the Dodgers sent Curletta to the Philadelphia Phillies as the player to be named later in their earlier trade for Carlos Ruiz.{{cite web|last=Adler |first=David |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/joey-curletta-completes-carlos-ruiz-trade/c-201525582 |title=Joey Curletta completes Carlos Ruiz trade |work=MLB.com |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=September 30, 2018}} On March 12, 2017, the Phillies traded Curletta to the Mariners in exchange for Pat Venditte.{{cite web|last=Johns |first=Greg |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mariners-acquire-joey-curletta-from-phillies/c-219036214 |title=Mariners acquire Joey Curletta from Phillies |work=MLB.com |date=May 24, 2018 |access-date=September 30, 2018}} He played for the Modesto Nuts of the High–A California League in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/prospect-joey-curletta-earns-mariners-notice/c-302788246 |title=Prospect Joey Curletta earns Mariners' notice | San Francisco Giants |work=Mlb.com |date=January 16, 2019 |access-date=April 6, 2019}} In 2018, he played for the Arkansas Travelers of the Double–A Texas League, and he won the Texas League Player of the Year Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/arkansas/news/joey-curletta-wins-league-player-of-the-year/c-292470554 |title=Joey Curletta Wins League Player of the Year | Travelers |publisher=Milb.com |date=August 29, 2018 |access-date=September 30, 2018}} Curletta was awarded the Ken Griffey Jr. Minor League Hitter of the Year by the Seattle Mariners for his 2018 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.lookoutlanding.com/2018/9/25/17903006/mariners-announce-minor-league-award-winners-led-by-joey-curletta-matt-festa |title=Mariners announce Minor League award winners, led by Joey Curletta & Matt Festa |publisher=lookoutlanding.com |date=September 25, 2018|access-date=October 15, 2018}}
On October 31, 2018, the Mariners added Curletta to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web|agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners/article220933365.html |title=Mariners claim OF John Andreoli, lock up Joey Curletta | Tacoma News Tribune |publisher=Thenewstribune.com |access-date=April 6, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/prospect-joey-curletta-earns-mariners-notice-c302788246 |title=Prospect Joey Curletta earns Mariners' notice |work=MLB.com |date=2019-01-16 |access-date=2019-05-04}} He began the 2019 season with the Tacoma Rainiers of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League.{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/article228756964.html |title=Tacoma Rainiers 2019 roster breakdown | Tacoma News Tribune |publisher=Thenewstribune.com |access-date=April 6, 2019}}
=Boston Red Sox=
On May 4, 2019, the Boston Red Sox claimed Curletta off of waivers, and assigned him to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Double–A Eastern League.{{cite web|url=https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2019/05/boston-red-sox-claim-joey-curletta-off-waivers-from-mariners-added-to-40-man-roster.html|title=Boston Red Sox claim Joey Curletta off waivers from Mariners, add to 40-man roster|first=Christopher|last=Smith|date=May 4, 2019|website=masslive.com|access-date=May 4, 2019}} On September 1, the Red Sox assigned Curletta outright to Portland, removing him from their 40-man roster.{{cite web |url=http://m.redsox.mlb.com/roster/transactions/2019/09 |title=Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions |date=September 2019 |website=MLB.com |access-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-date=September 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901220726/http://m.redsox.mlb.com/roster/transactions/2019/09 |url-status=dead }} He elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{Cite web|title=Minor League Free Agents 2019|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2019/|access-date=August 17, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}
=Los Angeles Angels=
On December 6, 2019, Curletta signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-transactions-nov-3-dec-17-2019/|title=Minor League Transactions: Nov 3 - Dec 17|work=Baseball America|first=Chris|last=Hilburn-Trenkle|date=January 3, 2019|access-date=January 3, 2019}} He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=August 17, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Curletta was released by the Angels organization on May 29, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/milb-releases-we-learned-about-today/|title=135 MiLB Releases We Learned About Today|last=Cooper|first=J.J.|work=Baseball America|date=June 1, 2020|access-date=June 1, 2020}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=621575|brm=curlet000joe}}
{{Texas League Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Curletta, Joey}}
Category:Baseball players from Phoenix, Arizona
Category:Baseball first basemen
Category:Arkansas Travelers players
Category:Arizona League Dodgers players
Category:Great Lakes Loons players
Category:Ogden Raptors players
Category:Portland Sea Dogs players
Category:Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players