Chris Rojas

Christopher Lee Rojas

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.

• School New York Institute of Technology

• Born March 30, 1977 in Queens, NY USA

BR Minors page

Chris Rojas pitched 10 seasons in the minor leagues, two of them at AAA.

Rojas debuted as a pro in 1998 with the Canton Crocodiles, going 4-4 with an abysmal 6.65 ERA and 31 walks in 44 2/3 IP. Pittsburgh Pirates scout Bill Bryk signed Chris at an open try-out. In 1999, the New Yorker was 5-7 with a 4.87 ERA for the Williamsport Crosscutters, whiffing 85 in 81 1/3 IP. He hit 11 hit batters, tying for the New York-Penn League.

The Bucs cut Rojas that winter and Bryk, now with San Diego, signed him for the Padres. In 2000, he pitched for the Idaho Falls Padres (1-0, 5 R in 9 IP) and Fort Wayne Wizards (5-4, 2.72). The next season, Rojas was 10-5 with a 3.43 ERA for the Lake Elsinore Storm. He led the California League with 71 walks but was 5th in the league in ERA. He allowed just a .227 average and fanned a team-high 149, 5 ahead of Jake Peavy. Rojas starred in the last game of the postseason, pitching the Storm to the title.

Rojas fell to 6-8, 5.19 for the 2002 Mobile BayBears. Back with Mobile in '03, he had a 5-10, 4.27 record, but held opponents to a .230 average. Control remained spotty as he walked 53 in 109 2/3 IP. In 2004, the veteran right-hander was better yet for Mobile (7-5, 3.31) and made his AAA debut with the Portland Beavers (1-2, 22 R in 11 1/3 IP).

Chris moved on to the Philadelphia Phillies chain for 2005. The 28-year-old went 12-6 with a 3.92 ERA for the Reading Phillies and 0-1 with four runs in 7 innings for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons. He was one win shy of the Eastern League lead.

Rojas was one of four players born in the continental USA and one of only a few non-major leaguers picked for Puerto Rico's team in the 2006 World Baseball Classic. He tossed one shutout inning in the Classic.

In the summer of 2006, Rojas was back in the Pirates organization but only pitched 3 games for the Altoona Curve (0-1, 4.91). He wrapped up in 2007 with Reading (7-4, 4.25) and the independent Somerset Patriots (2-2, 3.14), having gone 65-59 with a 4.21 ERA in the minors.