Frank Viola III

Frank Aristides Viola

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 190 lb.
• School Florida Community College

• Born June 19, 1984 in St. Paul, MN USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Frank Viola III pitched in the minors; his father Frank Viola was a star in the major leagues.

The Chicago White Sox took Viola in the 29th round of the 2005 amateur draft. He was 5-2 with a 3.84 ERA for the 2005 Bristol White Sox. He tied for 8th in the Appalachian League in wins and tied for third in hit batsmen (8) while walking only 20 in 70 1/3 IP. He missed 2006 due to injury. In 2007, he had a 4.96 ERA in 11 games for Bristol, with a 2.08 WHIP. He resurfaced in 2010, going 1-2 with a 4.58 ERA in 21 games for the St. Paul Saints. For his pro career, he was 6-4 with a 4.21 ERA in 45 games. In 124 IP, he allowed 140 hits, 50 walks and 15 hit batsmen while fanning 89.

However, he wasn't quite done, as after retiring as a conventional pitcher, he began working on a knuckleball and was helped along the way by R.A. Dickey and Tim Wakefield, both successful users of the difficult pitch. He signed a contract with the Toronto Blue Jays organization in 2014. He went 2-2, 3.86 in 5 games for the Lansing Lugnuts, but struggled after moving up to the Dunedin Blue Jays, where he was 1-2, 12.33 in 4 starts. The Jays let him go after the season, but in 2015, he went to spring training with the Chicago White Sox.

Further Reading

• Scott Merkin: "Viola III trying to break into Majors as knuckleballer: With help from former Twins, experienced pitchers, 30-year-old looks for second chance", mlb.com, March 28, 2015. [1]