Hector Ambriz

Hector Ambriz

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 235 lb.
• School University of California, Los Angeles
• High School Valencia High School

• Debut April 30, 2010
• Final Game May 7, 2014
• Born May 24, 1984 in Orange, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Hector Ambriz made his MLB debut in 2010.

Ambriz was named the Orange League MVP his last three years of high school. He was 10-1 with a 0.74 ERA and 131 strikeouts as a senior while batting .390. The Chicago White Sox took him in the 28th round of the 2002 amateur draft but he continued on to college.

At UCLA, Hector was 0-5 with a 6.50 ERA as a freshman and hit .224/.296/.265. He had a 1.95 ERA that summer for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots of the Alaska Baseball League. In 2004, the sophomore improved a bit, to 2-2, 5.62 while going 4 for 14 with two homers before an injury curtailed his season. He wound up being redshirted. Ambriz had a good redshirt sophomore season in 2005, going 3-7 with a save and a team-best 3.94 ERA. He also batted .338/.435/.446, finishing second on UCLA in average.

As a junior, the Californian hit .313/.416/.483 and posted a 8-7, 3.65 record with two saves. The Arizona Diamondbacks chose him in the fifth round of the 2006 amateur draft. He was signed by scout Hal Kurtzman and had a fine pro debut with the Missoula Osprey, going 1-3 with 3 saves and a 1.91 ERA, whiffing 52 in 42 1/3 innings and posting a WHIP under 1.

With the 2007 Visalia Oaks, Ambriz had a 10-8, 4.08 record, allowing a .241 average. He finished sixth in the high-scoring California League in ERA and he was 4th in strikeouts.

Ambriz struggled with the 2008 Mobile BayBears, going 5-13 with a 4.89 ERA. He allowed 83 earned runs, most in the Southern League. He began 2009 back with Mobile and did very well (3-2, 2.17, 32 K in 29 IP, .180 opponent average), earning a promotion to the Reno Aces. He was 9-9 with a 5.57 ERA for Reno, giving up a .312 average. Overall, only Reno teammate Tony Barnette had more wins by a Arizona minor leaguer.

The Cleveland Indians chose Ambriz in the 2009 Rule V Draft that winter. In his MLB debut, he pitched the 8th inning of a 9-3 loss to the Twins. Relieving Jamey Wright, he retired Delmon Young and J.J. Hardy. Brendan Harris singled, then Denard Span grounded out. Jensen Lewis replaced him on the hill in the ninth.

Sources

• 2010 Indians Media Guide
• UCLA bio
• 2007-2010 Baseball Almanacs

Related Sites

• Hector Ambriz on mlb.com