Josh Fields (fieldjo03)

Joshua David Fields

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 178 lb.
• School University of Georgia
• High School Prince Avenue Christian School
• Debut April 2, 2013
• Final Game September 26, 2018
• Born August 19, 1985 in Athens, GA USA

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Biographical Information

Josh Fields was a first-round draft pick in 2008 and the first overall pick of the 2012 Rule V Draft.

In 2002, he hit .571 with 8 home runs and 40 RBI in high school while going 9-3 with a 2.31 ERA and fanning 89 in 54 2/3 IP. In his junior season, he hit .632 with 18 homers, slugged 1.566 and was 10-1 on the hill with 114 K in 58 1/3 IP. As a senior, he hit .500 while going 6-0 with a 1.25 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 36 IP. He had a .800 OBP and stole successfully in 31 of 32 tries. Baseball America rated him the #36 prep prospect in the nation.

Going on to college, Fields was 3-1 with a 7.00 ERA on the mound at the University of Georgia and also played 7 games at DH. He was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team. As a sophomore, Joshua blossomed, tying a Georgia record with 15 saves. He tied for 4th in NCAA Division I in saves. He was 3-2 with a 1.80 ERA. He threw two scoreless innings in the 2006 College World Series. He was named the All-SEC relief pitcher. He was named a third-team All-American by Baseball America after Cole St. Clair and Don Czyz.

In 2007, Fields struggled, going 1-6 with a 4.46 ERA and blowing 6 of 13 save opportunities. The Atlanta Braves were still interested and took him in the 2nd round of the 2007 amateur draft, the 69th pick, compensation for the loss of Danys Baez to free agency. Fields did not sign and returned for his senior year. As a senior, Fields did very well. Going into the second round of the 2008 College World Series, he had only allowed 14 hits in 35 innings, has fanned 60, walked 21 and gone 3-2 with 17 saves and a 2.57 ERA. He was named a first-team Collegiate Baseball All-American.

The Seattle Mariners took Fields 20th overall in the 2008 amateur draft. He had not come to terms before the signing deadline, but as a senior, the Mariners had the right to negotiate with him up until a week before the next draft. Fields was assigned to the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, a AA team, to start his pro career in 2009. His first appearance was a tough one, on April 9, at the Montgomery Biscuits. He gave up four walks and 3 runs in just 2/3 of an inning. He finished that first season 2-2, 6.48 in 31 games. He improved in 2010, to 1-1, 3.14, but only pitched 21 games and 28.2 innings, again at West Tenn. In 2011, he began the year still at AA, this time with the Jackson Generals, where he was 1-2, 2.77 in 20 games. That earned him a promotion to AAA, but he was hit hard with the Tacoma Rainiers, giving up 9 runs on 11 hits and 13 walks in 13 innings. At the trading deadline, on July 31st, the Mariners sent him to the Boston Red Sox, along with P Erik Bedard, in return for four prospects: Tim Federowicz, Chih-Hsien Chiang, Stephen Fife and Juan Rodriguez.

Fields was a combined 4-3, 2.01 in 42 games between the AA Portland Sea Dogs and AAA Pawtucket Red Sox, striking out 78 in 58 1/3 innings. Still, the Red Sox failed to add him to their major league roster after the season. The Houston Astros made him the player picked in the 2012 Rule V Draft on December 6th, making it clear that he was almost guaranteed a spot in their bullpen in 2013. Indeed, he made the Astros' Opening Day roster and made his major league debut in the team,s second game of the season, on April 2nd, striking out the only batter he faced - Craig Gentry - in the 8th inning of a 7-0 loss to the Texas Rangers in which Yu Darvish came within an out of throwing a perfect game.

Related Sites

• Josh Fields on mlb.com