Pablo Ozuna

Pablo Jose Ozuna

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 160 lb.

• Debut April 23, 2000
• Final Game September 28, 2008
• Born August 25, 1974 in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, D.R.

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Biographical Information

Originally a shortstop, Pablo Ozuna was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1996 and made his pro debut the next summer, hitting .323 for the Johnson City Cardinals. He spent 1998 with the Peoria Chiefs and was named Midwest League Player of the Year after hitting .357 with 62 stolen bases. Following the season, he was traded along with Armando Almanza and Braden Looper to the Florida Marlins for Edgar Renteria.

Ozuna hit .281 with the Portland Sea Dogs in 1999 and also played for the Dominican national team in the Pan American Games that summer, batting .500 to finish second to teammate Francisco Matos. He was back with Portland most of the next season, 2000, hitting .308 with 35 steals as he was converted to second base, and appeared in 14 games in the majors with the Marlins, hitting .333. However, he missed the entire 2001 campaign due to wrist surgery. He came back in 2002 and split the year between the AAA Calgary Cannons, where he hit .326 in 77 games, and the Marlins, where he batted .277 in 34 appearances. Following the season, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies.

Ozuna began the 2003 season with a knee injury. He went on to spend time with the Visalia Oaks, Tulsa Drillers, and Colorado Springs Sky Sox before being recalled by the Rockies in August. He was let go by Colorado after the season, signed by the Detroit Tigers, and subsequently traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. He spent all of 2004 with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, with whom he hit .307 with 76 RBIs and 31 steals while splitting time between second base and shortstop.

Following the 2004 season, Ozuna became a free agent, and he signed with the Chicago White Sox in January. He hit .276 with 14 stolen bases as a utility man with the Sox in 2005, appearing at every infield position and in the outfield. The Sox went on to win the World Series, and although Ozuna did not play in the Series, he made two appearances as a pinch-runner in the ALCS. He was back with the Sox in 2006, hit .328, and made 37 starts in leftfield. He was the team's Opening Day starter in left in 2007 and hit .244 in 27 games with the club before suffering a season-ending ankle injury in late May.

Notable Achievements

• 1998 Player of the Year Midwest League Peoria Chiefs
• Won a World Series with the Chicago White Sox in 2005 (he did not play in the World Series)