Pete Paciorek

Peter Samuel Paciorek

• Bats Both, Throws Left
• Height 6' 3", Weight 195 lb.
• School Glendale Community College (CA) (1995), California State University, Los Angeles (post-playing career)
• High School San Marino High School

• Born May 19, 1976 in Houston, TX USA

BR minors page

Biographical Information

The son of John Paciorek, nephew of Jim Paciorek, Mike Paciorek and Tom Paciorek, brother of Mack Paciorek and cousin of Tom Paciorek Jr. and Joseph Paciorek, Pete Paciorek was the most successful of the second-generation Pacioreks, reaching AA.

Pete was picked in the 16th round of the 1994 amateur draft by the San Diego Padres but did not sign until after the 1994 minor league season ended, playing instead in community college. Paciorek debuted with the 1995 AZL Padres, hitting .257/~.370/.432 and leading his team in runs (32), homers (5, tied for the lead), walks (33) and strikeouts (58). In fact, he led the entire Arizona League in strikeouts that year.

In 1996, Pete hit well for the Idaho Falls Braves (.297/~.376/.523) with a team-leading 15 home runs and 69 RBI and stole 6 in 7 tries. He was two homers shy of the Pioneer League lead and hit almost a third of his team's 48 long balls.

In his first taste of full-season leagues, Paciorek struggled for the 1997 Clinton Lumber Kings with a .234/~.341/.377 line. He drew 70 walks, stole 10 of 14 and hit 11 triples, one behind Midwest League leader Yuri Sanchez. His 1,148 putouts led the MWL's first basemen. In '98, Pete's 135 strikeouts led all Padres farmhands but he scored 82 runs, drove in 86, smacked 17 homers and 28 doubles, while hitting .277/~.360/.466. He led California League first basemen in double plays (97), putouts (1,198) and fielding percentage (.991). In his last year with the Padres organization, Pete made it to AA with the Mobile BayBears but only hit .221/~.333/.332 there.

Paciorek moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers system in 2000 and hit .279/.378/.445 with the San Bernardino Stampede, scoring 80 and driving in 83. Baseball America named him the best defensive first baseman in the California League and he led Cal League first basemen in fielding percentage (.992) and assists (89).

In '01, the 25-year-old infielder concluded his career in Organized Baseball. He put up a .196/.261/.329 line in 46 games for the Vero Beach Dodgers and .213/.289/.360 in 65 games with the AA Jacksonville Suns.

Pete joined his brother in the independent leagues in 2002. He only hit .212/?/.322 in 146 AB for the Long Island Ducks, splitting first base with ex-big-leaguer Doug Jennings. Moving on the Berkshire Black Bears in 2003, he produced at a .276/.351/.412 rate and led the team with 45 runs while tying for the most doubles (20).

He got a BA in communications from Cal State LA in 2004, graduating magna cum laude, and a master's in communications from the same institution two years later. Meanwhile, he also coached the Cal State LA baseball team, guiding them to their best record ever in 2006 and almost making it to the Division II College World Series; they were ranked as high as 6th in NCAA Division II.

He was head coach of Principia College from 2007-2011.

Sources: 1995-2004 Baseball Almanacs, Principia College biography