Farris, Eric
Eric Michael-Jay Farris was born in Sacramento. He started playing T-Ball at the age of five. His family moved to Chandler in 2002 and Farris began attending Chandler High his junior year. He joined the Hamilton Huskies baseball team, where he played short stop and third base. The team earned back to back State Champion titles in 2003 and 2004. He hit .469 with 41 RBI and 50 runs scored, as well as 14 stolen bases. He was a Collegiate Baseball/TPX All American and received the honor of Arizona Player of the Year by the East Valley Tribune and the ABCA. In 2004 the Atlanta Braves drafted him (1,269th overall) but he chose to take a scholarship to Loyola Marymount University.
Farris joined the Loyola Marymount Lions team and played second base. In the summer of 2006, Farris played in the Cape Cod League and earned the honor of All-Cape League second baseman, a league all-star, and finished among the top ten in batting average. During his junior year (2007), Farris led the team in batting average (.349), stolen bases (33), runs scored (46), hits (81), and total bases (108). He was a semifinalist for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award, which places him among the nation’s top fifty players and top twenty infielders. That year, he had the fourth most stolen bases in team history (a career high 60 stolen bases). He also held a 25-game hitting streak from 2006-2007. He received All West Coast Conference recognition in all three of his years with Lions.
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Farris in the 4th round (131st overall) of the 2007 MLB Draft. He made his professional debut in the Rookie League Helena Brewers. That year he earned the Pioneer Baseball League Post Season All Star Award. In 2008, he played with the Class A West Virginia Power and then the Class A Advanced Brevard County Manatees in 2009. He received the Florida State League Player of the Week, Post-Season All-Star, and Mid-Season All Star awards in 2009. He played part of his 2010 season with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, where he hit .256 in 98 games. In July of 2011, the Milwaukee Brewers called up Farris to play a game in the Major League, where he debuted 0-1 in a pinch hit appearance. He soon returned to Nashville. In 2012, the Seattle Mariners selected Farris. He signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Twins as Second Baseman the following year. In his professional career, Farris has played as Pinch Hitter, Second Baseman, and Left fielder. Farris is currently with the Minnesota Twins.
Farris was inducted in the Chandler Sports Hall of Fame on February 8th, 2014.
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Eric's ESPN stats and information page
Eric's profile on Baseball Reference
Eric's season statistics for 2013 with Rochester Red Wings
Summary: Eric Farris graduated from Hamilton High School after leading the team to two state baseball titles. He attended Loyola Marymount for three seasons, and finished his college career ranked fourth overall in career stolen bases at the school. After the 2007 season he was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award (given to the best amateur baseball player in the country). Eric was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 4th Round of the 2007 MLB Draft. He made his Major League Debut with the Brewers July 8, 2011, before being sent back to AAA. In 2012 he made 13 appearances with the Brewers. He was picked by Seattle Mariners in the 2012 Rule 5 draft, before being sent to the Minnesota Twins. He currently plays for the AAA Rochester Red Wings in the Minnesota system.