Justin Leone
Encyclopedia
Justin Paul Leone is an American
professional baseball
third baseman
who is currently a free agent. He is an alumnus of St. Martin's University.
Drafted by the Seattle Mariners
in the 13th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
, Leone made his Major League Baseball debut with the Seattle Mariners
on July 2, . He spent the season in the San Diego Padres
organization, making the Triple-A All-Star team that year, in which he also participated in the home run
derby. He was a part of the 2003 USA Olympic Qualifying Team.
In , Leone was named Texas League Player of the Year by Baseball America, Mariners Minor League Player of the Year by the Seattle organization and Texas League Player of the Year by Topps while playing for Double-A San Antonio. He started the season off the bench, but was picked to replace infielder
Greg Dobbs
after Dobbs went down with a season-ending injury.
Leone was the first Mariner to hit the KOMO Glove sign in left field during a game against the Cleveland Indians
to earn a fan $1,000, it was also his first major league home run. He accomplished this two nights in a row.
From -, Leone played in the San Francisco Giants
organization and became a free agent at the end of the 2008 season. In December 2008, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees
and was assigned to Triple-A Scranton. On July 31, 2009 Leone was released by the Yankees. On September 1, Leone signed a Minor League contract with the Texas Rangers
and was granted free agency on November 9, 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
who is currently a free agent. He is an alumnus of St. Martin's University.
Drafted by the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
in the 13th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft
1999 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1999 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1999...
, Leone made his Major League Baseball debut with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on July 2, . He spent the season in the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
organization, making the Triple-A All-Star team that year, in which he also participated in the home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
derby. He was a part of the 2003 USA Olympic Qualifying Team.
In , Leone was named Texas League Player of the Year by Baseball America, Mariners Minor League Player of the Year by the Seattle organization and Texas League Player of the Year by Topps while playing for Double-A San Antonio. He started the season off the bench, but was picked to replace infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Greg Dobbs
Greg Dobbs
Gregory Stuart Dobbs is a Major League Baseball infielder. Dobbs is primarily a third baseman, but can also field the corner outfield positions and first base.-Early career:...
after Dobbs went down with a season-ending injury.
Leone was the first Mariner to hit the KOMO Glove sign in left field during a game against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
to earn a fan $1,000, it was also his first major league home run. He accomplished this two nights in a row.
From -, Leone played in the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
organization and became a free agent at the end of the 2008 season. In December 2008, he signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and was assigned to Triple-A Scranton. On July 31, 2009 Leone was released by the Yankees. On September 1, Leone signed a Minor League contract with the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
and was granted free agency on November 9, 2009.