University of Tennessee Athletics
Former Vol Headley Called up to Majors
June 15, 2008 | Baseball
Former Tennessee All-America baseball player Chase Headley (2004-05)???the top hitter on UT???s 2005 College World Series team???was called up to the San Diego Padres Saturday. The former third baseman, who was converted to an outfielder this spring, was hitting .305 with 13 home runs and 40 RBI through 65 games for the Class-AAA Portland Beavers this season.
Headley won???t ???officially??? be added to the Padres roster until Tuesday, when San Diego opens a three-game set against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. San Diego manager Bud Black said Headley will travel with the team to the Hall of Fame Game on Monday in Cooperstown N.Y., and may get some at-bats in that game against the Chicago Cubs before the New York series.
Headley made his big-league debut last season, appearing in eight games with the Padres. He collected four hits, including one double, in 18 at-bats.
???Obviously last year, getting that (debut) of the way and the initial jitters out of the way was big,??? Headley said. ???This time, I had camp [Spring Training] with all the guys. I think I???m a lot more comfortable now than I was last year. Hopefully, I???ll use that experience from last year and this spring to move forward the best I can.???
The Padres drafted the switch-hitter, who also garnered Academic All-America laurels during his time as a Vol, in the second round of the 2005 MLB draft after he led the Vols that spring with a .387 batting average and a .530 on-base percentage.
Through Sunday, the Padres owned a 31-40 record and occupied third place in the National League West Division???6.5 games back of first place Arizona.
Headley admitted to being excited about the prospect of making his season debut at legendary Yankee Stadium.
???When the schedule came out ... that???s a series I don???t want to miss,??? Headley said. ???What better place to start? I started in Wrigley [Field] last year, so I guess I???m 2-for-2.???
With Headley???s promotion, there are now 11 former Vols presently suiting up in Major League Baseball.
