Rico Washington

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Washington in the 10th round of the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft out of Jones County High School. Washington played six seasons in the Pirates organization, but was unable to make the team. In 2002, he was left off the Pirates' big-league roster and thus was available for selection in baseball's Rule 5 draft, where he was taken by the San Diego Padres. Washington played in the Padres' system in 2003 and 2004, advancing to Triple-A, but did not make the big-league club and in 2004 was granted free agency. He then signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and played in their farm system in 2005, then was released by Tampa Bay and signed by the Cardinals, where he spent 2006 and 2007 in the minors.[1]

In 2008, just shy of his 30th birthday, after ten years and 3,980 at bats in the minor leagues, Washington finally made the majors when the Cardinals selected him to be on their big-league roster as a backup infielder.[2]

He was optioned to Triple-A Memphis on April 21, 2009.[3]

Washington signed with the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League before the start of the 2009 season. At the start of the 2010 season, Washington signed with the Kansas City T-Bones of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, and re-signed with them for 2011. Washington played for the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the American Association in 2012.

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)