ASU in the Pros Series: Dodgers OF Andre Ethier

Since 2008, the San Francisco Giants have three World Series titles, even so there is another team from the National League West that has won the division six times — the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers have been nothing but dominant in recent history. They have won the NL West each of the last four years and haven’t won less than 80 games since the 2005 season. This success can be attributed to great pitching and in a large part good hitting.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

Players have come and gone during their period of dominance but one of those who has stayed throughout is outfielder Andre Ethier. The two-time All-Star and one-time Gold Glove award winner has helped propel the Dodgers to four National League Championship Series appearances since 2008.

Ethier was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 37^th round of the 2001 draft, but opted to go to ASU instead. It was a decision that eventually paid dividends when he was later drafted in the second round, again by the A’s, in 2003. As a Sun Devil, Ethier tore It up on the diamond, earning All-Pac-10 honors back-to-back years in 2002 and 2003.

ASU Stats

‘02: 48 GP, .363 BA, .538 SLG%, .459 OBP%, 32 BB, 38 R, 14 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 50 RBI, .959 FLD%

‘03: 68 GP, .377 BA, .573 SLG %, .488 OBP%, 52 BB, 75 R, 13 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 68 RBI, .980 FLD%

Unlike some other Sun Devil greats Ethier’s journey to becoming a Sun Devil was filled with obstacles. After graduating from St. Mary’s High School in Phoenix in 2000, Ethier enrolled at ASU but the coaches told him that he didn’t have Division I talent. He then enrolled at Chandler-Gilbert Community College where he hit .468 and was named the team’s most valuable player.

Following his junior college success, Ethier re-enrolled at ASU in the fall of 2001 where he played through his junior year in 2003 when he was drafted.

Although Ethier’s professional career can largely be viewed as a success, he has had injury problems which have prevented him from playing more than 150 games in only two seasons throughout his 11-year career.

At 35, looking back on his 11 seasons as a professional ballplayer, Ethier has plenty to be proud of. He has a career batting average of .285 in just under 5,000 career at-bats. Although he only has one gold glove award, Ethier’s career fielding percentage is .987. With his success as a Sun Devil and beyond, Ethier is easily classifiable in the upper echelon of Sun Devil alumni in the MLB.