Eric Filia
Acereros de Monclova – No. 14
Outfielder
Born: (1992-07-06) July 6, 1992 (age 31)
Carlsbad, California, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2020 Tokyo Team

Eric Robert Filia (born July 6, 1992), formerly known as Eric Snyder,[1] is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League. He played internationally for the United States national baseball team at the 2020 Olympics.

Amateur career

Filia graduated from Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California. As a freshman, he had a .500 batting average for the baseball team, tying a school record set by Jeff Kent, and set a school record for hits.[2][3] He enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he played college baseball for the UCLA Bruins. He was a member of the 2013 College World Series champions, and had five runs batted in during the decisive game.[4][5]

After the 2013 college season, Filia played collegiate summer baseball for the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox in Cape Cod Baseball League,[6][1] and tore the labrum in his right shoulder, causing him to miss the 2014 season.[7] He took a redshirt in 2014,[2] and was suspended for the 2014–15 academic year for plagiarizing a paper. While he was suspended from UCLA, Filia worked as a butler at the Playboy Mansion.[8] He played summer collegiate baseball for the Kenosha Kingfish in the Northwoods League in 2015.[2]

Professional career

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners selected Filia in the 20th round of the 2016 MLB draft. He played for the Everett AquaSox after signing, and for the Modesto Nuts in 2017. After the 2017 season, the Mariners assigned him to the Arizona Fall League, where he earned the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award. Filia was suspended for 50 games during the 2018 season for his second positive test for a drug of abuse.[9] After his suspension, he joined the Arkansas Travelers, before the Mariners traded Filia to the Boston Red Sox as the player to be named later from the Roenis Elías trade.[10] He failed his physical exam with the Red Sox and was returned to Seattle, with the Red Sox acquiring cash considerations instead.[11]

Before the 2019 season, Filia was suspended for 100 games for his third positive drug test.[12] He played for the Tacoma Rainiers in 2019 after his suspension, but did not play organized baseball in 2020 because of the cancellation of the minor league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Filia began the 2021 season with Tacoma.[13] Filia spent the 2021 season with Triple-A Tacoma. He played in 44 games, hitting .262 with 3 home runs and 15 RBI's. On November 1, 2021, Filia was released by the Mariners.[14]

Guerreros de Oaxaca

After taking the 2022 season off, on January 18, 2023, Filia signed with the Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican League.[15] In 52 games, he batted .361/.461/.513 with 5 home runs and 19 RBIs. Filia was waived on July 3, 2023.[16]

Acereros de Monclova

On July 4, 2023, Filia was claimed off waivers by the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.[17]

International career

Filia played for the United States national baseball team during qualification for baseball at the 2020 Summer Olympics, contested in 2021 in Tokyo.[18][19] After the team qualified, he was named to the Olympics roster on July 2.[20][21] The team went on to win silver, falling to Japan in the gold-medal game.[22]

References

  1. ^ a b "A lucky man: College World Series title and that girl". Orange County Register. July 4, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Reeves, Jeremy (June 2, 2015). "Swinging again". Kenosha News. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  3. ^ "Snyder one of a handful invited". Daily Pilot. August 28, 2008. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "Proud moment for Filia family after UCLA clinches World Series title". Orange County Register. June 30, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  5. ^ "Briefs: Filia stars in CWS triumph". Daily Pilot. June 26, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  6. ^ "Eric Filia". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  7. ^ "UCLA OF Eric Filia out for the season". Orange County Register. February 10, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  8. ^ Geleynse, Jesse (July 25, 2016). "Setbacks have made Frogs' Filia a better player, person". HeraldNet.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Mariners prospect Eric Filia suspended for 50 games for second positive drug test". The Seattle Times. January 12, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  10. ^ Mastrodonato, Jason (June 12, 2018). "Red Sox acquire previously-suspended prospect Eric Filia from Mariners – Boston Herald". Bostonherald.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  11. ^ "Sox return Filia to Mariners because he didn't pass physical". masslive. June 16, 2018. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  12. ^ "Mariners prospect Filia suspended 100 games". ESPN.com. March 22, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  13. ^ Smith, Lauren (April 30, 2021). "Mariners announce minor league rosters for 2021 — that means Kelenic and Gilbert in Tacoma". The News Tribune. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  14. ^ http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=112[bare URL]
  15. ^ "Guerreros: Eric Filia refuerza a los bélicos".
  16. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 3 de julio de 2023". MiLB.com (in Spanish). July 3, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 4 de julio de 2023". MiLB.com (in Spanish). July 4, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  18. ^ Perry, Dayn. "Team USA Olympic qualifying baseball roster includes Matt Kemp, Todd Frazier, Homer Bailey". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  19. ^ "Team USA Announces Olympic Qualifying Roster". usabaseball.com. May 30, 2021. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  20. ^ "USA Baseball announces Olympics roster". MLB.com. July 2, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  21. ^ "Olympic Dreams: Mariners outfielder Eric Filia to play for Team USA at Tokyo Olympics". June 30, 2021.
  22. ^ "Baseball/Softball - United States vs Japan - Gold Medal Game Results". olympics.com. August 7, 2021. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2021.

External links

UCLA Bruins 2013 College World Series champions
United States roster – 2020 Summer Olympics silver medalists
Northwest League Most Valuable Player
Categories