Graduated from Reynoldsburg (Ohio) High School in 2004...was a member of the varsity baseball team for four years and was four-time All-League and three-time All-District...named All-State selection as a senior...played basketball for two years in high school...played baseball for three seasons at Ohio State University from 2005-07, where he hit .338 (205-for-606) with 36 doubles, seven triples, 10 home runs, 126 RBI and 118 runs scored in 172 career games...received Bachelors of Science Degree in Education with an emphasis in Sports Management fromOhio State in 2010...he and his wife, Alison, have three sons, Caleb (8/3/10), Noah (12/20/12) and Lucas (7/14/14), and reside in Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
2015
Played the majority of the season at Triple-A Rochester. Appeared in 67 games, 60 behind the plate as catcher…Was a Spring Training invitee playing in third consecutive Spring Training with the Twins…Set season-high with four hits and four RBI in second game with Rochester on 4/15 at Scranton-Wilkes/Barre…Hit safely in a season-high nine straight 6/7-18, hitting .405 (15-for-37) with three doubles, four RBI and seven runs scored during the streak…Caught all 16 innings in a 6-5 win at Lehigh Valley (7/3) recording 23 putouts…Hit .299 (49-164) with six doubles, 16 RBI and 22 walks in 51 games at Rochester before having his contract selected by Minnesota on 7/8…Started six games and appeared in seven for the Twins before an outright to Triple-A on 8/7…Rejoined the Twins on 9/1 as part of September additions. Played in eight September games including a start in the final game of the season (10/4 vs. KC) where he went 1-for-2 with two walks…Caught 14 of 32 (44%) baserunners attempting to steal at Rochester, committing just three errors.
2013
Was an invite to Twins spring training and reassigned to minor league camp Mach 17; reported to Triple-A Rochester. Hit first career grand slam May 17 vs. Durham. 18 of 43 hits (42%) in the regular season went for extra bases (11 doubles, 2 triples, 5 home runs). Red Wings went 36-22 when he started at catcher. Had contact purchased by Minnesota September 6. Made Twins debut as a defensive replacement September 11 vs. Oakland and homered in first plate appearance, becoming the sixth Twin to do so, first since 2010 (Luke Hughes). Hit safely in five of six games with the Twins and drove in a run four of those.
2012
Was an invite to Pirates spring training...started season with Triple-A Indianapolis and was Indians Opening Day starter behind the plate,
going 1-for-3 with a double April 6 at Toledo. ... Had contract selected by Pittsburgh June 26. ... Made Pirates debut as pinch-runner July 1 and also played the final inning in left field...was first career major league appearance in the outfield. ... Played in four games, going 1-for-3 as pinch hitter, before being optioned back to Triple-A July 7. ... Batted .391 (9-for-23) in 13 July games for Indianapolis. ... Recalled by Pittsburgh September 1 and played in two games for the Pirates to finish the season.
2011
Hit .273 (63-for-231) with nine doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 27 RBI in 75 games between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis...Began season with Altoona and hit first Double-A home run on 4/8 at Erie; also the first long ball by the Curve in 2011...Hit .417 (25-for-60) with three home runs and 10 RBI in 21 games in May while playing with Altoona and was hitting .345 after 37 games with the Curve before being promoted to Indianapolis on 5/30...Made 16 appearances behind the plate, 11 in right field and three in left field with Altoona; also went 3-for-18 in six games as the designated hitter...Hit .262 (17-for-65) in 21 games with Indy before being selected by Pittsburgh on 6/24...Made Major League debut as a starter behind the plate on 6/26 vs. Boston and went 0-for-3 with a walk; also threw out one of the three runners attempting to steal against him that day...Singled off John Lannan for first career hit in second game of a doubleheader at Washington on 7/2...Hit safely in his last four starts with the Pirates, going 6-for-14 with three runs scored...Recorded first career multi-hit game on 7/17 at Houston...Had two hits, threw out Jon Jay attempting to steal second base and picked off Gerald Laird at second base on 7/24 vs. St. Louis...Was optioned to Indianapolis on 8/2 after Ryan Doumit was reinstated from the disabled list...Went 7-for-53 (.132) in 17 games after joining Indianapolis for the remainder of the season...Made 33 appearances behind the plate and three appearances in left field while playing with Indianapolis.
2010
Spent first full season in the Pittsburgh organization...Made 52 appearances behind the plate and 29 as the designated hitter for Single-A Bradenton...Hit .340 (32-for-94) with runners in scoring position and .340 (50-for-157) with runners on base...Was successful in each of his last 10 stolen base attempts after being thrown out in the second game of the year on 4/9
at Fort Myers...Was charged with six errors in 400 total chances (.985 fielding percentage) behind the plate; also threw out 23 of
the 62 baserunners attempting to steal against him (37%)...Reached base safely in 11 of his first 12 games but was hitting just .209
(9-for-43) following the action on 4/23...Went deep in back-to-back games on 4/21 and 4/23...Hit .317 (26-for-82) in May after going
12-for-65 (.185) in the opening month of the season...Hit a home run in two straight games and three of four from 5/16-19...Threw
out all three runners attempting to steal against him on 6/4 at Lakeland...Suffered a high left ankle sprain on 6/6 and did not return
to action until 6/22...Was placed on the disabled list on 7/2 with a left eye socket fracture after being hit in the head by a pitch...Had
a three-game rehab assignment with the Gulf Coast League Pirates from 7/26-28 before being recalled from his rehab and reinstated
from the disabled list on 7/29...Collected a season-high four hits on 8/20 at Jupiter...Hit .385 (25-for-65) in 20 games during the
month of August.
2009
Began 2009 season with Tampa (Yankees' A), where he made 55 appearances in left field, five appearances (two starts) at catcher and one start in right field (6/24)...Was acquired by Pittsburgh on 6/29/09 and was assigned to Class-A Lynchburg, where he made all 37 defensive appearances behind the plate; also went 4-for-33 in 10 games as the designated hitter for the Carolina League champions.
2008
Captured the 2008 South Atlantic League batting title and led the league with a .408 on-base percentage while spending entire season with West Virginia (Brewers' A)...Also ranked third in the league with a .506 slugging percentage...Was named to the South Atlantic League's post-season All-Star team in 2008 after not going more than two straight starts without recording a hit...Produced a .361 batting average (99-for-274) in his final 71 games in 2008, beginning with the action on 6/14...Went 5-for-5 with three doubles and six RBI on 7/6/08 vs. Hagerstown...Had a 13-game hitting streak and a 12-game streak in 2008...Made 55 appearances in left field, 39 behind the plate and one at first base (7/23 vs. Rome) with West Virginia in 2008.
2007
Began professional career with Helena (Brewers' Rookie) in 2007 after being selected by Milwaukee in the 10th round of the First-Year Player Draft...Made 33 appearances behind the plate and 10 as the designated hitter in 2007...Hit first professional home run on 6/28/07...Has made 266 appearances behind the plate, 122 in left field, 23 in right field and one at first base (7/23/08) during his Minor League career.
