Trent Oeltjen
...
We're very proud to be able to name
Trent as the patron of Holiday Little League
in Hills.
Our six teams have been named for
clubs that he's played for to
date in his professional career, as
a mark of honour for his
contribution to Hills Juniors.
 |
He started his baseball
career at Winston Hills
playing teeball, Having an
American father perhaps
guided him toward baseball
at the expense of other
sports that are more popular
here. He was dubbed "The
Doc" at a very tender age
for his clinical approach to
hitting:- something that
still defines his approach
to the sport. He signed
with Minnesota in 2001, aged
18, and has since done the
hard yards that brought
him to the the Arizona
Diamondbacks organisation in
2008. |
In 2009, he again signed with
the Diamondbacks, playing in their
new AAA franchise in Reno (the
"Aces").
In December 2008, Baseball NSW
announced its all-time All-Star
Claxton Shield team, with eligible
players considered throughout the
history of the national tournament,
dating back to 1934. Trent was named
as our All-Star right-fielder,
joining fellow-Hills player Grant
Balfour (RHP) on that prestigious
list. Both made the cut from an
initial list of over 300 players.
And then came the call ...
In
August 2009, the Arizona
Diamondbacks purchased his contract
from Reno. Trent was now a Major
Leaguer, the 27th from Australia to
make "The Show".
After making his Major League
debut with Arizona, Trent signed
with Milwaukee for the 2010 season:-
a Minor League deal but with an
invitation to Spring Training with
the big club.
In July 2010, he exercised an
option that released him from the
Brewers, and moved to the LA Dodgers
organisation for the remainder of
the 2010 season.
All through his years in
professional baseball, Trent has
returned home in the US off-season
and given his time to development of
Hills Junior players. We have dozens
of kids who know his name and face,
and who've all gained some benefit
from his instruction in our clinics
and holiday camps.
Our Holiday Little League teams have been
named for Trent's career to date ...
 |
GCL Twins, Rookie
League, 2001
Elizabethton Twins,
Rookie League: 2001 - 2002 |
 |
Quad City River Bandits,
Class A: 2002 - 2003 |
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Fort Myers
Miracle, High A: 2004 - 2005 |
 |
New Britain Rock Cats,
AA: 2006 Rochester Red Wings,
AAA: 2007 |
 |
2008. Trent signed
with Arizona, which made
him a player with their AAA
affiliate (The Sidewinders) |
 |
2009: Arizona replaced
the Tucson Sidewinders with
the Reno Aces as their AAA
affiliate, playing out of a
fabulous new $50M stadium in
downtown Reno. Trent
re-signed with them in
November 2008. |
 |
As of August 2009, Trent
became a Major League
player, after his contract
was purchased from the Aces
by the Arizona Diamondbacks. |
 |
2010: Worst case, Trent
will play fulltime with
Nashville Sounds in
Herschel Greer Stadium:- the
AAA affiliate of Milwaukee
this year. Best case, he
will impress somebody in
Spring Training, and make
the 25-man roster for the
Brewers. |
 |
2010: Having exercised
an out clause in his
contract with the Brewers on
July 1st, Trent moved to the
Albuquerque Isotopes and hit
.347 in 49 games for them,
before moving to the
Dodgers. |
 |
2010: On September 7th,
Trent was called up to the
LA Dodgers Major League
roster, playing in 14 games
before they were eliminated
from World Series
contention. He re-signed a
Minor League contract with
LA in December. |
Trent at the
2010 Finals, Saturday the 23rd
...
Photographs courtesy of and
© Shari
Robinson. |
