| Joe Rizzo | |
| Team: | Free agent |
| Position: | Third baseman |
| Birth Date: | 31 March 1998 |
| Birth Place: | Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Statleague: | MLB |
Joseph Rizzo (born March 31, 1998) is an American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent.
Rizzo was born on March 31, 1998, in Hackensack, New Jersey. He attended Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia, where he played baseball.[1]
Prior to his junior year, he committed to play college baseball at the University of South Carolina.[2] As a junior in 2015, Rizzo batted .606 with seven home runs and was named the Virginia 6A Player of the Year.[3] [4] In 2016, his senior year, he hit .392 with four home runs.[5]
Following his senior year, he was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[6] [7] He signed for $1.75 million.[8]
After signing with the Mariners, Rizzo made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Arizona League Mariners, batting .291 with two home runs and 21 RBIs over 39 games.[9] [10] In 2017, Rizzo spent a majority of the season with the Clinton LumberKings of the Single–A Midwest League before earning a promotion to the Modesto Nuts of the High–A California League at the end of the season. Over 115 games, he slashed .251/.349/.344 with seven home runs and 51 RBIs.[11] He returned to Modesto in 2018, earning All-Star honors while hitting .241 with four home runs and 55 RBIs over 123 games.[12] [13] Rizzo returned for Modesto for the third straight year in 2019, once again earning All-Star honors while slashing .295/.354/.423 with ten home runs and 63 RBIs over 129 games, earning the Alvin Davis “Mr. Mariner” Award.[14] [15]
Rizzo did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] Rizzo was assigned to the Arkansas Travelers of the Double-A Central for the 2021 season, slashing .253/.330/.400 with 12 home runs and sixty RBIs over 105 games.[17] He returned to Arkansas for the 2022 season.[18] Over 118 games, he hit .277 with 21 home runs, 69 RBIs, and thirty doubles.[19] Rizzo elected free agency following the season on November 10, 2022.[20]
On January 5, 2023, Rizzo signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins.[21] In 43 games split between the Double–A Pensacola Blue Wahoos and Triple–A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, he hit .203/.276/.313 with 3 home runs and 22 RBI.
On June 8, 2023, Rizzo was traded to the Detroit Tigers.[22] In 38 games for the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens, he batted .299/.358/.518 with 6 home runs and 28 RBI.[23] On August 15, Rizzo was released by the Tigers organization.[24]