Full name is Erik Floyd Kratz¡ he and his wife, Sarah, have three children, Brayden, Ethan and Avery Grace¡ played for the Major League All-Star team in its 2014 Tour of Japan¡ is a 1998 graduate of Christopher Dock High School (Pa.)¡ earned a degree in business administration from Eastern Mennonite University (Va.), where he hit .415 with 33HR and 159RBI during his four-year collegiate career.
2019
Combined with San Francisco and Tampa Bay to hit .102 (5-for-49) with 1R, 2 doubles, 1HR and 3RBI in 21 games… was acquired by San Francisco from Milwaukee in exchange for INF C.J. Hinojosa on 3/24… was placed on the 10-day injured list on 5/3 (retroactive to 5/1) with a left hamstring strain… was designated for assignment by San Francisco on 5/13 and acquired by Tampa Bay on 5/16 for a PTBNL or cash… appeared in six games with the Rays before being designated for assignment on 5/31 and released on 6/7… was signed by the Yankees as a minor league free agent on 6/8 and hit .299/.375/.500 (46-for-154) with 27R, 10 doubles, 7HR and 31RBI in 46 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre… hit a "walk-off" double in a 14-13 victory vs. Syracuse in the IL North tiebreaker game… following the season, played for the USA Professional National Team and hit .381/.435/.714 (8-for-21) with 5R, 2HR and 3RBI over seven games in the 2019 WBSC Premier12 Tournament in México and Japan.
2018
Was traded by New York-AL to Milwaukee on 5/25 in exchange for a player to be named or cash.....the deal was completed on 6/16 after INF Wendell Rijo was sent to the Yankees ... Batted .269 with 4 HR and 6 RBI in 17 games at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre prior to the trade.....did not play for the Yankees ... Batted .236 with 6 HR and 23 RBI in 67 games with Milwaukee ... Made 54 starts, all at catcher.....the team went 33-21 in his starts ... The team had a 3.42 ERA when he caught (491.2ip, 187er) ... Threw out 13 of 44 runners attempting to steal (29.5%) ... Pitched on 6/30 at Cincinnati, 7/22 vs. Los Angeles and 8/2 at Los Angeles.....now has 5 career pitching appearances ... Batted .292 (7-for-24, 0hr, 3rbi) in 9 games during the postseason ... Became the oldest position player (38 years, 112 days) to make his postseason debut since Jose Morales (38 years, 278 days) with Los Angeles in 1983.....is the second-oldest position player to start in a postseason debut, behind Lave Cross (39) with Philadelphia-AL in 1905 ... Signed a 1-year contract on 11/27, avoiding arbitration.
2017
In four games with the Yankees, went 2-for-2 with 1 double and 2RBI…started the season with Triple-A Columbus, hitting .270/.359/.472 (76-for-282) with 38R, 16 doubles, 1 triple, 13HR, 37RBI and 32BB in 86 games…caught 25-of-67 (37.3%) attempted base stealers…was acquired by the Yankees from Cleveland in exchange for cash considerations on 8/31…was signed to a Major League contract and selected to the Yankees' active roster from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on 9/1…did not play in his first eight games with the club…made his Yankees debut in 9/10 win at Texas, pinch-hitting for Sánchez in the ninth and hitting a two-run double.
2016
Went to camp with the San Diego Padres, spent time in the Houston, LA Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays organizations during the campaign...Was a member of the Astros Opening Day roster after being acquired late in spring training camp from the Padres...Made pitching appearances for Houston on April 26 at Seattle and for Pittsburgh on June 21 vs. SF (only player since 1879 to pitch and catch with two different teams in a season)...Combined on the year appeared in 33 Major League games with the Astros and Pirates...Ended the season on the AAA Buffalo Bisons roster in the Blue Jays organization.
2015
Split the season between the Royals organization and Phillies, also missing time with a stint on the 15-day DL...Made the Royals Opening Day roster...15-day DL on 5/6 with plantar fascitis in his left foot… Reinstated from the DL after a rehab assignment and was designated for assignment on 6/11...After brief stint with Boston signed as a minor league FA w/Seattle...Spent Sept. with the Phillies.
2014
Erik joined the Royals on July 28 in a trade that sent infielder Danny Valencia to Toronto (KC also received RHP Liam Hendriks)...Hit .276 (8-for-29) with a double, two homers and three RBI in 13 games with KC, serving as the backup catcher...Recorded his first career multi-home run game on August 18 at Target Field with a pair of solo shots…Entered the game as a pinch-hitter for an injured Salvador Perez in the seventh inning, homering on the first pitch...Became the first Royals player to homer as a pinch hitter and then homer again in the same game...Batted .333 (8-for-24) with a double, two home runs and three RBI in August…Batted .281 after the All-Star break...Went 11-for-19 (.579) with three home runs and 9 RBI on the first pitch of an at-bat...Opened the year with Toronto and spent the first two weeks with the Jays, before being optioned in mid-April...Recalled on May 2...Hit a two-run homer against his former team, Philadelphia, on May 7, which was also his first multi-hit game of the season.
2013
Made his first Opening Day Roster. Appeared in 68 games for the Philadelphia Phillies. Missed over a month of the season due to left knee surgery. Collected RBI in 12 of 13 contests from May 24-June 7. Had career-highs in games (68), at-bats (197), runs (21), hits (42), walks (18) and strikeouts (45). Made one error in 441 total chances for a .998 fielding percentage.
2012
Shuttled between the Phillies and Lehigh Valley (AAA) all
season; had 5 call-ups
... His ML stints: 5/2-11 (Jim Thome DL'd); 5/22-23 (Jimmy
Rollins on paternity leave); 5/29-6/3 (Roy Halladay DL'd);
6/16-19 (B.J. Rosenberg optioned); 6/25-remainder of
the season (Brian Schneider DL'd)
... Slugged his 1st ML HR (pinch), 5/22 vs WSH (Tom
Gorzelanny)
... Scored the winning run as a pinch runner on a sacrifice
fly, 7/23 vs MIL
... Hit a 9th-inning, game-tying HR off Craig Kimbrel, 8/31
at ATL; it was the 1st HR Kimbrel had ever allowed on a
0-2 count
... 18 of his 35 ML hits (51.4%) went for extra bases (9 2B,
9 HR)
... Started 25 of 32 games while Carlos Ruiz was on the DL;
overall, made 38 starts for the Phillies
... Hit safely in 23 of his 38 starts (.252, 33-131)
... The Phillies went 23-15 (.605) in his 38 starts
... Caught 12 of 30 (40.0%) potential base stealers.
2011
Spent the entire season with Lehigh Valley (AAA) and set professional highs in hits (103), HR (15) and RBI (53). ... Named to the International League All-Star team; his third consecutive All-Star selection. ... Led the team and finished 3rd among IL catchers in AVG (.288). ...Threw out 23 of 76 potential basestealers (30.3%). ... Appeared in 7 IL playoff games. ... Had his contract selected on 9/17 following the conclusion of Lehigh Valley's season. ... Made one start for the Phillies: 9/20 vs WSH (gm 1), and collected his 1st ML extra-base hit (double).
2010
Spent the season with Indianapolis (AAA) where he was
named an International League midseason All-Star...Pitched a scoreless 15th inning in relief to earn his 1st
career save, 4/26 at Louisville...Collected 15 hits in 29 at-bats (.517 AVG) over an
8-game span, 4/28-5/13...Hit .383 (23-60) with 3 HR and 14 RBI in May...Had a season-best 11-game hit streak, 5/19-6/7 (.359,
14-39, 2 HR, 6 RBI)...Had his contract selected by PIT on 7/16...Made his ML debut in a start, 7/17 vs HOU; went 2-for-4
and singled off Bud Norris for his 1st ML hit...Was optioned back to Indianapolis, 8/7 before being
designated for assignment on 9/7...Batted .278 in 5 games for Team USA during the Pan
American Qualifier Series in Puerto Rico, 10/1-10
2009
Spent entire season with Triple-A Indianapolis and earned International League mid-season and post-season
All-Star honors...Received the Top Star Award for the International League as the All-Star Game MVP after going 2-for-2 with a walk,
double and two-run homer in the International League's 6-5 win over the Pacific Coast League...Was named Indianapolis' Defensive
Player-of-the-Year...Threw out 25-of-58 runners attempting to steal against him (30%), which ranked fifth among International League
backstops...Led all International League catchers in home runs and RBI...Made a career-high 91 appearances at catcher...Hit .340 (33-
for-97) against lefthanders and .243 (54-for-222) against righties...Recorded seven stolen bases after entering the year with a total
of six in 462 career games...Hit first home run on 4/21 at Toledo...Had 11 of his 21 hits go for extra bases (10 doubles and one
home run) during the month of May...Hit .216 (11-for-51) in July before bouncing back to hit .329 (23-for-70) with nine doubles,
five home runs and 16 RBI in 19 games during the month of August...Made first of two defensive appearances at first base on 7/22
(also on 9/6)...Was charged with four errors in his first 39 games but just two over his last 54 games...Played for Aguilas in the
Dominican Winter League and went 2-for-31 with four RBI in 16 games.
2008
Split season between New Hampshire (Blue Jays' AA) and Syracuse (Blue Jays' AAA) - his third straight
season with those two clubs...Hit .239 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI in 73 total games...Began season with New Hamsphire, where
he made 19 appearances behind the plate, four at first base and two at third base...Also went 6-for-27 (.222) with three home
runs in eight games as the designated hitter...Hit .270 (10-for-37) in 10 games before being promoted to Triple-A on 5/3...Went
4-for-34 (.118) in first nine games with Syracuse before hitting safely in 13 of his 16 games from 5/22 thru 6/9 (21-for-59, .356)
and raising average to .275...Tallied second career triple on 5/23 at Norfolk...Homered twice on 6/2 vs. Norfolk...Went deep in
back-to-back games on 6/5-6 and again on 6/9-10...Homered six times in a seven-game stretch from 6/2-10...Hit .263 with six
homers and 14 RBI in 16 Triple-A games during the month of June...Returned to Double-A on 6/22 and made one appearance
with New Hampshire before returning to Syracuse...Played final Triple-A game on 7/21...Made 39 appearances at catcher and one
at first base while playing with the Chiefs...Also made fourth career pitching appearance on 6/26 vs. Toledo and retired the three
batters he faced...Homered in first game upon return to Double-A on 7/26 at Reading...Picked up 10 RBI and hit four home runs
in 16 games in August.
2007
Split the season between New Hampshire and
Syracuse for a 2nd straight year...Began the season with New Hampshire and was
promoted to Syracuse in late April...Was transferred back to New Hampshire in early July...Batted .297 (22-74) with RISP between both levels...Combined to hit .377 (6 HR, 17 RBI) in 19 day games
and .194 (7 HR, 32 RBI) in 65 night games
2006
Shuttled between New Hampshire and Syracuse all
season...Appeared in relief for New Hampshire, 6/18 vs
Portland (ND, 1.0 IP, 3 ER)
2005
Played his first full season at the AA level
with New Hampshire of the Eastern League... Batted .205
with 10 doubles, 11 home runs and 34 RBI in 91 games
(89-C, 2-DH)... Finished 4th on the team in home runs, 5th in
walks (27) and 6th in RBI... Had his best month in April,
when he batted .279 with two home runs and eight RBI in 15
games... Had 12 multi-hit games... Selected by the Blue
Jays to participate in the Arizona Fall League... Played for
the Peoria Saguaros... In 16 games, batted .192 (5-26) with
three doubles, eight runs scored and two RBI.
2004
Spent the season at 3 different levels of the TOR minor
league system...Began the season with Dunedin (A)...Appeared in 3 games before going on the DL, 4/15-25...Transferred to New Hampshire where he debuted as a
pitcher, 4/30 vs Binghamton (L, 2.0 IP, ER)...Was transferred to Auburn (A) in early May...Returned to Dunedin in mid-July where he finished
the season...Combined to hit .299 (29-97) with 1 HR and 16 RBI in
29 games between all 3 levels
2003
Began the season with Charleston (A) in the South
Atlantic League...Hit safely in 6 of his first 8 games and was transferred
to Auburn on 6/15...Was transferred to New Haven (A) where he appeared
in the 2nd game of a DH, 7/13 vs Binghamton Returned to Auburn on 7/14 where he finished the
season...Batted .523 (23-44) over a season-best 13-game hit
streak, 8/13-29
2002
Began his pro career with Medicine Hat (R)...Belted a 2-run HR in his 1st professional at-bat, 6/20 vs
Billings (gm 2)...Appeared in 33 games as catcher, 6 as DH and 1 each
in CF and RF
