KANSAS CITY – Former University of New Orleans and Jesuit standout Johnny Giavotella is heading back to the Kansas City Royals, it was announced Wednesday morning.
General manager Dayton Moore announced the transaction during a Wednesday morning appearance with Bob Fescoe on the Royals' flagship station 610 KCSP-AM in Kansas City.
Giavotella was batting 2-for-3 for Triple-A Omaha against Sacramento on Tuesday night when he was pulled out of the contest and received the news of his promotion to the big leagues.
Prior to this call-up, Giavotella was hitting .483 with two home runs and 10 RBIs for the month of May. His totals for the Storm Chasers this season included a .331 batting average with 28 runs, eight doubles, five home runs and 25 RBIs in 31 games.
This tour of duty with the Royals is Giavotella's second in two seasons. Last season, he became the 11
th former Privateer to play at the Major League level following an Aug. 5, 2011 debut against Detroit.
Giavotella went 2-for-3 against the Tigers to begin his MLB career before finishing the campaign with a .247 batting average, 20 runs, nine doubles, two home runs and 21 RBIs in 46 games.
A second round draft pick of the Royals in 2008, Giavotella has had his fair share of success at the minor league level. In 2011, he was named a Topps Triple-A All-Star and Pacific Coast League Post Season All-Star, in addition to garnering honors as the George Brett Hitter of the Year given to the Royals' top minor league hitter
Giavotella was a first-team preseason All-American selection during his junior season in 2008 at UNO.
Giavotella hit .354 to help the Privateers claim a berth in the 2008 NCAA tournament, the team's second straight berth. A year prior, the second baseman hit .385 with 15 home runs and 65 RBIs to earn selection as a third-team All-American.
His combined totals over three years on the Lakefront featured a .363 batting average and 32 home runs.
The Royals are slated to host the Boston Red Sox tonight before heading to Chicago over the weekend for a three-game series against the White Sox.
PRIVATEERS TO MAKE THE MAJOR LEAGUES
Jim Bullinger – RHP
MLB Debut: 5/27/92
MLB Teams: Chicago NL (1992-96), Montreal (1997), Seattle (1998)
Randy Bush – OF/DH
MLB Debut: 5/1/82
MLB Teams: Minnesota (1982-1993)
Thomas Diamond – RHP
MLB Debut: 8/3/10
MLB Teams: Chicago NL (2010)
Roger Erickson – P
MLB Debut: 4/9/78
MLB Teams: Minnesota (1978-82), N.Y Yankees (1982-83)
Johnny Giavotella – 2B
MLB Debut: 8/5/11
MLB Teams: Kansas City (2011-Pres.)
Mark Higgins – OF
MLB Debut: 9/17/89
MLB Teams: Cleveland (1989)
Eric Rasmussen - RHP
MLB Debut: 7/21/75
MLB Teams: St. Louis (1975-78, 82-83), San Diego (1978-82), Kansas City (1983)
Joe Slusarski - RHP
MLB Debut: 4/11/91
MLB Teams: Oakland (1991- 93),Milwaukee (1995), Houston (1999-2000), Atlanta (2001), Houston (2001)
Brian Traxler – OF
MLB Debut: 4/24/90
MLB Teams: Los Angeles (1990)
Wally Whitehurst – P
MLB Debut: 7/17/89
MLB Teams: N.Y. Mets (1989-92), San Diego (1993-94), N.Y Yankees (1996)
Ted Wood – INF
MLB Debut: 9/4/91
MLB Teams: San Francisco (1991-93)
