Joshua Lee Bell (born November 13, 1986) is an American former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professiona ...
player. A
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system u ...
, Bell played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL) ...
(MLB) for the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
and
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks (colloquially known as the D-backs) are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. ...
from 2010 to 2012 and in the
KBO League
The KBO League (), officially the Shinhan Bank SOL KBO League, is the highest level league of baseball in South Korea. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are ...
for the
LG Twins
LG Corporation (or LG Group) (), formerly Lucky-Goldstar from 1983 to 1995 (Korean: ''Leokki Geumseong''; ), is a South Korean multinational conglomerate founded by Koo In-hwoi and managed by successive generations of his family. It is t ...
in 2014.
Career
Los Angeles Dodgers
Bell was drafted by the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brookly ...
in the 4th round of the
2005 Major League Baseball draft
The 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft, was held on June 7 and 8. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. It is widely considered to be one of the best ...
out of
Santaluces High School in Florida. After spending a year with the
Gulf Coast Dodgers
The Arizona Complex League Dodgers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Camelback Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The team is compo ...
, he spent 2006 with the
Ogden Raptors
The Ogden Raptors are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Ogden, Utah and play their home games at Lindquist Field.
Pitcher ...
, where he batted .308 and was selected to the
Pioneer League Post-Season All-Star team after he was third in the league in home runs, fourth in extra-base hits and fifth in RBIs. He split 2007 between the
Great Lakes Loons
The Great Lakes Loons are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Midland, Michigan, and play their home games at Dow Diamond, which opened in April 2007.
His ...
and
Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino
The Inland Empire 66ers of San Bernardino are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. The 66ers are based in San Bernardino, California, and play at San Manuel Stadium.
Franchi ...
.
Bell began 2008 with Inland Empire and played in 51 games for them before missing the rest of the season after undergoing preventive knee surgery in June. In 2009, he was promoted to the Double-A
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home ...
where he was selected to the mid-season
Southern League All-Star team. In the All-Star game, Bell was 2 for 4 with a homer and 2 RBIs and was voted the
All-Star Game Most Valuable Player
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award is an annual Major League Baseball (MLB) award which is presented to the most outstanding player in each year's MLB All-Star Game. Awarded each season since 1962 (two games w ...
.
Baltimore Orioles
On July 30, 2009, he was traded to the
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...
(along with Chattanooga teammate
Steve Johnson) in exchange for relief pitcher
George Sherrill
George Friederich Sherrill (born April 19, 1977) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. Sherrill pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves from ...
.
On July 1, 2010, he was called up to replace
Luke Scott, who hurt his left hamstring rounding the bases after a home run. Upon the trade of
Miguel Tejada
Miguel Odalis Tejada ( Tejeda; born May 25, 1974) is a Dominican former professional baseball shortstop who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for six teams, most notably the Oakland Athletics and Baltimore Orioles, before ...
to the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penna ...
on July 29, 2010, Bell took over the starting third basemen duties for the remainder of the 2010 season. In the spring of 2011, Bell was optioned to the Orioles Triple-A team in Norfolk.
On April 17, 2012. the Orioles designated Bell for assignment in a move that would make room for
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catcher ...
Luis Exposito
Luis Exposito (born January 20, 1987) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles in 2012.
Career
Boston Red Sox
Exposito was drafted by the Red Sox in the 31st rou ...
on the 40-man roster.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Bell was traded by the Orioles to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a
player to be named later
In Major League Baseball, a player to be named later (PTBNL) is an unnamed player involved in exchange or "trade" of players between teams. The terms of a trade are not finalized until a later date, most often following the conclusion of the seaso ...
(PTBNL) or cash on April 21, 2012. Upon his acquisition, Bell was assigned to
Triple A Reno
Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the c ...
and was recalled to the Diamondbacks on May 21 when
Cody Ransom
Bryan Cody Ransom (born February 17, 1976) is an American former professional baseball utility infielder. He played for the San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers, San ...
was
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the play ...
by the team. The teams later agreed on
Mike Belfiore
Michael John Belfiore (born October 3, 1988) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Baltimore Orioles in 2013.
Belfiore attended Boston College where he was a first baseman and a pitcher. After being drafted by t ...
as the PTBNL.
After hitting just .173 in 52 at-bats with a .501 OPS, Bell was outrighted off the Diamondbacks' 40-man roster at the conclusion of the season. He refused the assignment, however, and elected free agency.
Chicago White Sox
On January 10, 2013, Bell signed a minor league contract with the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
and was optioned to the Sox' AAA affiliate in Charlotte. On May 7 the White Sox released him. Through 55 at-bats, Bell hit .273/.310/.345.
New York Yankees
On May 17, Bell signed with the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one o ...
and was assigned to Triple-A
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. In 37 games, he hit .205 with 5HR and 17 RBI before being released on July 10.
LG Twins
He re-signed with the Dodgers on a minor league contract on December 16, 2013, but shortly afterwards chose to break that contract to sign with the
LG Twins
LG Corporation (or LG Group) (), formerly Lucky-Goldstar from 1983 to 1995 (Korean: ''Leokki Geumseong''; ), is a South Korean multinational conglomerate founded by Koo In-hwoi and managed by successive generations of his family. It is t ...
of the
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ko, 한국야구위원회) is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League ( ko, KBO 리그) and K ...
.
He was released from the team on July 2, 2014.
San Diego Padres
Bell signed a minor league deal with the Padres in February 2015. The Padres released him on May 25, having not played a game in the minors for the club.
Lancaster Barnstormers
On March 22, 2016, Bell signed with the
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers (colloquially known as the Stormers) are an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league ...
of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...
. He retired from active playing and was named hitting coach for Lancaster for the 2017 season. On May 18, 2017, Bell resigned with the Barnstormers.
He became a free agent after the 2017 season. He re-signed with the team on June 6, 2018. He became a free agent after the season and re-signed with the team as a player-coach for the 2019 season.
References
External links
Minor League Baseball bioCareer statistics and player informationfrom
Korea Baseball Organization
The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ko, 한국야구위원회) is the governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League ( ko, KBO 리그) and K ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bell, Josh
1986 births
Living people
African-American baseball coaches
African-American baseball players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
American expatriate baseball players in South Korea
Arizona Diamondbacks players
Baltimore Orioles players
Baseball coaches from Illinois
Baseball players from Illinois
Bowie Baysox players
Charlotte Knights players
Chattanooga Lookouts players
Gigantes del Cibao players
American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic
Great Lakes Loons players
Gulf Coast Dodgers players
Inland Empire 66ers players
Lancaster Barnstormers players
LG Twins players
Major League Baseball third basemen
Mexican League baseball first basemen
Mexican League baseball third basemen
Norfolk Tides players
Ogden Raptors players
Reno Aces players
Rojos del Águila de Veracruz players
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders players
Sportspeople from Rockford, Illinois
21st-century African-American sportspeople
20th-century African-American people