Quick Background

• Played Varsity all 4 years in high school.
• Played two years at Wake Forest University.
• Played one year at Long Beach State University (California).
• Drafted in the 2nd round of the 1999 MLB Draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
   

Professional Career

• 1999 Pitched 8 innings in High A before being moved to AA. Tied for team lead with 7 saves. Finished first half season 1-1 with 7 saves. Went to Arizona Fall League and finished with a 1.62 ERA and being named top right handed reliever. Made All-Fall League team.
  
   
• 2000 Named Diamondbacks #3 Prospect and closer of the future. Went to my first major league spring training before being assigned to AAA Tucson to start my first full year. Spent most of the year on the disabled list for elbow problems. Was in considerations for the 2000 USA Olympic team, before having Tommy John surgery on right elbow.
  
   
• 2001 Started year in AA El Paso, before going back to AAA 3 weeks later. Finished year going 3-4 with 13 saves. Got first professional base hit. Went to Arizona Fall League, before joining Team USA for the World Cup in Taiwan. Won silver metal.
  
   
• 2002 Placed on the Arizona Diamondbacks 40-man roster and back in major league spring training. Played season at AAA going 4-6 with 1 save. Led team with 54 appearances. Played over the winter in Dominican Republic.
  
   
• 2003 Still on Diamondbacks 40-man roster and major league spring training. Appeared in 25 games before having season ending surgery on shoulder.
  
   
• 2004 Started year in AAA, before going to AA El Paso. Traded to New York Yankees and pitched in AA for the rest of the season. Went 4-5 and 3 saves for the year.
  
   
• 2005 Signed with the Atlanta Braves and started the year at AA Mississippi. After a month, was sent to AAA Richmond. Went 3-6 with 3 saves. Played winter ball in Venezuela.
  
   
• 2006 Started the year with the Atlantic City Surf, before signing with the Texas Rangers. Started in AAA Oklahoma City, before joining the Frisco Roughriders for the rest of the season. Went 2-2 with 2 saves.

College Career

• 1997 Freshman Year @ Wake Forest: Finished with a 4-4 record and 6 saves. Led Wake Forest in saves and appearances and tied for the led in the ACC for appearances. Was 5-1 with 2 saves in Alaska College Summer League. Finish second in league with a 1.87 ERA. All-Alaska Team. Won NBC World Series and named to all-tournament team. Voted #3 Prospect coming out of Alaska League. Invited to Team USA tryount. Chosen by Baseball America as #12 prospect for the 1999 draft.
  
   
• 1998 Sophomore Year @ Wake Forest: Went 10-9 and became 6th player in school history to record 10 wins. Complete game shutout win over UNC in ACC semi-final game. Finished 7th in ACC in victories. Was 7-0 in Cape Cod Summer Baseball League with a 1.79 ERA. Named to both mid-season and end-of-year All-Star teams. Won Cape Cod League championship.
  
   
• 1999 Junior Year @ Long Beach State: Named to 3rd team pre-season All-America team. Listed as "key newcomer" and player to watch in Big West Conference. LBSU pre-season ranked #2 in country. Was 3-3 with six saves. Drafted in 2nd round of the MLB draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
   

Personal Background

• Born February 24, 1978 in Rocky Mount, NC, to Ted and Jackie Ward.
• Have two older brothers Jeff and Travis, who both still reside in Rocky Mount, NC.
• Married to wife, Ashley, on January 7, 2006.
• Ashley and I are expecting our first child in April of '09 

Thanks to my mom, Jackie Ward, for keeping all those records over the years so that this information can now be provided to you!