Chris Widger is a former professional baseball player who played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. He was born on May 21, 1971, in Wilmington, Delaware, and grew up in the nearby town of Middletown. Widger attended George Mason University in Virginia, where he played college baseball for the Patriots.
Widger was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the third round of the 1992 MLB draft. He spent several years in the Mariners' minor league system before making his MLB debut with the team in 1995. Widger played in just 12 games for the Mariners that season, batting .154 with one home run and two runs batted in (RBIs).
After the 1995 season, Widger was traded to the Montreal Expos. He played for the Expos for three seasons, from 1996 to 1998, serving as a backup catcher behind All-Star Mike Piazza. Widger had his best season in 1997, when he hit .262 with 10 home runs and 33 RBIs in 75 games.
In 1999, Widger signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent. He played for the Yankees for two seasons, serving as a backup catcher behind Jorge Posada. Widger won a World Series championship with the Yankees in 2000, although he did not appear in any postseason games.
After the 2000 season, Widger signed with the Chicago White Sox. He played for the White Sox for four seasons, from 2001 to 2004, serving as a backup catcher behind Sandy Alomar Jr. and Miguel Olivo. Widger had his best season with the White Sox in 2003, when he hit .275 with six home runs and 23 RBIs in 57 games.
Widger played his final MLB season in 2006, splitting time between the Baltimore Orioles and the St. Louis Cardinals. He appeared in just 23 games that season, batting .200 with one home run and three RBIs.
In his MLB career, Widger played in 687 games, batting .238 with 55 home runs and 222 RBIs. He was known for his defensive skills as a catcher, particularly his ability to handle pitchers and call games behind the plate.
After retiring from baseball, Widger became a coach and manager in the minor leagues. He served as a catching coordinator for the Washington Nationals from 2011 to 2013, and as a manager for the Nationals' Class A affiliate, the Hagerstown Suns, in 2014. Widger currently works as a coach for the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the White Sox.
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