Eliseph Petrocelli

​Eliseph Petrocelli (born July 20, 1981), is an American Israeli former professional baseball second baseman. He played 11 seasons in the American Baseball Association, playing for the Chicago Cyclones and New York Bombers. He amassed a .286 batting average, 115 home runs, 361 runs batted in, 340 runs scored, and over 609 hits. He is a 3-time ABA Champion, 1-time ABA MVP, 3-time ABA Silver Slugger and a former ABA Rookie of the Year.

## Professional Career

### Chicago Cyclones (2007-2017)

Petrocelli signed a minor league deal with the Cyclones in 2007 out of an independant league and was widely regarded as a top prospect in the ABA despite being 25 years old. He reportedly received offers from all the teams, but chose Chicago due to their competitive roster and his strong desire to win.

He had an immediate impact in Chicago, replacing veteran and former Gold Glover Jim Rickards at second base. Despite early struggles on defense, his offensive game won the Chicago fans over and he quickly became a fan-favorite. An electric player, he wowed fans by winning the ABA Rookie of the Year title in 2007.

He then helped Chicago win back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009, even though he wasn't able to replicate his early success, he was still a valued member of the championship-winning roster. He even won the Championship series MVP title in 2008.

He then had a career year in 2010, hitting a career best and ABA-leading 19 home runs and a 57 RBIs. He also led the league in slugging percentage, wins above replacement, total bases, extra base hits and isolated power. His efforts saw him win the ABA MVP Award and his first Silver Slugger, although Chicago didn't manage to win a third consecutive championsip. Following his MVP-winning season, he signed a 7-year deal with Chicago, avoiding arbitration for the next couple of years.

His bat didn't cool off in the subsequent years, although Chicago's roster turnaround didn't do them any favors. He couldn't keep up with his exceptional 2010 numbers, but he was still a top hitter in the ABA, winning a Silver Slugger in 2011 and 2014.

He fractured his hand between the 2014 and 2015 season and he had a cold start in 2015 after missing about half the season, which led him to have his worst season offensively, with his batting average dipping below .250 for the first time ever. He still helped Chicago win another championship, altough his contribution wasn't as big as with the earlier championships. He still won the 2015 ABA Championship Series MVP.

He missed part of the 2016 season due to a bone marrow enema on his wrist and an undisclosed foot injury, but while he was there, you still saw Petrocelli of the good old days. He played his first complete season in 4 years in 2017, but at 35 years old and numerous major injuries later, he just wasn't the same. Following the 2015 season, Petrocelli was let go by the Cyclones, hitting free agency for the first time in his career.

### New York Bombers (2018)

Now in the twilight of his career, Petrocelli signed a one-year deal with the New York Bombers and immediately announced that it would be his final season. Inconsistent play at the bat on defense plagued his final season and he ruptured a tendon in his finger, ending his career on a down note.

## Retirement

After numerous injuries and age caught up with him, Eliseph Petrocelli, a former fan favorite and electrifying player announced his retirement. He retired as one of the best ever Cyclones player and chose to represent them in his hall of fame bid.

## Awards

1X ABA MVP Award (2010)

3X ABA Silver Slugger Award (2010, 2011, 2014)

ABA Rookie of the Year (2007)

3X ABA Champion (2008, 2009, 2015)

2X ABA Championship Series MVP (2008, 2015)