The name “Tim Federowicz” may not immediately ring a bell to Red Sox fans, but the catcher’s retirement after eight seasons in MLB highlights the strength of Boston’s 2008 draft class — particularly behind the plate.
Federowicz was drafted by the Red Sox in the seventh round out of the University of North Carolina, joining Ryan Lavarnway (sixth round, No. 202 overall) and Christian Vázquez (ninth round, No. 292).
Of the five Red Sox draftees from that season who reached the pros, Federowicz is the third to become inactive in MLB. Both first round picks, Casey Kelly (No. 30) and Bryan Price (No. 45) already stepped away. But the catchers all have led strong careers around the league.
While Federowicz never played at the MLB level with Boston — making his debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2011 — he did go on to play for six different teams between 2011 and 2019. He began his career in the Red Sox system, logging time in Low-A Lowell, Single-A Greenville, High-A Salem and Double-A Portland from 2008 to 2011.
Vázquez, of course, remains with the Red Sox, while Lavarnway has been a bit of a journeyman since moving on the from the Red Sox in 2015. He spent the 2021 season with Cleveland, his eighth team in 10 seasons.
Adding another level to the argument is exactly what Federowicz will be doing in the next phase of his career: sticking with the game. In his retirement announcement, the 34-year-old shared he will work as the manager of the Tacoma Rainiers, the Seattle Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate.
Federowicz finished with 163 games across eight seasons, hitting .192 with 39 RBIs, 19 doubles and 12 home runs. He also cracked the Team USA roster for the Tokyo Olympics, though he did not appear in any games in Japan.
