Professional Career
Gorneault was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 19th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball Draft, and was signed to a minor league contract on June 7, 2001. In 2001, he played for the Provo Angels of the rookie Pioneer League. He hit .315, with 6 home runs and 30 runs batted in. However, in only 54 games, Gorneault led the team in strikeouts with 65. In 2002, Gorneault played 103 games for the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League. He recorded a .289 batting average and a .465 slugging percentage, both which led the team. In 2003, he split his time with the Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and Double-A Arkansas Travelers. In total, he hit a career-high .326 in 126 games, with 16 home runs and 91 runs batted in. With the Quakes alone, he led the team with 72 runs batted in.
In 2004, Gorneault spent the bulk of the season with the Travelers. He led the team with 21 home runs, 81 runs batted in, 91 runs, and 128 strikeouts. His success earned him a spot with the Triple-A Salt Lake Stingers, now the Salt Lake Bees, at the end of the season. He hit .316 in only six games, with five runs batted in. In 2005, Gorneault finally had a full-time spot on the Triple-A roster. He led the Stingers in most offensive categories, including home runs, runs batted in, runs, hits, and slugging percentage.
In 2006, Gorneault struggled, hitting only .283 and leading the team in only one offensive category; he recorded a team-high 78 runs batted in. He hit 15 home runs in 107 games, second on the team. In 2007, Gorneault hit .261 with only 19 home runs and 59 runs batted in. Midseason, due to a minor injury to Reggie Willits, Gorneault finally got the call to the major leagues. He made his debut on June 30, 2007, going 0-2 with a walk, in a 6-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. After a second 0-2 performance the following day, he was sent back down to Salt Lake, where he would finish his season.
Following the season, on October 29, 2007, he was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers. Gorneault was not offered a new contract and was non-tendered on December 12, 2007.
On January 17, 2008, Gorneault signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Houston Astros. He became a free agent at the end of the season and signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in February 2009.
On August 8, 2009, Gorneault recorded his 1,000th minor league hit in a game against the Altoona Curve at Merchantsauto.com Stadium in Manchester, New Hampshire. At the time, Gorneault was playing for the Blue Jays double-A affiliate, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The hit was recorded off of Curve pitcher Daniel Moskos.
On December 22, 2009, Gorneault signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels.
Read more about this topic: Nick Gorneault
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