Topic: Chase Utley

Chase Cameron Utley (pronounced /ˈʌtliː/; born December 17, 1978) is a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. A native of the Greater Los Angeles area, he was raised in the city of Long Beach. He was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School before moving on to UCLA.

Utley bats left-handed and throws right-handed. Since becoming a permanent fixture as the Phillies' second baseman, Utley has demonstrated versatility as a player and as an athlete, spending some time at first base as well. As his fielding has improved over his career, Utley is seen in combination with Jimmy Rollins as one of the best middle-infield combinations in the NL. Utley is considered by fans to be a team leader, alongside Rollins and Ryan Howard.

Utley played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers, an amateur baseball team, in 1999 while he was still attending UCLA. After his summer experience with Cotuit and college career, Utley was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round (15th pick) of the 2000 amateur draft and played for the Phillies' farm system with the Batavia Muckdogs (A-short season; now a Cardinals affiliate) in 2000, the Clearwater Phillies (A, now Clearwater Threshers) in 2001, and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons (AAA; now a Yankees affiliate) in 2002 and 2003.