Hoey returned to the Trenton area in his sophomore year of high school and played for the Hamilton High School West varsity baseball team. In his senior year of high school, Hoey helped the team to win the NJSIAA Group III state championship with a 13-1 season. This was the school\'s first championship in its 70-year history. James walked away with 131 strike outs and a 0.48 ERA. In honor of James\'s prior accomplishments and his rapid success through the minor-league system, Hamilton High West retired his number during a formal ceremony on February 1, 2007. He played college baseball for Rider University, Lawrenceville, New Jersey.\n', '

During the 13th round of the June 2003 MLB amateur draft, the Orioles organization drafted Hoey out of Rider University and signed him on June 11. Initially, Rider University was using him as a starting pitcher. As a starter, Hoey had a 2.79 ERA for the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles and also made 15 starts for the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2004. He missed the rest of 2004 and most of 2005 due to Tommy John surgery; the surgery, as well as maturing, allowed him to gain three miles per hour on his fastball. Upon returning from the surgery, he became a relief pitcher. He pitched fifteen innings as a reliever in the short-season Class A New York–Penn League for the Aberdeen IronBirds in 2005 and started 2006 in the South Atlantic League with the Delmarva Shorebirds. He became Delmarva\'s closer at the start of the season; from there, he started a rapid ascent through the Orioles\' minor-league system, receiving call-ups to the high-Class A Frederick Keys and the Class AA Bowie Baysox before the end of the minor-league season. Across the three levels, he combined for 33 saves and a 2.28 ERA; he allowed three home runs, struck out 73 batters, and walked 18 in 51​1⁄3 innings of work. He was called up to the Orioles on August 23, 2006, and made his first appearance with them against the Minnesota Twins. Early in the 2008 season it was announced that Hoey would undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgery and miss the entire year. He began the 2009 season with the Bowie Baysox.\n', '

On December 9, 2010, the Orioles traded Hoey along with fellow minor-league pitcher Brett Jacobson to the Minnesota Twins for shortstop J. J. Hardy and utility infielder Brendan Harris.\n', '

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