Bryan LaHair

Bryan Allan LaHair (born November 5, 1982) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. LaHair is currently a hitting coach for the Billings Mustangs, the Reds' Pioneer League affiliate.

Bryan LaHair
LaHair with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2013
First baseman
Born: (1982-11-05) November 5, 1982
Worcester, Massachusetts
Batted: Left Threw: Right
Professional debut
MLB: July 18, 2008, for the Seattle Mariners
NPB: March 29, 2013, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Last appearance
MLB: October 3, 2012, for the Chicago Cubs
NPB: September 10, 2013, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
MLB statistics
Batting average.260
Home runs21
Runs batted in56
NPB statistics
Batting average.230
Home runs16
Runs batted in57
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Professional career

Seattle Mariners
LaHair playing for the Seattle Mariners in 2008

LaHair was selected by the Mariners in the 39th round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Saint Petersburg College.

LaHair spent the 2005 season with the Inland Empire 66ers, the Mariners' Single-A affiliate at the time, where he hit .310 with 22 home runs and 113 RBI, earning a spot in the California/Carolina League All-Star Game.

For 2006, LaHair was promoted to the Double-A San Antonio Missions and later to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. In November 2006, he was placed on the Mariners' 40-man roster.

After playing the entire 2007 season in Triple-A, batting .275 with 12 home runs, LaHair started the 2008 season with the Rainiers. In July 2008, he was called up to the Mariners shortly after the release of first baseman Richie Sexson.[1] The Mariners had called up infielder Tug Hulett directly following Sexson's departure, but sent him back down to make room for LaHair a week later. He made his Major League debut on July 18, 2008, as a pinch hitter, grounding into a double play. His first Major League Baseball hit was a line drive single to right field against the Boston Red Sox.

Chicago Cubs

On January 9, 2010, LaHair signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs with an invite to spring training.

With the Triple-A Iowa Cubs, LaHair won the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award and Joe Bauman Home Run Award in 2011.[2] He was named the designated hitter on Baseball America's 2011 Minor League All Star team.[3]

He earned a promotion to the Cubs major-league roster in September 2011,[4] and in his debut for the team on September 4, recorded his first Cubs hit, a single off the Pittsburgh Pirates' Charlie Morton.

Prior to the 2012 season, Cubs manager Dale Sveum released a statement saying that Anthony Rizzo would start the season in Triple-A Iowa, making LaHair the everyday first baseman. Following Rizzo's callup to the majors, LaHair was moved to right field. On July 1, 2012, Lahair was named to the NL All Star team as a reserve at first base.[5]

On Dec. 23, 2019, LaHair was named to The Athletic Chicago's all-decade second team by columnist Andy Dolan.

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (Japan's Pacific League)

On November 22, 2012, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks said that they signed LaHair to a two-year, $4.5 million contract. LaHair can opt out of the deal after 2013, and the deal is worth $5.2 million when the signing bonus and buyout are added. The deal has $2 million in incentives each year, and the Cubs received $950,000 in the deal.[6][7]

Cleveland Indians

He signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians on February 5, 2014.[8]

Boston Red Sox

In 2015, LaHair signed a minor league contract with the Boston Red Sox. He was released on April 4.[9]

Somerset Patriots

LaHair signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball for the 2016 season. On November 1, 2017, he became a free agent.

Coaching career

Bryan LaHair was hired in January 2018 to be the Billings Mustangs hitting coach, the rookie ball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

References
  1. Jesse Baumgartner (July 17, 2008). "LaHair gets call to Majors". MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 21, 2008. Retrieved July 18, 2008.
  2. "LaHair captures Joe Bauman Award". September 12, 2011. Archived from the original on November 11, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
  3. J.J. Cooper and Matt Eddy (September 16, 2011). "2011 Minor League All-Star Team". Baseball America. Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
  4. "Bryan LaHair trying to show Cubs he belongs in big time". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on May 3, 2012.
  5. Chester Baker (July 10, 2012). "Chicago Cubs First Baseman Bryan LaHair Selected for All-Star Game Following a Lifetime in the Minor Leagues". Archived from the original on December 29, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  6. "Bryan LaHair signs with Japan team". ESPN.com. November 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 24, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  7. Ben Nicholson-Smith (November 21, 2012). "SoftBank Hawks, LaHair Nearing Deal". MLB Trade Rumors. Archived from the original on November 22, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
  8. Cody Dalga (February 5, 2014). "Cleveland Indians Invite Bryan LaHair to Spring Training". Archived from the original on August 14, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  9. Polishuk, Mark; Johnson, Brad (April 4, 2015). "Minor Moves: Tomas, Oliver, Brignac, Zito, White, LaHair, Capps". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
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