Chris Owings

Owings was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft out of Gilbert High School in Gilbert, South Carolina.[1][2]

Owings started the 2012 season with the Visalia Rawhide of the Class A-Advanced California League, hitting .324/.362/.544 with 11 home runs in 59 games. He was than promoted to the Double-A Mobile BayBears where he hit .263/.291/.377 with six home runs in 69 games.[3][4]

Owings spent the 2013 season with the Reno Aces of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL). After batting .330 with 12 home runs, 31 doubles, 81 RBIs and 20 stolen bases, he won the PCL's Most Valuable Player Award.[5]

The Diamondbacks selected Owings' contract from Reno on September 3, 2013, after the major league rosters expanded.[6] He made his major league debut that day, where he pinch hit in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays and grounded out to the second baseman.[7]

In spring training in 2014, Owings competed for the starting shortstop role with Didi Gregorius, the Diamondbacks' starting shortstop during the prior season.[8] Owings was named the Diamondbacks' starting shortstop for Opening Day.[5] Owings led all National League rookies with a .313 batting average in April, and was named the National League Rookie of the Month for April 2014.[9] He suffered a left shoulder injury in June,[10][11] and had offseason surgery to repair the posterior labrum in the shoulder.[12] For the season, Owings played in 91 games with Arizona, batting .261 with six home runs and 26 RBIs.

Owings batted .227 and .277 in 2015 and 2016, respectively. While only playing in 119 games during 2016, Owings led the major leagues in triples, with 11. On Opening Day 2017, Owings hit a game-winning single against San Francisco Giants closer Mark Melancon, giving the Diamondbacks a 6–5 win.[13] During 2017, he appeared in 97 games, batting .268 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs. In 2018, Owings played in 106 games for Arizona, recording four home runs and 22 RBIs with a .206 average. On November 30, 2018, the Diamondbacks non-tendered Owings and he became a free agent.[14]

Overall, during parts of six major league seasons with the Diamondbacks, Owings appeared in 580 games, batting .250 with 31 home runs and 196 RBIs.

On December 5, 2018, the Kansas City Royals signed Owings to a one-year, $3 million contract.[15] In 40 games with the Royals, he batted .133 with two home runs and nine RBIs, while striking out 55 times in 135 at bats. Owings was designated for assignment on May 31, 2019. The day prior, he had recorded a golden sombrero, striking out four times in a game.[16] Earlier in May, he had struck out looking against a position player, Tyler White of the Houston Astros.[17] Owings pitched for the first time in MLB during a 16–1 loss to the Texas Rangers on May 16.[18]

On June 17, 2019, Owings signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox;[19] he was assigned to the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.[20] On August 11, Boston added Owings to their active roster,[21] and he made his first appearance with the Red Sox, against the Los Angeles Angels.[22] Owings appeared in 26 games with the 2019 Red Sox, batting .156 with one home run and five RBIs. On October 21, he elected to become a free agent rather than accepting a Triple-A assignment.[23]

On January 3, 2020, Owings signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. On July 17, 2020, it was announced that Owings would have his contract selected to the 40-man roster by the Rockies in advance of Opening Day.[24] His contract was selected the following day. He appeared in 17 games for Colorado, hitting .268 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI. On January 20, 2021, Owings re-signed with the Rockies organization on a minor league contract.[25]