Cole Tucker (baseball)

Cole Bryson Tucker (born July 3, 1996) is an American professional baseball shortstop and outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2019.

Cole Tucker
Tucker with the Altoona Curve in 2018
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 3
Shortstop / Outfielder
Born: (1996-07-03) July 3, 1996
Phoenix, Arizona
Bats: Switch Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 20, 2019, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
(through September 13, 2020)
Batting average.219
Home runs3
Runs batted in21
Teams

Career

Tucker attended Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona, where he played for the school's baseball team.[1] He played for the United States national baseball team in the 2013 18U Baseball World Cup.[2] He committed to play college baseball at the University of Arizona.[3]

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Tucker in the first round, with the 24th overall selection, of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.[4] He signed on June 12, 2014 for a signing bonus worth $1,800,000,[5] and spent 2014 with the Gulf Coast League Pirates,[6] where he batted .267 with a .724 OPS. He had been committed to play college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats.[7] Tucker spent 2015 with the West Virginia Power where he posted a .293 batting average along with 25 stolen bases and 13 doubles.[8] Tucker returned to the Power in 2016, and was later promoted to the Bradenton Marauders, where he batted a combined .242 with two home runs and 27 runs batted in (RBIs) between both teams. In 2017, he began the season with Bradenton, and was promoted to the Altoona Curve in July. In 110 total games, Tucker posted a .275 batting average, six home runs, 50 RBIs, and 47 stolen bases in the 2017 campaign.[9]

MLB.com ranked Tucker as Pittsburgh's fifth best prospect going into the 2018 season.[10] The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster after the season.[11] He opened the 2019 season with the Indianapolis Indians. On April 20, he was called up to the major league roster.[12] He made his major league debut that afternoon versus the San Francisco Giants. During that game Tucker got his first major league hit in his third at bat, hitting a two-run home run off Derek Holland over the center field wall at PNC Park to give the Pirates a 3–1 lead. The home run became the game-winning hit after the game was called due to rain.[13]

In 2020, the Pirates played Tucker as an outfielder.[14]

Personal life

Tucker grew up as a fan of the Arizona Diamondbacks.[15] His father is African-American while his mother is white.[16] His brother Carson was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the 2020 Major League Baseball draft.[17]

References
  1. Skoda, Jason P. (April 3, 2013). "Baseball: Tucker's defense, energy help shape MP's approach | Sports". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  2. Odegard, Kyle (August 22, 2013). "Mountain Pointe SS Cole Tucker makes Team USA". East Valley Tribune. Archived from the original on August 25, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  3. "Cole Tucker Class of 2014 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA". Perfect Game.
  4. "Pirates select high school shortstop Tucker in first round of MLB draft". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 5, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  5. "Pirates Agree With Cole Tucker For $1.8 M – Pirates Prospects". June 9, 2014. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Bartel, Jason (June 10, 2014). "Arizona's two first-round commits sign pro deals". Azdesertswarm.com. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  8. "Cole Tucker". milb.com. Minor League Baseball. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  9. "Cole Tucker Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  10. "New No. 1 Keller leads Pirates Top 30 Prospects list". MLB.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  11. Berry, Adam (November 20, 2018). "Pirates add four prospects to 40-man roster". MLB.com. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  12. "Pirates' Cole Tucker: Heading to Pittsburgh". CBS Sports. April 20, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
  13. "Mountain Pointe alum hits game-winning home run in 1st game". KNXV. April 21, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
  14. https://www.mlb.com/news/cole-tucker-feeling-more-confident-in-outfield
  15. "'A Dream Come True' Pirates Rookie Cole Tucker Returns Home, Hits Home Run". May 15, 2019.
  16. Biertempfel, Rob. "'It's become my thing': Cole Tucker's amazing hair..." The Athletic.
  17. Obert, Richard. "Mountain Pointe's Carson Tucker hopes to follow brother Cole's path to MLB". The Arizona Republic.
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