Niko Goodrum

Cartier Niko Goodrum (born February 28, 1992) is an American professional baseball utility player for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Minnesota Twins.

Niko Goodrum
Goodrum with the Detroit Tigers in 2018
Detroit Tigers – No. 28
Infielder / Outfielder
Born: (1992-02-28) February 28, 1992
Atlanta, Georgia
Bats: Switch Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 2, 2017, for the Minnesota Twins
MLB statistics
(through 2020 season)
Batting average.234
Home runs33
Runs batted in118
Teams

Career

Minnesota Twins

Goodrum attended Fayette County High School in Fayetteville, Georgia. The Minnesota Twins selected Goodrum in the second round, with the 71st overall selection, of the 2010 Major League Baseball draft.[1] He signed, receiving a $514,800 signing bonus, and made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Twins of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League.[2]

With the Elizabethton Twins of the Rookie-level Appalachian League in 2011, Goodrum had a .275 batting average.[3] For the Cedar Rapids Kernals of the Class A Midwest League in 2013, Goodrum batted .260. In 2014, Goodrum played for the Fort Myers Miracle of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, where he batted .249 with 3 home runs and 49 RBI's and he transitioned from shortstop to third base.[4] Goodrum spent 2015 with both Fort Myers and the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Class AA Southern League, where he posted a combined .232 batting average with nine home runs and 38 RBIs.

Goodrum began the 2017 season with the Rochester Red Wings of the Class AAA International League.[5] The Twins promoted him to the major leagues on September 1.[6] He was outrighted to AAA on November 3, 2017. He elected free agency on November 6, 2017.

Detroit Tigers

Goodrum signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers on November 25, 2017. The deal included an invitation to the Tigers' 2018 spring training camp.[7] After a strong spring season, which included hitting four home runs, Goodrum made the Tigers' 25-man opening day roster.[8]

Goodrum hit his first major league home run on April 5, 2018 off Joakim Soria of the Chicago White Sox.[9] On May 14, he hit two home runs while driving in five in a 6–3 Tigers win over the Cleveland Indians.[10]

Goodrum finished the 2018 season with a .245 batting average, 16 home runs, 53 RBI, and 12 stolen bases, while playing six positions in the field (all four infield positions, plus left field and right field). He was awarded the 2018 Tigers Rookie of the Year Award in voting by members of Detroit Sports Media.

In a May 31, 2019 game against the Atlanta Braves, Goodrum went 5-for-5 with a double and two home runs. He became the first Tigers player to go 5-for-5 with at least three extra-base hits and two home runs in a game since Dmitri Young in 2003, and the first Tigers shortstop to collect five hits in a game since Alan Trammell in 1987.[11] He also was the first player to have five hits while playing for the first time in his home state since Ohio-born Pete Susko did so for the Washington Senators at Cleveland in 1934.[12][13] Goodrum was placed on the 10-day injured list on August 24 due to an adductor strain.[14] He did not return the rest of the season. For the year, Goodrum hit .248 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI in 423 at-bats.

Overall with the 2020 Detroit Tigers, Goodrum batted .184 with five home runs and 20 RBIs in 43 games.[15]

On January 15, 2021, the Tigers and Goodrum agreed to a one-year, $2.1 million contract, avoiding arbitration.[16]

Personal life

Goodrum's father, Tim, played college football for Fort Valley State University.[4]

On June 11, 2018, after learning about the Flint water crisis, Goodrum donated 1,440 cases of water to residents of Flint.[17][18]

References
  1. "Major-league teams extend lovefest with Georgia players". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  2. "Twins 2010 draft update". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  3. "Checking on players on the other side of camp". Star Tribune. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  4. David Dorsey (April 27, 2014). "Miracle's Niko Goodrum not coming up short at third". The News-Press. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  5. "Niko Goodrum showing off his versatility with Red Wings". Democratandchronicle.com. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  6. Velle, La (September 1, 2017). "Buxton 'progressing' with injured wrist; enters as pinch runner". StarTribune.com. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  7. "Tigers sign Blaine Hardy, avoid arbitration". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  8. Woodbery, Evan (March 27, 2018). "Niko Goodrum ready to be jack of all trades for Tigers in 2018". MLive.com. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  9. Beck, Jason (April 5, 2018). "Tigers rally late, spoil White Sox home opener". MLB.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  10. Beck, Jason (May 14, 2018). "Goodrum's 2 homers help Tigers solve Tribe". MLB.com. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  11. Beck, Jason (May 31, 2019). "Goodrum has 'superhuman' game in hometown". MLB.com. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  12. Fenech, Anthony (May 31, 2019). "Tigers' Niko Goodrum mashes Braves in happy homecoming, 8-2 win". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  13. "Goodrum's 2 homers, 5 hits lead Tigers past Braves 8-2". ESPN.com. May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  14. McCoskey, Chris (August 24, 2019). "Tigers' Niko Goodrum aggravates groin, placed on injured list". The Detroit News. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  15. https://www.mlb.com/player/niko-goodrum-592348?stats=career-r-hitting-mlb&year=2020
  16. "Tigers avoid arbitration with all 8 remaining players". foxsports.com. January 16, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
  17. "Detroit tigers Niko Goodrum Flint water crisis". Detroitnews.com. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  18. "Detroit Tigers Niko Goodrum gives away bottled water in Flint". MLive.com. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
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