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Kyle Tucker

Kyle Tucker
Tucker with the Houston Astros in 2019
Houston Astros – No. 30
Right fielder
Born: (1997-01-17) January 17, 1997 (age 27)
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 7, 2018, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.274
Home runs125
Runs batted in417
Stolen bases94
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
World Baseball Classic
Silver medal – second place 2023 Miami Team

Kyle Daniel Tucker (born January 17, 1997) is an American professional baseball right fielder for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Astros selected Tucker with the fifth pick in the first round of the 2015 MLB draft, and he made his MLB debut in 2018.

A native of Tampa, Florida, Tucker won Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year Award while attending and playing for Henry B. Plant High School. In 2021, he was selected to the All-MLB Team for the first time. The following year, he won each of his first World Series championships, MLB All-Star selection, and Gold Glove Award. In 2023, Tucker was the AL RBI leader, won a Silver Slugger Award, and was an All-Star for the second time in his career.

High school career

Tucker attended Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, and played for their baseball team.[1] He appeared in Perfect Game's All American Classic.[2] Tucker was named Florida's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2015.[3][4]

Projected to be a first round pick in the 2015 MLB draft,[5] the Houston Astros selected Tucker fifth overall.[6] He officially signed on June 15.[7]

Professional career

Minor leagues

Tucker played for the Greeneville Astros of the Rookie-level Appalachian League.[8] He began the 2016 season with the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Single–A Midwest League,[9] and received a midseason promotion to the Lancaster JetHawks of the High–A California League.[10] Tucker hit .285/.360/.438 with 32 stolen bases, nine home runs, and 69 runs batted in (RBI) in 2016.[11]

Tucker began the 2017 season with the Buies Creek Astros of the High–A Carolina League, and was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Double–A Texas League in May.[12] He appeared in the 2017 All-Star Futures Game.[13] He finished the season batting a combined .274/.346/.528 with 25 home runs and 90 RBI between Buies Creek and Corpus Christi. After the season, the Astros assigned Tucker to the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League.[14][15]

Tucker began the 2018 season with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League.[16] After he batted .306 in 80 games, the Astros promoted him to the major leagues on July 7.[17]

Houston Astros

Early major league career (2018–20)

Tucker made his major league debut on July 7, 2018,[18] versus the Chicago White Sox. He collected his first major league hit and RBI that day.[19] He batted .141/.236/.203 in 72 plate appearances for the Astros in 2018.[20]

Tucker at Fort Hood in 2019

Tucker spent the 2019 minor league season with the Round Rock Express, hitting .266/.350/.555/.905 with 34 home runs, 97 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases.[21] Tucker was promoted to the Astros on September 2, 2019.[22] In 2019 with the Astros, he batted .269/.319/.537 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in 67 at bats, while stealing five bases without being caught.[23]

In 2020, playing in 58 of the abbreviated sixty game season, Tucker batted .268/.325/.512 with six triples (leading the American League), nine home runs, and 42 RBIs in 209 at bats, and stole eight bases while being caught just once. He also placed sixth in the league in RBI, sixth in extra-base hits (27), and seventh in stolen bases.[23] He played in 13 playoff games, batting .306/.327/.367 before a season-ending loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).[24]

All-MLB Second Team (2021)

Tucker authored a breakout season in 2021: from May 1 through the end of the season, he batted .320 and led the AL in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS.[25] By hitting his 30th home run on October 3, Tucker became the third Astro to have hit 30 home runs hit in one season before turning age 25.[26] In September and October, he batted .346 with eight home runs, 20 runs scored, 19 RBIs, a .438 on-base percentage, and a .692 slugging percentage for a 1.130 OPS. He was awarded the AL Player of the Month for September, his first career monthly award.[27]

In his first full, unshortened, major league season, Tucker reached career-highs in nearly every offensive category, batting .294/.359./.557/.917, with 37 doubles, 30 home runs, 92 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, 282 total bases, and 147 OPS+ in 140 games played. He ranked ninth in the AL in batting, third in slugging percentage and OPS, fifth in doubles and OPS+, and tenth in Wins Above Replacement (5.7 WAR, per Baseball-Reference).[23] He was named as a Gold Glove finalist in right field with +11 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), tied with Joey Gallo and Aaron Judge for second place behind Adolis García.[28] Tucker was announced as a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award for outfielders on October 25, 2021;[29] the three outfielder winners were Teoscar Hernández, Judge and Cedric Mullins[30] Tucker received his first selection as a Sporting News AL All-Star at outfield,[31] and to the All-MLB Second Team.[32]

In Game 4 of the 2021 American League Division Series (ALDS) against the Chicago White Sox on October 12, Tucker stole second and third base in the fourth inning to become the first Astro to steal two bases in the same inning of a postseason game.[33] He slashed .279/.333/.541 in 61 postseason at bats, stole five bases, hit four home runs, and led both leagues in postseason runs batted in (RBI) with fifteen.[34]

2022

An early-season slump for Tucker in 2022 included a 4-for-46 span to start the season.[35] On April 27, his three-run double in the fifth inning versus the Texas Rangers scored the decisive runs for a 4–3 Astros win; he collected seven RBI in the first three games of that series.[36] Pinch hitting in the eighth inning of the next game, his home run again provided the margin of victory for the Astros, 3–2, after Rangers starter Martín Pérez had taken a perfect game into the seventh inning.[37]

At Fenway Park on May 17, Tucker tied his career high of six RBI, including hitting one of five home runs in the second inning versus Nathan Eovaldi of the Boston Red Sox, tying the major league record for a team in one inning.[38] In the fourth inning, he added a grand slam.[39] While playing the Chicago White Sox on June 17, 2022, Tucker extended a career-high hitting streak to 15 games.[40]

Tucker was named a reserve outfielder to the MLB All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium, his first career selection. Some totals at the time included a .259 average, 16 home runs, fourth place ranking in the AL in RBI (58) and tied for fifth in steals (14). He garnered 10 Defensive Runs Saved, per Fangraphs, tied with Brett Phillips for the lead among AL outfielders.[41] During the season, he became the seventh player in MLB history to steal 40 bases and hit 60 home runs in his first 350 games, doing so in his 329th game in the majors.[42]

Tucker's second grand slam of the season on August 12 catalyzed a 7–5 Astros win versus the Oakland Athletics.[43] On August 18, he tied a career high with four hits versus the White Sox in a 21–5 win that included 25 hits, tied for both the second-highest scoring output and most hits in team history.[44] A double in the third inning versus the Minnesota Twins on August 24 extended a hitting streak to a new career-high 16 games for Tucker.[45] The hitting streak extended to 17 games and ended on August 27.[46] Tucker reached 20 stolen base on September 3, giving him his first 20/20 (20-home run, 20-stolen base) campaign.[47] On September 20, Tucker, facing his hometown Rays, drove in his 100th run of the season to become the 18th player in club history to accomplish the feat, and first full-time Astros outfielder since Carlos Lee in 2009.[48] The following day, Tucker hit the go-ahead home run the eighth inning that resulted in a 5–2 win, finishing off a series sweep at Tropicana Field, the first ever for Houston in Tampa Bay.[49] He hit his 30th home run of the season on October 4 versus the Philadelphia Phillies, joining Jeff Bagwell as the only players in Astros history to have reached 30 home runs, 100 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in the same season.[50]

In 2022 he batted .257/.330/.478 in 544 at bats.[51] He swung at a higher percentage of pitches in the strike zone (84.0%) than any other major league batter.[52] He played 147 games in right field, and three at DH.[51] He received nomination for the AL Silver Slugger Award in right field/[53]

In Game 1 of the 2022 World Series, Tucker hit consecutive home runs versus Aaron Nola, becoming the first Astros player with multiple home runs in a World Series game.[54] Although they would lose that game 6-5, the Astros defeated the Phillies in six games to give Tucker his first World Series title, with Tucker catching a fly ball hit by Nick Castellanos to record the final out.[55]

Through his 13 defensive runs saved, Tucker was awarded the AL 2022 Gold Glove Award for his play in right field. He was also second in the league at his position in assists (8). Tucker became the third Astro, following Michael Bourn (2009-10) and César Cedeño (1972-76),. to win a Gold Glove as an outfielder, and first since 2010.[56] Overall in the regular season he hit to a 128 OPS+ and 5.2 baseball-reference WAR.

2023

In 2023, Tucker batted .284, hitting 29 home runs and driving in 112 runs (highest in the American League) over 574 at-bats. Tucker also stole 30 bases and his on-base plus slugging (OPS) was .886, the 11th highest in the American League.[citation needed]

2024

During the 2024 season, Tucker started with a .979 OPS and 19 home runs in 60 games. A right shin injury sustained on June 3 after impact of two batted balls kept him out of action until after the All-Star break, during which he earned his third career All-Star selection.[57] Tucker was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 30.[58] After missing 79 games,[59] he was activated on September 6.[60]

Tucker was announced on September 11 as the Astros' nominee for the 2024 Roberto Clemente Award, whose foundation assists those in hospice care and children with cancer diagnoses.[61]

From September 20–21, 2024, Tucker produced consecutive four-hit games, making him the 14th Astro to accomplish the feat, and first since former teammate Michael Brantley on July 5–7, 2019.[59]

Final regular season totals for Tucker included 78 games played, .289/.408/.585/.993, 23 home runs, 49 RBI, 56 runs scored, 11 stolen bases without being caught, 56 walks and 54 strikeouts. His slash line and OPS+ (181) both represented career bests though he did not accrue enough plate appearances to quality for the batting title (339).[23]

International career

On August 27, 2022, Tucker committed to play for the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[62]

Personal life

Tucker's older brother, Preston, is also a professional baseball outfielder who was drafted by, and played for, the Astros, appearing with the major league club in 2015 and 2016. Kyle, a natural right-hander, started batting left-handed as a result of mimicking his older brother, who is naturally left-handed. Preston held the Plant High School home run record with 29 until Kyle surpassed his and finished with 31.[63]

On December 23, 2022, Tucker announced via Instagram his engagement to girlfriend Samantha Scott. They both graduated from Plant High School in 2015 and began dating in 2017 while Scott was attending Florida State University. Tucker announced via Instagram that he and Samantha got married on January 13, 2024.

The Kyle Tucker Foundation

In early 2022, Tucker initiated his eponymous foundation to increase awareness for non-profit hospice care centers. He opened it as a response to the death of his grandfather in 2021 during hospice care. The foundation officially recognizes hospice centers, the efforts of staff members, partners with local businesses for raising awareness, and aids families of those undergoing hospice care in both Tampa and Houston.[64]

Awards

Awards won by Kyle Tucker
Award Category Result /
Section 		Year Ref.
All-Star Futures Game selectee 2017 [23]
Baseball America High School Player of the Year 2015 [65]
Heart & Hustle Nominated 2023
Sporting News American League All-Star Outfield 2021 [31]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Plant High baseball phenoms will draw scouts". TBO.com. February 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  2. ^ "Florida high school sports - Tucker and Chatfield to play in Perfect Game All-American Classic". tampabay.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  3. ^ "Florida high school sports - Plant's Kyle Tucker named Gatorade Player of the Year for Florida". tampabay.com. Archived from the original on June 9, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  4. ^ "Florida Baseball POY: Kyle Tucker". USA Today High School Sports. May 28, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  5. ^ "The Sports Update: Kyle Tucker 'excited about draft'". Ultimate Astros. May 16, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  6. ^ "Astros take OF Kyle Tucker with fifth pick of first round". Ultimate Astros. June 8, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  7. ^ Jose de Jesus Ortiz on (June 15, 2015). "Astros sign draftee Kyle Tucker". Blog.chron.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  8. ^ "Tucker helps Astros even Appy semifinals". MiLB.com. September 4, 2015. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  9. ^ Steve Batterson (May 26, 2016). "Education continues for Astros prospect Tucker with River Bandits | Midwest League Baseball". qctimes.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  10. ^ Kaplan, Jake (August 17, 2016). "Astros promote top outfield prospect Kyle Tucker to Class A Lancaster - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  11. ^ "Kyle Tucker Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  12. ^ McTaggart, Brian (January 20, 2016). "Kyle Tucker promoted to Corpus Christi | MLB.com". M.mlb.com. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
  13. ^ "Hooks' Tucker selected for All-Star Futures Game". Caller.com. June 29, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  14. ^ Goodman, Kyra (January 20, 2016). "Astros' Kyle Tucker triples in Fall League win". MLB.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  15. ^ Boor, William (January 20, 2016). "Astros' Kyle Tucker notches three hits in AFL". MLB.com. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  16. ^ "Tucker continues hot start for Grizzlies". MiLB.com. April 6, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  17. ^ Rome, Chandler (July 7, 2018). "Astros promote Kyle Tucker; option Jake Marisnick to Triple-A Fresno - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  18. ^ "Astros LF Tucker has single, RBI in MLB debut". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 7, 2018.
  19. ^ Landry, Kennedi (October 9, 2021). "'Underrated' Tucker riding strong '21 into DS". MLB.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  20. ^ Robertson, Dale (December 10, 2018). "Kyle Tucker intent on being big part of 2019 Astros". HoustonChronicle.com. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  21. ^ Hunter Atkins (August 25, 2019). "Astros prospect Kyle Tucker posts 30-30 season". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  22. ^ RotoWire Staff (September 2, 2019). "Astros' Kyle Tucker: Set to join team Monday". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  23. ^ a b c d e "Kyle Tucker height, weight, position, rookie status & more". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 11, 2019.
  24. ^ Landry, Kennedi (October 12, 2021). "Another HR, 4 more RBIs: Tucker hot in ALDS". MLB.com. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  25. ^ McTaggart, Brian (December 1, 2021). "Houston's all-time single-season team". MLB.com. Retrieved December 26, 2021.
  26. ^ Rome, Chandler [@Chandler_Rome] (October 3, 2021). "A full list of Astros players to have a 30-homer season at age 24 or younger in franchise history: Alex Bregman Yordan Alvarez Kyle Tucker" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ Adler, David (October 4, 2021). "Tucker, O'Neill top players for September". MLB.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  28. ^ Adler, David (October 28, 2021). "Gold Glove finalists unveiled". MLB.com. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  29. ^ Murphy, Brian (October 25, 2021). "Silver Slugger Award finalists announced". MLB.com. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  30. ^ Harrigan, Thomas (November 11, 2021). "Silver Slugger Award winners announced". MLB.com. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  31. ^ a b Foster, Jason (October 28, 2021). "Sporting News 2021 MLB awards: Ohtani voted top player; Posey leads Giants in strong showing". Sporting News. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  32. ^ Castrovince, Anthony (November 23, 2021). "The '21 All-MLB Team is here. And it's stacked". MLB.com. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  33. ^ Langs, Sarah [@SlangsOnSports] (October 12, 2021). "Kyle Tucker is the 1st Astros player with multiple stolen bases in a postseason inning" (Tweet). Archived from the original on October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2021 – via Twitter.
  34. ^ Espinoza, Christian Jaz (November 14, 2021). "Houston Astros 2021 year in review: Kyle Tucker". Climbingtalshill.com.
  35. ^ "Tucker homers, Odorizzi pitches Astros past Rangers 5–1". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 26, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  36. ^ "Tucker's 3-run double helps Javier, Astros beat Rangers 4–3". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 27, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  37. ^ "Tucker's pinch HR lifts Astros over Texas in starters' duel". ESPN.com. Associated Press. April 28, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  38. ^ Anderson, R. J. (May 18, 2022). "Astros launch five home runs off Red Sox's Nathan Eovaldi in one inning as team, pitcher make MLB history". CBSSports.com. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  39. ^ Rome, Chandler (May 18, 2022). "Boston bash: Astros' record-tying inning fuels rout of Red Sox". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  40. ^ McTaggart, Brian (June 17, 2022). "10-run 6th powers Astros' rout of White Sox: With key bats heating up, Houston confident in imminent offensive surge". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
  41. ^ Lerner, Danielle (July 10, 2022). "Astros have 5 players named to MLB All-Star Game roster". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  42. ^ "Kyle Tucker in the middle of some amazing company in this graphic from @ATTSportsNetSW". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  43. ^ "Tucker's slam highlights 6-run fifth inning, Astros beat A's". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  44. ^ "Bregman 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 6 RBIs, Astros trample Chisox 21–5". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 18, 2022. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  45. ^ "Altuve, Mancini HR; Valdez, Astros hand Twins 5th straight L". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 24, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
  46. ^ "Santander, Hays, Kremer power O's past AL-leading Astros 3–1". ESPN.com. Associated Press. August 27, 2022. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  47. ^ Rome, Chandler (September 5, 2022). "A 20/20 milestone for Kyle Tucker after further review". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
  48. ^ Lerner, Danielle (September 20, 2022). "Astros' Kyle Tucker reaches 100-RBI mark in win over Rays". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 20, 2022.
  49. ^ Lerner, Danielle (September 21, 2022). "Tampa natives Kyle Tucker, Lance McCullers Jr. fuel Astros' sweep of Rays". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved September 21, 2022.
  50. ^ "Verlander, bullpen keep Phils hitless until 9th in 10–0 win". ESPN.com. Associated Press. October 4, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
  51. ^ a b "Kyle Tucker Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com.
  52. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2022 » Batters » Plate Discipline Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball". fangraphs.com.
  53. ^ Criswell, Josh (October 27, 2022). "5 Astros named Silver Slugger finalists". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  54. ^ Lerner, Danielle (October 29, 2022). "A flip of the bat, then a flip of the script for Kyle Tucker". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved October 29, 2022.
  55. ^ Rome, Chandler (November 5, 2022). "Undisputed: 'It proves we're the best team in baseball...They have nothing to say now.'". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  56. ^ McTaggart, Brian (November 1, 2022). "Tucker, Peña named first-time Gold Glove winners". MLB.com. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  57. ^ "Complete All-Star Game rosters include familiar faces, 32 first-timers". MLB.com. July 7, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  58. ^ "Astros' Kyle Tucker: Moves to 60-day IL". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  59. ^ a b McTaggart, Brian (September 21, 2024). "Heating up in Houston: Alvarez, Tucker fuel Astros' 20-hit eruption". MLB.com. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  60. ^ McDonald, Darragh (September 6, 2024). "Astros reinstate Kyle Tucker from injured list". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved September 6, 2024.
  61. ^ McTaggart, Brian (September 11, 2024). "Tucker's altruism runs deep with family roots". MLB.com. Retrieved September 13, 2024.
  62. ^ Van Doren, Kenny (August 27, 2022). "Houston Astros' Tucker Commits to Team USA for World Baseball Classic". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  63. ^ Halley, Jim (May 15, 2015). "ALL-USA Watch: Plant's Kyle Tucker following his brother's career arc". USA Today High School Sports. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  64. ^ "Houston Astros 2024 Roberto Clemente Award nominee". MLB.com. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  65. ^ "Kyle Tucker awards". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by American League Player of the Month
September 2021 		Succeeded by
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