Kyle Tucker Explained

Kyle Tucker
Team:Houston Astros
Number:30
Position:Right fielder
Birth Date:17 January 1997
Birth Place:Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Bats:Left
Throws:Right
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:July 7
Debutyear:2018
Debutteam:Houston Astros
Statyear:June 1, 2024
Statleague:MLB
Stat1label:Batting average
Stat1value:.271
Stat2label:Home runs
Stat2value:121
Stat3label:Runs batted in
Stat3value:408
Teams:
Awards:

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 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, 11th highest in American League.

2024

During the 2024 season, Tucker started with a .979 OPS and 19 home runs in 60 games. A right foot injury on June 3 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]

International career

On August 27, 2022, Tucker committed to play for the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[59]

Personal life

Tucker's older brother, Preston, is also a professional baseball player (he also played for the Astros, playing in 2015 and 2016).[60]

On December 23, 2022, Tucker announced via Instagram his engagement to girlfriend Samantha Scott. They both graduated Plant High School in 2015 and began dating in 2017 while Tucker was playing in the Astros' minor league system and Scott was attending Florida State University.

Awards

Awards won by Kyle Tucker
AwardCategoryResult /
Section
Year
All-Star Futures Game selectee2017
Baseball America2015[61]
Sporting News American League All-Star Outfield 2021

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Plant High baseball phenoms will draw scouts. February 9, 2015. TBO.com. June 9, 2015.
  2. Web site: Florida high school sports - Tucker and Chatfield to play in Perfect Game All-American Classic. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304075011/http://www.tampabay.com/hometeam/blog/tucker-and-chatfield-play-perfect-game-all-american-classic/20663/. dead. March 4, 2016. tampabay.com. June 9, 2015.
  3. Web site: Florida high school sports - Plant's Kyle Tucker named Gatorade Player of the Year for Florida. tampabay.com. June 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150609005543/http://www.tampabay.com/hometeam/blog/plants-kyle-tucker-named-gatorade-player-year-flor/22747/. June 9, 2015. dead.
  4. Web site: Florida Baseball POY: Kyle Tucker. USA Today High School Sports. May 28, 2015. June 9, 2015.
  5. Web site: The Sports Update: Kyle Tucker 'excited about draft' . Ultimate Astros . May 16, 2015 . June 9, 2015.
  6. Web site: Astros take OF Kyle Tucker with fifth pick of first round. Ultimate Astros. June 8, 2015. June 9, 2015.
  7. Web site: Jose de Jesus Ortiz on . Astros sign draftee Kyle Tucker . Blog.chron.com . June 15, 2015 . June 1, 2017.
  8. Web site: Tucker helps Astros even Appy semifinals . MiLB.com . September 4, 2015 . June 1, 2017.
  9. Web site: Steve Batterson . Education continues for Astros prospect Tucker with River Bandits | Midwest League Baseball . qctimes.com . May 26, 2016 . June 1, 2017.
  10. Web site: Kaplan . Jake . Astros promote top outfield prospect Kyle Tucker to Class A Lancaster - Houston Chronicle . Chron.com . August 17, 2016 . June 1, 2017.
  11. Web site: Kyle Tucker Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball . Milb.com . June 1, 2017.
  12. Web site: McTaggart . Brian . Kyle Tucker promoted to Corpus Christi | MLB.com . M.mlb.com . January 20, 2016 . June 1, 2017.
  13. Web site: Hooks' Tucker selected for All-Star Futures Game . Caller.com . June 29, 2017 . December 20, 2017.
  14. Web site: Goodman . Kyra . Astros' Kyle Tucker triples in Fall League win . MLB.com . January 20, 2016 . December 20, 2017.
  15. Web site: Boor . William . Astros' Kyle Tucker notches three hits in AFL . MLB.com . January 20, 2016 . December 20, 2017.
  16. Web site: Tucker continues hot start for Grizzlies . MiLB.com . April 6, 2018 . July 7, 2018.
  17. Web site: Rome . Chandler . Astros promote Kyle Tucker; option Jake Marisnick to Triple-A Fresno - Houston Chronicle . July 7, 2018 . Chron.com . July 7, 2018.
  18. Web site: July 7, 2018 . Astros LF Tucker has single, RBI in MLB debut . ESPN.com . Associated Press.
  19. News: Landry . Kennedi . 'Underrated' Tucker riding strong '21 into DS . MLB.com . October 9, 2021 . October 14, 2021.
  20. Web site: Robertson . Dale . Kyle Tucker intent on being big part of 2019 Astros . HoustonChronicle.com . 2018-12-10 . 2019-10-11.
  21. Web site: Hunter Atkins. Astros prospect Kyle Tucker posts 30-30 season. Houston Chronicle. August 25, 2019. September 2, 2019.
  22. Web site: RotoWire Staff. Astros' Kyle Tucker: Set to join team Monday. CBS Sports. September 2, 2019. September 2, 2019.
  23. Web site: Kyle Tucker stats . . August 11, 2019.
  24. News: Landry . Kennedi . Another HR, 4 more RBIs: Tucker hot in ALDS . MLB.com . October 12, 2021 . October 16, 2021.
  25. News: McTaggart . Brian . Houston's all-time single-season team . MLB.com . December 1, 2021 . December 26, 2021.
  26. Rome . Chandler . Chandler_Rome . 1444767130856079370 . 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 . en . October 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211021014239/https://twitter.com/chandler_rome/status/1444767130856079370 . October 21, 2021 . live.
  27. News: Adler . David . Tucker, O'Neill top players for September . MLB.com . October 4, 2021 . October 14, 2021.
  28. News: Adler . David . Gold Glove finalists unveiled . MLB.com . October 28, 2021 . October 28, 2021.
  29. News: Murphy . Brian . Silver Slugger Award finalists announced . MLB.com . October 25, 2021 . November 13, 2021.
  30. News: Harrigan . Thomas . Silver Slugger Award winners announced . MLB.com . November 11, 2021 . November 13, 2021.
  31. Foster . Jason . Sporting News 2021 MLB awards: Ohtani voted top player; Posey leads Giants in strong showing . Sporting News . October 28, 2021 . November 2, 2021.
  32. News: Castrovince . Anthony . The '21 All-MLB Team is here. And it's stacked. . MLB.com . November 23, 2021 . November 23, 2021.
  33. Langs . Sarah . SlangsOnSports . 1448011899233308677 . October 12, 2021 . Kyle Tucker is the 1st Astros player with multiple stolen bases in a postseason inning . en . October 24, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211012203601/https://twitter.com/SlangsOnSports/status/1448011899233308677 . October 12, 2021 . live.
  34. Web site: Espinoza . Christian Jaz . Houston Astros 2021 year in review: Kyle Tucker. Climbingtalshill.com . November 14, 2021.
  35. News: Tucker homers, Odorizzi pitches Astros past Rangers 5–1 . ESPN.com . April 26, 2022 . September 4, 2022 . Associated Press.
  36. News: Tucker's 3-run double helps Javier, Astros beat Rangers 4–3 . ESPN.com . April 27, 2022 . August 25, 2022 . Associated Press.
  37. News: Tucker's pinch HR lifts Astros over Texas in starters' duel . ESPN.com . April 28, 2022 . August 25, 2022 . Associated Press.
  38. News: Anderson . R. J. . Astros launch five home runs off Red Sox's Nathan Eovaldi in one inning as team, pitcher make MLB history . CBSSports.com . May 18, 2022 . June 11, 2022.
  39. News: Rome . Chandler . Boston bash: Astros' record-tying inning fuels rout of Red Sox . Houston Chronicle . May 18, 2022 . June 11, 2022 .
  40. News: McTaggart . Brian . 10-run 6th powers Astros' rout of White Sox: With key bats heating up, Houston confident in imminent offensive surge . MLB.com . June 17, 2022 . June 18, 2022.
  41. News: Lerner . Danielle . Astros have 5 players named to MLB All-Star Game roster . Houston Chronicle . July 10, 2022 . July 11, 2022.
  42. Web site: Kyle Tucker in the middle of some amazing company in this graphic from @ATTSportsNetSW. Twitter.com. July 15, 2022.
  43. News: Tucker's slam highlights 6-run fifth inning, Astros beat A's . ESPN.com . Associated Press . August 12, 2022 . August 13, 2022.
  44. News: Bregman 2 HRs, 2 doubles, 6 RBIs, Astros trample Chisox 21–5 . ESPN.com . August 18, 2022 . August 18, 2022 . Associated Press.
  45. News: Altuve, Mancini HR; Valdez, Astros hand Twins 5th straight L . ESPN.com . August 24, 2022 . August 25, 2022 . Associated Press.
  46. News: Santander, Hays, Kremer power O's past AL-leading Astros 3–1 . ESPN.com . Associated Press . August 27, 2022 . August 28, 2022.
  47. News: Rome . Chandler . A 20/20 milestone for Kyle Tucker after further review . Houston Chronicle . September 5, 2022 . September 6, 2022.
  48. News: Lerner . Danielle . Astros' Kyle Tucker reaches 100-RBI mark in win over Rays . Houston Chronicle . September 20, 2022 . September 20, 2022.
  49. News: Lerner . Danielle . Tampa natives Kyle Tucker, Lance McCullers Jr. fuel Astros' sweep of Rays . Houston Chronicle . September 21, 2022 . September 21, 2022.
  50. News: Verlander, bullpen keep Phils hitless until 9th in 10–0 win . ESPN.com . October 4, 2022 . October 5, 2022.
  51. Web site: Kyle Tucker Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More. Baseball-Reference.com.
  52. Web site: Major League Leaderboards » 2022 » Batters » Plate Discipline Statistics | FanGraphs Baseball. fangraphs.com.
  53. News: Criswell . Josh . 5 Astros named Silver Slugger finalists . Houston Chronicle . October 27, 2022 . October 27, 2022.
  54. News: Lerner . Danielle . A flip of the bat, then a flip of the script for Kyle Tucker . Houston Chronicle . October 29, 2022 . October 29, 2022.
  55. News: Rome . Chandler . Undisputed: 'It proves we're the best team in baseball ... They have nothing to say now.' . Houston Chronicle . November 5, 2022 . November 6, 2022.
  56. News: McTaggart . Brian . Tucker, Peña named first-time Gold Glove winners . MLB.com . November 1, 2022 . November 10, 2022.
  57. Web site: July 7, 2024 . Complete All-Star Game rosters include familiar faces, 32 first-timers . July 7, 2024 . MLB.com.
  58. Web site: Astros' Kyle Tucker: Moves to 60-day IL. August 1, 2024. cbssports.com. en.
  59. Van Doren . Kenny . Houston Astros' Tucker Commits to Team USA for World Baseball Classic . Sports Illustrated . August 27, 2022 . November 10, 2022.
  60. Web site: ALL-USA Watch: Plant's Kyle Tucker following his brother's career arc - USA Today High School Sports - USA Today High School Sports. USA Today High School Sports. May 15, 2015. June 9, 2015.
  61. Web site: Kyle Tucker awards . . November 25, 2021.