Dustin Ackley
Encyclopedia
Dustin Michael Ackley is an American professional baseball
second baseman
with the Seattle Mariners
of Major League Baseball
. Ackley was drafted and selected second overall by the Mariners in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft
. He is a natural outfielder
, though he played first base his junior season after having Tommy John surgery
in August 2008. As of 2011, Dustin Ackley was considered the Mariner organization's top prospect.
where he pitched and played third base. Ackley also played three years at South Stokes High School. He earned preseason and postseason Louisville Slugger All-American honors as a senior. He was Conference Player of the Year as a junior. He helped South Stokes to North Carolina
1A state titles in and .
On the academics side of high school he was a member of the A Honor Roll.
. He enjoyed one of the finest offensive seasons in program history in . He set Carolina single-season records and led the nation with 119 hits, 296 at-bats and 73 games played. He started all 73 games, including 65 at first base. He hit .402 to become just the fifth Tar Heel to bat over .400 in a single season. His 74 runs set a UNC rookie record.
He was the national freshman of the year, earning top rookie billing from Baseball America
, Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. He claimed the S.H. Basnight Award as Carolina's most valuable position player. Ackley and the Tarheels made it to the final round of the College World Series
, losing to Oregon State
.
Ackley earned All-America honors for the second straight season. He also was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award
and on watch lists for the Dick Howser Trophy
and the Brooks Wallace Award
. He again won the S.H. Basnight Award.
. Ackley has the most hits in NCAA history in the College World Series.
He was a finalist for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award
(behind Stephen Strasburg
), given to the nation's top amateur baseball player.
. On August 17, prior to the midnight ET deadline, it was reported that Ackley signed a deal valued at $9.5 million with the Seattle Mariners; however, it was later confirmed that Ackley signed a five-year major league deal worth $7.5 million total: $6 million bonus, $1.5 million in guaranteed salaries, with another $2.5 million possible in salaries depending on how quick he reaches the majors.
The deal was later confirmed and an agreement was reached between the Mariners and his agent Scott Boras
about 15 minutes before the signing deadline. Ackley had this to say about the situation:
On August 31 Ackley and the Mariners officially signed his five-year major-league deal, worth at least $7.5 million. Ackley wore a Mariners uniform with the number 13, his college number at North Carolina. The Mariners held a news conference and Ackley met with the Mariners players in the clubhouse. Ken Griffey Jr. marveled loudly that he had found a player skinnier than outfielder Ichiro Suzuki
. Ackley also took batting practice as a part of the day's festivities. Ackley said this about the day:
Ackley was assigned to the Peoria Javelinas
of the Arizona Fall League
joining fellow prospects Phillippe Aumont
, Josh Fields
, Anthony Varvaro
, Nick Hill, Joe Dunigan, Carlos Triunfel
and Juan Díaz. Ackley was chosen as an Arizona Fall League Rising Star on November 2. On November 20, Ackley was named Arizona Fall League MVP.
Ackley made his debut at second base for the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx
(the Mariners' Southern League
AA affiliate) on April 8, 2010, the Southern League's opening day. Ackley led off, going 0-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
for his first major league start at second base on June 17, 2011.
Ackley hit a single in his first at bat against the Philadelphia Phillies
' Roy Oswalt
on June 17. Ackley recorded his fist major league home run on June 18 and his first major league triple on June 19. Ackley finished the season with a .273 average as he was voted MVP of the Seattle Mariners by the Seattle Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
with the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Ackley was drafted and selected second overall by the Mariners in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft
2009 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held June 9 to June 11 at the MLB Network Studios in New York City.The drafting order is as follows:-First-round selections:Key-Supplemental first-round selections:From Baseball America...
. He is a natural outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, though he played first base his junior season after having Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
in August 2008. As of 2011, Dustin Ackley was considered the Mariner organization's top prospect.
High school
Ackley attended North Forsyth High SchoolNorth Forsyth High School (North Carolina)
North Forsyth High School is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US. There are about 1,300 students in grades 9 through 12. The motto of the school is "learning together, now and forever". The mascot is a Viking. The school colors are Crimson, White, & Columbia Blue.-Academics:North Forsyth...
where he pitched and played third base. Ackley also played three years at South Stokes High School. He earned preseason and postseason Louisville Slugger All-American honors as a senior. He was Conference Player of the Year as a junior. He helped South Stokes to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
1A state titles in and .
On the academics side of high school he was a member of the A Honor Roll.
Freshman
Ackley attended the University of North CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
. He enjoyed one of the finest offensive seasons in program history in . He set Carolina single-season records and led the nation with 119 hits, 296 at-bats and 73 games played. He started all 73 games, including 65 at first base. He hit .402 to become just the fifth Tar Heel to bat over .400 in a single season. His 74 runs set a UNC rookie record.
He was the national freshman of the year, earning top rookie billing from Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
, Collegiate Baseball and Rivals.com. He claimed the S.H. Basnight Award as Carolina's most valuable position player. Ackley and the Tarheels made it to the final round of the College World Series
2007 College World Series
The 2007 College World Series was held from June 15–24, in Omaha, Nebraska. Eight NCAA Division I college baseball teams met at Rosenblatt Stadium after having played their way through a 64-team bracket. This was the 61st College World Series overall, and the 58th to be held in Omaha.Oregon State...
, losing to Oregon State
Oregon State Beavers baseball
The Oregon State Beavers baseball team represents Oregon State University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the Pacific-10 Conference. They are currently coached by Pat Casey and assistant coaches Marty Lees, David Wong, and Pat Bailey. They play home games in Goss...
.
Sophomore
In Ackley started all 68 games, 60 at first base and eight in left field. He hit .417 on the season with a school-record 82 runs scored, seven home runs, 51 RBI and 19 stolen bases. He ranks as the only player in Carolina history to hit over .400 twice in a career and also posted Carolina top-10 single-season totals in hits, walks, total bases and at-bats. Ackley once again participated in the 2008 College World Series2008 College World Series
The 2008 College World Series was held June 14 through June 25, in Omaha, Nebraska. Eight NCAA Division I college baseball teams met after having played their way through a 64-team bracket to play at historic Rosenblatt Stadium...
Ackley earned All-America honors for the second straight season. He also was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
and on watch lists for the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
and the Brooks Wallace Award
Brooks Wallace Award
The Brooks Wallace Award is an award given by the College Baseball Foundation to the best college baseball shortstop of the year. The award has been given annually since 2004. Until 2008 the award was presented to the nation's most outstanding player; however in 2009 the recipient list was changed...
. He again won the S.H. Basnight Award.
Junior
He again participated in the 2009 College World Series2009 College World Series
The 2009 College World Series began on June 13, and was held through June 24, 2009 in Omaha, Nebraska at historic Rosenblatt Stadium. As part of the 2009 collegiate baseball season, eight NCAA Division I college baseball teams met after having played their way through a 64-team bracket to crown a...
. Ackley has the most hits in NCAA history in the College World Series.
He was a finalist for the 2009 Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
(behind Stephen Strasburg
Stephen Strasburg
Stephen James Strasburg is a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals, who selected him with the first pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft...
), given to the nation's top amateur baseball player.
2009: Draft and signing
He was the second selection in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft2009 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held June 9 to June 11 at the MLB Network Studios in New York City.The drafting order is as follows:-First-round selections:Key-Supplemental first-round selections:From Baseball America...
. On August 17, prior to the midnight ET deadline, it was reported that Ackley signed a deal valued at $9.5 million with the Seattle Mariners; however, it was later confirmed that Ackley signed a five-year major league deal worth $7.5 million total: $6 million bonus, $1.5 million in guaranteed salaries, with another $2.5 million possible in salaries depending on how quick he reaches the majors.
The deal was later confirmed and an agreement was reached between the Mariners and his agent Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
about 15 minutes before the signing deadline. Ackley had this to say about the situation:
On August 31 Ackley and the Mariners officially signed his five-year major-league deal, worth at least $7.5 million. Ackley wore a Mariners uniform with the number 13, his college number at North Carolina. The Mariners held a news conference and Ackley met with the Mariners players in the clubhouse. Ken Griffey Jr. marveled loudly that he had found a player skinnier than outfielder Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki
, usually known simply as is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262...
. Ackley also took batting practice as a part of the day's festivities. Ackley said this about the day:
Ackley was assigned to the Peoria Javelinas
Peoria Javelinas
The Peoria Javelinas, established in 1992, are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. The Javelinas play their home games in the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona, which is a spring training site for both the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners.For...
of the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
joining fellow prospects Phillippe Aumont
Phillippe Aumont
Phillippe Aumont is a minor league professional baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners 11th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft...
, Josh Fields
Josh Fields (pitcher)
Joshua Fields is an American baseball pitcher in the Boston Red Sox organization.Fields Played four seasons for the University of Georgia, 2005–08, Selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2007 draft but choose to return to school, then was selected 20th overall in the first round...
, Anthony Varvaro
Anthony Varvaro
Anthony Michael Varvaro is a Major League Baseball pitcher currently in the Atlanta Braves organization. He was the Mariners' 12th round selection in the June 2005 Major League Baseball Draft; signed by Mariners scout David May.Varvaro graduated from Curtis High School in New York City in June...
, Nick Hill, Joe Dunigan, Carlos Triunfel
Carlos Triunfel
Carlos Triunfel is a professional baseball shortstop who is currently on the Seattle Mariners 40-man roster.-Seattle Mariners:...
and Juan Díaz. Ackley was chosen as an Arizona Fall League Rising Star on November 2. On November 20, Ackley was named Arizona Fall League MVP.
2010: Move to second base
First reported by the Mariners' infield instructors, Ackley will be trying to play second base. He came to University of North Carolina as a shortstop but later moved to centerfield, and then later to first base. UNC coach Mike Fox first tried to play Ackley at second base, but later settled in the outfield. Fox said of the transition, "I think he has the athletic skills to make it work."Ackley made his debut at second base for the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx
West Tenn Diamond Jaxx
The Jackson Generals are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. The team is located in Jackson, Tennessee, and plays their home games at Pringles Park; opened in 1998, the park currently holds 6,000 fans.From their inaugural season...
(the Mariners' Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
AA affiliate) on April 8, 2010, the Southern League's opening day. Ackley led off, going 0-4 with a walk and a strikeout.
2011: Call-up
The Mariners promoted Ackley from the Tacoma RainiersTacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Pacific Coast League , and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners...
for his first major league start at second base on June 17, 2011.
Ackley hit a single in his first at bat against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
' Roy Oswalt
Roy Oswalt
Roy Edward Oswalt is an American Major League Baseball pitcher and Olympic gold medalist who is currently a free agent. Oswalt, a slender six-foot right-handed starting pitcher, is currently in his eleventh major league season...
on June 17. Ackley recorded his fist major league home run on June 18 and his first major league triple on June 19. Ackley finished the season with a .273 average as he was voted MVP of the Seattle Mariners by the Seattle Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.