Mitch Moreland
Encyclopedia
Mitchell Austin Moreland (born 6 September 1985, in Amory, Mississippi
) is a professional baseball
first baseman
and right fielder
who plays for the Texas Rangers
.
He attended Mississippi State University
, and was drafted by the Rangers in the 17th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
. He is also the third cousin of shock jock Gordon Keith
.
In Moreland began his professional career with the Short-Season Spokane Indians
of the Northwest League
. He batted
.259 with 28 hits
, seven doubles
, one triple
, two home runs and 15 RBIs.
The following season, Moreland joined the Class-A Clinton LumberKings
of the Midwest League
and hit .324 with 37 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 99 RBIs and two stolen bases. He was named to the Mid-Season Midwest League All-Star Team on June 17 and the Post-Season Midwest League All-Star Team on August 26.
Moreland played in two different levels of the Rangers' organization in . He started the season with the Class-A Advanced Bakersfield Blaze
and hit .341 with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 26 RBIs. He was promoted to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders
where he batted .326 with 19 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 59 RBIs. Moreland was assigned to the Arizona Fall League
at the end of the season and played for the Surprise Rafters
. He was named the "Tom Grieve
Minor League Player of the Year" by the Texas Rangers after the season.
On January 16, , Moreland was invited to spring training
by the Texas Rangers
.
Moreland played with the Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) in the 2010 season until July 29. As of July 29, he had a season batting average of .289 with the RedHawks.
On July 29, 2010, Moreland was called up by the Rangers to take the place of Ian Kinsler, who was put on the disabled list. He achieved his first Major League hit in his first at-bat, hitting a single against Oakland Athletics
pitcher Vin Mazzaro
. He finished the game 2–4, with two singles, as the Rangers won 7–4.
On August 4, Moreland batted in his first run of his major league career. Along with the RBI, he went 2–5 with a run scored that night in the Rangers' 11–6 win over the Seattle Mariners
. The next day, Moreland went hitless in two at-bats for the first time, although he did walk twice, but had his first multi-RBI game days later against the Yankees
and his first home run on August 13, a two-run shot off of Josh Beckett
of the Red Sox
.
On September 26, Moreland had his first multi-home run game of his major league career, hitting his sixth and seventh home runs of the year, in a 16–9 win over the Oakland Athletics
.
On October 30, 2010, Moreland hit a second inning, three-run home run off of San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez
to put the Rangers ahead 3–0 in Game 3 of the World Series.He is the first Rangers player in 2010 World Series to hit a homerun.
On June 21, 2011, Moreland hit his first career walk off homerun off of Enerio Del Rosario of the Houston Astros.
In 2011, he batted .259 with 16 home runs.
Amory, Mississippi
Amory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. The population is 6,956 as of the 2000 census.-History:Amory was the first planned city in Mississippi. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad needed a mid-point between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham, Alabama for their...
) is a professional baseball
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...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
who plays for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
He attended Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
, and was drafted by the Rangers in the 17th round of the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft
2007 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2007 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 7 and June 8, 2007...
. He is also the third cousin of shock jock Gordon Keith
Gordon Keith
Gordon Keith is an American radio host on KTCK SportsRadio 1310 AM "The Ticket" in Dallas, Texas. He has shared hosting duties with George Dunham and Craig "Junior" Miller since 1995.-Career:...
.
Professional career
In 2005, Moreland played for a collegiate league team called the Danville Dans in Danville, Illinois.In Moreland began his professional career with the Short-Season Spokane Indians
Spokane Indians
The Spokane Indians are a minor league baseball team located in Spokane, Washington, United States. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Texas Rangers since 2003. The Indians play home games at Avista Stadium...
of the Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
. He batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.259 with 28 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, seven doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, one triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, two home runs and 15 RBIs.
The following season, Moreland joined the Class-A Clinton LumberKings
Clinton LumberKings
The Clinton LumberKings are a Midwest League Class A minor league baseball team based in Clinton, Iowa, USA, affiliated with the Seattle Mariners.-History:Clinton joined the Midwest League in 1954 and is the oldest franchise in the league...
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
and hit .324 with 37 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 99 RBIs and two stolen bases. He was named to the Mid-Season Midwest League All-Star Team on June 17 and the Post-Season Midwest League All-Star Team on August 26.
Moreland played in two different levels of the Rangers' organization in . He started the season with the Class-A Advanced Bakersfield Blaze
Bakersfield Blaze
The Bakersfield Blaze are a minor league baseball team in Bakersfield, California, USA. They are a Class A – Advanced team in the California League and are a farm team of the Cincinnati Reds. The Bakersfield Blaze play their home games at Historic Sam Lynn Ballpark...
and hit .341 with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 26 RBIs. He was promoted to the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders
Frisco RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are currently the Class AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers major league baseball club. The team plays in the Texas League, assigned to the South Division. Prior to 2003, the franchise was based in Shreveport, Louisiana, and were known as the Shreveport Captains...
where he batted .326 with 19 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 59 RBIs. Moreland was assigned to 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...
at the end of the season and played for the Surprise Rafters
Surprise Rafters
The Salt River Rafters are a baseball team that plays in the West Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick near Scottsdale, Arizona....
. He was named the "Tom Grieve
Tom Grieve
Thomas Alan Grieve was a Major League Baseball player from 1970-1979 for the Washington Senators, Texas Rangers, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals...
Minor League Player of the Year" by the Texas Rangers after the season.
On January 16, , Moreland was invited to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
by the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Moreland played with the Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) in the 2010 season until July 29. As of July 29, he had a season batting average of .289 with the RedHawks.
On July 29, 2010, Moreland was called up by the Rangers to take the place of Ian Kinsler, who was put on the disabled list. He achieved his first Major League hit in his first at-bat, hitting a single against Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
pitcher Vin Mazzaro
Vin Mazzaro
Vincent Michael "Vin" Mazzaro is a baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.-Early years:...
. He finished the game 2–4, with two singles, as the Rangers won 7–4.
On August 4, Moreland batted in his first run of his major league career. Along with the RBI, he went 2–5 with a run scored that night in the Rangers' 11–6 win over 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...
. The next day, Moreland went hitless in two at-bats for the first time, although he did walk twice, but had his first multi-RBI game days later against the Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and his first home run on August 13, a two-run shot off of Josh Beckett
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award with the Florida Marlins, and received the 2007 ALCS MVP award with the Red Sox.-Florida Marlins :A...
of the Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
.
On September 26, Moreland had his first multi-home run game of his major league career, hitting his sixth and seventh home runs of the year, in a 16–9 win over the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
On October 30, 2010, Moreland hit a second inning, three-run home run off of San Francisco's Jonathan Sanchez
Jonathan Sanchez
Jonathan O. Sánchez is a Puerto Rican Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals....
to put the Rangers ahead 3–0 in Game 3 of the World Series.He is the first Rangers player in 2010 World Series to hit a homerun.
On June 21, 2011, Moreland hit his first career walk off homerun off of Enerio Del Rosario of the Houston Astros.
In 2011, he batted .259 with 16 home runs.