Chris Latham (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chris Latham |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 26, 1973 Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 12, 1997, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| NPB: May 13, 2003, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: April 18, 2003, for the New York Yankees | |||
| NPB: October 7, 2003, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .202 | ||
| Home runs | 3 | ||
| Runs batted in | 19 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .221 | ||
| Home runs | 7 | ||
| Runs batted in | 17 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Christopher Joseph Latham, born on May 26, 1973, is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder for several teams. Chris was a switch hitter, meaning he could bat from both sides of the plate. He was 6 feet tall and threw with his right hand.
Chris Latham's Baseball Journey
Chris Latham started his baseball journey playing at Basic High School in Henderson, Nevada. In 1991, the Los Angeles Dodgers picked him in the amateur draft. He was the 300th player chosen that year.
In 1994, Chris had a fantastic season with the Yakima Bears. He set a team record with a .340 batting average. This means he got a hit almost 34% of the time he was at bat! He also became an All-Star in the Northwest League.
Major League Debut
In 1995, there was a time when professional baseball players were not playing. Some teams tried to use other players for spring training. Chris Latham was one of these players for the Dodgers. However, the main players returned before any regular games were played.
On October 30, 1995, Chris was traded to the Minnesota Twins. This trade was part of a bigger deal that happened earlier that year. He made his first major league appearance with the Twins on April 12, 1997. He entered the game as a pinch runner for Todd Walker.
Chris played for the Twins for parts of three seasons. He then moved to the Colorado Rockies in December 1999.
Playing for Different Teams
Chris spent the entire 2000 season playing at the AAA level. After that, he joined the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He had his best major league season with the Blue Jays in 2001. He batted .274 and showed great skill in getting on base.
After another season in AAA, he briefly played for the New York Yankees in 2003. Later that year, he signed with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.
In 2005, Chris played for the independent Bridgeport Bluefish team. He also represented the United States in the 2005 World Cup of Baseball. He was one of four outfielders on the American team.
