Courtney Hawkins (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Courtney Hawkins |
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Hawkins with the Lexington Legends in 2021
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| Charleston Dirty Birds – No. 24 | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 12, 1993 Corpus Christi, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 30, 2023, for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks | |||
| NPB statistics (through 2023 season) |
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| Batting average | .000 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Courtney James Hawkins (born November 12, 1993) is an American professional baseball outfielder. He currently plays for the Charleston Dirty Birds in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He has also played in Japan for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
Starting Out in Baseball
Courtney Hawkins grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. He went to Mary Carroll High School there. In his final year of high school, he was named the Texas Gatorade High School Baseball Player of the Year. This award goes to the best high school baseball player in the state. ESPN also ranked him as the fifth-best high school player in his class. He had planned to play college baseball at the University of Texas at Austin.
Playing Pro Baseball
With the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox picked Hawkins in the first round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 13th player chosen overall. He began his professional career with the Bristol White Sox. In 38 games, he hit three home runs and had 16 runs batted in (RBIs).
Later in 2012, he moved up to the Kannapolis Intimidators. He hit four home runs and had 15 RBIs in 16 games. He finished his first year with the Winston-Salem Dash. Overall, he hit eight home runs and had 33 RBIs in 59 games.
At the start of the 2013 season, Hawkins was seen as the White Sox's top young player. Baseball America ranked him as the 55th best young player in all of baseball. He spent the entire 2013 season with the Winston-Salem Dash. He faced some challenges that year.
Hawkins returned to Winston-Salem in 2014. He hit 19 home runs and had 84 RBIs. In 2015 and 2016, he played for the Birmingham Barons. He continued to hit home runs and drive in runs. In 2017, he played for a few different teams. The White Sox organization released him in April 2018.
Joining the Sugar Land Skeeters
After leaving the White Sox, Hawkins signed with the Sugar Land Skeeters. This team is part of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He played 88 games for the Skeeters. He hit 18 home runs and had 72 RBIs. He also stole 12 bases.
A Short Time with the Cincinnati Reds
In August 2018, the Cincinnati Reds bought Hawkins' contract. He played for the Daytona Tortugas. He hit two home runs and had four RBIs in 17 games. In 2019, he played briefly for the Chattanooga Lookouts and Louisville Bats. He was released by the Reds in May 2019.
Back with the Skeeters
Hawkins rejoined the Sugar Land Skeeters in May 2019. He played only three games, hitting two home runs.
Playing for the San Francisco Giants
Soon after, the San Francisco Giants purchased his contract. He was assigned to the San Jose Giants. In August 2019, he had an amazing game. He tied team records with five hits and three home runs in one game. He also had six RBIs in that game. In 88 games for San Jose, he hit 21 home runs and had 59 RBIs. He became a free agent in November.
In July 2020, Hawkins played for the Skeeters again. This was in a special league created during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was chosen for the league's all-star team.
Becoming a Legend with Lexington
On May 4, 2021, Hawkins signed with the Lexington Legends. They are also in the Atlantic League. In Game 4 of the league's championship series, Hawkins was a star. He hit three home runs in one game. This helped the Legends win their first league championship. Hawkins was named the most valuable player of the series.
In 2022, Hawkins had an incredible season for Lexington. He played 127 games. He hit 48 home runs and had 125 RBIs. He was named an Atlantic League All-Star. He also won the Atlantic League Player of the Year award. Baseball America named him the 2022 Independent Player Of The Year.
Playing in Japan
On December 21, 2022, Hawkins signed with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. This team plays in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. He played in three games for the Hawks in 2023. He had one RBI. In December, the Hawks announced he would not return to the team.
A Stint in Mexico
On April 22, 2024, Hawkins signed with the Pericos de Puebla. This team is in the Mexican League. He played seven games for them. He had one RBI. He was released by the team in May.
Current Team: Charleston Dirty Birds
On May 17, 2024, Hawkins signed with the Charleston Dirty Birds. This is another team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In his first 16 games for Charleston, he hit five home runs and had 14 RBIs.
