Greg Golson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greg Golson |
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Golson with the Kansas City Royals in 2012 spring training
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: September 17, 1985 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 3, 2008, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2011, for the New York Yankees | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .195 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 2 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Gregory Joseph Golson (born September 17, 1985) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder. Greg was a first-round pick in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Phillies (2008), Texas Rangers (2009), and New York Yankees (2010–2011).
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Early Life and High School Baseball
Greg Golson grew up in Austin, Texas. He went to John B. Connally High School. Greg was a very talented baseball player. He even planned to play for the University of Texas.
In 2004, a magazine called Baseball America said he was one of the best players for the MLB Draft. He was ranked 29th overall. USA Today also picked him for their All-USA High School Baseball Team. He was on the team with future MLB stars like Justin Upton.
Years later, in 2015, Greg's old high school honored him. They retired his jersey number, #15. This means no other player at the school will wear that number again.
Starting His Professional Baseball Journey
Joining the Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies chose Greg Golson as their 21st pick in the first round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft. After being drafted, Greg started playing for the Phillies' rookie team. He played well, hitting for a .295 batting average. He also stole 12 bases in 47 games. After his first season, Baseball America called him the fourth-best young player in the Phillies' system.
Greg was known for his amazing speed. He stole over 100 bases during his time in the minor leagues. In an interview, Greg explained how he was so good at stealing bases. He said you have to watch the pitcher and catcher very carefully. You also need to understand the game situation. But he added that "speed is the big thing."
Climbing Through the Minor Leagues
In 2005, Greg played for the Lakewood BlueClaws. This was an A-level team in Lakewood, New Jersey. He hit .264 and stole 25 bases. Baseball America ranked him as the third-best prospect for the Phillies. This was his highest ranking ever.
The next year, 2006, Greg played mostly for Lakewood again. He also moved up to the Clearwater Threshers later in the season. He hit 13 home runs and had 48 runs batted in. After this season, he was ranked as the Phillies' 10th best young player.
Greg continued to improve in 2007. He played for Clearwater and then the Reading Phillies. He hit a combined 15 home runs. He also had 32 doubles and 5 triples. His batting average was .273, which was much better than the year before. He was even named a Florida State League All-Star.
Greg stayed with the Reading Phillies for the 2008 season. He was chosen as an Eastern League All-Star. He also played in the All-Star Futures Game. After a strong season, Greg was called up to the MLB by the Phillies on September 1.
He made his first MLB appearance on September 3. He was a pinch-runner for Pat Burrell. Greg often played as a late-game defensive player. He liked this role because he felt he could make a big impact. He said, "If you make a great catch that saves the game, people remember that for a long time." With the Phillies, Greg played in six games. He scored two runs and stole one base. He was not on the team's roster for the playoffs that year.
Moving to New Teams
Texas Rangers Experience
On November 20, 2008, the Phillies traded Greg to the Texas Rangers. He was traded for another player, John Mayberry, Jr.. The Phillies' general manager called it a trade of "speed for power."
Greg spent most of 2009 playing for the Oklahoma City RedHawks. This was the Rangers' Triple-A team. He was called up to the MLB team briefly in May. He played in one game before going back to Triple-A. With Oklahoma City, Greg hit .289 and stole six bases.
Playing for the New York Yankees
On January 26, 2010, Greg was traded to the New York Yankees. He was called up to the Yankees' MLB team on May 4. He got his first major league hit on May 12 against the Detroit Tigers. After a few games, he was sent back to Triple-A.
Greg was called up again on September 1. On September 14, he made an amazing play against the Tampa Bay Rays. He made a very strong throw from right field. This throw helped to get the speedy Carl Crawford out at third base. It was the final out of the game! Greg was even included on the Yankees' team for the playoffs that year.
In 2011, Greg spent most of his time with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. This was the Yankees' Triple-A team. He was called up to the MLB team twice that season. He was released by the Yankees in December.
Other Teams and Retirement
After the Yankees, Greg played for several other teams. He signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals in December 2011. Then, in March 2012, the Royals traded him to the Chicago White Sox. He played for the White Sox's Triple-A team, the Charlotte Knights. He hit .276 with 6 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
In 2013, Greg signed with the Colorado Rockies. He played for their Triple-A team, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox. Later that year, he joined the Lancaster Barnstormers. This team is part of an independent league. He even hit a home run in his very first game with them! He then signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves.
In 2014, Greg returned to the Lancaster Barnstormers. He had a great season, hitting .312. He also helped the Barnstormers win the championship that year!
He later played in the Mexican League for the Rojos del Aguila de Veracruz and the Tigres de Quintana Roo. He also played for the New Britain Bees and the Somerset Patriots in the Atlantic League. His last team was the Texas AirHogs in 2018.
Greg Golson retired from playing baseball after the 2019 season. After retiring, he started working for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He joined their professional scouting department.
