Jack Cust facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Cust |
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Cust with the Seattle Mariners
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| Designated hitter / Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 7, 1979 Flemington, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 26, 2001, for the Arizona Diamondbacks | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 27, 2011, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .242 | ||
| Home runs | 105 | ||
| Runs batted in | 323 | ||
| Teams | |||
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John Joseph Cust III, born on January 7, 1979, is a former American professional baseball player. He was a designated hitter and outfielder. Jack, as he's known, played in Major League Baseball (MLB). His teams included the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Jack Cust grew up in a baseball family. His dad, Jack Sr., played college baseball. His brothers, Kevin and Mike, also played in the minor leagues. Jack went to Immaculata High School in Somerville, New Jersey. In 1997, he was a top high school player. He was named a first-team High School All-American at first base. Jack first planned to play college baseball for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Minor League Journey
In 1997, after high school, the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted Jack. He was the 30th player picked overall. He quickly showed his skill, getting on base nearly half the time in his first 35 games.
Jack became a Pioneer League All-Star in 1998. He led the league in walks, on-base percentage, and runs scored. The next year, 1999, he was a star in the California League. He led that league in home runs, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Baseball America named him a top minor league player. He was also the Diamondbacks' Minor League Player of the Year.
In 2000, Jack continued to excel. He led the Texas League in walks. By 2001, he was a Pacific Coast League All-Star. He led that league with 102 walks. In 2002, he was named the MVP of the Triple-A All-Star Game.
His best minor league year was 2006. He led all minor leagues with 143 walks. He also hit 30 home runs. Over 11 seasons in the minor leagues, Jack hit 200 home runs. He had a strong batting average of .286 and an excellent on-base percentage of .429. He was known for hitting a home run about every 19 times at bat. He also earned about one walk per game.
Major League Career Highlights
Starting Out in MLB
Jack Cust made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on September 26, 2001. He played for the Arizona Diamondbacks. On his 23rd birthday, January 7, 2002, he was traded. He went from the Diamondbacks to the Colorado Rockies.
Jack spent most of 2002 with the Rockies' Triple-A team. He played in 35 games for the main Rockies team. He hit one home run during this time.
Time with the Baltimore Orioles
In March 2003, the Rockies traded Jack to the Baltimore Orioles. He played 28 games for the Orioles over two seasons. Most of his time was spent with their Triple-A team, the Ottawa Lynx.
Becoming an Oakland Athletic
Jack signed with the Oakland Athletics in November 2004. He spent the entire 2005 season in Triple-A. After that, he became a free agent. In December 2005, he signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres. He only had three at-bats for them in 2006.
Jack started the 2007 season with the Padres' Triple-A team. On May 3, 2007, the Padres traded him to the Oakland Athletics. The A's needed a designated hitter because of an injury to Mike Piazza. Jack quickly became a fan favorite. He hit 6 home runs in his first 7 games with the A's. He also had 14 RBI during that time.
On May 13, 2007, Jack hit a special home run. With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, he hit a walk-off 3-run homer. This helped the A's win 10–7 against the Cleveland Indians. For his great play that week, Jack shared the American League Player of the Week award.
On August 10, Jack hit his first major league grand slam. He also hit a 3-run double earlier in the game. This gave him a career-high 7 RBI in one game. He finished the 2007 season leading the Athletics with 26 home runs. He also led all of Major League Baseball in walks.
In 2008, Jack set an AL record. He had the most strikeouts in one season with 187. However, he also led the American League with 111 walks. This showed his unique style of play.
In January 2010, Jack re-signed with the Oakland Athletics. He was later sent to their Triple-A team. On May 15, he was called back up to the main team. On September 13, Jack hit his 100th career home run. This helped the Athletics win 3–1 against the Kansas City Royals.
Later Career Teams
After the 2010 season, Jack became a free agent again. On December 8, 2010, he signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners released him on July 29, 2011.
Jack then signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies in August 2011. He was released a week later. He also signed minor league deals with the Houston Astros in 2012 and the New York Yankees shortly after. He played for the Yankees' Triple-A team. Later in 2012, he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays and played for their Triple-A team.
In 2013, Jack signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays. He attended their spring training but was released in March. After a year away from baseball, he signed another minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles in February 2014. However, he was released a month later.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players named in the Mitchell Report
