Joey Butler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joey Butler |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Butler with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2014
|
|||
| Designated hitter / Left fielder | |||
| Born: March 12, 1986 Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| August 7, 2013, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 2015, for the Tampa Bay Rays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Hits | 75 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 31 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Joey Butler, born on March 12, 1986, is a former American baseball player. He played as a designated hitter and left fielder. Joey played for several teams in Major League Baseball (MLB), like the Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays, and St. Louis Cardinals. He also played in Japan for the Orix Buffaloes in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
Did you know? Joey Butler is the only player since 1901 to hit two home runs in his very last major league game!
Contents
Early Life and College Baseball
Joey Butler grew up in Pascagoula, Mississippi. He went to Pascagoula High School. There, he was a great athlete, playing baseball, football, and basketball.
After high school, he went to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Then, he transferred to the University of New Orleans. At New Orleans, he played baseball with Johnny Giavotella. Their team even made it to the NCAA tournament twice! In college, Joey was a strong hitter, batting .342 over 119 games.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting with the Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers picked Joey Butler in the 15th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft. He started playing in the minor leagues as a right fielder. Even though he hit very well in college, some scouts worried about his defense.
He played for teams like the Spokane Indians and Bakersfield Blaze. In 2011, he hit a career-high 14 home runs. In 2012, he hit 20 home runs and had 78 RBI.
On August 5, 2013, the Rangers called Joey up to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter. He played in 8 games for the Rangers before moving on.
Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals
On October 3, 2013, the St. Louis Cardinals picked up Joey Butler. He was sent to their Triple-A team, the Memphis Redbirds.
He got called up to the Cardinals' main team on May 9, 2014. He played in 6 games for them. Soon after, he was released by the Cardinals to play baseball in Japan.
Time in Japan with Orix Buffaloes
After leaving the Cardinals, Joey Butler signed with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. This team is part of the Nippon Professional Baseball League. He made his debut in Japan on July 1, 2014.
He played in 21 games for the Buffaloes as a right fielder. He hit .231 with two home runs and six RBI. He became a free agent after that season.
Joining the Tampa Bay Rays
On January 10, 2015, Joey Butler signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. He started the year with their Triple-A team, the Durham Bulls.
He was called up to the major leagues on May 3, 2015. On May 4, he hit his first MLB home run! It was a two-run homer against Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz. He played in 88 games for the Rays, hitting .276 with 8 home runs and 30 RBI.
Later Career Teams
After his time with the Rays, Joey Butler was picked up by the Cleveland Indians in December 2015. He played for their Triple-A team, the Columbus Clippers. He finished the 2016 season with Columbus, hitting .240 with 8 home runs.
In 2017, Butler signed with the Washington Nationals. He played for their Triple-A team, the Syracuse Chiefs. He played in 28 games that year due to an injury. After the 2017 season, he became a free agent.
Personal Life
Joey Butler is married and has two children, a daughter and a son.
