Corbin Franklin Carroll (born August 21, 2000) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). The Diamondbacks selected Carroll 16th overall in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2022. In 2023, Carroll was an MLB All-Star and was named the National League Rookie of the Year en route to winning Arizona's first National League pennant since 2001.

Corbin Carroll
Carroll in 2023
Arizona Diamondbacks – No. 7
Outfielder
Born: (2000-08-21) August 21, 2000 (age 24)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 29, 2022, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.258
Home runs51
Runs batted in164
Stolen bases91
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
COPABE U-18 Pan-American Championship
Gold medal – first place 2018 Panama Team

Early life

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Corbin Franklin Carroll was born on August 21, 2000, in Seattle, Washington,[1] to Brant and Pey-Lin Carroll.[2] He is biracial; his father is Irish-American, and his mother was born in Taiwan and moved to Louisiana with her parents at the age of four.[3] Carroll has a younger sister who went to Holy Names Academy and became a soccer player. The family grew up in an Asian-American neighborhood in Seattle.[4] Carroll participated in cross-country sports to improve his speed.[5]

Amateur career

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Carroll played on the USA 18U National Team that won Gold in the 2018 COPABE Pan-American Championships. He attended Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington.[6][7][8] As a senior in 2019, he hit .540 with nine home runs and a 1.859 OPS.[6] He committed to play college baseball at UCLA.[9]

Professional career

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Draft and minor leagues

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The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Carroll with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[10][11] He signed for $3.7 million and was assigned to the Arizona League Diamondbacks to make his professional debut.[12][13][14] After batting .291 with two home runs, 14 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases over 31 games, he was promoted to the Hillsboro Hops on August 8.[15] Over 11 games with Hillsboro, he batted .326 with six RBIs.[16] Between the two teams, he batted .299/.409/.487 in 154 at bats, with 18 stolen bases in 19 attempts.[17]

Carroll did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] He returned to Hillsboro to begin the 2021 season. However, in early May, Carroll injured his shoulder while hitting a home run and later underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.[19][20][21] At the time, he was 10-for-23 (.435) for the season.[17]

Carroll opened the 2022 season with the Amarillo Sod Poodles.[22] In early July, he was promoted to the Reno Aces.[23] With three minor league teams in 2022 he batted .307/.425/.611 in 362 at bats with 24 home runs and 31 steals in 36 attempts.[17]

Arizona Diamondbacks (2022–present)

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2022

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The Diamondbacks promoted Carroll to the major leagues on August 29, 2022.[24] He made his debut later that day, against the Philadelphia Phillies. He went 1–for-5 with a two-RBI double.[25] On September 7, Carroll hit his first career home run, a solo shot off of San Diego Padres starter Yu Darvish.[26] In 2022 with Arizona, he batted .260/.330/.500 in 104 at bats, playing primarily left field, and was the seventh-youngest ballplayer in the National League.[27] He had the fastest sprint speed of any major league player, at 30.7 feet/second.[28][29]

2023

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On March 11, 2023, Carroll signed a contract extension worth $111 million over eight years with the Diamondbacks.[30] Carroll immediately made an impact for the Diamondbacks to begin the 2023 season, hitting .309 with a .910 OPS and 10 stolen bases in the month of April.[31] On June 1 against the Colorado Rockies, Carroll hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning, marking the first walk-off hit of his career.[32] Carroll hit his first career grand slam on June 9 against the Detroit Tigers, and later won the National League Rookie of the Month for June, hitting .291 with eight homers, 22 RBIs, and eight steals.[33] On June 29, it was announced Carroll would be a starting outfielder in the 2023 All-Star Game in his hometown of Seattle, marking his first career All-Star appearance.[34][35]

In his first full season in the majors, Carroll slashed .285/.362/.506 with 30 doubles, 10 triples, 25 homers, 76 RBI, 57 walks, and 54 stolen bases in 155 games.[36] He became the first rookie in major league history to record 25 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season.[37] He also became the first player ever to have 10+ triples, 25+ doubles, 25+ home runs, and 50+ stolen bases in a single season.[31] Carroll won the National League Rookie of the Year Award by a unanimous vote, becoming the first Diamondbacks player to win the award (the Diamondbacks were the only remaining franchise not to win it at the time).[38] He was also named to the All-MLB First Team as an outfielder and finished fifth in NL MVP voting.[39]

Carroll helped the Diamondbacks advance to the 2023 postseason, where they faced the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card Series. Down 3–0 early in game 1, Carroll hit a 444-foot, two-run home run to spark six unanswered Diamondback runs as they won 6–3.[40] Carroll and the Diamondbacks closed out the Brewers in game 2 and swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series, with Carroll boasting a slash line of .412/.565/.824 across the five games.[31] In the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies, Carroll struggled with a .222 average and a .489 OPS, but he turned it around in game 7, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two stolen bases, becoming the second-youngest player in MLB history (behind Ty Cobb in the 1908 World Series) to achieve at least three hits and two steals in a playoff game.[41] Carroll reached the 2023 World Series in his first full season with the Diamondbacks, where they lost in five games to the Texas Rangers, with Carroll driving in four runs in the series.[31]

2024

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Carroll in 2024

In the first half of the 2024 season, Carroll's performance declined significantly. Prior to the All-Star Game, Carroll had a dismal batting average of .212 with only five home runs, 32 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases through 94 games.[42] This was a sharp dropoff compared to the first half of his rookie season, in which Carroll batted .289 with 18 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases before the All-Star Game. Carroll achieved his first-half rookie numbers in 86 games, eight games fewer than in 2024, further highlighting his sophomore slump.[43]

In the second half of the 2024 season, Carroll turned his power numbers around by focusing on making better contact and driving the ball in the air. Following a .334 slugging percentage and five home runs at the All-Star break, Carroll slugged .660 with 14 homers in the first 40 games following the All-Star break, including a surge in power against high-velocity fastballs.[44] On July 29 against the Washington Nationals, Carroll hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run to cap off a five-run ninth-inning rally as the Diamondbacks won 9–8. The home run marked Carroll's first career walk-off home run.[45]

On August 16, Carroll hit a two-out, two-run home run off closer Pete Fairbanks of the Tampa Bay Rays in the ninth to tie the game, but the Diamondbacks ultimately lost in extra innings.[46] On August 28, he hit two home runs against the New York Mets, including a two-out go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning against closer Edwin Diaz to lead the Diamondbacks to an 8–5 victory.[47] Carroll was later named the NL Player of the Month for August, slashing .280/.342/.700 with 11 homers, 24 RBI, and 30 runs scored in the month.[48]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Corbin Carroll Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  2. ^ Chiusano, Scott (April 6, 2023). "Even big leaguers get dropped off by their parents". MLB.com.
  3. ^ Holmes, C. J. (July 11, 2019). "'I knew I was ready': Diamondbacks top pick, Corbin Carroll, launches his pro career". The Athletic.
  4. ^ "Corbin Carroll makes history as the first Asian American MLB Rookie of the Year". November 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "Corbin Carroll talks MLB Fight, Kevin Durant, & More: On Base with Mookie Betts, Ep. 9". August 5, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Star Times baseball: Lakeside's Corbin Carroll in elite class for players from Washington". seattletimes.com. The Seattle Times. May 20, 2019. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
  7. ^ "Lakeside's Corbin Carroll named Gatorade state baseball player of the year". seattletimes.com. The Seattle Times. May 23, 2019.
  8. ^ 林宏翰 (September 22, 2022). "台美混血卡洛爾登大聯盟 從媽媽身上學到聰明打球". Central News Agency. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "Corbin Carroll Class of 2019 - Player Profile | Perfect Game USA". Perfect Game.
  10. ^ "Diamondbacks loading up on pitchers with early MLB draft picks". azcentral.com. June 3, 2019.
  11. ^ "Lakeside outfielder Corbin Carroll selected by Arizona Diamondbacks in first round of MLB draft". The Seattle Times. June 3, 2019. Retrieved on June 15, 2019.
  12. ^ "D-backs sign first-round picks Corbin Carroll, Blake Walston". azsports.com. June 20, 2019.
  13. ^ Piecoro, Nick; Fitzgerald, Katherine. "Diamondbacks sign draftees Carroll and Walston; Lamb heads to Reno". azcentral.
  14. ^ "Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll: Heading to rookie league". cbssports.com. June 22, 2019.
  15. ^ Horton, Joshua (August 11, 2019). "Lakeside grad impresses in his return to the Northwest". heraldnet.com.
  16. ^ Evanson, Wade. "Hillsboro Hops all smiles at Media Day". pamplinmedia.com.
  17. ^ a b c "Corbin Carroll Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  18. ^ West, Jenna (June 30, 2020). "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled". Sports Illustrated.
  19. ^ Mark Polishuk. "D'Backs Prospect Corbin Carroll To Miss Rest Of 2021 Season". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  20. ^ "Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll ready to show he is still a dynamic prospect". AZCentral.com. February 25, 2022.
  21. ^ "Arizona Diamondbacks prospect Corbin Carroll gets scout's look at big league games". AZCentral.com. October 31, 2021.
  22. ^ "Amarillo Sod Poodles Opening Day Roster Revealed". MiLB.com. April 6, 2022.
  23. ^ "Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll: Advances to Triple-A". CBSSports.com. July 9, 2022.
  24. ^ Snyder, Matt (August 29, 2022). "Diamondbacks call up top prospect Corbin Carroll ahead of series opener vs. Phillies". CBSSports.com. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  25. ^ "Carroll debuts, fuels biggest comeback in D-backs history". MLB.com. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  26. ^ "D-backs' Corbin Carroll gets silent treatment after 1st career home run". arizonasports.com. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  27. ^ "Corbin Carroll Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com.
  28. ^ "Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard". baseballsavant.com.
  29. ^ "Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard". baseballsavant.com.
  30. ^ Gilbert, Steve (March 11, 2023). "Top prospect Carroll signs 8-year extension with D-backs". MLB.com.
  31. ^ a b c d Oliver, Jake. "Recap of the Historical Rookie Season for Corbin Carroll". si.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  32. ^ Rice, Wiils. "Corbin Carroll hits 1st-career walk-off, D-backs fashionably sweep Rockies". arizonasports.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  33. ^ Kuebel, Tom. "D-backs All-Star Corbin Carroll named NL Rookie of the Month". arizonasports.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  34. ^ Jude, Adam (June 29, 2023). "Diamondbacks rookie, Lakeside grad Corbin Carroll selected NL starter for All-Star Game in Seattle". Seattle Times. Retrieved July 10, 2023. Republished by the Yakima Herald
  35. ^ Gilbert, Steve (June 29, 2023). "NL ROY favorite Carroll earns starting nod at All-Star Game". MLB.com. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
  36. ^ Lavallee, Chris. "Top 10 Players Under 25 Entering 2024". insidethediamonds.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  37. ^ "Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll becomes first rookie in MLB history to record 25 home runs, 50 stolen bases". CBSSports.com. September 20, 2023.
  38. ^ Gilbert, Steve (November 13, 2023). "Carroll takes home D-backs' first Rookie of Year Award unanimously". MLB.com. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  39. ^ "Here are the MVP Award vote totals". MLB.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  40. ^ Zimmerman, Kevin. "Carroll, Marte hit back-to-back HRs; Diamondbacks bullpen helps take Game 1 from Brewers". arizonasports.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  41. ^ Olson, Kellan. "Corbin Carroll posts historic 3-hit night in D-backs' Game 7 vs. Phillies". arizonasports.com. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  42. ^ "Corbin Carroll Stats Before The All-Star Game In 2024". StatMuse. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  43. ^ "Corbin Carroll Stats Before The All-Star Game In 2023". StatMuse. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  44. ^ Murphy, Brian. "How Corbin Carroll turned his season around at the plate". MLB.com. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  45. ^ D'Agostino, Alex. "Corbin Carroll's Walk-Off Home Run a "Catalyst" of D-backs' Resilience". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  46. ^ Piecoro, Nick. "Diamondbacks' win streak ends but Corbin Carroll's offensive turnaround continues". azcentral.com. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
  47. ^ Gilbert, Steve (August 29, 2024). "Carroll slams D-backs to victory with stunner vs. Mets". MLB.com. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  48. ^ D'Agostino, Alex (September 3, 2024). "Corbin Carroll Awarded National League Player of the Month Honors". SI.com. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by National League Player of the Month
August 2024
Succeeded by
Incumbent