Dylan Carlson (baseball)

Dylan James Carlson (born October 23, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals. Selected by the Cardinals in the first round of the 2016 MLB draft, Carlson became one of the top prospects in baseball before making his MLB debut in 2020. He became the team's starting right fielder in 2021 and was a finalist for National League Rookie of the Year. The Cardinals traded him to the Rays in 2024.

Dylan Carlson
Carlson with the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays – No. 10
Outfielder
Born: (1998-10-23) October 23, 1998 (age 26)
Elk Grove, California, U.S.
Bats: Switch
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 15, 2020, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.237
Home runs37
Runs batted in175
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Amateur career

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Carlson attended Elk Grove High School in Elk Grove, California where he played baseball under his father, Jeff, and was teammates with Nick Madrigal, Rowdy Tellez, Dom Núñez, and Derek Hill.[1][2][3][4][5] He began playing on the varsity team as a 14-year-old freshman.[6] As a senior, he batted .407 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 36 games along with pitching to a 6–0 record with a 1.44 ERA.[7]

Professional career

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St. Louis Cardinals

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Minor leagues

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Carlson with the Palm Beach Cardinals in 2018.

Despite not being considered or named a Top 200 prospect for the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft by MLB.com, Carlson was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round, 33rd overall, of the 2016 MLB draft.[8] He rescinded his college commitment to California State University, Fullerton and agreed to a signing bonus of $1.35 million, which was $550,500 under the slot value.[9][10]

Carlson made his professional debut that same year with the Gulf Coast League Cardinals, batting .251 with three home runs and 22 RBI in 50 games. Carlson spent 2017 with the Peoria Chiefs where he slashed .240/.342/.347 with seven home runs and 42 RBI in 115 games.[11] He began the 2018 season with Peoria, and after batting .234 with two home runs and nine RBI in 13 games, was promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals.[12] Carlson finished the year with Palm Beach, slashing .247/.345/.386 with nine home runs and 53 RBI in 99 games.[13][14]

Carlson began the 2019 season with the Springfield Cardinals.[15][16] He was named a Texas League All-Star and participated in the Home Run Derby.[17] In July, he represented the Cardinals in the 2019 All-Star Futures Game alongside Nolan Gorman.[18][19] After slashing .281/.364/.518 with 21 home runs, 59 RBI, and 18 stolen bases over 108 games with Springfield, he was promoted to the Memphis Redbirds in August.[20] Following his promotion, Carlson was named the Texas League Player of the Year.[21] He played in 18 games with Memphis, batting .361 with five home runs and nine RBIs.[22] Over a total of 126 games between Springfield and Memphis, Carlson slashed .292/.372/.542 with 26 home runs, 68 RBI, and 20 stolen bases. He was originally selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Glendale Desert Dogs following the season,[23] but it was later announced he would not be participating.[24]

Major leagues

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Carlson in 2023

The Cardinals promoted Carlson to the major leagues on August 15, 2020, and he made his MLB debut that day against the Chicago White Sox.[25] On August 23, he hit his first career home run.[26] He finished the 2020 season slashing .200/.252/.364 with three home runs and 16 RBIs over 35 games.[27]

Carlson returned in 2021 as St. Louis' starting center fielder, taking over for the injured Harrison Bader.[28] When Bader returned from the injured list, Carlson moved to right field. On April 7, 2021, he hit his first career grand slam against Zach Pop of the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot Park.[29] Carlson finished the 2021 season with 542 at-bats over 149 games, slashing .266/.343/.437 with 18 home runs, 65 RBIs, and 31 doubles.[30] He was a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, alongside Jonathan India and Trevor Rogers.[31]

Carlson opened the 2022 season as the club's starting right fielder. In late May, he was placed on the injured list with a hamstring injury.[32] He was activated in early June.[33] Carlson hit the final of a record-tying four consecutive home runs between teammates on July 2, 2022, the 11th such occurrence in major league history. At Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Nolan Arenado, Nolan Gorman, Juan Yepez and Carlson all homered off Phillies starter Kyle Gibson with two outs in the first inning. It was the first time that the Cardinals had accomplished the feat, and the first time that it occurred in the first inning.[34] In early September, Carlson was placed on the injured list with a thumb sprain before being activated a little over a week later.[35] Over 432 at-bats in 128 games, he slashed .236/.316/.380 with eight home runs, 42 RBI, and 30 doubles.[36]

 
Carlson with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2023

In 2023, Carlson played in 76 games for St. Louis, batting .219/.318/.333 with five home runs, 27 RBI, and three stolen bases.[37] On August 12, 2023, Carlson was placed on the injured list with a left oblique strain and left ankle injury.[38] On September 13, manager Oliver Marmol announced that Carlson would undergo season–ending surgery on his left ankle.[39]

2024

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Carlson led the team in Spring Training with three home runs and 13 RBIs, before a collision with right fielder Jordan Walker with both chasing a fly ball on March 25. Carlson suffered an injury to his left shoulder after falling hard on the warning track after the collision, also hurting his hip and ankle.[40] An MRI exam that night revealed damage to his left shoulder, putting him on the IL for a few weeks.[41] In 59 games for the Cardinals, he batted .198/.275/.240 with no home runs and 11 RBI.

Tampa Bay Rays

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On July 30, 2024, the Cardinals traded Carlson to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Shawn Armstrong.[42]

Personal life

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Carlson's younger brother, Tanner, plays college baseball at the University of Texas at Austin.[43]

References

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  1. ^ Davidson, Joe (May 4, 2016). "Elk Grove's Dylan Carlson grows into big-league baseball prospect". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  2. ^ "Family fun: Dylan Carlson wins it for top-ranked Elk Grove High baseball team as parents take 'credit.'". Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  3. ^ "Team Carlson: Elk Grove High's first family of baseball". Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  4. ^ "Elk Grove Citizen : Archives > Sports > No summer rest for Carlson, EG baseball". Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  5. ^ "Elk Grove Baseball » EGHS Alums Lead Region's Growing MLB Footprint". August 19, 2020.
  6. ^ "Ortiz: Draft pick Carlson embodies his mother's spirit | St. Louis Cardinals | stltoday.com".
  7. ^ "Signed and psyched: Cardinals' first-round pick ready to roll". Belleville News-Democrat. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  8. ^ "Carlson 2nd prep star for Cards at No. 33". MLB.com. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  9. ^ Jenifer Langosch (June 14, 2016). "Cardinals, top pick Carlson reach deal". MLB.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  10. ^ "Cardinals' first-round pick Dylan Carlson ready to begin professional career | Belleville News-Democrat".
  11. ^ "Dylan Carlson Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  12. ^ Jones, Josh (April 25, 2018). "Cardinals Best News Links: Dylan Carlson Promoted From Single-A Peoria To A-Advanced Palm Beach; J.B. Woodman Reassigned From Palm Beach To Short-Season State College". Cardinalsbestnews.blogspot.com. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  13. ^ "Dylan Carlson Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  14. ^ Goold, Derrick. "St. Louis Cardinals Prospect Dylan Carlson Could Be Poised For Breakthrough". www.baseballamerica.com.
  15. ^ Goold, Derrick. "Only 20, Cardinals prospect Dylan Carlson draws attention with outfield defense". STLtoday.com.
  16. ^ "Sports | pantagraph.com".
  17. ^ "Carlson, Warner named 2019 Texas League All-Stars". MiLB.com.
  18. ^ Goold, Derrick. "Gorman, Carlson selected to represent Cardinals at Futures Game". STLtoday.com.
  19. ^ Goold, Derrick. "Cardinals prospect Carlson is a hit in Futures Game". STLtoday.com.
  20. ^ Schaeffer, Brenden. "Cardinals promote touted prospect Dylan Carlson to Triple-A Memphis". KMOV.com.
  21. ^ Herzog, Stephen. "Cardinals' Carlson wins Texas League Player of the Year award". Springfield News-Leader.
  22. ^ "Dylan Carlson has flourished at every level despite his youth, so why would the Cards be cautious with him now? – The Athletic".
  23. ^ Goold, Derrick. "Cards notebook: Reyes set to test arm; Robinson released; Carlson picked for AFL". STLtoday.com.
  24. ^ "WHY ISN'T CARLSON PLAYING IN THE AFL?". STLtoday.com.
  25. ^ Anne Rogers (August 15, 2020). "Carlson's debut 'everything you dream about'". MLB.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  26. ^ Anne Rogers (August 23, 2020). "HRs by Carlson (1st), Bader (again) lift Cards". MLB.com. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  27. ^ "Cardinals top prospects 2021: Dylan Carlson, with rookie status intact, leads St. Louis' farm system".
  28. ^ "Harrison Bader will open 2021 MLB season on injured list; so what will Cardinals do in center field?".
  29. ^ "Molina HR, Carlson slam lead Cards over Marlins 7-0 & sweep". Associated Press. April 20, 2021.
  30. ^ "When is the Dodgers Cardinals wild card game? Time, channel - Los Angeles Times". Los Angeles Times. October 5, 2021.
  31. ^ "Cardinals outfielder Dylan Carlson NL Rookie of the Year finalist | ksdk.com". November 9, 2021.
  32. ^ "Injuries & Moves: Hicks to IL; Molina activated". MLB.com.
  33. ^ "Cardinals activate Dylan Carlson from injured list".
  34. ^ Murphy, Alex (July 2, 2022). "St. Louis Cardinals hit four consecutive home runs". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  35. ^ "Thumb sprain lands Carlson on IL, Cardinals promote slugging prospect Burleson".
  36. ^ "Dylan Carlson Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  37. ^ "Cardinals' Dylan Carlson: Taking light batting practice". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  38. ^ "Cardinals' Dylan Carlson: Out multiple weeks". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  39. ^ "Cardinals' Dylan Carlson: Headed for ankle surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  40. ^ "Cards' outfield gets cloudier after Carlson collision". MLB. March 25, 2024.
  41. ^ Denton, John (March 26, 2024). "Carlson injury paves way for Scott to start in center on Opening Day". MLB.com. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
  42. ^ "Cardinals trade OF Dylan Carlson to Rays for reliever Shawn Armstrong". NYTimes.com.
  43. ^ Mata, Lalo (March 15, 2020). "Big "Dyl" in Spring Training". SacTown’s Finest. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
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