Touki Toussaint

Dany Gilbert Kiti "Touki" Toussaint (/ˈtuːki tuˈsɑːnt/; born June 20, 1996) is a Haitian-American professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.

Touki Toussaint
Toussaint with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves – No. 62
Pitcher
Born: (1996-06-20) June 20, 1996
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 13, 2018, for the Atlanta Braves
MLB statistics
(through August 6, 2020)
Win–loss record6–1
Earned run average5.14
Strikeouts97
Teams

Amateur career

Toussaint was born in Pembroke Pines, Florida, to Dany Toussaint and Kahaso Kiti.[1] He is of Haitian and Kenyan descent. Toussaint's nickname, Touki, is a portmanteau of his parents' surnames.[2] The family moved to Haiti when he was three months old.[3] Toussaint and his mother moved back to Florida when he was six.[4] He stopped playing baseball at age 10 due to a strikeout-filled season as a batter, and focused on soccer and hockey only to return to baseball two years later.[5] Toussaint attended Coral Springs Charter School for his freshman year[5] before transferring to Coral Springs Christian Academy also in Coral Springs, Florida.[6] As a junior in 2013, Toussaint was a MaxPreps All-American after he was 6–2 with a 0.78 earned run average (ERA) and 83 strikeouts.[7] He also hit .458 with six home runs and 32 runs batted in.[8] He was named Broward County's Class 5A-4A-3A-2A Player of the Year.[9] Toussaint committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University.[10]

Professional career

Arizona Diamondbacks

Toussaint was considered one of the top prospects for the 2014 MLB draft.[11] The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Toussaint in the first round, 16th overall, of the draft.[12] He signed on June 20,[13] agreeing to a $2.7 million signing bonus,[14] and made his professional debut with the Arizona League Diamondbacks on July 2.[15] On August 3, he was promoted to the Missoula Osprey.[16] Toussaint pitched his first Pioneer League game on August 8, 2014.[17]

Toussaint finished his first professional season with a 2–4 record and an 8.48 ERA over 12 total appearances.[18] Toussaint began the 2015 season at extended spring training, then joined the Kane County Cougars in May.[19]

Atlanta Braves

On June 20, 2015 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with Bronson Arroyo for Phil Gosselin.[20] He finished the 2015 season with a 4.83 ERA in 17 total starts, including 5.73 ERA in ten starts as a member of the Rome Braves. The rocky season was attributed to the Diamondbacks' request that Toussaint cut down on the use of his curveball, shortly after his debut for Kane County, as the team felt that becoming excessively reliant on the pitch early in his career would lead to injury.[19] Not throwing his curveball gave Toussaint time to improve his changeup, which became a viable third pitch over the course of the season.[21] Toussaint spent 2016 with Rome.[22] He struggled to begin the season, but improved after making adjustments to his pitching delivery.[23]

Toussaint began 2017 with the Florida Fire Frogs and was promoted to the Mississippi Braves in late July 2017,[24] making his Southern League debut on July 31 against the Mobile BayBears.[25] In 145 total innings pitched between Florida and Mississippi, he pitched to a 6–13 record with a 4.53 ERA along with 167 strikeouts.[26] He appeared in the offseason Arizona Fall League with the Peoria Javelinas.[27][28] Toussaint started the 2018 season in Mississippi, recording a 2.93 ERA with 107 strikeouts until a midseason promotion to the Gwinnett Stripers.[29] Toussaint faced the Norfolk Tides in his first International League game on July 5, 2018, pitching ​6 2⁄3 innings while yielding one run on five hits.[30] He was named to the All-Star Futures Game, and appeared in relief to pitch the eighth inning.[31]

On August 13, 2018, the Braves purchased Toussaint's contract and added him to the roster.[32] He made his MLB debut the same day with a start against the Miami Marlins, yielding one run on two hits in six innings pitched.[33] Toussaint spent time at spring training prior to the start of the 2019 season, and began the year at Gwinnett.[34]

On July 4, 2020, it was announced that Toussaint had tested positive for COVID-19.[35]

gollark: NEI?
gollark: <@151391317740486657> use JEI!
gollark: I'm annoyed about the lack of credit for PotatOS though.
gollark: Yes.
gollark: Strictly speaking, I could in fact be bothered.

References
  1. Mayo, Jonathan (May 19, 2014). "Toussaint impresses with personality, arm". MLB.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  2. Dykstra, Sam (July 18, 2018). "Toolshed: Toussaint takes up Haitian flag". MILB.com. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  3. "Diamondbacks select 17-year-old RHP Toussaint". USA Today. Associated Press. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  4. Richards, George (June 4, 2014). "Touki Toussaint could be first South Florida player picked in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Bradenton Herald.
  5. Clark, Ryan S. (May 31, 2014). "Toussaint stays grounded as scouts project him as top MLB prospect". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  6. Clark, Ryan S. (April 11, 2014). "An inside glance at what life is like for Touki Toussaint". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  7. Cabrera Chirinos, Christy (July 10, 2013). "Coral Springs Christian's Touki Toussaint, Benjamin's Matt Harris named MaxPreps All-Americans". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  8. Chirinos, Christy Cabrera (June 3, 2013). "Touki Toussaint: Baseball player of the year Class 5A-4A-3A-2A". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  9. Gorten, Steve (March 29, 2014). "Toussaint having another big season for Crusaders". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  10. Piecoro, Nick (June 21, 2014). "Top pick Touki Toussaint signs on after doing 'homework'". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  11. Manuel, John (April 10, 2014). "2014 Draft Update: Change At The Top As Pitchers Dominate". Baseball America. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  12. Gilbert, Steve (June 6, 2014). "D-backs snag 'top five' pitcher with 16th pick". MLB.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  13. McManaman, Bob (June 20, 2014). "Diamondbacks 1st-round pick Touki Toussaint inks contract". Arizona Republic. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  14. Lara-Cinisomo, Vincent (August 12, 2018). "Braves' Toussaint ready for The Show". MILB.com. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  15. Buchanan, Zach (July 3, 2014). "Touki Toussaint debuts for Arizona Diamondbacks rookie league team". Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  16. "Missoula Adds First Round Pick Toussaint". MILB.com. August 3, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  17. "Osprey Fall In Toussaint's Missoula Debut". MILB.com. August 9, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  18. Rallo, Curt (June 18, 2015). "MWL notes: Toussaint continues to grow". MILB.com. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  19. "Touki aims to get ahead of the curve with Braves". MLB.com. December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  20. Bowman, Mark (June 21, 2015). "Braves acquire Arroyo, prospect Toussaint". MLB.com. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  21. Mayo, Jonathan (March 22, 2016). "Five questions with Braves prospect Touki Toussaint". MLB.com. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  22. "Touki Toussaint turns around struggles". Atlanta Journal Constituiton. May 20, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  23. Hill, Jordan D. (July 18, 2016). "Touki Toussaint coming into his own with Rome Braves". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  24. Lee, David (July 28, 2017). "Braves' Wright adjusts to professional routine". Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  25. "Arcia's run leads Mobile to 2-0 win over Mississippi". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Associated Press. July 31, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2017.
  26. "Touki Toussaint Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Retrieved December 23, 2017.
  27. Burns, Gabriel (September 25, 2017). "Q&A with Touki Toussaint: Braves are 'fun environment' for prospects". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  28. Boor, William (October 10, 2017). "Fried leads Braves quartet to 16 Ks in AFL opener". Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  29. Lee, David (July 7, 2018). "Braves prospects Austin Riley on rehab assignment while Touki Toussaint makes strong debut in Triple-A". Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  30. "Braves' Touki Toussaint stands out in Triple-A debut". Atlanta Journal Constitution. July 5, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  31. Burns, Gabriel (July 15, 2018). "Touki Toussaint's July keeps getting better as he earns Future Stars spot". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
  32. Anderson, R. J. (August 13, 2018). "The Braves' extreme youth movement continues with prospect Touki Toussaint starting doubleheader on Monday". CBS Sports. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  33. Bowman, Mark (August 13, 2018). "Toussaint's stellar debut spurs Braves' G1 rout". MLB.com. Retrieved August 13, 2018.
  34. "Braves option prospect Toussaint to Triple-A". ESPN.com. March 24, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  35. "Freeman among four Braves to test positive". ESPN.com. July 4, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
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