Harrison Bader

Harrison Joseph Bader (born June 3, 1994) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He attended the University of Florida and played college baseball for the Florida Gators. Bader made his MLB debut in 2017.

Harrison Bader
Bader with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2017
St. Louis Cardinals – No. 48
Center fielder
Born: (1994-06-03) June 3, 1994
Bronxville, New York
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 25, 2017, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
(through July 28, 2020)
Batting average.234
Home runs27
Runs batted in86
Teams

Amateur career

Bader attended the Horace Mann School in the Riverdale neighborhood of The Bronx, New York City, and played for the school's baseball team. While attending high school, Bader also played for the New York Grays, a club baseball team.[1] In October 2011, Bader committed to the University of Pittsburgh to play for the Panthers baseball team.[2] However, he had not signed a National Letter of Intent and decommitted from Pittsburgh in May 2012, and committed to the University of Maryland to play for the Terrapins.[3] However, Maryland did not offer him a scholarship. In July, he decommitted from Maryland, and committed to the University of Florida to play for the Gators, as Florida offered him a partial scholarship.[4][5]

Bader led the Gators with a .312 batting average as a freshman and with a .337 average as a sophomore.[6] In 2014, his sophomore year, Bader was suspended for 19 games after a scooter accident that occurred while he was driving under the influence of alcohol.[7][8] After the 2014 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[9] As a junior in 2015, he batted .297 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs in 67 games. He was named to the All-Tournament Team in the 2015 College World Series[10] after he batted .348 in five games.

Professional career
Bader getting his first MLB hit on July 25, 2017

In the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, the St. Louis Cardinals selected Bader in the third round, with the 100th overall selection.[11] He signed with the Cardinals, receiving a $400,000 signing bonus, and made his professional debut with the State College Spikes of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League, hitting two home runs in his first game.[12] The Cardinals promoted Bader to the Peoria Chiefs of the Class A Midwest League (MWL) in July.[13] He was the MWL Player of the Week for August 24–30 after batting .448 in seven games with two home runs, six RBIs, one double, and two triples.[14] In 61 total games between State College and Peoria, he batted .311/.368/.523 with 11 home runs, 32 RBIs, 13 doubles, and 17 stolen bases.

Bader began the 2016 season with the Springfield Cardinals of the Class AA Texas League.[15] He had a hit streak in April 2016 that fell one game short of tying the Springfield club record.[16] Bader was named an outfielder in the Texas League mid-season All-Star Game,[17] in which he collected four hits in five at-bats with a double and a run scored.[18] He was promoted to the Class AAA Memphis Redbirds on July 6, 2016. In their updated 2016 mid-season ranking, Baseball America rated Bader in the top 100 for the first time, at 89th.[19][20] Bader finished the 2016 season batting a combined .267 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs in 131 games between Memphis and Springfield.[21] MLB Pipeline named him the Cardinals 2016 Minor League Player of the Year.[22] After the season, the Cardinals assigned Bader to the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League (AFL).[23] Bader began 2017 back with Memphis.

On July 25, 2017, the Cardinals promoted Bader to the major leagues to take the place of the injured Dexter Fowler.[24] Bader had been batting .297 with 19 home runs and 48 RBIs in 97 games at Memphis before his promotion.[25] That night, he started in center field and batted seventh, and recorded his first major league hit, a double, and scored the winning run on a walk-off sacrifice fly.[26] He hit his first MLB home run, a 395-foot shot to left field, on September 1, 2017, off Johnny Cueto, leading the Cardinals to an 11-6 win over the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park.[27] After the season, the Cardinals named Bader their 2017 Minor League Player of the Year.[28]

MLB.com ranked Bader as St Louis' fifth-best prospect going into the 2018 season,[29] which he began with Memphis.[30] The Cardinals promoted him to the major leagues on April 3 after an injury to Jedd Gyorko.[31] After his call-up, Bader became St. Louis' fourth outfielder,[32] then their starting center fielder after Tommy Pham was traded on July 31, 2018.[33] Bader finished his 2018 rookie campaign batting .264 with 12 home runs, 37 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases in 138 games; he ranked fourth among MLB outfielders with 19 Defensive Runs Saved.[34]

Bader began 2019 as St. Louis' starting center fielder. However, he was eventually moved into a bench role due to offensive struggles,[35] and was ultimately demoted to Memphis on July 30.[36] At the time of his demotion, he was slashing .195/.309/.648 with six home runs and 19 RBIs over ninety games.[37] He was recalled to St. Louis on August 20.[38] In his first game after being called back up, Bader hit a triple, scored two runs and walked three times in a 9–4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.[39] Bader finished the 2019 regular season with St. Louis, batting .205/.314/.680 with 12 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases over 128 games.[40] Following the season, he was nominated for his first ever Gold Glove.[41]

Personal life

Bader grew up a fan of the New York Yankees,[42] and his favorite player was Roger Maris.[43]

Bader has one younger sister, Sasha.[44] He is first cousins with Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio and a distant cousin of Happy Days and Charles in Charge actor Scott Baio through his mother's side.[45][46][47]

References
  1. Seth Walder (July 21, 2012). "Horace Mann outfielder Harrison Bader decommits from Maryland and is now headed to Florida on partial scholarship". NY Daily News. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  2. Braziller, Zack (October 20, 2011). "Pitt stop: Horace Mann centerfielder commits to Panthers". New York Post. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  3. Braziller, Zack (May 23, 2012). "Horace Mann's Bader decommits from Pitt, lands at Maryland". New York Post. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  4. Walder, Seth (July 21, 2012). "Horace Mann outfielder Harrison Bader decommits from Maryland and is now headed to Florida on partial scholarship: Had previously backed out of commitment to Pittsburgh". New York Daily News. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  5. "Long recruiting journey ends at Florida for Horace Mann's Bader - New York Post". New York Post. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  6. "bronxville native harrison bader drafted by cardinals". Lohud.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  7. "UF baseball suspends outfielder Bader". Gainesville.com. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  8. "After suspension, Bader finds way to bounce back". Gainesville.com. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
  9. "Harrison Bader - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  10. "Virginia reliever Josh Sborz headlines the 2015 CWS All-Tournament team". NCAA.com. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  11. Thompson, Edgar (June 9, 2015). "UF outfielder Harrison Bader selected in the third round by St. Louis Cardinals". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
  12. Goold, Derrick. "Bader debuts with a bang as Cards near spending cap". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  13. Eminian, Dave (July 17, 2015). "Harrison Bader continues to impress in quick pro rise; Chiefs, not so much in 10–2 loss". Peoria Journal-Star. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  14. Baliva, Nathan (August 31, 2015). "Bader named MWL Player of Week". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
  15. Mesey, David (April 8, 2016). "Springfield Cardinals win season opener". KTTS-FM. Retrieved April 8, 2016.
  16. Goold, Derrick (June 3, 2016). "Bader forcing Cardinals to rewrite script". Baseball America. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  17. Lewis, Barry (June 28, 2016). "Texas League All-Star Game filled with Drillers". Tulsa World. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  18. Gordon, Jeff (June 30, 2016). "Wild Card race all that's left?". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  19. Staff Report (July 8, 2016). "Midseason top 100 prospects". Baseball America. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  20. Goold, Derrick (July 8, 2016). "Reyes (No. 2 overall) leads new stream of Cardinals prospects in rankings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  21. "Harrison Bader Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". Milb.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  22. Langosch, Jenifer (January 20, 2016). "Cardinals Prospects of the Year: Bader, Weaver | MLB.com". M.cardinals.mlb.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  23. Hochman, Benjamin (November 8, 2016). "Hochman: Outfield prospect Bader could be boon or bait for Cards | Benjamin Hochman". stltoday.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  24. Goold, Derrick (July 25, 2017). "Cardinals promote Bader as Fowler hits DL with arm injury". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  25. Post-Dispatch store. "Cardinals promote Bader as Fowler hits DL with arm injury | Derrick Goold: Bird Land". stltoday.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  26. "Bader scores winning run in Cardinals' 3-2 walk-off win over Rockies". Associated Press. July 25, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  27. Hawthorne, Jonathan; Wagaman, Michael (September 2, 2017). "Cards stay in WC hunt by rallying past Giants". mlb.com. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  28. "Flaherty, Bader named Cardinals' minor leaguers of the year". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. August 31, 2017.
  29. "Cards' Top 30 Prospects list led by MLB-ready talent". MLB.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  30. Hummel, Rick (March 24, 2018). "Cards notebook: Munoz stays; Voit, Bader go to Memphis | St. Louis Cardinals". stltoday.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  31. J.J. Bailey (April 3, 2018). "Cards place Gyorko on DL, promote Harrison Bader". KMOV.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  32. Epstein, Daniel R. (July 21, 2018). "Cardinals devil magic: Harrison Bader, Yairo Muñoz, and the story of Cardinals' rookies". Beyond the Box Score. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  33. RotoWire Staff. "Cardinals' Harrison Bader: Cranks ninth homer". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  34. Langosch, Jenifer (September 30, 2018). "Harrison Bader in Cardinals' plans for future". MLB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  35. "Cardinals appear to have optioned Harrison Bader to Memphis | News Headlines". kmov.com. July 29, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  36. Post-Dispatch store. "Bader demoted to Memphis; 'light activity' for Yadi; Carpenter (0 for 19) stays on rehab | St. Louis Cardinals". stltoday.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  37. Writer, Staff. "Cardinals send OF Harrison Bader down to Memphis". FOX2now.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  38. Post-Dispatch store (August 20, 2019). "Bader (seven homers in 16 games) returns; Arozarena back to Memphis | St. Louis Cardinals". stltoday.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  39. "Brewers vs. Cardinals - Game Recap - August 20, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  40. https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinals-notebook-bader-shows-a-flair-for-leadoff-spot/article_275c258f-6d0e-5515-b901-91e5062924b9.html
  41. 8:30 am to 11:00 am (October 24, 2019). "St. Louis Cardinals have six Gold Glove finalists | KMOX-AM". Kmox.radio.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  42. 1:50 p.m. CT June 7, 2016 (June 7, 2016). "Hop, skip and a batflip: Cardinals prospect Harrison Bader makes Double-A look easy". News-leader.com. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  43. Post-Dispatch store. "Hochman: Outfield prospect Bader could be boon or bait for Cards | Benjamin Hochman". stltoday.com. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  44. "News Post". Horacemann.org. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  45. Baio, Chris (September 10, 2018). "It was truly surreal to watch my cousin Harrison play Major League ball for the first time this weekend. Go Cards!https://twitter.com/TheCatOnFox/status/1039147567785893888 …". @oiab. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  46. "News Post". www.horacemann.org. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
  47. Vilensky, Mike (June 18, 2012). "Vampire Weekend's Scott Baio Connection Revealed". WSJ. Retrieved April 19, 2020.
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