| Josh Harrison | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Harrison with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020 | |||||||||||||||
| Second baseman /Third baseman | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1987-07-08)July 8, 1987 (age 38) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| May 31, 2011, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| July 30, 2023, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .270 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 73 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 388 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Joshua Isaiah Harrison (born July 8, 1987) is an American former professionalbaseballutility player. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for thePittsburgh Pirates,Detroit Tigers,Washington Nationals,Oakland Athletics,Chicago White Sox, andPhiladelphia Phillies. Harrison is a two-timeMLB All-Star. Internationally, Harrisonrepresents the United States. In the2017 World Baseball Classic (WBC), he helped win Team USA's firstgold medal in a WBC tournament.
Harrison began playingtee ball at the age of three years. Before playing in organized baseball, Harrison displayed interest in the game. Using a fork from his home's kitchen as a bat and a balled-up piece of paper, Harrison played makeshift baseball with his older brother, Vince, who pitched the paper to him.[1]
Harrison playedshortstop atPrinceton High School inSharonville, Ohio.[2] Harrison enrolled at theUniversity of Cincinnati, and playedcollege baseball for theCincinnati Bearcats as asecond baseman. In 2006, he was a middle infielder for theCincinnati Steam of theGreat Lakes Summer Collegiate League. In 2007, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theCotuit Kettleers of theCape Cod Baseball League.[3][4] In 2008, Harrison was named theBig East Conference's Co-Player of the Year, whilebatting .378.[5]
TheChicago Cubs selected Harrison in the sixth round (191st overall) of the2008 MLB draft.[6] He became the first Bearcat drafted in the first ten rounds sinceKevin Youkilis was taken in the eighth round of the2001 draft by theBoston Red Sox.[7]
In 2008 and 2009, Harrison made three stops in the Cubs’farm system: Low–ABoise Hawks, Single–APeoria Chiefs, and High–ADaytona Cubs.[8]
On July 30, 2009, the Cubs traded Harrison, along withKevin Hart, andJosé Ascanio to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitchersJohn Grabow andTom Gorzelanny.[6][9]
Harrison had his contract purchased by the Pirates on May 30, 2011.[10] He made his MLB debut on May 31, 2011,[6] and recorded his first MLB hit, offNew York Mets pitcherR. A. Dickey. On May 18, 2012, Harrison broke upJustin Verlander's no-hitter in the ninth inning, which would have been the thirdno-hitter of Verlander's career.[11]
Harrison was optioned to the Triple-AIndianapolis Indians on April 14, 2013.[12] He was recalled on May 7 whenJames McDonald was placed on the disabled list. Harrison was optioned back to Indianapolis on May 8 whenDuke Welker was recalled.[13] Harrison was optioned back to Indianapolis on May 31.[14]
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On July 6, 2014, Harrison was selected to his first careerAll-Star Game, along with teammatesAndrew McCutchen andTony Watson.[15] At the time of his selection, Harrison was hitting .298 through 72 games. He had played 5 different positions throughout the season, and was listed as autility player for the All-Star Game.
Despite his role as a utility player throughout the 2014 season, Harrison played in 143 games and logged enough at bats to qualify for theNational League (NL) batting title. Finishing the season with a .315 batting average, he came in second toJustin Morneau of theColorado Rockies. Morneau won the title with a .319 average after sitting out the team's final two games, one of which lasted twelve innings.
Harrison continued to play multiple positions for the Pirates. He spent most of his time at third base followingPedro Álvarez's move to 1st Base. Harrison finished 2014 with the best statistics of his career with a .315 batting average (second in the NL), 13 home runs, 52 runs batted in, and finished ninth in voting forNL MVP.[6]
Harrison began the2015 season as the starting third baseman for the Pirates, agreeing to a four-year contract extension through 2018, with club options for 2019 and 2020, shortly after the season's start.[16]
Following the 2015 season, the Pirates' regular starting Second baseman,Neil Walker, was traded to the New York Mets. Harrison then became the starting second baseman for the 2016 season.
Over the course of two games on April 16, 2017, against theChicago Cubs and April 17, 2017, against theSt. Louis Cardinals, Harrison was hit by a pitch in four consecutive plate appearances. He was the first batter with four consecutive hit by pitches since at least 1974.[17]
On August 23, 2017, against theLos Angeles Dodgers, Harrison became the first player in MLB history to break up ano-hitter in extra innings with awalk-off home run. The home run was hit in the tenth inning, off of pitcherRich Hill, to give the Pirates a 1–0 win.[18][19] On September 3, 2017, Harrison went on the disabled list due to a fracture of the fifth metacarpal on his left hand.[20]
On April 15, 2018, Harrison was hit by a pitch on the left hand and left the game. The next day, on April 16, he was ruled out for 6 weeks due to a fracture of the fifth metacarpal, a similar injury he suffered last September.[21] The Pirates declined his 2019 contract option and made him a free agent on October 31, 2018.[22]
On February 23, 2019, Harrison signed a one-year contract with theDetroit Tigers.[23] Upon joining the team, he switched his number to 1 to honor former second basemanLou Whitaker.[24] Harrison batted .176 in 36 games before he strained a hamstring in May.[25] The Tigers released him on August 9, while he was still rehabilitating from the injury.[26]
On November 26, 2019, Harrison signed a minor league contract with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[27] On July 21, 2020, Harrison requested and was granted his release from the Phillies.[28]
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On July 27, 2020, Harrison signed a one-year major league contract with theWashington Nationals.[29] On the season, Harrison improved greatly upon his 2019 season, slashing .278/.352/.418 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 33 games for Washington.[30] On October 22, 2020, Harrison re–signed with the Nationals on a one-year contract.[31]
On July 30, 2021, Harrison was traded to theOakland Athletics along withYan Gomes in exchange forDrew Millas, Richard Guasch, and Seth Shuman.[32] He finished the 2021 season slashing .279/.341/.400 with 8 home runs and 60 RBIs in 138 games between the Nationals and the Athletics.
On March 15, 2022, Harrison signed a one-year, $5.5 million contract with a 2023 club option with theChicago White Sox.[33] The White Sox declined his option on November 7, 2022.[34]
On January 30, 2023, Harrison signed a one-year, $2 million contract with thePhiladelphia Phillies.[35] In 41 games for Philadelphia, he batted .204/.263/.291 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI. On August 1, Harrison was designated for assignment by the Phillies following the acquisition ofMichael Lorenzen.[36] The next day, he was released by the team.[37]
On August 15, 2023, Harrison signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers organization.[38] In 6 games for the Triple–ARound Rock Express, Harrison went 6–for–27 (.222) with 1 home run and 5 RBI. Harrison opted out of his contract on August 25.[39]
On February 5, 2024, Harrison signed a minor league contract with theCincinnati Reds.[40] He failed to make the club and opted out of his deal on March 18.[41]
On May 31, 2025, Harrison announced his retirement from professional baseball.[42]
Harrison was selected to theUnited States national baseball team at the2017 World Baseball Classic.[43]
Harrison is the nephew of former major league outfielder and coachJohn Shelby. Harrison's brother, Vince Harrison, played minor league baseball from 2001 to 2011, before joining the Pirates organization as aplayer-coach.[1][44]
Beginning in 2014, Harrison started a youth baseball camp for kids and teens in Cincinnati.[45] Harrison's brother Vince also sponsors and helps with the event.[46]
Harrison and his wife, Brittney, have two daughters; one born in 2014,[47] and one born in 2017.
