| Chris Carter | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Carter batting for theNew York Yankees in 2017 | |
| Piratas de Campeche – No. 23 | |
| First baseman /Designated hitter | |
| Born: (1986-12-18)December 18, 1986 (age 38) Redwood City, California, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 9, 2010, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics (through 2017 season) | |
| Batting average | .217 |
| Home runs | 158 |
| Runs batted in | 400 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Vernon Christopher Carter (born December 18, 1986) is an American professionalbaseballfirst baseman anddesignated hitter for thePiratas de Campeche of theMexican League. He previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theOakland Athletics,Houston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers, andNew York Yankees. In 2016, while playing for the Brewers, Carter led theNational League inhome runs, along withColorado Rockiesthird basemanNolan Arenado, with 41.
In July 2025, playing for the Piratas de Campeche, Carter hit his 500th home run of his professional career.[1]
Carter was born inRedwood City, California. At approximately age 7 or 8, his family moved toLas Vegas.[2] He attendedSierra Vista High School.[3] In 2005, Sierra Vista's baseball team won theNevada Interscholastic Activities Association Class 4A state championship.[4]
Carter was drafted out of high school by theChicago White Sox in the 15th round of the2005 Major League Baseball draft.[1] Carter began his professional career with theBristol White Sox of theRookie-levelAppalachian League in 2005. He hit 10home runs and had 37runs batted in (RBI). Carter played for two affiliates in the 2006 season. The affiliates included theGreat Falls White Sox of the rookie-levelPioneer League and theKannapolis Intimidators of theSingle-ASouth Atlantic League. Carter had a combined total of 16 home runs and 63 RBI. He played for Kannapolis in the 2007 season where he hit 25 home runs and had 93 RBI.
On December 3, 2007, the White Sox traded Carter to theArizona Diamondbacks in exchange forCarlos Quentin.[5]
On December 14, 2007, the Diamondbacks traded Carter,Carlos González,Brett Anderson,Aaron Cunningham,Greg Smith, andDana Eveland to theOakland Athletics in exchange forDan Haren andConnor Robertson.[6] He played for theStockton Ports of theHigh-ACalifornia League in the 2008 season where he hit 39 home runs and had 104 RBI. Carter was named the California League Rookie of the Year for the 2008 season.[7] In 2009, Carter split time between theMidland RockHounds of theDouble-ATexas League and theSacramento River Cats of theTriple-APacific Coast League (PCL), putting a .329 batting average (a 70-point increase from 2008), 28 homers and 115 RBIs combined. In 2008 and 2009,Baseball America ranked Carter as one of the top 10 prospects in the Athletics' organization.[8] Also in 2008 and 2009, Carter was the Oakland Athletics' Minor League Player of Year.[9]
Carter was placed on the A's40-man roster on November 20, 2009, in order to be protected from theRule 5 draft.[10] In 2009, he was named theThis Year in Minor League Baseball Awards "Overall Hitter of The Year".[9] On August 9, 2010, Carter was promoted to Oakland and went 0–for–3 in his first game. On August 16, Carter was demoted to Sacramento after starting his career 0–for–19 with 12strikeouts. After the Triple-A season ended, Carter was recalled to Oakland. On September 20, he snapped his 0–for–33 streak with a single in the sixth inning. On September 22, 2010 Carter hit his first major league home run against theChicago White Sox.
Carter finished the 2010 season with a .186 batting average across 78 plate appearances and 24 games.[11] He played in theVenezuelan Winter League upon completion of the 2010 season.[12] He hit .136 in 15 MLB games the next year, spending most of that season in the Athletics' minor league system. He also split the 2012 season between MLB and the minor leagues, hitting .239 with 16 home runs and 39 RBI in 67 games.[13]
After the 2012 season, the Athletics traded Carter to theHouston Astros withBrad Peacock andMax Stassi forJed Lowrie andFernando Rodriguez.[14]
.jpg)
During the 2013 season, Carter played 148 games batting .223 with 29 home runs, 82 RBI, and struck out an MLB-leading 212 times.[11] He became only the fourth player to strikeout 200 times in a season, with onlyMark Reynolds having more strikeouts as a right-handed hitter.[15]
In2014, Carter batted .153 through the month of April. His production improved as finished with a .227 batting average and career highs of 37 home runs and 88 RBI.[11]
On January 14,2015, Carter and the Astros agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.175 million, avoiding arbitration.[16] His 11th career multi-home run game on June 3 against theBaltimore Orioles directly supported rookieLance McCullers Jr.'s first careercomplete game and 3–1 Astros win. Carter also extended a season-high 11-gamehitting streak.[17] On September 30, with theSeattle Mariners ahead 6–3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, he hit a game-tying three-run home run. Three wins away from making thepostseason, the Astros won, 7–6.[18]
Carter played the 2015 season primarily as the team's starting first baseman and appeared in 129 games. He batted .199/.307/.427 with 24 home runs and 64 RBI, struck out 151 times and led the club with 57 walks.[19] He had the highest strikeout percentage against right-handed pitchers in MLB (35.6%).[20] In Game 3 of theAmerican League Division Series (ALDS), Carter's hitting was atriple short ofhitting for the cycle. He hit .294 with a home run in the ALDS against theKansas City Royals.[21] On December 2, 2015, Carter was non-tendered by the Astros and became afree agent. As a member of the Astros, Carter hit .218/.312/.459 with 90 home runs.[22]
On January 6, 2016, Carter signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with theMilwaukee Brewers. He posted a .321 on-base percentage and hit 41 home runs, leading the National League in 2016, while also leading the NL in at bats per home run (13.4) and games played (160).[23] However, he had a .222 batting average and led the league with 206 strikeouts, and had the lowest contact percentage on his swings in the major leagues (64.6%).[24][25] On defense, he led the NL in errors at first base (11). The Brewers did not tender Carter a contract for the 2017, making him a free agent.[26]
On February 16, 2017, theNew York Yankees signed Carter to a one-year contract, worth $3.5 million.[27] Carter batted .204 with eight home runs and 70 strikeouts before the Yankeesdesignated him for assignment on June 24.[28] He was called back up by the Yankees on June 29 when his replacement at first base,Tyler Austin, landed on the disabled list.[29] On July 4, he was again designated for assignment, this time to make room forJi-man Choi on the roster.[30] He was released on July 10. In 2017, he batted .201/.284/.370.
On July 21, 2017, Carter signed a minor league contract with theOakland Athletics organization and was assigned to theNashville Sounds of the PCL.[31][32] In 36 games for Triple–A Nashville, he batted .252/.357/.512 with 9 home runs and 22 RBI. Carter elected free agency following the season on November 6.[33]
On February 18, 2018, Carter signed a minor league deal with theLos Angeles Angels.[34]
On May 22, 2018, the Angels traded Carter to theMinnesota Twins for cash. The Twins then assigned him to theRochester Red Wings.[35] He was released on July 7, 2018.
On February 13, 2019, Carter signed with theAcereros de Monclova of theMexican League.[36] In his first year with the club he led the league in Home runs (49) & RBI (119), culminating in a victory in theSerie del Rey and the Acereros' first ever league championship. Carter did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Mexican League season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[37]
In 2021, Carter played in only 26 games for Monclova, hitting .242/.324/.484 with 6 home runs and 19 RBI. For the 2022 season, Carter saw game action 70 times and slashed .249/.436/.549 with 18 home runs and 46 RBI.[38] In 2023, Carter appeared in only 9 games for Monclova, slashing .129/.308/.323 with 1 home run and 5 RBI. He was placed on the reserve list on May 16, 2023.[39]
On May 31, 2023, Carter was loaned to thePericos de Puebla of theMexican League for the remainder of the season. In the month of July, Carter clobbered 15 home runs and drove in 39 runs. He played in a total of 54 games for Puebla, hitting .308/.474/.752 with 21 home runs and 59 RBI. Carter was named MVP of the 2023Serie del Rey which Puebla won.[39][40]
On January 9, 2024, Carter signed a contract to return to theAcereros de Monclova of theMexican League.[41] In 34 games, Carter batted .237/.340/.489 with 8 home runs and 26 RBI.
On June 11, 2024, Carter was traded to thePericos de Puebla in exchange forOdúbel Herrera.[42] In 39 games for Puebla, he slashed .288/.460/.595 with nine home runs and 29 RBI.
On September 19, 2024, Carter was traded back to theAcereros de Monclova in exchange forOdúbel Herrera.[43] However, on January 15, 2025, Carter was traded to thePiratas de Campeche.[44]
Carter's father, Vernon, played basketball forRancho High School inNorth Las Vegas.[3] Carter is a car enthusiast. He owns aShelby Super Snake.[2]
· Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
