| Mitch Moreland | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Moreland with the Boston Red Sox in 2017 | |
| First baseman | |
| Born: (1985-09-06)September 6, 1985 (age 40) Amory, Mississippi, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 29, 2010, for the Texas Rangers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 26, 2021, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .251 |
| Home runs | 186 |
| Runs batted in | 618 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Mitchell Austin Moreland (born September 6, 1985), nicknamed "2-Bags",[1] is an American former professionalbaseballfirst baseman. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theTexas Rangers,Boston Red Sox,San Diego Padres, andOakland Athletics. Moreland attendedMississippi State University and was drafted by the Rangers as afirst baseman andoutfielder in the 17th round of the2007 MLB draft. Listed at 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and 230 pounds (100 kg), Moreland both batted and threw left-handed.
Born and raised inAmory, Mississippi, Moreland attendedAmory High School, where he competed inbaseball andsoccer. At Amory, he was a 2004Louisville SluggerAll-American after posting a 7–1win–loss record with a 0.53earned run average (ERA) as a senior, while alsobatting .456 andstriking out just three times during the season. While in high school, he played on the same team asDerek Norris. After high school, Moreland attendedMississippi State University to playcollege baseball for theMississippi State Bulldogs. There, he hit .343 with tenhome runs his junior season and went 2–0 on the mound with a 3.46 ERA.[2] He also earned a degree in general business administration. In 2006 and 2007, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theBourne Braves of theCape Cod Baseball League.[3][4][5]
TheTexas Rangers selected Moreland in the 17th round of the2007 Major League Baseball draft. After he signed, Moreland began his professional career with theshort-seasonSpokane Indians of theNorthwest League. He batted .259 with 28hits, sevendoubles, onetriple, two home runs and 15runs batted in (RBIs).[citation needed]
The following season, Moreland joined the Class-AClinton LumberKings of theMidwest League and hit .324 with 37 doubles, four triples, 18 home runs, 99 RBIs and twostolen bases. He was named to the Mid-Season Midwest League All-Star Team on June 17 and the Post-Season Midwest League All-Star Team on August 26.[6][7]
Moreland played in two different levels of the Rangers' organization in 2009. He started the season with the Class-A AdvancedBakersfield Blaze and hit .341 with 19 doubles, eight home runs and 26 RBIs. He was promoted to the Double-AFrisco RoughRiders where he batted .326 with 19 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 59 RBIs. Moreland was assigned to theArizona Fall League at the end of the season and played for theSurprise Rafters.[8] He was named the "Tom Grieve Minor League Player of the Year" by the Texas Rangers after the season.[9][10]
The Rangers invited Moreland tospring training in 2010.[11] Moreland played with theOklahoma City RedHawks (AAA) in the 2010 season until July 29. As of July 29, he had a season batting average of .289 with the RedHawks.[12]
On July 29, 2010, Moreland was called up by the Rangers to take the roster spot ofIan Kinsler, who was put on thedisabled list. Moreland had his first major league hit in his first at-bat, a single againstOakland Athletics pitcherVin Mazzaro. Moreland finished the game 2-for-4, with two singles, as the Rangers won 7–4.[13] On August 13, Moreland had the firsthome run of his major league career, off ofJosh Beckett the Red Sox.[14] On September 26, Moreland had his first multi-home run game of his major league career, hitting his sixth and seventh home runs of the year, in a 16–9 win over theOakland Athletics.[15] During the regular season, Moreland played in 47 games, batting .255 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs.
On October 30, Moreland hit a second inning, three-run home run off ofJonathan Sánchez to put the Rangers ahead 3–0 in Game 3 of theWorld Series. He was the first Rangers player in the Series to hit a home run. The Rangers eventually lost to theSan Francisco Giants in five games.
On June 21, 2011, Moreland hit his first careerwalk-off home run off ofEnerio del Rosario of theHouston Astros.[16] For the 2011 season, Moreland batted .259 with 16 home runs and 51 RBIs in 134 games played. The Rangers were in theWorld Series for the second season in a row; Moreland had one home run during the Series against theSt. Louis Cardinals, which the Rangers lost in seven games.
On June 9, 2012, Moreland became only the secondAmerican League batter—David Ortiz being the first[17]—to hit a home run ball intoAT&T Park'sMcCovey Cove. Moreland's 428-foot, 8th-inning blast off Giants pitcherRyan Vogelsong was also the firstpinch hit home run hit into the Cove by any non-Giants player.[18] During the 2012 season, Moreland batted .275 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs in 114 games played.
Moreland batted a career-low .232 during the 2013 season, with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs in 147 games played.
On May 6, 2014, Moreland pitched an inning against theColorado Rockies in a 12–1 Rangers loss; he retired the side in order.[19] Moreland did not play after June 7,[20] due to an ankle injury that required surgery.[21] In 52 games played, he had two home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .246 average.
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The 2015 season was a career year for Moreland. In 132 games played, he was second on the Rangers behindPrince Fielder with a .278 batting average and 85 RBIs; he was tied with Fielder for the team lead with 23 home runs.[22]
In 2016, Moreland batted .233, had 22 home runs and 60 RBIs in 147 games played. He also won his firstGold Glove Award.[23]
Overall, in seven seasons with the Rangers, Moreland batted .254 with 110 home runs and 354 RBIs in 773 games played.
On December 8, 2016, Moreland signed a one-year contract with theBoston Red Sox.[24]
On August 25, 2017, Moreland made the second pitching appearance of his career, tossing an inning against theBaltimore Orioles in a 16–3 Red Sox loss; he allowed two hits but no runs, striking out one batter, catcherCaleb Joseph.[25] During the regular season, Moreland played in 149 games, primarily as Boston's first baseman, batting .246 with 22 home runs and 79 RBIs.
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In the postseason, Moreland played in all four games of theALDS, batting 5-for-13 (.385) as the Red Sox lost to the eventual2017 World Series champions, theHouston Astros. On December 18, 2017, Moreland signed a two-year contract with the Red Sox.[26]
Early in the 2018 season, Moreland split time withHanley Ramírez as Boston's first baseman, until Ramírez wasdesignated for assignment on May 25. On July 8, Moreland was named to the2018 MLB All-Star Game as an American League reserve first baseman.[27] At that point in the season, Moreland had aslash line of .288/.358/.525 with 11 home runs and 43 RBIs in 71 games played. After the All Star break, Moreland struggled offensively, hitting .191 with 4 home runs in 47 games. Overall, Moreland finished hitting .245 with 15 home runs and 68 RBIs.
In the postseason, Moreland appeared in 11 games, batting 5-for-17 (.294)[28] In Game Four of theWorld Series, on October 27, 2018, Moreland hit a three-run home run off of theLos Angeles Dodgers'Ryan Madson, which was viewed as a turning point in the series as it put the Red Sox within one run after trailing 0-4, sparking a rally where they eventually won 9–6. The Red Sox went on to win Game Five 5–1 to capture their 9th championship in franchise history, giving Moreland his first World Series ring.
Moreland began the 2019 season as Boston's primary first baseman. On March 29, he hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning off ofHunter Strickland of theSeattle Mariners, giving the Red Sox the winning runs in a 7–6 victory.[29] Moreland was placed on the 10-dayinjured list with a low back strain on May 29,[30] activated on June 7, and returned to the injured list on June 8 with a rightquad strain.[31] He started rehabilitation assignments with theTriple-APawtucket Red Sox on July 11 and July 19, and was activated on July 23.[32] For the season, Moreland appeared in 91 games with Boston, batting .252 with 19 home runs and 58 RBIs. He became a free agent on October 31.[33]
Moreland and the Red Sox reached agreement on a one-year contract announced on January 28, 2020.[34] With the2020 Red Sox from the delayed start of the season through late August, he appeared in 22 games, batting .328 with eight home runs and 21 RBIs.
He was traded to theSan Diego Padres on August 30, 2020, in exchange for minor leaguersJeisson Rosario andHudson Potts.[35] With the Padres in2020, Moreland played in 20 games and hit .203 with 2 home runs and 8 RBIs.
On February 23, 2021, Moreland signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract with theOakland Athletics.[36] He appeared in 81 games, primarily atdesignated hitter. He hit 10 home runs with a .229 batting average and a .701 OPS.
Moreland did not play during the 2022 season. On March 7, 2023, Moreland announced his retirement.[37]
On June 8, 2024, Moreland returned to Fenway Park as one of four former Red Sox to play an exhibition game for theSavannah Bananas barnstorming team.[38]
Moreland served as the first base coach for the American League team in the 2024All-Star Futures Game.[39]
On July 11, 2025, Moreland was hired to serve as the head varsity baseball coach atHelena High School.[40]
Moreland married Susannah Higgins on November 13, 2011.[41] As of March 2019[update], the couple have three children: two sons and a daughter.[42] They reside inHelena, Alabama, and also own a farm inMississippi.[43]
