| Antoan Richardson | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Richardson with the Mets in 2024 | |
| Atlanta Braves | |
| Outfielder /Coach | |
| Born: (1983-10-08)October 8, 1983 (age 42) Nassau, The Bahamas | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 4, 2011, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| Last appearance | |
| September 28, 2014, for the New York Yankees | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .350 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 1 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Antoan Edward Richardson (born October 8, 1983) is a Bahamian-American former professionalbaseballoutfielder who currently serves as thefirst base coach for theAtlanta Braves ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Braves andNew York Yankees. Before his professional career, he playedcollege baseball atPalm Beach Community College andVanderbilt University. Richardson served as thefirst base coach for theSan Francisco Giants from 2020 to 2023 and served as thebench coach for the 2023Great Britain national baseball team.
Richardson was born inNassau, inthe Bahamas.[1] He grew up in the Bahamas, raised by his single mother and grandparents.[2] Richardson is a citizen of both the Bahamas and the United States.[3]
In seventh grade, he was cut from his school'ssoftball team.[2] After his playing days, Richardson foundednonprofit organization Project Limestone to provide youth programs that encourage young people to respect their peers, to work together, to define their goals, and set them on a path to achieve those goals. Its focus is in the classroom, in sports, and in the community.[2]
Richardson attendedAmerican Heritage High School inDelray Beach, a suburb ofBoca Raton, Florida, on scholarship after a coach from the school noticed him.[2] There, he played baseball and football and was classsalutatorian.[2][4][5] As a senior he was named to the 2001 Class 1A All-state high school baseball second team by the Florida Sports Writers Association.[6]
He then attendedPalm Beach Community College on an athletic scholarship, passing up an opportunity to attendBrown University on full scholarship.[7] Richardson next attendedVanderbilt University, where he playedcollege baseball for theVanderbilt Commodores baseball team from 2004 to 2005.[8][2][9] He was drafted in the 27th round of the2001 Major League Baseball draft out of high school, the 27th round of the2002 Major League Baseball draft, the 13th round of the2004 Major League Baseball draft, and the 35th round of the2005 Major League Baseball draft.[10] In 2004, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theOrleans Cardinals of theCape Cod Baseball League.[11] In December 2008 he earned hisengineering science degree from Vanderbilt.[2]
TheSan Francisco Giants signed Richardson after they took him in the 35th round of the2005 Major League Baseball draft.[1] In 2005 he batted .321/.465 (4th in the league)/.378 with 45runs (tied for the league lead), 44walks (leading the league), 7sacrifice hits (tied for 2nd in the league), 8hit by pitch (tied for 5th in the league) and 40stolen bases (leading the league) in 193at bats for the rookie-levelArizona League Giants, and was a 2005 Post-SeasonArizona League All-Star.[1][12] In 2006 he batted .292/.381/.366 with 7 sacrifice hits (tied for 7th in the league) and 66 stolen bases (3rd) in 418 at-bats for theAugusta GreenJackets of the Single-ACalifornia League.[1]
In 2007, Richardson batted .279/.399/.362 with 7 triples (2nd in the league), 67 walks (5th), 11 hit by pitch (9th), and 43 stolen bases (2nd) in 384 at-bats for theSan Jose Giants of the High-ASouth Atlantic League.[1]Baseball America named Richardson the best defensive outfielder in the Giants organization.[13] In 2008 he batted .241/.356/.329 with 12 hit by pitch (leading the league), 10 sacrifice hits (6th), and 33 stolen bases (leading the league) in 365 at-bats for theConnecticut Defenders of the Double-AEastern League.[1]
Richardson began the 2009 season with Connecticut, batting .207/.320/.287 in 87 at-bats.[1] The Giants released him on July 24, 2009.[14][1][15]
He then played for the remainder of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 for theSchaumburg Flyers of the independentNorthern League. In 2009 he batted .287/.419/.404 with 20 stolen bases in 94 at-bats, and in 2010 Richardson batted .375/.474/.438 in 16 at-bats.[16]
In May 2010, Richardson signed a minor league contract with theAtlanta Braves.[17] In the remainder of the 2010 season he played primarily for theMississippi Braves in the Double-ASouthern League, batting .279/.393 (10th in the league)/.316 with 12 hit by pitch (4th) and 24 stolen bases in 272 at-bats.[1]
Richardson played most of 2011 for the Mississippi Braves and batted .283/.430 (tied for second in the league, behindPaul Goldschmidt)/.327 with 11 hit by pitch (fifth) and 17 stolen bases in 272 at-bats.[1] He was a 2011 MiLB.com Atlanta Braves Organization All-Star.[1]
Richardson was called up to the majors for the first time on September 4, 2011, and recorded his first career hit, a single to right field, offLos Angeles Dodgers pitcherClayton Kershaw in his first career major league at-bat.[18] He became the sixth player from the Bahamas to play in the major leagues.[4] He batted 2-for-4 with a stolen base in 2011 for the Braves.[1] On November 2, Richardson was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-AGwinnett Braves.[19]
On December 31, 2011, Richardson signed a minor league contract with theBaltimore Orioles.[1] In 2012 he played primarily for theBowie Baysox of the Double-AEastern League, batting .279/.415 (3rd in the league)/.331 with 8 sacrifice hits (5th) and 26 stolen bases (6th) in 290 at-bats.[1]
Richardson played three games forTeam Great Britain in theWorld Baseball Classic qualifiers in 2012, going 1-for-10 with a walk.[1]
Richardson signed with theMinnesota Twins organization in February 2013.[1] He split the 2013 season between theNew Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League, for whom he batted .336/.456/.403 with 14 stolen bases in 119 at-bats, and theRochester Red Wings of the Triple-AInternational League, for whom he batted .265/.381/.358 with 9 sacrifice hits (tied for 3rd in the league) and 25 stolen bases (5th; while being caught twice) in 302 at-bats.[1] Richardson was a 2013 MiLB.com Minnesota Twins Organization All-Star.[1]
On November 13, 2013, Richardson signed a minor league contract with theNew York Yankees.[1] He spent the 2014 minor league season with theScranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders in the International League, for whom he batted .271/.380/.364 with 14 hit by pitch (leading the league), seven sacrifice hits (tied for ninth), and 26 stolen bases (fifth; while being caught once) in 258 at-bats. The Yankees promoted Richardson to the major leagues on September 2.[20]
On September 25, Richardson pinch-ran forJose Pirela in the bottom of the ninth inning against theBaltimore Orioles. He scored the winning run on a walk-off single byDerek Jeter in the finalYankee Stadium at bat of Jeter's career.[21] Overall, for the season, he had five hits in 16 at-bats (.313 batting average), along with five stolen bases without being caught. After the season, he was outrighted off the Yankees roster.[8]
On December 11, 2014, Richardson signed a minor league contract with theTexas Rangers.[22] He underwent back surgery for a bulging spinal disk on March 27, 2015, and was placed on the 60-daydisabled list on April 2.[23] During rehab in Triple-A in July he was hit by a pitch and suffered a broken foot.[23][24] For the 2015 season, he had only 37 at-bats between the rookie-levelArizona League Rangers and Triple-ARound Rock Express.[25]
Richardson signed a minor league contract with thePittsburgh Pirates for the 2016 season, and the Pirates invited Richardson tospring training.[26] He had 16 at bats for theIndianapolis Indians and was released on April 25, 2016.[27]
Richardson signed a minor league contract with theLos Angeles Dodgers on April 29, 2016, after being released by the Pirates just two days prior. The Dodgers subsequently released him on June 22, after he hit .222 in 15 games for the Triple-AOklahoma City Dodgers.
On July 8, 2016, Richardson signed with theSouthern Maryland Blue Crabs of theAtlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 34 appearances for the Blue Crabs, Richardson slashed .200/.351/.222 with one RBI and 11 stolen bases.
Richardson retired from professional baseball on March 7, 2017, at 33 years of age.[7] In his 12-season minor league career, while primarily playing center field, Richardson batted .273/.392/.342 in 3,107 at-bats while stealing 331 bases and being caught 58 times.[16] In the major leagues, he batted .350/.381/.350 in 20 at-bats while stealing six bases without being caught.[16]
In February 2019, Richardson was named as a field coordinator and minor league outfield coordinator for theSan Francisco Giants.[28][29]
On December 23, 2019, Richardson was named the first-base coach of the San Francisco Giants under new managerGabe Kapler, with the added responsibility of coaching Giants baserunners and outfielders.[30][29]
During the top of the third inning of a game against theSan Diego Padres on April 12, 2022, Richardson was ejected for the first time in his MLB career at any capacity after engaging in an argument with Padres third base coachMike Shildt. The argument followed afterSteven Duggar stole second base with a 9-run lead over the Padres in the second inning. This ejection led toAlyssa Nakken becoming the first woman to appear as an on-field (base) coach in a Major League game by replacing the ejected Richardson.[31]
On November 10, 2023, following the hiring ofMatt Williams asthird base coach of the Giants for the 2024 season, former third base coachMark Hallberg was named first base coach, replacing Richardson.[32]
On November 22, 2023, Richardson was hired by theNew York Mets to be their first base coach for the 2024 season.[33] On October 27, 2025, it was announced that Richardson would not return to the Mets in 2026, despite New York making a strong effort to retain him.[34]
On November 5, 2025, Richardson was hired by theAtlanta Braves as their first base coach, replacingTom Goodwin.[35]
· Baseball Almanac