| Casey Kotchman | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kotchman with the Cleveland Indians | |||||||||||||||
| First baseman | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1983-02-22)February 22, 1983 (age 42) St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| May 9, 2004, for the Anaheim Angels | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| June 18, 2013, for the Miami Marlins | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .260 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 71 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 388 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Casey John Kotchman (born February 22, 1983) is an American former professionalbaseballfirst baseman. He played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theAnaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim,Atlanta Braves,Boston Red Sox,Seattle Mariners,Tampa Bay Rays,Cleveland Indians, andMiami Marlins. Kotchman holds the major league record for consecutiveerror-less games at first base, with 274, set between June 2008 and August 2010.[1]
Kotchman played baseball forSeminole High School inSeminole, Florida. In 2001,Baseball America ranked the team number one nationally, with Kotchman the top-ranked player nationally—the team went undefeated on the field in 31 games (with an official record of 21–10 due to forfeits) and won the state Class 5A championship.[2]
TheAnaheim Angels selected Kotchman with the thirteenth overall pick in the2001 MLB draft.
In2006, the Angels moved2005 starterDarin Erstad back tocenter field, announcing that Kotchman would likely open the season at first base. After struggling in hisat-bats early in 2006 because ofmononucleosis, Kotchman was placed on thedisabled list in early May. In2007, Kotchman proclaimed himself fully healthy and proved it by winning the Angels' opening day first baseman job for the second straight year.
Kotchman missed 128 games in2006, as he was kept away from the field with complications stemming from mononucleosis. After a spring in which the Opening Day starting first basemanbatted better than .400, he hit just .152 with onehome run and sixRBI in 29 games with the Angels. Kotchman tried to return to the field, but his rehab assignment was cut short when he experienced dizzy spells in July while playing for Triple-ASalt Lake. He spent much of the rest of the season at home inFlorida, performing cardio exercises.
In2007, he was one of seven Angels regulars tohit over .290 (most in majors) and established career highs in several offensive categories including batting average (.296),home runs (11) andRBI (68). He also hit .320 atAngel Stadium and .274 on the road. He had a 7-game hit streak (7-8/31-8/7), his 4th seven-game streak of season (each matching a career-high). He left the June 16 game against theLos Angeles Dodgers in the 7th after being hit on the helmet by apickoff throw atsecond base by DodgerscatcherRussell Martin and was diagnosed with a mild concussion and received three stitches behind his right ear. On June 25, he returned to the starting lineup after missing seven games. He logged the first threetriples of his career. He connected for his second careergrand slam in the first inning on May 14 against theTexas Rangers. He had a .997fielding percentage and was ranked fourth amongAL first basemen (3 E/1049 TC) in the 2007 season. He hit a solo home run on Opening Night against the Texas Rangers in his first at-bat of the season, his first home run since May 4, 2006, against theDetroit Tigers. He connected for the game-winning RBIsingle in the 9th inning on July 13 against the Rangers. He collected a career-best fourhits in 1 game on August 17 against theBoston Red Sox.
On July 29,2008, Kotchman was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with minor leaguepitcher Stephen Marek for first basemanMark Teixeira.[3] Kotchman started his tenure with the Braves by batting just .157 in his first 20 games but he ended the season with a .237 batting average.[4]
Kotchman was placed on thebereavement list after his mother fell ill on August 20, 2008.[5] After seven days, the Braves placed Kotchman on the restricted list so he could continue to be with his mother in Florida.[6] Eleven days from first being placed on the bereavement list, the Braves activated Kotchman.[7]
On January 31,2009, Kotchman avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $2.885 million contract.[8] Kotchman mentioned atspring training in 2009 that playing for the Braves was always a dream of his.[9] Kotchman suffered a shin contusion after being hit by a pitch fromArizona Diamondbacks'pitcherMax Scherzer on May 31 and was expected to be out two to three days.[10] The injury did, however, force Kotchman on the 15-day disabled list and was activated on June 16.[11]
On July 31, 2009, Atlanta traded Kotchman to theBoston Red Sox for first basemanAdam LaRoche.[12] In Kotchman's first game with the Red Sox, he hit a two-run home run off ofJoba Chamberlain.[13] With the Red Sox, Kotchman hit .218 with three doubles, one home run, seven RBIs, and one stolen base in 29 games. This gave Kotchman a combined average of .268 with 23 doubles, seven home runs, 48 RBIs, and 39 walks in 126 games between Boston and Atlanta.[14]
On January 5,2010 the Red Sox traded Kotchman to theSeattle Mariners in exchange forutility playerBill Hall, a minor league player, and cash.[15][16][17] On February 3, Kotchman and the Mariners agreed on a new contract, avoiding salary arbitration.[18] On June 3, Kotchman set theMajor League Baseball individual streak record with 2,003 consecutivechances without anerror. The previous record had been held byKevin Youkilis of the Boston Red Sox, established between July 4, 2006, and June 6, 2008.[19] On August 21, the streak ended when Kotchman mishandled a hard groundball hit byCurtis Granderson of theNew York Yankees. The error was his first since July 20, 2008, when he played for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, a streak of 2,379 fielding chances.[20] He batted .217 for the season.[21] On November 4, Kotchman refused an outright assignment to the Triple-ATacoma Rainiers, electing to become afree agent instead.[22][23]
Kotchman signed a minor league contract with an invitation to 2011 spring training with theTampa Bay Rays.[24] On March 26, the Rays assigned Kotchman to Triple-ADurham.[25] Following the retirement ofManny Ramirez six games into the2011 season, the Rays called up Kotchman. On August 9, Kotchman hit awalk-off home run offKansas City Royals relieverBlake Wood to give the Rays a 2–1 win.[26]
Kotchman signed a one-year contract with theCleveland Indians on February 3, 2012.[27] Kotchman made 142 appearances for Cleveland during the regular season, batting .229/.280/.333 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI.[28]
On February 15, 2013, Kotchman signed a minor league contract with theMiami Marlins organization.[29][30] On March 31, the Marlins selected Kotchman's contract after he made the team's Opening Day roster.[31] He was quickly placed on the disabled list due to a left hamstring strain and was not activated until June 3.[32] In six appearances for Miami, Kotchman went 0-for-20 with one RBI and one walk. He played his final MLB game on June 8, playing the final 10 innings of a 20-inning win over theNew York Mets.[33] After returning to the disabled list as the result of a left oblique strain, he was released on August 26.[34]
Kotchman's .9975 career fielding percentage is the best among major league first basemen, slightly ahead ofKevin Youkilis, as of the end of the 2025 season[update].[35]
After sitting all of the 2014 season retired from baseball, Kotchman signed a minor league contract with theKansas City Royals on March 6, 2015.[36] He played in 90 games for the Triple-AOmaha Storm Chasers, hitting .290/.374/.426 with seven home runs and 44 RBI. Kotchman elected free agency following the season on November 6.[37]
On November 23, 2015, Kotchman signed a minor league contract with theToronto Blue Jays that included an invitation to spring training.[38] In 102 games for the Triple-ABuffalo Bisons, he batted .256/.343/.383 with eight home runs and 34 RBI. Kotchman elected free agency following the season on November 7.[39]
Kotchman's father isTom Kotchman, a long-timeAngels'minor leaguemanager andscout. Kotchman's mother works as a principal and was formerly a teacher. She suffered a brain hemorrhage during the 2008 season; as a result Kotchman had to be placed on the Major Leaguebereavement list and later the restricted list. She recovered, however.[7][40] His sister Christal playedsoftball for theCollege of Charleston Cougars.[41][40]
