| Michael Toglia | |
|---|---|
 Toglia with UCLA in 2019 | |
| Colorado Rockies – No. 4 | |
| First baseman /Outfielder | |
| Born: (1998-08-16)August 16, 1998 (age 26) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 30, 2022, for the Colorado Rockies | |
| MLB statistics (through March 29, 2025) | |
| Batting average | .204 |
| Home runs | 31 |
| Runs batted in | 76 |
| Teams | |
| |
Michael Anthony Toglia (born August 16, 1998) is an American professionalbaseballfirst baseman andoutfielder for theColorado Rockies ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). Toglia played three years of college baseball atUCLA. He was selected by the Rockies in the first round of the2019 MLB draft. He played in their minor league system for three years before making his MLB debut in 2022.
Toglia attendedGig Harbor High School inGig Harbor,Washington. As a senior in 2016, he hit .316 with four home runs and 21 RBIs along with pitching to a 1.00 ERA in 42 innings.[1]
After his senior year, he was drafted by theColorado Rockies in the 35th round of the2016 Major League Baseball draft.[2] However, he did not sign and instead chose to fulfill his commitment to attend theUniversity of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to playcollege baseball for theUCLA Bruins.
During the summer, he played in theWest Coast League (WCL) for theWenatchee AppleSox and was named the league'smost valuable player as well as to the All-WCL team after he batted .306 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs.[3][4]
In 2017, as a freshman at UCLA, Toglia hit .261 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs in 56 games. He received All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and was named a Freshman All-American byCollegiate Baseball.[5][6] After the 2017 season, he playedcollegiate summer baseball in theCape Cod Baseball League for theCotuit Kettleers, where he batted .248 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 37 games.[7][8][9][10]
As a sophomore in 2018, Toglia started all 59 of UCLA's games, slashing .336/.449/.588 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs,[11] and was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team.[12] Following that year, he returned to the Cape Cod League with the Kettleers, batting .220 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 38 games.[13][14] Prior to the 2019 season, Toglia was named a preseason All-American byCollegiate Baseball.[15]
He finished his junior year batting .314 with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs in 63 games.[16] He was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team for the second consecutive year.[17]
Toglia was considered one of the top prospects for the2019 Major League Baseball draft.[18] He was re-selected by theColorado Rockies with the 23rd overall pick, and signed for $2.7 million.[19][20] After signing, he was assigned to theBoise Hawks of theClass A Short SeasonNorthwest League with whom he spent all of his first professional season.[21] Over 41 games, he slashed .248/.369/.483 (.852 OPS) with nine home runs and 26 RBIs.[22]
Toglia did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.[23]
To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to theSpokane Indians of theHigh-A West.[24] In June, Toglia was selected to play in theAll-Star Futures Game atCoors Field.[25] After slashing .234/.333/.465 with 17 home runs, 66 RBI, and seven stolen bases over 74 games in Spokane, he was promoted to theHartford Yard Goats of theDouble-A Northeast on August 2.[26] Over 41 games with Hartford, he slashed .217/.331/.406 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.[27] He was selected to play in theArizona Fall League for theSalt River Rafters after the season where he was named to the Fall Stars game.[28][29]
He returned to Hartford to begin the 2022 season.[30] Over 97 games with the Yard Goats, he slashed .234/.339/.466 with 23 homers.[31] In early August, he was promoted to theAlbuquerque Isotopes of theTriple-APacific Coast League.[32]
The Rockies selected Toglia's contract and promoted him to the major leagues on August 30, 2022.[33] He made his MLB debut that night as the team’s starting first baseman against theAtlanta Braves atTruist Park. Toglia went hitless over fourat-bats in a 3-2 Rockies win.[34] He collected his first MLB hit, a single offKyle Wright of theAtlanta Braves, the next night[35] before hitting his first MLB home run off Braves closerKenley Jansen.[36] Toglia appeared in 31 games for the Rockies before the 2022 season ended, slashing .216/.275/.378 (.653 OPS) with two home runs.
Toglia was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to begin the 2023 season.[37] He played 78 games with the Isotopes, slashing .256/.368/.474 (.082 OPS) with 16 home runs. That season, Toglia also appeared in 45 games for the Rockies where he slashed .163/.224/.284 with four home runs and one stolen base.[38]
In 2024, Toglia made theOpening Day roster for the first time in his career.[39] However, after slumping,[40] he was sent down to play 30 games for theAlbuquerque Isotopes, where he slashed .277/.363/.571 (.934 OPS) with nine home runs.[41]
He spent the majority of the 2024 season with the Rockies, appearing in 116 games and slashing .218/.311/.456 (.767 OPS) with 25 home runs.[42] On July 14, Togila became the first Rockies switch hitter to homer 3 times in a game; he did so in an 8–5 win over theNew York Mets.[43]