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Drew Gilbert

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Drew Gilbert
New York Mets – No. 21
Right fielder
Born: (2000-09-27) September 27, 2000 (age 24)
St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Bats: Left/Right
Throws: Left

Andrew Christopher Gilbert (born September 27, 2000) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the New York Mets organization. He played college baseball for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Amateur career

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Gilbert attended Stillwater Area High School in Stillwater, Minnesota. As a junior, he helped lead Stillwater to their first state championship since 1991, striking out 15 batters and throwing over 115 pitches in a complete-game shutout.[1] He finished his junior year batting .400 alongside going 7–1 with a 0.63 ERA and 100 strikeouts over 55+2⁄3 innings.[2] As a senior in 2019, he was named the St. Paul Pioneer Press Baseball Player of the Year, the Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year, and Minnesota Mr. Baseball.[3][4][5] He finished his senior year with 97 strikeouts while giving up only one run over 49 innings alongside batting .370 with eight stolen bases.[6] He was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 35th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign.[7] He originally committed to play college baseball for the Oregon State Beavers, but switched his commitment to the Tennessee Volunteers after a coaching change at Oregon State during the summer before his freshman year of college.[8]

During his freshman year at Tennessee in 2020, Gilbert pitched eight innings and made ten starts in the outfield before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a sophomore in 2021, Gilbert became Tennessee's starting center fielder.[9] He was named Southeastern Conference (SEC) Newcomer of the Week twice during the season.[10] He garnered national attention after he hit an ultimate grand slam versus the Wright State Raiders in the first round of the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, leading the Volunteers to a 9–8 win.[11][12][13] He was subsequently named the Most Outstanding Player of the Knoxville Regional after hitting a home run in all three games of the regional, helping Tennessee reach their first Super Regional in 16 years.[14] He finished the season having started 67 games with a slash line of .274/.341/.437 with ten home runs, 62 RBIs, and ten stolen bases.[15]

Gilbert was named to the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team after the season alongside teammate Blade Tidwell.[16] Gilbert returned as Tennessee's starting center fielder in 2022 and was named to the All SEC-First Team.[17] During Tennessee's first game of the Super Regional versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Gilbert was ejected and subsequently suspended one game for arguing a strike call.[18] He returned for the third and final game of the Super Regional, but Tennessee lost, thus ending their season. Gilbert finished the season having appeared in 58 games, compiling a slash line of .362/.455/.673 with 11 home runs, 70 RBIs, and 21 doubles.[19]

Professional career

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Houston Astros

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The Houston Astros selected Gilbert in the first round, with the 28th overall selection, in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.[20] He signed with the team for $2.5 million.[21]

Gilbert made his professional debut with the Florida Complex League Astros, homering in his first at-bat.[22] After four games, he was promoted to the Fayetteville Woodpeckers.[23] His season ended in August after he dislocated his right elbow after a collision in the outfield.[24] Over ten games for the season, he hit .313 with two home runs.[25] To open the 2023 season, he was assigned to the Asheville Tourists.[26] In early May, he was promoted to the Corpus Christi Hooks.[27] He was selected to represent the Astros at the 2023 All-Star Futures Game.[28]

New York Mets

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On August 1, 2023, Gilbert and Ryan Clifford were traded to the New York Mets in exchange for pitcher Justin Verlander.[29] He was subsequently assigned to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies.[30] Over 116 games for the 2023 season, Gilbert slashed .289/.381/.487 with 18 home runs and 59 RBIs.[31] He began the 2024 season with the Syracuse Mets.[32]

References

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  1. ^ Mizutani, Dane (June 18, 2018). "Class 4A state baseball: Ace leads Stillwater to first state championship since 1991". St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  2. ^ Strand, Bruce (July 5, 2018). "Diamond dandies: Stillwater Ponies are state champions with 20th straight win". PressPubs.
  3. ^ Mizutani, Dane (June 12, 2019). "Pioneer Press baseball player of the year: Stillwater's Drew Gilbert". St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  4. ^ Paulsen, Jim (June 25, 2019). "Minnesota Scene: Stillwater's Drew Gilbert chosen Minnesota's Mr. Baseball". Star Tribune.
  5. ^ Haggrstrom, Ron (June 12, 2019). "Stillwater's Drew Gilbert is the Star Tribune baseball Metro Player of the Year". Star Tribune.
  6. ^ Patane, Paul (June 30, 2019). "2019 Mr. Baseball is Drew Gilbert from Stillwater Area". Minnesota State High School Baseball Association.
  7. ^ Halfend, Betsy (June 5, 2019). "Twins draft four Minnesotans but Stillwater teammates appeared committed to college". The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.
  8. ^ Warrick, Jack (November 14, 2018). "Stillwater pitchers will stay together with NCAA champ Oregon State". St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  9. ^ Wilson, Mike (June 18, 2021). "How Drew Gilbert became a 'power pack' for Tennessee baseball's College World Series run". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  10. ^ "Gilbert named SEC Newcomer of the Week for second time". WVLT-TV. May 10, 2021.
  11. ^ Provost, Troy (June 4, 2021). "Drew Gilbert's walk-off grand slam lifts Vols past Wright State". The Daily Times.
  12. ^ "The sports world reacts to Tennessee's walk-off grand slam against Wright State". WBIR-TV. June 5, 2021.
  13. ^ Wilson, Mike (June 4, 2021). "Inside Drew Gilbert's walk-off grand slam to power Tennessee baseball over Wright State". Knoxville News Sentinel.
  14. ^ Gallagher, Michael (June 7, 2021). "Vols advance to first Super Regional in 16 years". Nashville Post.
  15. ^ Wilson, Mike (February 17, 2022). "What to know about Tennessee baseball as 2022 season opens". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  16. ^ Krull, Jesse (July 13, 2021). "Tennessee's Drew Gilbert, Blade Tidwell showcasing skills with College National Team". WJHL-TV.
  17. ^ Rucker, Wes (May 23, 2022). "Vitello, Vols dominate All-SEC awards". 247sports.com. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  18. ^ Wilson, Mike. "Tennessee baseball's Drew Gilbert, Frank Anderson ejected vs. Notre Dame". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
  19. ^ "Minnesota is home to the best of the best in college sports".
  20. ^ "Houston Astros pick Tennessee baseball's Drew Gilbert in 2022 MLB Draft".
  21. ^ "Astros sign Drew Gilbert and Jacob Melton, their top 2 picks in 2022 draft". July 26, 2022.
  22. ^ Van, Kenny (August 4, 2022). "Houston Astros' First-Round Pick Drew Gilbert Homers in First Professional At-Bat - Sports Illustrated Inside The Astros". Si.com. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  23. ^ "Drew Gilbert hits first home run with Fayetteville". Volswire.usatoday.com. August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  24. ^ Chandler Rome. "Houston Astros: Top draft pick Drew Gilbert to miss rest of season". Houstonchronicle.com. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  25. ^ "Drew Gilbert out for season after elbow injury".
  26. ^ "Where the Astros' Top 30 prospects are starting the season". MLB.com.
  27. ^ Rajan, Greg. "Astros promote top prospect to AA Corpus Christi".
  28. ^ "2023 MLB Futures Game rosters: Orioles' Jackson Holliday, Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer among notable names". CBSSports.com. June 26, 2023.
  29. ^ Gonzalez, Alden (August 2023). "Houston Astros acquire Justin Verlander from New York Mets". ESPN.com.
  30. ^ "Mets' No. 4 Prospect Drew Gilbert and No. 22 Prospect Jeremiah Jackson Assigned to Double-A Binghamton". MiLB.com.
  31. ^ Britton, Will Sammon and Tim. "Mets all-minors team: Joander Suarez sizzles, Luisangel Acuña shows power and speed". The Athletic.
  32. ^ "Mets' Gilbert, Acuña rocket back-to-back homers". MiLB.com.
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