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Riley Adams

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Riley Adams
Adams with the Washington Nationals in 2024
Washington Nationals
Catcher
Born: (1996-06-26) June 26, 1996 (age 28)
Encinitas, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 8, 2021, for the Toronto Blue Jays
MLB statistics
(through July 31, 2024)
Batting average.226
Home runs13
Runs batted in49
Teams

Riley Keaton Adams (born June 26, 1996) is an American professional baseball catcher for the Washington Nationals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays. He played college baseball for the San Diego Toreros of the University of San Diego.

High school and college

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Adams was born on June 26, 1996, in Encinitas, California.[1] He attended Canyon Crest Academy in San Diego, California. There he was a two-sport athlete, playing basketball and baseball. In basketball, Adams once recorded 31 rebounds in one game.[2] In baseball, he made the school's varsity baseball team in his freshman year as a shortstop. He switched to catcher as a sophomore, when his coach asked him to move to fill the open position.[3] The Chicago Cubs selected Adams in the 37th round, with the 1,099th overall selection, of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft, but he did not sign so that he could enroll at the University of San Diego.[4]

Adams played college baseball for the San Diego Toreros.[5][6] In the summer of 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.[7][8] Adams was twice named a semifinalist for the Johnny Bench Award. As a junior in 2017, he won the West Coast Conference Player of the Year Award,[9] and finished his collegiate career with a .305 batting average, 24 home runs, and 110 runs batted in in 159 games played.[4]

Professional career

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Toronto Blue Jays

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Adams with the Buffalo Bisons in 2021

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Adams in the third round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft, with the 99th overall selection.[10] They signed him to a contract with a $542,000 signing bonus.[11] Adams made his professional debut with the Vancouver Canadians of the Class A-Short Season Northwest League,[12] and went on to start in the Northwest / Pioneer League All-Star Game.[9] Adams played in 52 games for the Canadians in 2017, and hit .305 with three home runs and 35 RBI.[13]

In 2018, Adams played for the Dunedin Blue Jays of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League where he slashed .246/.352/.361 with four home runs and 43 RBIs in 99 games.[14] In 2019 he appeared in 81 games for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, hitting .258 with 11 home runs.

Adams did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] He was added to the Blue Jays 60-man player pool for the 2020 season but did not get called up.[16] On November 20, 2020, Adams was added to the 40-man roster.[17]

On May 2, 2021, Adams was promoted to the major leagues for the first time after backup catcher Alejandro Kirk was placed on the 10-day injured list with left hip flexor discomfort.[18] On May 5, Adams was optioned to Triple-A without making a major league appearance.[19] On June 8, Adams was again recalled to the active roster.[20] He made his MLB debut that day as the starting catcher against the Chicago White Sox. In the game, he notched his first career hit, a double off of White Sox starter Carlos Rodón.

Washington Nationals

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Adams was traded to the Washington Nationals for reliever Brad Hand on July 29, 2021.[21] He notched his first hit as a National, as well as his first career home run and RBIs, off Atlanta Braves reliever Will Smith in the ninth inning, giving his team the late lead, on August 7.[22]

In 2023, Adams played in 44 games for Washington, batting .273/.331/.476 with 4 home runs and 21 RBI. On September 8, 2023, Adams was diagnosed with a fractured hamate bone in his left wrist.[23] On September 11, he underwent surgery for the injury, ending his season.[24]

Adams started the 2024 season on the major league roster, but was optioned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings on June 2. Adams was sent down to get more playing time as both a catcher and a first baseman, rather than being limited to a backup role behind Nationals starting catcher Keibert Ruiz.[25]

Personal life

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Adams began practicing karate at the age of three. He earned a second degree black belt when he was 13 years old, and then began to focus on his baseball career.[4] His elder brother, Cameron, played college baseball at Washington University in St. Louis.[26]

Adams was an accomplished science fair competitor, notably for his studies of pampas grass which resulted in his participation in the California State Science Fair.[27] Adams was also a standout high school basketball player, earning All League honors as a sophomore, junior and senior.

References

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  1. ^ "Riley Adams". Minor League Baseball. 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  2. ^ Muyskens, Paul. "State Stat Stars of the Week". CaliSports. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
  3. ^ Ledonne, Rob (August 28, 2014). "Top catcher brings a thoughtful approach to baseball". Encinitas Advocate. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Ewen, Steve (July 10, 2017). "From a black belt to home runs, Riley Adams can do it all". The National Post. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  5. ^ Kenney, Kirk (March 20, 2017). "USD moves up to No. 23; Riley Adams is WCC Player of Week". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  6. ^ Kenney, Kirk (April 16, 2017). "USD's Riley Adams, SDSU's Dean Nevarez make it a very good week for catchers". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  7. ^ "#10 Riley Adams". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  8. ^ Joyce, Thomas (August 5, 2016). "Top catcher brings a thoughtful approach to baseball". Encinitas Advocate. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  9. ^ a b "NWL notes: Jays' Adams packs punch at plate". MiLB.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  10. ^ Kenney, Kirk (June 13, 2017). "USD catcher Riley Adams selected by Toronto in third round of MLB Draft". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  11. ^ "Blue Jays sign Roger Clemens' son Kacy". MLB.com. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  12. ^ "Blue Jays farm report: Riley Adams adjusting in Vancouver". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved July 31, 2017.
  13. ^ "Riley Adams Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
  14. ^ "Riley Adams Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  15. ^ "2020 Minor League Season Canceled". MLB Trade Rumors. June 30, 2020.
  16. ^ "Blue Jays Announce Initial 60-Man Player Pool". MLB Trade Rumors. June 28, 2020.
  17. ^ "Blue Jays Add 5 Players To 40-Man Roster". MLB Trade Rumors. November 20, 2020.
  18. ^ "Blue Jays To Place Alejandro Kirk, Tommy Milone On Injured List". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Blue Jays Select Reese McGuire, Move Julian Merryweather To 60-Day IL". MLB Trade Rumors. May 5, 2021.
  20. ^ "Blue Jays Place Danny Jansen On IL, Recall Riley Adams". MLB Trade Rumors. June 8, 2021.
  21. ^ "Blue Jays acquire Brad Hand from Nats". MLB.com. July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  22. ^ Reddington, Patrick (August 7, 2021). "Washington Nationals rally late, beat Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Riley Adams' first MLB home run in 9th". Federal Baseball. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  23. ^ "Adams out for season with hamate fracture, García returns". masnsports.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  24. ^ "Nationals' Riley Adams: Gets hand surgery". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  25. ^ "Nationals' Riley Adams: Optioned down to Triple-A". CBSSports.com. June 2, 2024. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  26. ^ "On court or behind plate, Adams can play". sandiegouniontribune.com. January 17, 2014. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  27. ^ Adams, Riley. "Experimental Methods of Eradicating Invasive Pampas Grass" (PDF). California State Science Fair. CSSF. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
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