Professional career Michael Cuddyer

1 professional career

1.1 minnesota twins
1.2 colorado rockies
1.3 new york mets

professional career
minnesota twins

cuddyer drafted minnesota twins in 1st round (9th pick) of 1997 amateur draft, did not sign until august. cuddyer committed play college baseball @ florida state waited twins signing bonus offer increase $700,000 $1.3 million before deciding go professional. consequently, did not make professional debut until 1998 when assigned fort wayne wizards in single-a midwest league. showing tools made him first round draft pick , regularly named baseball america s top minor league prospects, cuddyer made steady progress through twins minor league system , made major league baseball debut on september 23, 2001 after hitting .301 30 home runs , 87 rbi in 141 games @ aa new britain. after hitting .309 20 home runs in 86 games @ aaa edmonton, cuddyer called twins 2002 stretch drive , named post-season roster hit on .300 against oakland s , anaheim angels. despite playing on half of 676 minor league games @ third base , 166 games @ second, prior 2004 season cuddyer got of playing time occasional fill-in in outfield. during 2004, cuddyer started see more time in majors in infield, playing second , third base. after departure of veteran twins third baseman corey koskie toronto blue jays way of free agency in 2005, cuddyer became twins starting third baseman. however, struggled @ third base , relegated reserve role of 2005, although did hit .263 12 home runs second season in row.

cuddyer underwent surgery repair tear in right lateral meniscus in october 2005. twins extended contract on january 21, 2006, giving him one-year deal worth $1.3 million. after beginning 2006 season on bench, cuddyer emerged regular in right field , in cleanup spot of twins batting order. finished second justin morneau in rbi twins in 2006.

prior 2008 season, cuddyer re-signed twins three-year $24 million contract, $10.5 million club option 2011.

on april 4, 2008, cuddyer suffered dislocated right index finger after sliding headfirst third base. suffered laceration on knuckle after getting stepped on kansas city royals third baseman alex gordon. put on 15-day disabled list , activated on april 25 against texas rangers. on second game after being activated, cuddyer hit three-run home run off rangers scott feldman, first of 2008 season.

on may 22, 2009 cuddyer hit cycle in game against milwaukee brewers. 3 months later, on august 23, 2009, cuddyer hit 2 home runs in same inning, seventh inning of twins game against kansas city royals, becoming 53rd player in major league baseball accomplish feat. player in major league history have performed both offensive rarities in same baseball season. during september , october 2009, cuddyer moved infield playing first base filling in justin morneau. cuddyer returned outfield @ start of 2010 season, found playing time @ first , third base.

on july 3, 2011, cuddyer named all-star first time managers pick. on july 25, cuddyer became first twins position player pitch in game in 21 years when inserted in eighth inning of twins loss against texas rangers, in lost 20-6. right-hander gave double mike napoli, bloop single mitch moreland, , walked ian kinsler 1 out load bases. cuddyer retired elvis andrus on fly ball , david murphy on pop-up scoreless inning. last twins position player pitch outfielder john moses against california angels on july 31, 1990.

colorado rockies

cuddyer colorado rockies in 2013

on december 16, 2011, cuddyer signed three-year, $31.5 million deal colorado rockies. chose wear number 3 in order honor hall of famer harmon killebrew, whom had grown close within twins organization before killebrew s death.

in 2013, cuddyer set personal best 27-game hitting streak, longest in rockies history point. cuddyer named all-star second time in career. cuddyer finished 2013 regular season .331 batting average win batting title 10 points on atlanta s chris johnson. 34-year-old outfielder s first batting title highest cuddyer had hit in season before 2013 .285.

on august 17, 2014, cuddyer again hit cycle, becoming 30th player hit cycle more once , third player in history, after john olerud , bob watson, hit cycle in both american , national leagues.

new york mets

cuddyer signed two-year contract new york mets on november 10, 2014 worth $21 million. on july 24, 2015 cuddyer put on 15 day disabled list due bone bruise in left knee. mets in 2015, cuddyer appeared in first world series of career, team lose series 4 games 1 kansas city royals.

on december 11, 2015, cuddyer announced retirement via article on players tribune titled play hard , dream big .