Addison Barger
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Addison Barger
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|team = Toronto Blue Jays
|number = 47
|position = Infielder
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|11|12}}
|birth_place = Bellevue, Washington, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = April 24
|debutyear = 2024
|debutteam = Toronto Blue Jays
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = June 8, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .223
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 14
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 49
|baseball_ref = bargead01
|teams =
- Toronto Blue Jays ({{mlby|2024}}–present)
}}
Addison Barger (born November 12, 1999) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Career
Barger attended C. Leon King High School in Tampa, Florida. He was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.milb.com/news/steiner-stories-addison-barger | title=Steiner Stories: Addison Barger }} He made his professional debut that season with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, recording a .194 batting average, three home runs, and 18 runs batted in (RBI).{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=barger000add|title=Addison Barger Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics|work=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=April 24, 2024}} Barger played 2019 with the Rookie Advanced Bluefield Blue Jays of the Appalachian League, hitting .283 with two home runs and eight RBI in 13 games.
Barger did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |title=2020 Minor League Baseball season shelved |url=https://www.milb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-shelved |access-date=January 5, 2023 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}} He returned in 2021 to play for the Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays and High-A Vancouver Canadians, where he hit .244 with 18 home runs and 82 RBI in 96 games. He started 2022 with Vancouver before being promoted to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats,{{cite web | url=https://theprovince.com/sports/baseball/vancouver-canadians-being-an-ichiro-suzuki-fan-helped-addison-barger-get-in-swing-of-things | title=Vancouver Canadians: Being an Ichiro Suzuki fan helped Addison Barger get in swing of things }}{{cite web | url=https://theprovince.com/sports/baseball/big-hitter-going-going-gone-for-vancouver-canadians-slugger-addison-barger-gets-promotion | title=Big hitter going, going gone for Vancouver Canadians, slugger Addison Barger gets promotion }} and later briefly to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. In a career-high 124 games, Barger recorded a .308 batting average, 26 home runs, and 91 RBI. In the offseason, he played 16 games for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League.
On November 15, 2022, the Blue Jays added Barger to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. Barger was optioned to the Bisons to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Optioned to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/blue-jays-addison-barger-optioned-to-triple-a/amp/|access-date=March 22, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 94 total games that season, he hit .247 with nine home runs and 47 RBI. Barger was again optioned to Triple–A Buffalo to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Sent to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/blue-jays-addison-barger-sent-to-triple-a/amp/|date=March 16, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}
On April 24, 2024, Barger was promoted to the major leagues for the first time after Kevin Kiermaier was placed on the injured list.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/blue-jays-promote-addison-barger-for-major-league-debut.html|title=Blue Jays Promote Addison Barger For Major League Debut|last=McDonald|first=Darragh|work=mlbtraderumors.com|date=April 24, 2024|accessdate=April 24, 2024}} Barger collected his first major league hit on April 29 against the Kansas City Royals.{{cite web |title=Addison Barger collects his first Major League hit |url=https://www.mlb.com/video/matt-sauer-in-play-no-out-to-addison-barger?t=mlb-pipeline |website=MLB.com |publisher=MLB Advanced Media |access-date=April 29, 2024 |date=April 29, 2024}} On July 29, he hit his first MLB home run in a game against the Baltimore Orioles.[https://apnews.com/article/blue-jays-orioles-score-ad8563c975163e8ebcd5ec04d5bc1b1a Ginsburg, David. "Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homers twice to help Blue Jays earn split with Orioles," The Associated Press (AP), Monday, July 29, 2024.] Retrieved July 29, 2024. In 69 appearances for the Blue Jays during his rookie campaign, Barger batted .197/.250/.351 with seven home runs, 28 RBI, and two stolen bases.
Barger was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to begin the 2025 season.{{Cite web|title=Blue Jays told Alan Roden and others they've made the Opening Day roster|url=https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-told-alan-roden-and-others-theyve-made-the-opening-day-roster|access-date=March 28, 2025|website=bluejaysnation.com|language=en}}
Personal life
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=680718|br=b/bargead01|espn=4997589|fangraphs=sa3006910|brm=barger000add|retro=B/Pbarga001}}
{{Toronto Blue Jays roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Barger, Addison}}
Category:Baseball players from King County, Washington
Category:Bluefield Blue Jays players
Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Category:C. Leon King High School alumni
Category:Dunedin Blue Jays players
Category:Florida Complex League Blue Jays players
Category:Gulf Coast Blue Jays players
Category:Major League Baseball infielders
Category:New Hampshire Fisher Cats players
Category:Salt River Rafters players