Blake Hunt
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1998)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Blake Hunt
|image =
|team = Seattle Mariners
|number =
|position = Catcher
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|11|10}}
|birth_place = Costa Mesa, California, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
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Blake Evan Hunt (born November 10, 1998) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Seattle Mariners organization. He is currently a phantom ballplayer, having spent a day on the active roster of the Baltimore Orioles without making an appearance.
Career
=Amateur=
Hunt attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where he batted .394 with six home runs, 28 RBI, and nine doubles as a senior in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/sports/tn-dpt-sp-blake-hunt-baseball-20170615-story.html|title = In the Hunt: San Diego Padres give Blake his shot|website = Los Angeles Times|date = June 16, 2017}}
=San Diego Padres=
Hunt was selected by the San Diego Padres in the second round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-03-25/padres-top-prospects-blake-hunt|title=Padres top prospects: No. 25 Blake Hunt|date=March 25, 2020|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|access-date=December 29, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/sports/tn-dpt-sp-blake-hunt-baseball-20170615-story.html|title=In the Hunt: San Diego Padres give Blake his shot|date=June 16, 2017|website=Daily Pilot|access-date=December 29, 2020}} He signed for $1.6 million, forgoing his commitment to play college baseball for the Pepperdine Waves baseball team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2020-03-25/padres-top-prospects-blake-hunt|title=Padres top prospects: No. 25 Blake Hunt|date=March 25, 2020}}
Hunt made his professional debut with the Arizona League Padres, batting .241 over thirty games. He spent the 2018 season with the Tri-City Dust Devils where he hit .271 with three home runs and 25 RBI over 56 games, and he played 2019 with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, slashing .255/.331/.381 with five home runs and 39 RBIs over 89 games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2288753/2020/12/28/blake-snell-trade-grades-padres-rays/|title = Padres get big win in Blake Snell trade: Jim Bowden hands out grades}} He 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| url = https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled| title = 2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled| website = MLB.com}}
=Tampa Bay Rays=
On December 29, 2020, the Padres traded Hunt, Francisco Mejía, Luis Patiño, and Cole Wilcox to the Tampa Bay Rays for Blake Snell.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/padres/news/blake-snell-traded-to-padres|title=Padres' blockbuster trade for Snell official|website=MLB.com|access-date=December 29, 2020}} He split the 2021 season between the Bowling Green Hot Rods and the Montgomery Biscuits, slashing .205/.288/.375 with nine home runs and 48 RBI in 76 games.
In 67 games split between Double–A Montgomery and the Triple–A Durham Bulls in 2023, Hunt hit a combined .256/.331/.484 with 12 home runs and 41 RBI.
=Seattle Mariners=
On November 6, 2023, Hunt was traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Tatem Levins; he was subsequently added to Seattle's 40-man roster following the trade.{{Cite web|title=Mariners' Blake Hunt: Moved to Seattle|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mariners-blake-hunt-moved-to-seattle/amp/|access-date=November 6, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} Hunt was optioned to the Triple–A Tacoma Rainiers to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Mariners' Blake Hunt: Optioned to minors|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/mariners-blake-hunt-optioned-to-minors/amp/|access-date=March 10, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 23 games for Tacoma, he batted .293/.372/.533 with four home runs and 20 RBI.
=Baltimore Orioles=
On May 22, 2024, Hunt was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Mike Baumann and Michael Pérez.{{Cite web|title=Mariners Acquire Mike Baumann|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/mariners-acquire-mike-baumann.html|access-date=May 22, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} On July 30, Hunt was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|title=Orioles Designate Cole Irvin For Assignment|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/orioles-designate-cole-irvin-for-assignment.html|access-date=July 30, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He did not make an appearance and was optioned back to the Triple–A Norfolk Tides the next day, becoming a phantom ballplayer.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/orioles-blake-hunt-demoted-but-with-taxi-squad/ |title=Orioles' Blake Hunt: Demoted, but with taxi squad |work=CBS Sports |date=July 31, 2024|access-date=August 1, 2024}} In 42 games for the Tides, Hunt batted .179/.219/.278 with three home runs, seven RBI, and one stolen base. He was designated for assignment following the signing of Andrew Kittredge on January 13, 2025.{{cite web | title=Press release: Orioles agree to terms with right-handed pitcher Andrew Kittredge | website=MLB.com | date=2025-01-13 | url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-orioles-agree-to-terms-with-right-handed-pitcher-andrew-kittredge | access-date=2025-02-16}}
=Seattle Mariners (second stint)=
On January 15, 2025, Hunt was traded to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash considerations.{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Darragh |date=2025-01-15 |title=Mariners Acquire Blake Hunt, Designate Samad Taylor For Assignment |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/mariners-acquire-blake-hunt-designate-samad-taylor-for-assignment.html |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} He was optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers to begin the season.{{Cite web|title=Seattle Mariners Option Infielder Leo Rivas, Pitcher Casey Legumina to Triple-A|url=https://www.si.com/onsi/minor-league-baseball/news/seattle-mariners-option-infielder-leo-rivas-pitcher-casey-legumina-to-triple-a-|access-date=March 28, 2025|website=si.com|language=en}} In 25 appearances for Seattle, Hunt batted .231/.271/.407 with two home runs and five RBI. Hunt was designated for assignment by Seattle on May 29,{{Cite web|title=Mariners Select Casey Lawrence, Designate Blake Hunt|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/mariners-select-casey-lawrence-designate-blake-hunt.html|access-date=May 29, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} and was sent outright to Tacoma after clearing waivers on June 1.{{Cite web |date=2025-06-01 |title=Blake Hunt sent outright to Triple-A |url=https://www.fantasypros.com/mlb/news/522797/blake-hunt-sent-outright-to-triple-a.php |access-date=2025-06-02 |website=FantasyPros |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|brm=hunt--001bla}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, Blake}}
Category:Aberdeen IronBirds players
Category:Arizona League Padres players
Category:Baseball players from Orange County, California
Category:Bowling Green Hot Rods players
Category:Fort Wayne TinCaps players
Category:Mesa Solar Sox players
Category:Montgomery Biscuits players
Category:Norfolk Tides players
Category:Sportspeople from Costa Mesa, California