Cam Collier
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2004)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Cam Collier
|image = Cam Collier (54000669754) (cropped).jpg
|caption = Collier with the Dayton Dragons in 2024
|team = Cincinnati Reds
|number =
|position = Third baseman
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2004|11|20}}
|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Right
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Cameron Keith Collier (born November 20, 2004) is an American professional baseball third baseman in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He played college baseball for the Chipola Indians.
Amateur career
Collier grew up in Austell, Georgia and attended Mount Paran Christian School in Kennesaw, Georgia. He committed to play college baseball at Louisville after his freshman year of high school.{{cite web|url=https://baseballprospectjournal.com/cam-collier-learns-from-father-eager-for-future/|title=Cam Collier learns from father, eager for future|date=16 September 2021 }} As a sophomore, Collier hit for a .434 average with 13 home runs, 40 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases.{{cite web|url=https://www.mdjonline.com/sports/baseball-player-of-the-year-cam-collier-mount-paran-christian/article_052675aa-d065-11eb-bf91-f7bd899a73a0.html|title=Baseball Player of the Year: Cam Collier, Mount Paran Christian|first=Christian|last=Knox|work=Marietta Daily Journal|date=June 18, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2022}} Collier played in the Perfect Game Junior National Showcase after the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/prospects-with-the-best-scouting-tools-at-2021-perfect-game-junior-national/|title=Prospects With The Best Tools At 2021 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase|work=Baseball America|date=June 24, 2021|access-date=March 1, 2022}} He was originally considered to be one of the best prospects in the 2023 Major League Baseball draft class.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-mlb-draft-stock-watch-first-round-to-do-list/|title=2022 MLB Draft Stock Watch: First Round To-Do List|work=Baseball America|date=February 15, 2022|access-date=February 28, 2022}} After his sophomore year Collier earned his General Educational Development (GED) and reclassified to the class of 2022.{{cite web|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/collier-withdraws-mount-paran-sets-223300760.html|title=Collier withdraws from Mount Paran, sets sights on MLB draft|first=John|last=Bednarowski|work=Marietta Daily Journal|date=August 3, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2022}}
After reclassifying, Collier enrolled at Chipola College in Marianna, Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/sports/high-school-sports-blog/baseball-how-georgias-perfect-game-all-americans-are-faring/6F6MUOAXHNHYNBNTNZAMT67TLY/|title=3 Georgia baseball players could go top 10 in MLB draft|work=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=April 21, 2022|access-date=April 21, 2022}} He was named to the watchlist for the Golden Spikes Award entering his freshman season.{{cite web|url=https://www.mdjonline.com/sports/mount-paran-alum-collier-on-golden-spikes-watch-list/article_41473332-9002-11ec-9c84-1356dff8d3f9.html|title=Mount Paran alum Collier on Golden Spikes watch list|work=Marietta Daily Journal|date=February 17, 2022|access-date=February 27, 2022}} Collier batted .333 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in his freshman season.{{cite web|url=https://www.wjhg.com/2022/04/28/collier-upping-his-game-with-indians-17-years-old/|title=Collier upping his game with the Indians at 17 years old|first=Julia|last=Daniels|website=WJHG.com|date=April 27, 2022|access-date=June 18, 2022}} After the 2022 season, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1569069&seasonid=33239 |title=Cameron Collier |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=July 16, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/cotuit-kettleers-2022-cape-cod-league-preview/|title=Cotuit Kettleers 2022 Cape Cod League Preview|work=Baseball America|date=June 7, 2022|access-date=June 18, 2022}}
Professional career
The Cincinnati Reds selected Collier in the first round, with the 18th overall selection, of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web |url= https://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/mlb/reds/2022/07/17/reds-choose-cam-collier-first-round-2022-mlb-draft/10082947002/ |title=Reds choose Cam Collier First Round 2022 MLB Draft}} On July 25, 2022, Collier agreed to a $5 million contract with the Reds.{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/top-draft-pick-cam-collier-signs-with-reds |title=Reds ink top pick Collier to over-slot deal |author=Mark Shelton |date=July 25, 2022 |publisher=Major League Baseball |work=www.mlb.com |access-date=July 25, 2022}} He his professional debut with the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Reds. Collier spent the 2023 season with the Single-A Daytona Tortugas, playing in 111 contests and hitting .246/.349/.356 with six home runs and 68 RBI.{{Cite web|title=2024 Community Prospect Rankings: Cam Collier is the #6 prospect in the Reds system!|url=https://www.redreporter.com/2024/1/16/24040122/prospect-rankings-cam-collier-cincinnati-reds|access-date=April 3, 2025|website=redreporter.com|language=en}}
Collier appeared in the 2024 All-Star Futures Game. He hit a home run and won the game's most valuable player award.{{Cite web |last=Bowman |first=Mark |date=2024-07-13 |title=2024 MLB All-Star Futures Game |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-all-star-futures-game |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=MLB.com}} In 119 appearances for the High-A Dayton Dragons, Collier slashed .248/.355/.443 with 20 home runs and 74 RBI.
On March 9, 2025, it was announced that Collier would miss at least 4-6 weeks after suffering a torn UCL in his left thumb that required surgery.{{Cite web|title=Reds Notes: Injuries, Steer, Collier|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/reds-notes-injuries-steer-collier.html|access-date=March 12, 2025|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}}
On June 17th, Collier was promoted to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts.
Personal life
Collier's father, Lou Collier, played in Major League Baseball and the KBO League.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/cam-collier-no-3-player-in-the-2023-class-reclassifies-for-2022-mlb-draft/|title=Cam Collier, No. 3 Player In The 2023 Class, Reclassifies For 2022 MLB Draft|first=Ben|last=Badler|work=Baseball America|date=August 2, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/breakthrough-series-special-for-collier-family|title=Breakthrough Series special for Collier family|first=Bill|last=Ladson|website=MLB.com|date=June 11, 2021|access-date=February 27, 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=702253|espn=5080634|br=|fangraphs=sa3020131|brm=collie001cam}}
- [https://www.chipolaathletics.com/sports/bsb/2021-22/bios/collier_cam_4ob2 Chipola Indians bio]
{{2022 MLB Draft}}
{{Cincinnati Reds first-round draft picks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Collier, Cam}}
Category:Baseball third basemen
Category:Chipola Indians baseball players
Category:Baseball players from Austell, Georgia
Category:Cotuit Kettleers players
Category:African-American baseball players
Category:Arizona Complex League Reds players
Category:Daytona Tortugas players