Corey Bird

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Corey Bird

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|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|8|11}}

|birth_place = Charleston, West Virginia, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

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|statleague = MLB

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Corey Thomas Bird (born August 11, 1995) is an American former professional baseball outfielder.

Amateur career

Bird attended Herbert Hoover High School in Elkview, West Virginia, where he played basketball and baseball. As a senior in 2013, he was named the West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year after batting .476 while also compiling a 1.08 ERA on the mound.{{Cite web|url=https://usatodayhss.com/2013/west-virginia-baseball-poy-corey-bird|title=West Virginia Baseball POY: Corey Bird|website=Usatodayhss.com|date=May 28, 2013}} After graduating, he enrolled at Marshall University where he played college baseball for the Marshall Thundering Herd.{{cite web | url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports/former-herbert-hoover-current-marshall-outfielder-corey-bird-taken-by-marlins-in-7th-round-of/article_7f23594e-4376-50da-b6c1-cde13a2bb8c5.html | title=Former Herbert Hoover, current Marshall outfielder Corey Bird taken by Marlins in 7th round of MLB draft | date=10 June 2016 }}

As a freshman at Marshall in 2014, Bird started 44 games and batted .292 with 15 stolen bases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/marshall_sports/mus-bird-receives-conference-usa-honor-in-baseball/article_6bc68380-6a87-5239-a951-7decf68daf23.html|title = MU's Bird receives Conference USA honor in baseball|website=Herald-dispatch.com| date=21 May 2014 }} In 2015, as a sophomore, he hit .307 with one home run and 23 RBIs. That summer, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks, with whom he earned all-league honors.{{cite web|url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=733880 |title=#16 Corey Bird - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=July 28, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports/corey-bird-honored-by-cape-cod-league/article_27da3f22-8adf-59ea-beb5-bb9a15685772.html|title = Corey Bird honored by Cape Cod League|website=Wvgazettemail.com| date=24 August 2015 }} Bird started 55 games in center field as a junior in 2016, batting .300 with six doubles, 22 RBIs, and 34 stolen bases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bdtonline.com/sports/mlb-draft-marlins-catch-marshalls-bird/article_f62473aa-2f82-11e6-88d0-f7db01acf2f6.html|title = MLB draft: Marlins catch Marshall's Bird|website=Bdtonline.com| date=10 June 2016 }} After the season, he was selected by the Miami Marlins in the seventh round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.{{Cite news|url=https://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/marshall_sports/bird-picked-in-mlb-draft/article_be83d448-1556-5c48-9c64-03e84213ca35.html|title=Bird picked in MLB draft|first=Tim|last=Stephens|newspaper=The Herald-Dispatch|access-date=February 16, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-marlins/sfl-miami-marlins-draft-picks-day-2-20160610-htmlstory.html|title = Miami Marlins' Day 2 draft picks|website=Sun-sentinel.com| date=10 June 2016 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wvnews.com/sports/college/marshalls-bird-selected-by-marlins-in-7th-round/article_a5c8902d-95af-5181-968a-14dd1192557d.html|title=Marshall's Bird selected by Marlins in 7th round|website=Wvnews.com|date=10 June 2016 |access-date=February 16, 2022}}

Professional career

=Miami Marlins=

Bird signed with Miami, making his professional debut with the Batavia Muckdogs of the Class A Short Season New York–Penn League, with whom he hit .237 with 18 RBIs and 16 stolen bases over 58 games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports/former-herbert-hoover-marshall-star-corey-bird-back-at-app-with-greensboro/article_ee33f1b7-1601-59e8-a805-6849833e1159.html|title = Former Herbert Hoover, Marshall star Corey Bird back at APP with Greensboro|website=Wvgazettemail.com| date=9 June 2017 }} He was assigned to the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the Class A South Atlantic League to begin the 2017 season before being promoted to the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League.{{Cite web|url=https://greensboro.com/sports/grasshoppers/hoppers-outfielder-corey-bird-chasing-dream-at-full-speed/article_5f3f141c-b69a-5442-bf35-4dfa4afdeba4.html|title=Hoppers outfielder Corey Bird chasing dream at full speed|author=Jeff Mills|website=Greensboro News and Record|date=18 July 2017 |access-date=February 16, 2022}} Over 110 games between both clubs, he batted .288 with two home runs, forty RBIs, and 28 stolen bases. In 2018, he struggled with injuries, and played in only 42 games for the year.{{Cite web|url=https://marlinmaniac.com/2018/11/14/miami-marlins-review/|title=The 100: A Miami Marlins Season Review|date=November 14, 2018}} In 2019, he began the year with Jupiter before he was promoted to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Class AA Southern League after two games. Over 97 games played for the 2019 season, Bird slashed .230/.284/.293 with three home runs, 29 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wowktv.com/sports/former-marshall-baseball-star-corey-bird-staying-ready-for-mlb-opportunity-during-covid19/|title=Former Marshall Baseball Star Corey Bird Staying Ready for MLB Opportunity During COVID19|date=April 5, 2020}} To begin the 2021 season, he returned to Jacksonville, now members of the Triple-A East.

On July 28, 2021, the Marlins promoted Bird to the major leagues.{{Cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/marshall/Article/Source-Ex-Marshall-baseball-standout-Corey-Bird-called-up-to-Miami-Marlins-168387868/|title=Source: Ex-Marshall baseball standout Corey Bird called up to Miami Marlins|website=247sports.com|access-date=February 16, 2022}} On July 31, he was designated for assignment without making an appearance. This made him a rare Phantom ballplayer upon his retirement.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wowktv.com/top-stories/mlb-dreams-put-on-hold-for-herbert-hoover-grad-corey-bird/|title=MLB Dreams put on hold for Herbert Hoover grad Corey Bird|date=July 31, 2021}} On August 2, he was outrighted back to Jacksonville, with whom he ended the year.

{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/corey-bird-669626?stats=career-r-hitting-minors&year=2021|title=Corey Bird Stats, Fantasy & News|website=MLB.com}} Over 94 games, Bird slashed .239/.332/.382 with six home runs and 24 RBIs.

=Charleston Dirty Birds=

Bird retired from professional baseball on November 16, 2021. However, on June 22, 2022, he signed with the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He retired again after playing 23 games for the Dirty Birds on July 23, 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.coalvalleynews.com/sports/dirty-birds-sign-former-marshall-star-corey-bird/article_271e7bed-d0c6-5d3d-ade0-1814b3390ee7.html | title=Dirty Birds sign former Marshall star Corey Bird | date=22 June 2022 }}