Corey Ray

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Corey Ray

|image = Corey Ray (51010448418) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Ray with the Biloxi Shuckers in 2018

|team =

|number =

|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|9|22}}

|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 24

|debutyear = 2021

|debutteam = Milwaukee Brewers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate = April 24

|finalyear = 2021

|finalteam = Milwaukee Brewers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .000

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 0

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 0

|teams =

Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|2021}})

}}

Corey Donte Ray (born September 22, 1994) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in one game in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021.

Amateur career

Ray attended Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois.{{cite web|url=http://patch.com/illinois/homewood-flossmoor/southland-vikings-corey-ray-to-potentially-be-drafted|title=Southland Viking's Corey Ray to Potentially be Drafted|date=June 5, 2013|publisher=Homewood-Flossmoor Patch|first=Jack|last=Sheehan}} In the summer prior to his senior year, he played in the 2012 Under Armour All-American Game.{{cite web|url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/ray-readies-for-wrigley-s-brick-wall-13892/|title=Ray Readies For Wrigley's Brick Wall - BaseballAmerica.com|date=August 15, 2012|work=BaseballAmerica.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-140C2766F29FD6C0.html|title=All-star Ray aspiresto be an ambassador}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 33rd round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft but did not sign and attended the University of Louisville to play college baseball for the Louisville Cardinals.{{cite web|url=https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150605/ashburn/corey-ray-journeys-from-chicagos-south-side-top-of-college-baseball|title=Ashburn – Corey Ray Journeys From Chicago's South Side to the Top of College Baseball – Neighborhood News – DNAinfo Chicago|work=DNAinfo Chicago|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218070337/http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150605/ashburn/corey-ray-journeys-from-chicagos-south-side-top-of-college-baseball|archive-date=December 18, 2015|df=mdy-all}}

Ray appeared in 43 games and made 19 starts as a freshman at Louisville in 2014. He hit .325/.416/.481 with one home run and 17 runs batted in (RBI). After the 2014 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=588493&seasonid=26713 |title=#10 Corey Ray |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=September 23, 2021}}{{cite web|author=Sean Gonsalves |url=http://www.capecodbaseball.org/news/league-news/index.html?article_id=2244 |title=Cape League Dominates 2016 MLB First - Year Player Draft |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |access-date=September 25, 2019}} As a sophomore in 2015, he started all 65 games and hit .325/.389/.543 with 11 home runs, 56 RBI and 34 stolen bases.{{cite web|url=http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/article26420818.html|title=- News & Observer|work=newsobserver}}{{cite web|url=http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2015/05/28/sullivan-slugging-ray-prefers-pest/28117869/|title=Sullivan – Slugging Ray prefers to be a pest|date=May 28, 2015|work=The Courier-Journal}} Against Wake Forest, Ray stole home in the bottom of the ninth inning, to give Louisville the win.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/chi-simeon-corey-ray-steals-home-louisville-baseball-20150420-htmlstory.html|title=Simeon alum Corey Ray steals home in one of weekend's top plays|author=Chicago Tribune|date=April 20, 2015|work=chicagotribune.com}} After the season, he played for the United States collegiate national team during the summer.

Professional career

In the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Ray with the fifth overall selection. He signed and spent his first professional season with both the Brevard County Manatees of the High–A Florida State League and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Single–A Midwest League, batting .239 with five home runs, 17 RBI, and ten stolen bases in 60 games between both teams. Ray spent 2017 with the Carolina Mudcats of the High–A Carolina League, where he posted a .238 batting average with seven home runs, 48 RBI, and 24 stolen bases in 112 games.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=641999#/career/R/hitting/2017/ALL|title=Corey Ray Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=November 10, 2017}} He played the 2018 season with the Biloxi Shuckers of the Double–A Southern League. After batting .239 with 27 home runs, 74 RBI and 37 stolen bases,{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=641999#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL|title=Corey Ray Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=January 1, 2019}} he was awarded the Southern League Most Valuable Player Award.{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/news/corey-ray-wins-2018-southern-league-most-valuable-player-award-292448908|title=Corey Ray Wins 2018 Southern League Most Valuable Player Award|website=MiLB.com}} Ray began 2019 with the San Antonio Missions of the Triple–A Pacific Coast League,{{Cite web|url=https://www.ksat.com/sports/2019/04/08/meet-the-missions-new-faces-expectations-for-2019/|title=Meet the Missions: New faces, expectations for 2019|first=Andrew|last=Cely|date=April 8, 2019|website=KSAT}} but missed time during the season due to injury. Over 53 games with San Antonio, he batted .188 with seven home runs and 21 RBI.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/corey-ray-faces-pivotal-2020-season/|title=Corey Ray Faces Pivotal 2020 Season|first=Tom|last=Haudricourt|website=www.baseballamerica.com}}

On November 20, 2019, the Brewers added Ray to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2019/11/20/brewers-add-corey-ray-j-p-feyereisen-roster-do-not-protect-zack-brown/4243897002/|title=Brewers add Ray, Feyereisen to 40-man roster; trade with Indians for infielder Mark Mathias|author=Tom Haudricourt|website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|date=November 20, 2019|access-date=November 20, 2019}} 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|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=December 30, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

On April 24, 2021, Ray was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/brewers-place-brett-anderson-josh-lindblom-on-10-day-il.html|title=Brewers Place Brett Anderson, Josh Lindblom On 10-Day IL|website=MLB Trade Rumors}} He made his MLB debut that day as a pinch hitter for Freddy Peralta, recording a walk, scoring a run, and moving to right field later in the game.

On June 17, 2022, Ray was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. In 75 games split between Nashville and Biloxi, he slashed .219/.268/.420 with 13 home runs, 44 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Ray elected free agency following the season on November 10.{{Cite web|title=2022-23 Minor League Free Agents For All 30 MLB Teams|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2022-23-minor-league-free-agents-for-all-30-mlb-teams/?amphtml|access-date=December 29, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}

Coaching career

On March 13, 2023, it was announced that the Chicago Cubs had hired Ray to serve as the bench coach for their Single–A affiliate, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans.{{Cite web|title=Once Promising Brewers 5th Overall Pick Retires, Joins Cubs Coaching Staff|url=https://wisportsheroics.com/once-promising-brewers-5th-pick-retires/|access-date=November 14, 2023|website=wisportsheroics.com|language=en}}

On February 5, 2024, Ray was named the manager of Chicago's rookie–level affiliate, the Arizona Complex League Cubs.{{Cite web|title=Cubs announce 2024 minor league managers and coaching staffs|url=https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2024/2/5/24062676/cubs-announce-2024-minor-league-managers-and-coaching-staffs|access-date=February 10, 2024|website=bleedcubbieblue.com|language=en}}