Grant Koch
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Grant Koch
|position=Catcher
|image=Grant Koch (cropped).jpg
|caption=Koch with the Indianapolis Indians in 2024
|team=Free agent
|number=
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1997|2|5}}
|birth_place=Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S.
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = May 29
|debutyear = 2024
|debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates
| statyear =2024 season
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .000
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 0
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 0
|teams =
- Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|2024}})
}}
Grant Koch (born February 5, 1997) is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Career
Koch played college baseball at Arkansas from 2016 to 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://arkansasrazorbacks.com/roster/grant-koch/|title=Grant Koch|date=October 1, 2015|website=Arkansas Razorbacks}}
Koch was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 5th round, with the 144th overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, and signed for a $364,600 signing bonus.{{Cite web|url=https://piratesprospects.com/2018/07/pirates-sign-fifth-round-pick-grant-koch.html|title=Pirates Sign Fifth Round Pick, Grant Koch and Tenth Round Pick, Mike Gretler – Pirates Prospects|first=John|last=Dreker|date=July 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210622071800/https://piratesprospects.com/2018/07/pirates-sign-fifth-round-pick-grant-koch.html |archive-date=June 22, 2021 }} He made his professional debut with the Low–A West Virginia Black Bears, hitting .188/.304/.263 with two home runs and 11 RBI over 40 contests.{{Cite web|title=Grant Koch - Baseball Stats|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/198077/|access-date=June 9, 2024|website=thebaseballcube.com|language=en}}
Koch spent 2019 with the Single–A Greensboro Grasshoppers, playing in 94 games and batting .202/.274/.318 with eight home runs and 34 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Grant Koch - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/grant-koch/22045/stats?position=C|access-date=June 9, 2024|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}} 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=June 9, 2024|website=mlb.com|language=en}} Koch returned to action in 2021 with Greensboro and the Double–A Altoona Curve, accumulating a .178/.259/.348 slash line with 10 home runs and 36 RBI across 70 games.{{Cite web|title=Grant Koch Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/7422-grant-koch/|access-date=June 9, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=15 November 2018 |language=en}}
Koch split the 2022 campaign between Altoona and the Single–A Bradenton Marauders. In 32 total games, he hit a combined .202/.327/.255 with one home run and eight RBI.{{Cite web|title=Grant Koch Player Card|url=https://www.baseballprospectus.com/player/125747/grant-koch/|access-date=June 9, 2024|website=baseballprospectus.com|language=en}} Koch spent the 2023 season with the Triple–A Indianapolis Indians, hitting .255/.318/.391 with five home runs and 23 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Grant Koch minor league baseball statistics on StatsCrew.com|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-4e49f528|access-date=June 9, 2024|website=statscrew.com|language=en}}
Koch began the 2024 season with the Triple–A Indianapolis Indians, hitting .167/.211/.259 with one home run and five RBI across 17 games. On May 28, 2024, Koch was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|title=Pirates Place Martin Perez, Joey Bart On Injured List|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/05/pirates-place-martin-perez-joey-bart-on-injured-list.html|access-date=May 28, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=28 May 2024 |language=en}} In three games for the Pirates, he went 0–for–7 with one walk. On June 4, Koch was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh.{{cite news |title=Pirates recall C Henry Davis, OF Jack Suwinski to play Tuesday |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40278019/pirates-recall-c-henry-davis-jack-suwinski-play-tuesday |access-date=June 25, 2024 |work=ESPN.com |date=June 4, 2024}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Indianapolis on June 6.{{Cite web|title=Pirates Outright Grant Koch|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/pirates-outright-grant-koch.html|access-date=June 6, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=6 June 2024 |language=en}} Koch elected free agency following the season on November 4.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|work=Baseball America|date=November 6, 2024|accessdate=November 6, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=667428|espn=41647|br=k/kochgr01|fangraphs=22045|brm=koch--000gra|retro=K/Pkochg001}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koch, Grant}}
Category:Sportspeople from Fayetteville, Arkansas
Category:Baseball players from Arkansas
Category:Fayetteville High School (Arkansas) alumni
Category:Major League Baseball catchers
Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players
Category:Arkansas Razorbacks baseball players
Category:West Virginia Black Bears players
Category:Greensboro Grasshoppers players
Category:Altoona Curve players
Category:Bradenton Marauders players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Indianapolis Indians players
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