Jake McCarthy

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Jake McCarthy

|image =

|team = Arizona Diamondbacks

|number = 31

|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|7|30}}

|birth_place = Scranton, Pennsylvania, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = August 27

|debutyear = 2021

|debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = April 17, 2025

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .265

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 20

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 122

|stat4label = Stolen bases

|stat4value = 78

|teams =

Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2021}}–present)

}}

Jacob Joseph McCarthy (born July 30, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2021.

Amateur career

McCarthy attended Scranton High School in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 23rd round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, but did not sign and played college baseball at the University of Virginia.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/sports/pittsburgh-pirates-select-jake-mccarthy-in-23rd-round-of-mlb-draft/article_883e9342-37af-56d6-9e70-4ec8eac5acc5.html|title=Pittsburgh Pirates select Jake McCarthy in 23rd round of MLB Draft|author=Staff REPORT|website=Scranton Times-Tribune}}{{Cite web|url=https://dailyprogress.com/sports/cavalierinsider/baseball/uva-outfielder-mccarthy-races-into-biggest-year-of-his-career/article_4d42316b-c9e6-5b2e-9801-d7979ff9b722.html|title=UVa outfielder McCarthy races into biggest year of his career|first=SAM|last=BLUM|website=The Daily Progress}} In 2017, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1069703&seasonid=30631 |title=#5 Jake McCarthy |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=August 28, 2021}} After three seasons at Virginia, where he stole 36 bases in 38 attempts while batting .337/.423/.476, he was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the competitive balance round A of the 2018 MLB draft.{{Cite web|url=https://dailyprogress.com/sports/cavalierinsider/virginia-outfielder-mccarthy-chosen-by-diamondbacks-in-mlb-draft/article_bd6a6022-686c-11e8-9b70-57809ef14eeb.html|title=Virginia outfielder McCarthy chosen by Diamondbacks in MLB Draft|first=SAM|last=BLUM|website=The Daily Progress}}{{cite web|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/mlb/diamondbacks/2018/06/04/arizona-diamondbacks-mlb-draft/669505002/ |title=Arizona Diamondbacks draft: Matt McLain, Jake McCarthy, Alek Thomas |publisher=Azcentral.com |date= |accessdate=August 27, 2021}}

Professional career

McCarthy made his professional debut with the Arizona League Diamondbacks before being promoted to the Hillsboro Hops. He played 2019 with the Visalia Rawhide, batting .277/.341/.405 in 195 at bats with 18 steals in 20 attempts, and after the season played in the Arizona Fall League.{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mccart005jac | title=Jake McCarthy College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics }}

He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/jake-mccarthy-adds-extra-pop-during-summer/|title=Jake McCarthy Adds Extra Pop During Summer|first=Nick|last=Piecoro|website=www.baseballamerica.com}} McCarthy started 2021 with the Amarillo Sod Poodles before being promoted to the Reno Aces.{{cite web|last=Smith |first=Dylan |url=https://www.milb.com/reno/news/quite-the-prospective-jake-mccarthy |title=Quite the Prospective: Jake McCarthy | Aces |publisher=Milb.com |date=June 26, 2021 |accessdate=August 27, 2021}} Between the two teams he batted .253/.332/.500 with 29 steals in 33 attempts.{{cite web | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mccart005jac | title=Jake McCarthy College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics }}

The Diamondbacks promoted McCarthy to the major leagues on August 27, 2021.{{cite web|author=Anthony Franco |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/08/diamondbacks-select-jake-mccarthy.html |title=Diamondbacks Select Jake McCarthy |publisher=MLB Trade Rumors |date= |accessdate=August 27, 2021}} On August 29, McCarthy collected his first career hit, an RBI double off of Philadelphia Phillies starter Ranger Suárez.{{Cite web|url=https://nepasportsnation.com/jake-mccarthy-makes-mlb-debut-2/|title = McCarthy delivers first MLB hits – NEPA Sports Nation}} McCarthy finished the 2021 major league season with a .220/.333/.373 slash line, with 13 hits, 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 4 RBI, and 8 walks, all in 24 games.{{Cite web |title=Jake McCarthy Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccarja02.shtml |access-date=June 17, 2022 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}

In 2022 he batted .283/.342/.427 in 321 at bats, with 23 stolen bases in 26 attempts.{{Cite web |title=Jake McCarthy Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccarja02.shtml |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He had the fastest sprint speed of all major league right fielders, at 30.1 feet/second.{{cite web | url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/sprint_speed?min_season=2022&max_season=2022&position=9&team=&min=25 | title=Statcast Sprint Speed Leaderboard }}