Joey Rickard

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Joey Rickard

|image = Joey Rickard on April 6, 2016.jpg

|image_size = 240

|caption = Rickard with the Baltimore Orioles

|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|5|21}}

|birth_place = Redding, California, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Left

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 4

|debutyear = 2016

|debutteam = Baltimore Orioles

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate = August 30

|finalyear = 2020

|finalteam = San Francisco Giants

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .246

|stat3label = Home runs

|stat3value = 20

|stat4label = Runs batted in

|stat4value = 71

|teams =

Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2016}}–{{mlby|2019}})
San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|2019}}–{{mlby|2020}})

}}

Joseph Mark Rickard (born May 21, 1991) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. Prior to his professional career, he played college baseball for the Arizona Wildcats of the University of Arizona, and was a member of the 2012 College World Series champions. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Rickard in the ninth round of the 2012 MLB Draft. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2016 with the Baltimore Orioles. He has also played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants.

Amateur career

Rickard attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, where he played baseball with his brother John, and the University of Arizona.{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/harper-brothers-reunited-diamond|title=Harper brothers reunited on diamond|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/late-rally-sends-gorman-title|title=Late rally sends Gorman to title|work=Las Vegas Review-Journal|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://lasvegassun.com/news/2012/jun/15/now-teammates-arizona-three-gorman-grads-prepare-c/|title=Now teammates at Arizona, three Gorman grads prepare for the College World Series|date=June 15, 2012|author=Taylor Bern|work=LasVegasSun.com|accessdate=March 27, 2016}} As a junior he batted .489 with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, and stole 34 bases, and as a senior he batted .554 with 7 home runs, 62 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases. He was named first team All-State as a sophomore, junior, and senior, and a 2009 Louisville Slugger All-American as a senior.

In 2011, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was named a league all-star.{{cite web|author= |url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=142772&seasonid=532 |title=#19 Joey Rickard - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |accessdate=September 25, 2019}}

Playing for the Arizona Wildcats baseball team, Rickard was a member of the 2012 College World Series champions and was named to the All-Tournament Team.{{cite web|url=http://www.omaha.com/sports/cws/arizona-s-refsnyder-earns-mvp-honor/article_a6568aae-be67-5f3a-b5c2-f270b9165fd2.html|title=Arizona's Refsnyder earns MVP honor|work=Omaha.com|date=June 25, 2012 |accessdate=March 27, 2016}} In college he batted .325/.391/.443.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=159175|title=Joey Rickard Player Card - The Baseball Cube|website=www.thebaseballcube.com}}

Professional career

=Tampa Bay Rays=

The Tampa Bay Rays selected Rickard in the ninth round of the 2012 MLB Draft, and he signed for a $125,000 signing bonus.{{cite web|url=http://archive.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/20120605arizona-connections-2012-mlb-draft.html|title=Arizona connections in 2012 MLB draft|work=azcentral.com|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/jun/15/now-teammates-arizona-three-gorman-grads-prepare-c/|title=Now teammates at Arizona, three Gorman grads prepare for the College World Series - June 15, 2012 - Las Vegas Sun|date=June 15, 2012|publisher=|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?ID=159175 |title=Joey Rickard |publisher=The Baseball Cube |date=July 3, 2012 |accessdate=November 19, 2019}} He was a 2012 New York-Penn League mid-season All Star for the Hudson Valley Renegades, for whom he batted .279/.371/.372.{{Cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=572073|title=Joey Rickard Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|website=MiLB.com}}

In 2013 with the Bowling Green Hot Rods he batted .270/.390/.409 with 79 runs (3rd in the Midwest League), 78 walks (3rd), 16 HBP (2nd), 8 sacrifice flies (3rd), and 30 stolen bases (8th).{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=8da34e1e&type=bat|title=2013 Midwest League Batting Leaders|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} He spent 2014 with the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double–A Southern League, and batted .243/.337/.296.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rickar000joe|title=Joey Rickard Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

Rickard began the 2015 season with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the High–A Florida State League, and received promotions to the Biscuits and the Durham Bulls of the Triple–A International League, where he played in 29 games and batted .360/.437/.472.{{cite web|url=http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2015/12/dan-duquette-talks-about-rule-5-addition-outfielder-joey-rickard.html|title=Steve Melewski: Dan Duquette talks about Rule 5 addition of outfielder Joey Rickard|work=MASNsports|accessdate=April 20, 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-outfielder-joey-rickard-continues-to-make-impression-with-first-spring-home-run-20160317-story.html|title=Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard continues to make impression with first spring home run|first=Jon|last=Meoli|website=baltimoresun.com}} With Montgomery, Rickard set a Southern League record by walking six times in a game, and batted .322 (7th in the league)/.420 (2nd)/.479 (10th) with 6 triples (9th) and 19 stolen bases in 23 attempts.{{cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/rays-boxberger-says-hes-been-tipping-pitches/2236700/|title=Rays' Boxberger says he's been tipping pitches|work=Tampa Bay Times|access-date=April 20, 2016}} He was an MILB.com Tamp Bay Organization All Star.

=Baltimore Orioles=

The Baltimore Orioles selected Rickard in the 2015 Rule 5 draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-select-outfielder-joey-rickard-in-rule-5-draft-20151210-story.html|title=Orioles select outfielder Joey Rickard in Rule 5 draft|author=Baltimore Sun|date=December 10, 2015|work=baltimoresun.com|accessdate=March 27, 2016}} Rickard made the Orioles' Opening Day roster,{{cite web|url=http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/03/rule-5-pick-joey-rickard-finds-out-he-made-the-team.html|title=School of Roch: Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard finds out he made the team|work=MASNsports|accessdate=April 20, 2016}} and started for the Orioles on Opening Day. He recorded his first major league hit in his first game off of Ervin Santana of the Minnesota Twins.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bs-sp-orioles-twins-0405-20160404-story.html|title=Orioles outfielder Joey Rickard enjoys memorable major league debut|author=Baltimore Sun|date=April 4, 2016|work=baltimoresun.com|accessdate=April 20, 2016}} On April 7, he hit his first major league home run, also against the Twins.{{cite web|url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-only-thing-more-surprising-than-first-home-run-for-joey-rickard-was-his-ensuing-curtain-call-20160407-story.html|title=Only thing more surprising than first home run for Joey Rickard was his ensuing curtain call|last=Sun|first=Baltimore|website=baltimoresun.com|access-date=April 20, 2016}} During his first month in the Majors, Rickard played in every game for the Orioles (23), going 26-for-93 (.280), with five doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, one steal, and 11 runs.

On May 20, Rickard hit his first career lead-off home run to start a game against the Angels. The next batter (Manny Machado) would also hit a homer, giving the Orioles their 8th set of back-to-back homers on the year. On July 20, Rickard was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a thumb ligament injury, ending his season, as he was later placed on the 60-day disabled list. In his rookie season, he played in 85 games, slashing .268/.319/.377 with 13 doubles, five home runs, and 19 RBI. He stole four bases in five attempts and collected 69 hits.

In 2017 in the majors, Rickard batted .241/.276/.345 with four home runs and 19 RBI.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rickajo01.shtml|title=Joey Rickard Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} On defense, he played 53 games in right field, 43 games in left field, and 21 games in center field.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rickajo01.shtml|title=Joey Rickard Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} In 16 games in the minor leagues, he batted .211/.338/.281.

Rickard played 79 games (primarily in right field) for the Orioles in 2018, hitting .254/.300/.413 with 8 home runs and 23 RBI.

Rickard started the 2019 season with Orioles, playing 42 games (primarily in right field) of .203/.304/.347 ball with two home runs and six RBI in 118 at–bats before being sent down to the minors on May 24.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rickar000joe |title=Joey Rickard Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History |publisher=Baseball-Reference.com |date= |accessdate=November 19, 2019}} With the Triple–A Norfolk Tides, he batted .203/.338/.469 with four home runs and 10 RBI in 64 at–bats. Rickard was designated for assignment by the Orioles on June 17, following the promotion of Sean Gilmartin.

=San Francisco Giants=

On June 21, 2019, Rickard was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco Giants and assigned to the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats. With Sacramento he batted .372/.431/.587 with 45 runs, 6 home runs, and 23 RBI in 172 at–bats. He was promoted to the Giants roster on August 8. With the Giants in 2019, playing primarily left field he batted .280/.333/.380 with one home run and four RBI in 50 at–bats. He was non-tendered on December 2, 2019, and became a free agent.{{cite web|url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/12/02/giants-cut-ties-with-kevin-pillar-center-field-becomes-a-question-mark-again/|title=Giants cut ties with Kevin Pillar, center field becomes a question mark again|website=The Mercury News|author=Kerry Crowley|date=December 2, 2019|accessdate=December 2, 2019}}

On January 5, 2020, the Giants re-signed Rickard to a minor league contract that included an invitation to spring training.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/giants-joey-rickard-back-with-san-francisco/|title=Giants' Joey Rickard: Back with San Francisco|website=CBSSports.com|date=January 7, 2020 |language=en|access-date=January 7, 2020}} He went 0–for–5 in four games for San Francisco in 2020. October 29, Rickard was outrighted off of the 40-man roster. He became a free agent on November 2.{{Cite web|title=Full List of 2020-2021 MiLB Free Agents|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/full-list-of-2020-2021-milb-free-agents/|access-date=September 21, 2024|website=baseballamerica.com|date=November 2, 2020 |language=en}}

In the minor leagues through 2020, Rickard on defense had played 180 games in center field, 159 games in right field, and 120 games in left field.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=rickar000joe|title=Joey Rickard Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics & History|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}

=Acereros de Monclova=

On June 1, 2021, Rickard signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.{{cite web

|url=http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=125|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905082652/http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=l_trn&lid=125|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 5, 2015|title=Mexican League Transactions|website=milb.com}} Rickard went 0-for-5 with a walk in 2 games before being released on June 6.