Josh Lester

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Josh Lester

|image = Josh Lester (cropped).jpg

|caption = Lester with the Toledo Mud Hens in 2022

|team = Sultanes de Monterrey

|number = 58

|position = Utility infielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1994|07|17}}

|birth_place = Columbus, Georgia, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 5

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2023 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .148

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 0

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 4

|teams =

Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2022}})
Baltimore Orioles ({{mlby|2023}})

}}

Joshua Benjamin Lester (born July 17, 1994) is an American professional baseball utility infielder for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles.

Amateur career

A native of Columbus, Georgia, Lester was part of the Columbus team that won the 2006 Little League World Series.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-05 |title=Detroit Tigers call up Columbus native & Little League World Series Champion |url=https://www.wrbl.com/sports/detroit-tigers-call-up-columbus-native-little-league-world-series-champion/ |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=WRBL |language=en-US}} After the win he was interviewed by ESPN's Erin Andrews and was in tears.{{Cite web |last=Holleran |first=Andrew |title=Watch: Erin Andrews' Old Little League Interview Goes Viral |url=https://thespun.com/more/top-stories/watch-erin-andrews-old-little-league-interview-goes-viral |access-date=2022-09-07 |website=The Spun: What's Trending In The Sports World Today |language=en}} Lester attended Columbus High School and the University of Missouri, where he played college baseball for the Missouri Tigers. In 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=618776&seasonid=26713 |title=#17 Josh Lester - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=September 6, 2022}}

Professional career

=Detroit Tigers=

The Detroit Tigers selected Lester in the 13th round, with the 400th overall selection, of the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed.{{Cite web|title=Tigers sign 13th-round pick, Missouri third baseman Josh Lester|url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2015/06/15/tigers-sign-13th-round-pick-missouri-third-baseman-josh-lester/|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=theoaklandpress.com|date=15 June 2015 |language=en}} After signing, he played for the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Tigers, Low–A Connecticut Tigers and the Single–A West Michigan Whitecaps, hitting .224 across 49 total games. In 2016, Lester split the year between Connecticut and West Michigan, playing in 79 games and slashing .262/.328/.369 with 2 home runs and 28 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Josh Lester - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/josh-lester/17737/stats?position=1B/DH|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}

In 2017, Lester played for West Michigan and the High–A Lakeland Flying Tigers. He played in a total of 110 games, batting .272/.306/.439 with 13 home runs and 66 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Josh Lester Stats, Fantasy & News|url=https://www.milb.com/player/josh-lester-623507|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=milb.com|language=en}} Lester spent the 2018 season with the Double–A Erie SeaWolves, playing in 127 contests and hitting .259/.346/.455 with career–highs in home runs (21) and RBI (75).{{Cite web|title=Josh Lester Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/96013/josh-lester/|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}} In 2019, Lester played in 106 games for Double–A Erie, hitting .223/.290/.414 with 17 home runs and 54 RBI. He was promoted to the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens late in the year, and hit .216 with 7 home runs and 13 RBI in 18 games.{{Cite web|title=Erie SeaWolves' Josh Lester on track for college degree as big league dream continues|url=https://www.goerie.com/story/sports/mlb/seawolves/2021/07/16/milb-northeast-league-erie-seawolves-play-josh-lester-detroit-tigers-missouri-baseball/7885609002/|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=goerie.com|language=en}}

Lester 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 26, 2023|website=mlb.com|language=en}} He returned to action in 2021, and split the year between Double–A Erie and Triple–A Toledo. In 109 games, he accumulated a .263/.324/.587 batting line with 32 home runs and 78 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Detroit Tigers: Josh Lester needs a chance at the MLB|url=https://detroitjockcity.com/2022/02/08/detroit-tigers-josh-lester-chance-mlb/|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=detroitjockcity.com|date=8 February 2022 |language=en}} Lester returned to Toledo for the 2022 season, playing in 145 games and hitting .246/.311/.469 with 29 home runs and a career–high 99 RBI.{{Cite web|title=Tigers to call up first baseman Josh Lester|url=https://www.blessyouboys.com/2022/9/3/23336214/detroit-tigers-miguel-cabrera-josh-lester|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=blessyouboys.com|date=3 September 2022 |language=en}}

On September 4, 2022, Lester was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time following an injury to Miguel Cabrera.{{Cite web |title=Detroit Tigers' Miguel Cabrera headed to IL; Josh Lester promoted from Triple-A Toledo |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/09/04/detroit-tigers-miguel-cabrera-to-il-josh-lester-28-is-replacement/65472236007/ |access-date=2022-09-04 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}} He made his Major League debut the next day. In two games for Detroit, Lester went 0–for–5 with 3 strikeouts.{{Cite web|title=Tigers' Josh Lester: Sent down Thursday|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/tigers-josh-lester-sent-down-thursday/|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=8 September 2022 |language=en}} He was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A on November 9, 2022.{{Cite web|title=Tigers' Josh Lester: Cast off 40-man roster|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/tigers-josh-lester-cast-off-40-man-roster/|access-date=June 26, 2023|website=fangraphs.com|date=9 November 2022 |language=en}} He elected minor–league free agency following the next day.{{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=June 23, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|date=13 November 2022 |language=en}}

=Baltimore Orioles=

On December 6, 2022, Lester signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles organization.{{Cite web |title=Orioles agree to terms on minor league contract with Josh Lester |url=https://www.masnsports.com/blog/orioles-agree-to-terms-on-minor-league-contract-with-josh-lester |access-date=2022-12-07 |website=MASNsports.com - Orioles and Nationals on MASNsports.com |date=6 December 2022 |language=en-gb}} He was assigned to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides to begin the 2023 season, where he played in 52 games and hit .282/.339/.549 with 14 home runs and 50 RBI. On June 3, 2023, Lester had his contract selected to the major league roster after Danny Coulombe was placed on the bereavement list.{{Cite web|title=Orioles Select Josh Lester|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/06/orioles-select-josh-lester.html|access-date=2023-06-03|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=3 June 2023 |language=en}} On June 4, Lester recorded his first career hit, a two–run single off of San Francisco Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani.{{Cite web|title='What a cool moment': Lester's 1st MLB hit a big one for O's|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/josh-lester-gets-1st-major-league-hit-in-orioles-big-inning|access-date=2023-06-04|website=mlb.com|language=en}} In 11 games for Baltimore, he batted .182/.217/.182 with no home runs and 4 RBI. On July 19, Lester was designated for assignment by the Orioles following the acquisition of Shintaro Fujinami.{{Cite web|title=Orioles' Josh Lester: Designated for assignment|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/orioles-josh-lester-designated-for-assignment/|access-date=July 19, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Norfolk on July 26.{{Cite web|title=Orioles' Josh Lester: Outrighted to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/orioles-josh-lester-outrighted-to-triple-a/|access-date=July 26, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=26 July 2023 |language=en}} On October 4, Lester elected free agency.{{Cite web|title=Josh Lester: Elects to become free agent|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/josh-lester-elects-to-become-free-agent/|access-date=October 4, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=4 October 2023 |language=en}}

=Kansas City Royals=

On February 18, 2024, Lester signed a minor league contract with Kansas City Royals.{{cite web |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/royals-sign-infielder-josh-lester-to-minor-league-deal/ar-BB1itwWs|work=SB Nation|title=Lester signed a minor league contract}} In 116 appearances split between the Double–A Northwest Arkansas Naturals and Triple–A Omaha Storm Chasers, he batted a combined .259/.327/.450 with 18 home runs and 71 RBI. Lester 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}}

=Sultanes de Monterrey=

On April 15, 2025, Lester signed with the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League.{{Cite web|title=LMB: Movimientos en listas de reserva - 15 de abril de 2025|url=https://lmb.com.mx/noticias/lmb-movimientos-en-listas-de-reserva-15-de-abril-de-2025|access-date=May 13, 2025|website=lmb.com.mx|language=es}}