Landon Powell

{{Short description|American baseball player and coach (born 1982)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Landon Powell

| image = Landon Powell on September 2, 2009.jpg

| image_size = 270px

| caption = Powell with the Oakland Athletics

| position = Catcher

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|03|19}}

| birth_place = Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.

| bats = Switch

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = April 11

| debutyear = 2009

| debutteam = Oakland Athletics

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 28

| finalyear = 2011

| finalteam = Oakland Athletics

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .207

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 10

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 45

| teams =

Oakland Athletics ({{mlby|2009}}–{{mlby|2011}})

}}

Landon Reed Powell (born March 19, 1982) is an American former professional baseball player and current coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 2009 to 2011 for the Oakland Athletics. Powell is the current head baseball coach of the North Greenville Crusaders. He played college baseball at South Carolina from 2001 to 2004. He was the Athletics' catcher on May 9, 2010, when pitcher Dallas Braden threw a perfect game.

High school

Powell led Apex High School in Apex, North Carolina to the 2000 4A state championship as a junior.{{Cite web |url=http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/powell_landon00.html |title=Player Bio: Landon Powell - SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS |access-date=2009-05-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410142708/http://gamecocksonline.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/powell_landon00.html |archive-date=2010-04-10 |url-status=dead }} Although he was a junior in high school, because he was already 18 years old, Powell was eligible to enter the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft and did so. However, he went undrafted because his agent, Scott Boras, did not inform teams he was available.{{cite web |url=http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/highschool/050302hsnotes.html |title=Baseball America - Alan Matthews' High School Notebook |website=www.baseballamerica.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050305024048/http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/highschool/050302hsnotes.html |archive-date=2005-03-05}} This made Powell a free agent, but he chose to attend college after failing to receive an acceptable offer from an MLB club. This loophole in the drafting system was later closed due to this incident and would happen again one year later involving pitcher Jeremy Bonderman.

College

Powell attended the University of South Carolina. In 2002, as a sophomore, he had a .292 batting average with 12 home runs and started at catcher as the team went to the 2002 College World Series. The Gamecocks made a run to the finals, but eventually lost to the Texas Longhorns in the last College World Series to have a single game final series. In 2003 the tournament would expand the finals to a best of 3. In 2003 and 2004, Powell once again helped lead the University of South Carolina to the CWS and ranked third on the team in batting average in 2003 (.339) and 2004 (.328). Powell received College World Series all-tournament honors as a catcher in both 2002 and 2003. In his four seasons with the Gamecocks, Powell was a leading offensive threat. He finished with a career batting average of .306 as a switch-hitting catcher, with 44 home runs, 61 doubles, and 193 RBI. The two-time team captain was named as an All-American in 2002 and 2004 as well as all-SEC in his senior season.{{cite web |title=Landon Powell |url=http://www.nguathletics.com/sports/baseball/roster/coaches/landon-powell/410 |website=nguathletics.com |access-date=13 June 2022}}

In 2010, Powell was named to the NCAA World Series Legends Team. He and Ryan Garko were named as catchers.{{cite web |url=http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100506&content_id=9843706&vkey=pr_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak |title=Landon Powell named to NCAA College World Series Legends Team |website=oakland.athletics.mlb.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120318031222/http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20100506&content_id=9843706&vkey=pr_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak |archive-date=2012-03-18}}

Professional career

=Draft=

After three seasons with the Gamecocks, Powell was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft as the 733rd overall pick in the 25th round. He did not sign with the Cubs and opted instead to play another season with the University of South Carolina. After his final season there, he entered the draft again in 2004 and the switch hitting catcher was taken in the 1st round by the Oakland Athletics as the 24th overall pick and was the Athletics' first overall pick. Major League scouts reported Powell had a great baseball IQ, and soft hands which made him a top prospect.

=Oakland Athletics=

Upon signing with the Athletics on July 22, 2004, he was assigned to play for the Single-A Vancouver Canadians. He played in 38 games and hit just .237. Teammate Kurt Suzuki, also taken in the 2004 draft, got more playing time as he played in 46 games and hit .297. Both were the organizations catchers of the future and only time would tell who would reach the majors first. Powell's chances were ruined when in {{baseball year|2005}}, he was out for the entire season when he underwent surgery to repair a left torn ACL.{{cite news |last=Slusser |first=Susan |authorlink=Susan Slusser|title=Meyer, hopeful as starter, shows progress in victory |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/03/20/SPGVHBSAC11.DTL |work=sfgate.com |date=2005-03-20 |accessdate=2007-11-25 }} After a lost year, he played again in {{baseball year|2006}}, playing for the Single-A Stockton Ports and the Double-A Midland RockHounds.

Powell began the {{baseball year|2007}} season playing for the Rockhounds. In 60 games with them, he hit .292 with 11 home runs. He was promoted to play with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats on June 28. He played just 4 games for the River Cats before reaggravating the same knee that forced him to sit the 2005 season. Powell missed the rest of the 2007 season. He was considered as a possibility to split the catching duties for the major league club in 2008 but with his injury, it wasn't possible.{{cite news |last=Slusser |first=Susan |title=Kennedy walks 4, retires 2, takes loss |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/05/SPG7JQQB421.DTL |work=sfgate.com |date=2007-07-05 |accessdate=2007-11-25 }}

On November 20, 2007, the Athletics purchased his contract, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft.

Powell made his major league debut for the Athletics on April 11, 2009.{{cite web| url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?n1=powella01&t=b&year=2009| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100203171604/http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/gl.cgi?n1=powella01&t=b&year=2009| archive-date = 2010-02-03| title = Landon Powell 2009 Batting Gamelogs - Baseball-Reference.com}} In his first major league at-bat, Powell doubled in the second inning off the Seattle Mariners' Félix Hernández, driving in two runs.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/OAK/OAK200904110.shtml|title=Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics Box Score, April 11, 2009|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} He spent the entire season in the big leagues, yet only appeared in 46 games (36 at catcher, 6 at first base and 3 at DH), as Kurt Suzuki for the second straight year led the majors in games caught. He finished the season with .229 batting average with 7 home runs and 30 RBIs.

On May 9, 2010, Powell caught Dallas Braden's perfect game.

Powell was designated for assignment on December 23, 2011, and outrighted to the Sacramento River Cats on January 5, 2012. On March 9, 2012, Powell was released by the Athletics.{{cite web |url=http://blog.sfgate.com/athletics/2012/03/09/landon-powell-on-release-by-as-its-something-i-knew-was-coming/ |title=Landon Powell on release by A;s: 'It's something I knew was coming' |work=San Francisco Gate |first=John |last=Shea |date=March 9, 2012}}

=Houston Astros=

On March 14, 2012, Powell signed a minor league deal with the Houston Astros with an invite to spring training.{{cite web |url=http://www.milb.com/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_06_21_sosaax_sonaax_1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110140834/http://www.milb.com/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2011_06_21_sosaax_sonaax_1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 10, 2012 |title=Astros Sign Landon Powell |work=MLB Trade Rumors |first=Ben |last=Nicholson-Smith |date=March 14, 2012}} On April 3, 2012, Houston assigned him to the Oklahoma City RedHawks.{{cite web |url=http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastros/2012/04/03/astros-unveil-minor-league-rosters |title=Astros unveil minor league rosters|work=Ultimate Astros |first=Steve |last=Campbell |date=April 3, 2012}} He became a free agent following the season.

=New York Mets=

On January 18, 2013, Powell signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets with an invite to spring training.{{cite web|title=Mets Sign Landon Powell To Minor League Deal|url=http://www.amazinavenue.com/2013/1/18/3891042/new-york-mets-sign-landon-powell-catcher|work=amazinavenue.com|date=18 January 2013|publisher=amazinavenue|accessdate=17 February 2013}}

Reassigned to AAA Las Vegas 51s on March 30, 2013.

On June 8, 2013, the Las Vegas 51s released Powell from his contract.

Coaching

On May 9, 2014, Powell was hired by North Greenville University, a Division II school located in Tigerville, South Carolina, to be the head coach of the baseball team.

{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenvilleonline.com/story/sports/2014/05/09/former-gamecock-star-coach-north-greenville-baseball/8895317/|title=Former Gamecock star Landon Powell to coach North Greenville baseball|first=Michael|last=Burns|website=The Greenville News}} On June 10, 2022, Powell managed the North Greenville Crusaders to their first ever Baseball NCAA DII National Championship winning over Point Loma University with a final score of 5–3.{{Cite web|url=https://ngu.edu/news/national-champions-north-greenville-wins-ncaa-division-ii-baseball-tournament/ |title=National Champions: NGU Wins NCAA DII Baseball |date=14 June 2022 }}

Personal life

On January 25, 2013, Powell and his wife Allyson lost their infant daughter Izzy, who died from Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Powell continues to raise awareness for the need for organ donation, due to his own struggles with autoimmune hepatitis. The Powells have two other children, a son and another daughter.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/8884620/new-new-york-mets-catcher-landon-powell-infant-daughter-dies |title=Landon Powell's infant daughter dies |first=Adam |last=Rubin |date=January 26, 2013}}