Matthew LeCroy

LeCroy is a 1994 graduate of Belton-Honea Path High School in Honea Path, South Carolina and attended Clemson University to pursue a degree in elementary education. While at Clemson, he was named to the 1996 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team and helped the team to a bronze medal after losing to both Cuba (gold medal) and Japan (silver medal) before defeating Nicaragua in the bronze medal game.

In 1997, LeCroy was drafted as a catcher in the first round (50th overall) of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins. Although challenged defensively behind the plate, averaging double-digit passed balls while throwing out less than 30 percent of potential base stealers, LeCroy put up superior power numbers in the minor leagues, hitting 101 home runs over five years in the Twins' system.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=lecroy001mat |title=Matt LeCroy Minor League Statistics & History |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=February 18, 2014}} In 1999, LeCroy again competed at the international level when he played for the United States at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The United States took second place behind Cuba in games made notable as the first time professional baseball players were allowed to compete in international games.

LeCroy got his first taste of the majors in 2000 when he made the major-league club out of spring training. From 2000 to 2002, LeCroy split time between the Twins and their Triple–A teams, playing for the Salt Lake Buzz and later the Edmonton Trappers after the Twins changed their minor-league affiliate in 2001. Due to his struggles behind the plate, LeCroy also spent time at first base and designated hitter; totaling more games in the major leagues at the latter position than he did at first base and catcher combined.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lecroma01.shtml |title=Matt LeCroy Statistics & History |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=February 18, 2014}} His peak years in the majors were 2003 (.287, 17 HR, 64 RBI in 107 games) and 2005 (.260, 17 HR, 50 RBI in 101 games).

Despite his productive 2005 season, Minnesota did not re-sign LeCroy and he signed a minor-league contract with the Washington Nationals on February 8, 2006.

File:LeCroy returns from the mound (143554431) (cropped).jpg

Despite bone spurs in his throwing knee, LeCroy was asked to fill in during a May 25, 2006, game against the Houston Astros when Washington's starting catcher Brian Schneider and backup Wiki Gonzalez were out with injuries. He was replaced by utilityman Robert Fick in the middle of the seventh inning after the Astros stole seven bases and LeCroy committed two catching errors. After the game, manager Frank Robinson shed tears during the press conference regarding his removal of Matt in the middle of the seventh inning, which is usually considered embarrassing.{{cite web |date=May 25, 2006 |title=Houston Astros at Washington Nationals Box Score, May 25, 2006 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WAS/WAS200605250.shtml |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}} LeCroy was designated for assignment July 18, which he accepted, and spent the rest of the year playing for the New Orleans Zephyrs, then Washington's Triple–A affiliate team.

LeCroy was signed to a minor-league deal by the Twins on January 15, {{Baseball year|2007}} after turning down an offer from the Washington Nationals to manage one of their minor-league teams. LeCroy started the 2007 season as designated hitter playing for the Rochester Red Wings in the International League.{{Cite news |last=Pitoniak |first=Scott |date=2007-04-04 |title=LeCroy not ready to put away his bat yet |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-lecroy-not-ready/163065303/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |page=3 |publication-place=Rochester, New York |via=Newspapers.com}} He had his contract purchased by the major-league club on September 9, 2007, when their fourth catcher José Morales went down with an injury, and finished the season with the Twins.

LeCroy was outrighted to the minor leagues by the Twins on October 11, 2007, but he refused the assignment and became a free agent.

As a member of the Twins, LeCroy became one of the few major leaguers to pinch hit a walk-off grand slam in a win over the Toronto Blue Jays.{{cite news |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/games/2004-05-19-2004-05-19-twins-bluejays_x.htm |title=LeCroy's pinch-hit grand slam gives Twins victory |work=USA TODAY |date=May 19, 2014 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=February 18, 2014}} He was always a threat to hit a home run, and hit 60 in 472 games over his eight-year major-league career.

On February 15, {{Baseball year|2008}}, LeCroy signed a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training with the Oakland Athletics. On March 16, 2008, LeCroy was reassigned to minor-league camp and asked the Athletics to grant his release, which they did. LeCroy then signed with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in April 2008.{{Cite press release |title=Former Twins Slugger Joins Barnstormers |date=2008-04-07 |publisher=Lancaster Stormers |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/former-twins-slugger-joins-barnstormers/n-3618226 |via=OurSportsCentral |access-date=2025-01-15}} LeCroy played 94 games with Lancaster (hitting .326 with 22 HR and 83 RBI) before retiring at the end of the season.

In November 2008, LeCroy was hired by the Nationals to manage the team's Class A affiliate, the Hagerstown Suns. In 2011, LeCroy was moved up to the High Single-A Carolina League when he was named as the manager of the Potomac Nationals. In 2012, he was named the Double A Harrisburg Senators manager. In November 2013, he was named the bullpen coach on new Nationals manager Matt Williams' coaching staff, replacing Jim Lett.{{cite web |last=Simon |first=Andrew |date=2013-11-01 |title=Nats put finishing touches on coaching staff |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/washington-nationals-complete-coaching-staff-keep-randy-knorr-as-bench-coach-add-matt-lecroy-mark-weidemaier/c-63611284 |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=MLB.com}} He was fired with Williams and the entire coaching staff after the 2015 season, but was brought back for his second stint as manager of the Harrisburg Senators for the 2016 season.{{Cite web |date=5 October 2015 |title=Nats dismiss manager Williams, coaching staff |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/13814518/washington-nationals-fire-manager-matt-williams |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=ESPN.com}}{{Cite web |last=Reddington |first=Patrick |date=2015-10-12 |title=The Nats new roles for a number of their 2015 coaches this afternoon. Randy Knorr, Bob Henley, Brian Daubach... |url=https://www.federalbaseball.com/2015/10/12/9509373/washington-nationals-announce-personnel-moves-nats-coaches-get-new-roles |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Federal Baseball |language=en}}

The Nationals announced December 15, 2020, that LeCroy was being promoted to manager of the Class-AAA Rochester Red Wings.{{cite news |last=Mears |first=Steve |date=December 15, 2020 |title=Washington Nationals hold ZOOM calls today for the media! |url=https://www.talknats.com/2020/12/15/washington-nationals-hold-zoom-calls-today-media/ |access-date=December 15, 2020 |work=TalkNats}}

LeCroy and his wife Holly have five children, daughter Isabella (b. 2004), daughter Maggie (b. 2006), a son, and fraternal twins.{{cite web |last=Morrow |first=Geoff |date=January 29, 2013 |title=For Harrisburg Senators manager Matthew LeCroy, baseball's offseason is a wonderful time to catch up with his growing family |url=https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2013/01/for_harrisburg_senators_manage.html |access-date=February 21, 2014 |website=PennLive}}

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{{Baseballstats |mlb=150220 |espn= |br=l/lecroma01 |fangraphs=1456 |brm=lecroy001mat }}

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{{Succession box| title = Hagerstown Suns Manager| before = Darnell Coles| years = 2009-2010| after = Brian Daubach}}

{{Succession box| title = Potomac Nationals Manager| before = Gary Cathcart| years = 2011| after = Brian Rupp}}

{{Succession box| title = Harrisburg Senators Manager| before = Tony Beasley| years = 2012-2013| after = Brian Daubach}}

{{Succession box| title = Washington Nationals Bullpen Coach| before = Jim Lett| years = 2014–2015| after = Dan Firova}}

{{Succession box| title = Harrisburg Senators Manager| before = Brian Daubach| years = 2016- | after = TBD}}

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{{1997 MLB Draft}}

{{Minnesota Twins first-round draft picks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lecroy, Matthew}}

Category:1975 births

Category:Living people

Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada

Category:Baseball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:Baseball coaches from South Carolina

Category:Baseball players at the 1999 Pan American Games

Category:Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games

Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in baseball

Category:Baseball players from Anderson County, South Carolina

Category:Clemson Tigers baseball players

Category:Edmonton Trappers players

Category:Fort Myers Miracle players

Category:Fort Wayne Wizards players

Category:Lancaster Barnstormers players

Category:Major League Baseball bullpen coaches

Category:Major League Baseball catchers

Category:Major League Baseball first basemen

Category:Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:Minnesota Twins players

Category:Minor league baseball managers

Category:New Britain Rock Cats players

Category:New Orleans Zephyrs players

Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in baseball

Category:People from Belton, South Carolina

Category:Rochester Red Wings managers

Category:Rochester Red Wings players

Category:Salt Lake Buzz players

Category:Washington Nationals coaches

Category:Washington Nationals players

Category:21st-century American sportsmen