Rich Poythress

Poythress attended Greenbrier High School where he was a four-year varsity starter. As a junior, he hit .544 with 13 home runs. He also played for the Savannah Chain summer team.

Poythress attended the University of Georgia where as a freshman he appeared in 45 games, 38 starts. He batted .282 with three home runs and 24 RBIs. He recovered from a torn ACL before the season.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Ashley |date=2007-04-01 |title=Poythress showing some bite for Dogs |url=http://newstimes.augusta.com/stories/2007/04/01/spo_122533.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715020908/http://newstimes.augusta.com/stories/2007/04/01/spo_122533.shtml |archive-date=2014-07-15 |website=The News Times}}

Poythress played started 69 games with the Bulldogs in his sophomore season. He helped the team become the Southeastern Conference champions and helped them in the College World Series. He batted .374 with 15 home runs and 75 RBIs. He started all six College World Series games and hit .409 with three doubles and eight RBIs. Poythress set a school-record with 55 assists at first base and was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team. After the 2008 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star.{{cite web |author= |date= |title=2008 Orleans Cardinals |url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/summer_stats/2008~Orleans_Cardinals~CapeCod/ |accessdate=2025-01-18 |website=The Baseball Cube}}{{cite web |title=East All-Star Roster: All-Star Game 2008 |url=http://capecodbaseball.org/news/asgnews/index.html?article_id=523 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031072841/http://capecodbaseball.org/news/asgnews/index.html?article_id=523 |archive-date=2020-10-31 |website=Cape Cod Baseball}}

In his junior season Poythress started all of the Bulldog's 62 games. His .376 average with 25 home runs and 86 RBIs were a team lead.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Ashley |date=2009-06-03 |title=Rich Poythress' Dawg days are probably at end |url=http://newstimes.augusta.com/stories/2009/06/03/spo_526197.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714161742/http://newstimes.augusta.com/stories/2009/06/03/spo_526197.shtml |archive-date=2014-07-14 |website=The News-Times}} His RBIs were an all-time single-season record at the school. He was named to the First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team as well as a Louisville Slugger All-American. He was named as a semi-finalist for the Dick Howser Trophy.{{cite web |date=2009-05-14 |title=Rich Poythress Named Semifinalist For Dick Howser Trophy |url=https://georgiadogs.com/news/2009/5/14/Rich_Poythress_Named_Semifinalist_For_Dick_Howser_Trophy |accessdate=2025-01-18 |work=University of Georgia Athletics}} During the season, he was named SEC player of the Week and a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week after helping the Bulldogs to a sweep over the University of Tennessee.{{cite web |date=March 30, 2009 |title=Grovetown’s Poythress Earns SEC, National Honors |url=http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/sports/college/article/grovetowns_poythress_earns_sec_national_honors/12232/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130210000758/http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/sports/college/article/grovetowns_poythress_earns_sec_national_honors/12232/ |archive-date=February 10, 2013 |work=WJBF.com |agency=UGA Sports Communications}}

Poythress was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the second round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.{{cite web |date=2009-06-10 |title=Georgia's Rich Poythress Drafted By Seattle Mariners In Second Round |url=https://georgiadogs.com/news/2009/6/10/Georgia_s_Rich_Poythress_Drafted_By_Seattle_Mariners_In_Second_Round |accessdate=2025-01-18 |work=University of Georgia Athletics}}{{cite web |date=June 9, 2009 |title=Seattle Mariners Select Rich Poythress in 2nd Round of MLB Draft |url=http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/sports/professional/article/seattle_mariners_select_rich_poythress_in_2nd_round_of_mlb_draft/14265/ |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130210133018/http://www2.wjbf.com/jbf/sports/professional/article/seattle_mariners_select_rich_poythress_in_2nd_round_of_mlb_draft/14265/ |archivedate=February 10, 2013 |work=WJBF-TV |agency=Georgia Sports Communications}} The Mariners signed him on July 29, 2009.{{cite press release |title=Mariners sign second-round pick Rich Poythress |date=July 29, 2009 |publisher=Seattle Mariners |url=http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090729&content_id=6129002&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |via=MLB.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090804044355/http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20090729&content_id=6129002&vkey=pr_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea |archive-date=August 4, 2009}} He began his professional career with the Rookie-Level Peoria Mariners of the Arizona League. He hit .300 with one home runs and six RBIs in six games with Peoria. He was promoted to the Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League on August 9.{{cite web |author=Byler |first=Billy |date=August 9, 2009 |title=Southern League mark tied by Colvin |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/sports/mlb/2009/08/09/bas-543763-shtml/14627018007/ |accessdate=2025-01-18 |work=August Chronical}} With the Diamond Jaxx he hit .230 with two doubles, one home run and nine RBIs in 26 games. In 2010, Poythress was assigned to the Class-A Advanced High Desert Mavericks of the California League. He played in the Mariners organization until 2013 without reaching the majors.

Poythress signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins in April 2014.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Ashley |date=2014-04-09 |title=Poythress lands with Marlins |url=https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/news/local/columbia-county-news-times/2014/04/09/poythress-lands-with-marlins/14184444007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714194147/http://newstimes.augusta.com/sports/2014-04-09/poythress-lands-with-marlins |archive-date=2014-07-14 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=The Augusta Chronicle |language=en-US}} He then signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves in July 2014.{{Cite news |last=Lee |first=David |date=2014-07-10 |title=Braves sign Georgia, Greenbrier product Poythress |url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/content/blog-post/david-lee/2014-07-10/braves-sign-georgia-greenbrier-product-poythress |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20140715040836/http://chronicle.augusta.com/content/blog-post/david-lee/2014-07-10/braves-sign-georgia-greenbrier-product-poythress |archive-date=2014-07-15 |work=The Augusta Chronicle |language=en}}

He is said to have very good power and that is his stand out tool. It is also said that he has below average speed, an average throwing arm and has been compared to players like Ryan Shealy and Matt LeCroy.{{cite web |date= |title=2009 Draft Report: Rich Poythress |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=poythress |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014215833/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2009/reports.jsp?content=poythress |archive-date=2009-10-14 |work=MLB.com}} Before the 2009 draft he was named as the number 12 prospect by ESPN.com.{{cite web |author=Grey |first=Jason |date=June 11, 2009 |title=Forecasting 2009 Draft Picks |url=https://www.espn.com/fantasy/baseball/flb/story?page=draftreview090611 |access-date=December 2, 2009 |work=ESPN}}

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Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state)

Category:Georgia Bulldogs baseball players

Category:Orleans Firebirds players

Category:Arizona League Mariners players

Category:West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players

Category:High Desert Mavericks players

Category:Jackson Generals (Southern League) players

Category:Tacoma Rainiers players

Category:Jacksonville Suns players

Category:Mississippi Braves players

Category:People from Grovetown, Georgia