Scott Hurst

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Scott Hurst

|image = Scott Hurst (35681221946) (cropped).jpg

|caption = Hurst with the State College Spikes in 2017

|team = Free agent

|number =

|position = Outfielder

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1996|3|25}}

|birth_place = Glendora, California, U.S.

|bats = Left

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = April 16

|debutyear = 2021

|debutteam = St. Louis Cardinals

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2021 season

|stat1label = Batting average

|stat1value = .000

|stat2label = Home runs

|stat2value = 0

|stat3label = Runs batted in

|stat3value = 0

|teams =

St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|2021}})

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry | {{bb|USA}}}}

}}

Scott Andrew Hurst (born March 25, 1996) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft and made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with them in 2021.

Amateur career

Hurst attended Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, California. He is one of only six Bishop Amat baseball players to have their jersey retired.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2017/06/06/hursts-hitting-helps-titans-baseball-advance-to-super-regionals/|title=Hurst's hitting helps Titans baseball advance to Super Regionals|date=7 June 2017|publisher=The Orange County Register|access-date=May 24, 2018}} In September 2013, he played for the USA 18U baseball team that won the IBAF World Cup in Taiwan.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/varsity-times/la-sp-vi-baseball-usa-18u-team-defeats-japan-32-to-win-gold-medal-20130908-story.html|title=Baseball: USA 18U team defeats Japan, 3-2, to win gold medal|work=Los Angeles Times|date=8 September 2013|access-date=May 24, 2018}} As a senior in 2014, he batted .419 and pitched to a 0.66 ERA, helping lead Bishop Amat to a CIF Southern Section Division 3 title.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2017/05/18/healthy-humbled-scott-hurst-doing-it-all-for-cal-state-fullerton-baseball/|title=Healthy, humbled Scott Hurst doing it all for Cal State Fullerton baseball|date=18 May 2017|publisher=The Orange County Register|access-date=May 24, 2018}} He was not drafted out of high school in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft and he enrolled at California State University, Fullerton where he played college baseball for the Cal State Fullerton Titans.

Hurst struggled as a freshman and a sophomore, batting .250 in 41 games while dealing with back injuries and .215 in 51 games, respectively. After his sophomore year in 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=894498 |title=#29 Scott Hurst - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |access-date=May 6, 2020}} As a junior in 2017, he broke out and started all 63 of Cal State Fullerton's games, batting .328 with 12 home runs and 40 RBIs and being named to the All-Big West first team.{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/02/15/cal-state-fullerton-baseball-preview-deep-pitching-staff-anchors-titans-as-usual/|title=Cal State Fullerton baseball preview: Deep pitching staff anchors Titans, as usual|date=16 February 2018|publisher=The Orange County Register|access-date=May 24, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bastropenterprise.com/sports/20170616/cal-state-fullerton-continues-winning-tradition|title=Cal State Fullerton continues winning tradition|publisher=Bastrop Daily Enterprise|access-date=May 24, 2018}} After his junior year, he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round (94th overall) of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/cardinals-select-scott-hurst-in-2017-mlb-draft/c-236191254|title=Cards select center fielder Hurst with top pick|work=MLB.com|access-date=May 24, 2018}}

Professional career

Hurst signed with the Cardinals for $450,000 and was assigned to the State College Spikes of the Low-A New York-Penn League, where he was named an All-Star.{{cite web|url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/cardinal-beat/cardinals-sign-top-draft-pick-hurst/article_5fb606af-d907-5c64-9b14-6300917889bd.html|title=Cardinals sign top draft pick Hurst|date=28 June 2017 |publisher=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|access-date=May 24, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.lewistownsentinel.com/sports/state-college-spikes/2017/08/spikes-quintet-lead-south-squad/|title = Spikes' quintet lead South squad}} In 55 games, he slashed .282/.354/.432 with three home runs, 21 RBIs, and six triples.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=656568#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL|title=Scott Hurst Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=May 24, 2018}} He began 2018 with the Peoria Chiefs of the Single-A Midwest League and was promoted to the Palm Beach Cardinals of the High-A Florida State League on August 1.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/scott-hurst-palm-beach-cardinals-break-out-for-12-run-inning/c-289436388 |title=Hurst, Cardinals break out for 12-run inning |publisher=MiLB.com |date=August 8, 2018 |access-date=December 5, 2018}} He was placed on the injured list three times during the season, forcing him to miss playing time various times over the year. Over 49 games for Peoria, he hit .295/.361/.411 with three home runs and 25 RBIs, and in 14 games for Palm Beach he batted .354 with one home run and nine RBIs.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=656568#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL|title=Scott Hurst Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=October 6, 2018}} Hurst began 2019 with the Springfield Cardinals of the Double-A Texas League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/where-will-nolan-gorman-and-other-cardinals-top-prospects-be-as-the-minor-league-season-begins/63-86569de6-45ed-4f8a-875e-7cba09b7c8e4|title = Where will Nolan Gorman and other Cardinals top prospects be as the minor-league season begins?| date=2 April 2019 }} He was reassigned to Palm Beach in May, and promoted back to Springfield in July. At the end of the month, he returned to Palm Beach. Over 108 games between the two clubs, Hurst slashed .217/.287/.299 with five home runs and 33 RBIs.{{Cite web|url=https://stlsportspage.com/2021/02/21/arenado-and-11-other-position-players-are-in-cardinals-major-league-camp-for-the-first-time-this-spring/|title=Arenado, and 11 other position players, are in Cardinals major-league camp for the first time this spring|date=21 February 2021}} Hurst did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On April 15, 2021, the Cardinals promoted Hurst to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/lane-thomas-optioned-by-cardinals|title = Cards option OF Lane Thomas, call up Hurst| website=MLB.com }} He made his debut the next day as a pinch-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/mlb/stl-cardinals/martinez-cardinals-staggered-by-phillies-6-run-second-inning-lose-9-2/63-2b6694c2-4134-4eef-b868-cda91287c0de|title = Martinez, Cardinals staggered by Phillies' 6-run second inning, lose 9-2| date=April 17, 2021 }} He was optioned to the alternate site on April 28, and optioned to the Memphis Redbirds of the Triple-A East on April 30.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-cardinals-announce-2021-opening-day-rosters-for-minor-league-affil|title=Cardinals announce 2021 Opening Day rosters for Minor League affiliate clubs|website=MLB.com }} He was designated for assignment on August 14, and outrighted to Memphis on August 16.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cardinals-scott-hurst-dfad-saturday/|title=Cardinals' Scott Hurst: DFA'd Saturday|date=14 August 2021 }}

Hurst spent all of 2022 with Memphis, playing in 90 games and batting .286/.399/.434 with career–highs in home runs (10), RBI (38), and stolen bases (18).{{Cite web|title=Scott Hurst - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/scott-hurst/20501/stats?position=OF|access-date=June 18, 2023|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}} He began the 2023 season back with Triple-A Memphis, but went 4-for-30 (.133) with no extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts. On June 1, 2023, the Cardinals released Hurst.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/scott-hurst-released-at-memphis/|title=Scott Hurst: Released at Memphis|date=June 2023 }}