Tyler Fitzgerald
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Tyler Fitzgerald
|image =
|team = San Francisco Giants
|number = 49
|position = Shortstop / Center fielder / Second baseman
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|9|15}}
|birth_place = Springfield, Illinois, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = September 21
|debutyear = 2023
|debutteam = San Francisco Giants
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = May 27, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .271
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 19
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 46
|teams =
- San Francisco Giants ({{mlby|2023}}–present)
}}
Tyler Joseph Fitzgerald (born September 15, 1997) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball at the University of Louisville. He was selected by the Giants in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Early life
Fitzgerald was born in Springfield, Illinois,{{Cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/player/tyler-fitzgerald-666149?season=2022&team=3410|title=Tyler Fitzgerald Stats, Fantasy & News|website=MiLB.com}} and attended Rochester High School in Rochester, Illinois. As a senior in 2016, he batted .500 with nine home runs, 31 RBIs, and 37 stolen bases.{{cite web | title=Fitzgerald named top Illinois high school baseball player | website=The State Journal-Register | date=June 28, 2016 | url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/sports/high-school/baseball/2016/06/28/fitzgerald-named-top-illinois-high/27553935007/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}} He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 30th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft, but did not sign and instead enrolled at the University of Louisville to play college baseball.{{cite web | title=Fitzgerald defers pro baseball dream while two other local players sign | website=The State Journal-Register | date=June 16, 2016 | url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/sports/2016/06/16/fitzgerald-defers-pro-baseball-dream/27599370007/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}}
Fitzgerald appeared in 48 games for Louisville as a freshman in 2017, slashing .208/.303/.272 over 125 at bats.{{cite web | last=Lourim | first=Jake | title=Can a new-look team still return to Omaha? | website=Louisville baseball | date=February 15, 2018 | url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2018/02/15/louisville-baseball-preview-2018-breakdown/339243002/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}} As a sophomore, he batted .264/.344/.378 with 57 runs (8th in the conference), three home runs, 24 RBIs, 23 stolen bases (4th in the conference) in 24 attempts, 9 sacrifice hits (2nd), and 17 doubles (8th) over 246 at bats over 64 games.{{cite web | last=Mastroianni | first=Jake | title=2019 CBD TOP 100 COUNTDOWN: 82. TYLER FITZGERALD (LOUISVILLE) | website=College Baseball Daily | date=November 20, 2018 | url=https://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2018/11/20/2019-cbd-top-100-countdown-82-tyler-fitzgerald-louisville/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}}{{Cite web |title=2018 Atlantic Coast Conference Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=9110c11a&type=bat |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} In 2017 and 2018, Fitzgerald played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1063419 |title=#5 Tyler Fitzgerald – Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=April 9, 2022}}{{cite web|url=http://baseball.pointstreak.com/player.html?playerid=1211097&seasonid=31242 |title=#4 Tyler Fitzgerald |publisher=pointstreak.com |accessdate=April 9, 2022}}{{Cite web | url=https://bournebraves.org/recent-news/from-omaha-to-bourne-the-college-world-series-experience-of-five-braves/ | title=Bourne Braves Baseball » from Omaha to Bourne: The College World Series Experience of Five Braves }}{{Cite web | url=https://bournebraves.org/game-stories/braves-silence-the-firebirds-bats-in-second-straight-win/ | title=Bourne Braves Baseball » Braves silence the Firebirds' bats in second straight win }} As a junior in 2019, he hit .315/.391/.483 with 64 runs (5th in the conference), three triples (6th), eight home runs, 65 RBIs (7th), 18 stolen bases (6th), and seven sacrifice flies (second) in 267 at bats over 66 games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=55166bdc&type=bat|title=2019 Atlantic Coast Conference Batting Leaders|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}{{cite web | last=Kane | first=Dave | title=Fitzgerald to embrace Giants | website=The State Journal-Register | date=June 25, 2019 | url=https://www.sj-r.com/story/sports/2019/06/25/fitzgerald-to-embrace-giants/4829989007/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}}{{Cite web |title=2019 Atlantic Coast Conference Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=55166bdc |access-date=2025-05-18 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}
Professional career
Fitzgerald was selected by the San Francisco Giants in the fourth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | title=Rochester's Tyler Fitzgerald drafted in fourth round of MLB Draft | website=Journal Star | date=June 5, 2019 | url=https://www.pjstar.com/story/sports/2019/06/05/rochester-x2019-s-tyler-fitzgerald/4987602007/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}} He signed for $497,500.{{cite web | last=Harten | first=David | title=Louisville baseball: San Francisco Giants sign Wyatt, Fitzgerald | website=Courier-Journal | date=June 30, 2019 | url=https://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/louisville/2019/06/29/louisville-baseball-san-francisco-giants-sign-wyatt-fitzgerald/1609196001/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}}{{Cite web |title=2021 High-A West Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=0fcaaa77&type=bat |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}
In 2019, Fitzgerald spent his first professional season with the Arizona League Giants, Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, and Augusta GreenJackets, batting .276/.359/.395 with one home run, six stolen bases in seven attempts, and 30 RBIs over 48 games.{{cite web | last=Johnson | first=Dalton | title=How Giants' top five picks from 2019 MLB Draft played in first season | website=NBC Sports Bay Area & California | date=September 19, 2019 | url=https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/mlb/how-giants-top-five-picks-from-2019-mlb-draft-played-in-first-season/1296884/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}} He did not play in 2020, during the pandemic.
He played the 2021 season with the Eugene Emeralds, tied for the league lead with 28 doubles and 139 strikeouts and slashing .262/.342/.495 with 71 runs (2nd in the league), 19 home runs (2nd), and 65 RBIs (3rd) in 382 at-bats over 103 games, playing shortstop exclusively.{{Cite web |title=2021 High-A West Batting Leaders |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=0fcaaa77&type=bat |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Nichols |first=Dave |date=September 20, 2021 |title=High-A West championship series: Spokane Indians, Eugene Emeralds bring different styles to league title matchup |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2021/sep/20/high-a-west-championship-series-spokane-indians-eu/ |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=Spokesman.com}} He was a 2021 NWL post-season All Star, and an MiLB Organization All Star.{{Cite web |title=Tyler Fitzgerald Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/tyler-fitzgerald-666149 |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=MiLB.com}}
He was assigned to the Richmond Flying Squirrels for the 2022 season.{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Trey |date=April 6, 2022 |title=Giants set initial Flying Squirrels roster |url=https://www.milb.com/richmond/news/giants-set-initial-flying-squirrels-roster |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=MiLB.com}} Over 125 games, Fitzgerald slashed .229/.310/.424 with 74 runs (2nd in the league), 21 home runs, 58 RBIs, 19 hit by pitch (3rd), 171 strikeouts (2nd), and 20 stolen bases in 21 attempts.{{Cite web |title=Tyler Fitzgerald Stats, Fantasy & News |url=https://www.milb.com/player/tyler-fitzgerald-666149?season=2022&team=3410 |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=MiLB.com}}{{Cite web |title=Tyler Fitzgerald Amateur, College & Minor Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=fitzge000tyl |access-date=August 5, 2024 |website=Baseball-Reference.com}} He played 87 games at shortstop, 30 at second base, eight at third base, and two as a designated hitter.
He returned to Richmond to open the 2023 season.{{Cite magazine |last=Regodon |first=Wrenzie |date=April 7, 2023 |title=SF Giants: Get to know the Richmond Flying Squirrels roster |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/giants/news/sf-giants-prospects-richmond-flying-squirrels-roster-luis-matos-patrick-bailey |access-date=August 5, 2024 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}} After 19 games for Richmond in which he batted .324/.410/.588 in 68 at bats, Fitzgerald was promoted to the Triple–A Sacramento River Cats, where he played in 102 games and hit .287/.358/.499 with 72 runs, 20 home runs, 69 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases (7th in the PCL) in 415 at bats.{{cite web | title=2023 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders | website=Baseball-Reference.com | url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?type=bat&id=4ac4afa3 | access-date=August 5, 2024}} On September 21, 2023, Fitzgerald was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Steve |date=September 21, 2023 |title=Giants Place Brandon Crawford On Injured List, Release Paul DeJong |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/09/giants-place-brandon-crawford-on-injured-list-release-paul-dejong.html |access-date=September 21, 2023 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en}}
Personal life
Fitzgerald's father, Mike, was drafted in the first round in the 1984 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and played 13 games in the majors as a first baseman; in the minors, in 1987 he led the Texas League with 108 RBIs, and was fourth in the league in home runs with 27.{{cite web | last=Kroner | first=Steve | title=Tyler Fitzgerald's Game Is Greater Than Sum Of Parts | website=College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects - Baseball America | date=October 31, 2019 | url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/tyler-fitzgerald-is-greater-than-sum-of-parts/ | access-date=August 5, 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/leader.cgi?id=c23939f8&type=bat|title=1987 Texas League Batting Leaders|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats |mlb=666149 |espn=43030 |br=f/fitzgty01 |fangraphs=26208 |brm=fitzge000tyl |retro=F/Pfitzt001}}
{{San Francisco Giants roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzgerlald, Tyler}}
Category:Baseball players from Springfield, Illinois
Category:Major League Baseball infielders
Category:San Francisco Giants players
Category:Louisville Cardinals baseball players
Category:Bourne Braves players
Category:Arizona League Giants players
Category:Salem-Keizer Volcanoes players
Category:Augusta GreenJackets players
Category:Eugene Emeralds players