Charlie Blackmon
Charlie Blackmon | |
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![]() Blackmon with the Colorado Rockies in 2021 | |
Colorado Rockies – No. 19 | |
Outfielder / Designated hitter | |
Born: Dallas, Texas, U.S. | July 1, 1986|
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
MLB debut | |
June 7, 2011, for the Colorado Rockies | |
MLB statistics (through June 18, 2024) | |
Batting average | .295 |
Hits | 1,749 |
Home runs | 218 |
Runs batted in | 775 |
Stolen bases | 147 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Charles Cobb Blackmon (born July 1, 1986) is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2011, as a member of the Rockies. Blackmon throws and bats left-handed, stands 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m), and weighs 220.4 pounds (100.0 kg).
A native of
Amateur career
Born in Dallas, Texas, Blackmon is of partial English ancestry. Raised in Suwanee, Georgia, Blackmon was an outstanding baseball player at North Gwinnett High School, as a left-handed pitcher and outfielder. Aside from baseball, Blackmon also competed in basketball and football, and was named Academic Player of the Year three times.[1]
Blackmon enrolled at Young Harris College and played college baseball for the school as a pitcher for two years.[2] At Young Harris, Blackmon won 15 games and had 138 strikeouts in 127 innings for the school, and was drafted for the first time after his freshman season.[1] In 2005, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers.[3][4]
Blackmon received a scholarship to
Professional career
Draft and minor leagues
The
Colorado Rockies
2011–2016
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/Charlie_Blackmon_on_June_3%2C_2014.jpg/220px-Charlie_Blackmon_on_June_3%2C_2014.jpg)
The Colorado Rockies called Blackmon up to the majors for the first time on June 6,
The following two seasons, Blackmon spent the majority of the time between the Rockies and their AAA minor league team, as they didn't have playing time for him. After the 2013 season, the Rockies traded Dexter Fowler to the Houston Astros, thus creating an opening for Blackmon to win the center field job in 2014.
Entering the 2014 season, Blackmon was engaged in a competition for playing time in center field with Brandon Barnes, Corey Dickerson and Drew Stubbs.[11] In the Rockies' home opener on April 14, 2014, Blackmon notched six hits from the leadoff spot in a 12–2 win over Arizona Diamondbacks. He homered, doubled three times, and tallied five RBI.[12][13] He joined Ty Cobb (May 5, 1925), Jimmie Foxx (July 10, 1932), Edgardo Alfonzo (August 30, 1999), and Shawn Green (May 23, 2002) as the only players in MLB history to have six hits, five RBI, and four extra-base hits in a single game.[citation needed] Blackmon was named to the roster as a reserve for the National League in the 2014 MLB All-Star Game, the first selection of his career.[14] In his first full season in the majors, Blackmon finished with a .288 batting average, 28 stolen bases, and 19 home runs. In 2015, despite a drop-off in the RBI section, Blackmon stole a career-high 43 bases while continuing to hit for a high average.
On April 14, 2016, the Rockies placed Blackmon on the
2017–present
For May 2017, Blackmon won his first
In 159 games played during 2017, Blackmon hit .331/.399/.601, winning the NL batting title. He became the first player in history to lead the major leagues in hits (213), runs scored (137), triples (14), and total bases (383) in the same season.[22] His total bases were the most since Derrek Lee in 2005. The Rockies finished the year with an 87–75 record, clinching an NL Wild Card spot.[23] Blackmon was fifth in 2017 NL MVP voting.[24]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Charlie_Blackmon_and_Yan_Gomes_%2841683843540%29.jpg/220px-Charlie_Blackmon_and_Yan_Gomes_%2841683843540%29.jpg)
On April 4, 2018, Blackmon signed a six-year contract extension worth $108 million.
In 2019, he batted .314/.364/.576 with 32 home runs and 112 runs scored. He was named to his fourth All-Star Game. In 2020, Blackmon began the season hitting almost .400 at one point but regressed towards the tail end of the season, finishing with a .303 batting average in 59 games. He also hit six home runs and led the team in RBI with 42. In 2021, Blackmon batted .270/.351/.411 with 13 home runs and 78 RBIs. He led all National League outfielders with 14 assists.
For the 2022 season, Blackmon played in 135 games for Colorado, hitting .264/.314/.419 with 16 home runs and 78 RBI. On September 28, 2022, it was announced that Blackmon would undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. As a result, the procedure prematurely ended his season.[28] Following the season, Blackmon exercised an $18 million player option to remain with the Rockies for the 2023 season.[29]
In 96 games for Colorado in 2023, he batted .279/.363/.440 with 8 home runs and 40 RBI. On September 29, 2023, Blackmon signed a one-year extension with the Rockies.[30]
As of 2023, Blackmon is the current active leader in career triples with 60.[31]
Personal life
Blackmon has spoken about his Christian faith, saying, "The love that JC (Jesus Christ) has for me, even though I don’t deserve it is unimaginable. You know, that grace is something that I try to understand every day, but it’s hard to comprehend! I try and learn more about Christ every day, and will continue to walk my path and trust every opportunity that opens to me. I just want to represent our God in what I do, on the field, how I treat people and walking by faith."[32] Blackmon is also in a Bible study group with the Rockies.[33]
Blackmon grew up as a fan of the Atlanta Braves.[5] Blackmon's father, Myron, was a track and field athlete at Georgia Tech.[6]
In 2016, Denver 7 reported that Blackmon, despite his Major League salary, drove the same 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee to spring training every day that he drove to school every morning as a high school senior.[34]
Blackmon and his wife, Ashley, were married in 2018.[35] Blackmon resides in the Belcaro neighborhood of Denver during the season.[36]
See also
- Colorado Rockies individual awards
- List of Georgia Institute of Technology alumni
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball single-game hits leaders
- List of people from Dallas
References
- ^ a b "Charlie Blackmon Bio". RamblinWreck.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ "Inside the evolution of Rockies' all-star center fielder Charlie Blackmon, the major league leadoff man no one saw coming". April 15, 2018.
- ^ "Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League" (PDF). capecodbaseball.org. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
- ^ "2005 Cotuit Kettleers". thebaseballcube.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ a b "Charlie Blackmon" Archived June 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Cotuit Kettleers website
- ^ a b Jack Etkin (May 18, 2014). "Charlie Blackmon worked hard to get to where he is". Sports on Earth. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ a b 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Second Team
- ^ "Charlie Blackmon | LinkedIn" Charlie Blackmon | LinkedIn
- ^ Gleeman, Aaron (June 6, 2011). "Rockies to put Dexter Fowler on DL, call up Charlie Blackmon". NBC Sports Hardball Talk. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ^ "Charlie Blackmon 2011 Batting Game Logs".
- ^ McKinley, Eric (January 5, 2015). "How much playing time did Charlie Blackmon's 6-hit game buy?". Fansided Roxpile. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^ Saunders, Patrick (April 7, 2017). "Top 5 home openers in Rockies history". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^ Corcoran, Cliff (April 5, 2014). "Charlie Blackmon compiles first 6-for-6 game in NL in 5 years; Rockies crush D-backs". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (July 6, 2014). "Troy Tulowitzki, Charlie Blackmon to represent Rockies at All-Star Game". MLB.com. Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ Heaney, Tim (April 14, 2016). "Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon's turf toe kicks him to DL". USA Today. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ "Blackmon stays hot after Player of Week nod". MLB.com.
- ^ "Charlie Blackmon 2016 Batting Game Logs | Baseball-Reference.com".
- ^ Saunders, Patrick (June 2, 2017). "Rockies' Charlie Blackmon, Greg Holland honored as National League's best in May". The Denver Post. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
- ^ Saunders, Patrick (July 10, 2017). "Rockies' Charlie Blackmon thrilled be leading off for National League in All-Star Game". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^ "MLB notes: Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon breaks RBI record for a leadoff batter". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. September 29, 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- Sporting News. Archived from the originalon June 26, 2018. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
- ^ Thornburg, Chad (October 1, 2017). "League leaders: Stanton, Judge, Altuve soar". MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 13, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
- ^ Groke, Nick (October 1, 2017). "Rockies' attention quickly turns to a postseason roster for a wild-card matchup at Arizona". The Denver Post. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
- ^ "2017 Awards Voting". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ "Rockies sign Charlie Blackmon to six year extension worth $108 million". MLB. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
- ^ "Arenado, Story, Blackmon named All-Stars". MLB.com.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (September 30, 2018). "Blackmon 1st to get cycle in Game 162". MLB.com. Retrieved September 30, 2018.
- ^ "Blackmon's season over with knee surgery upcoming". mlb.com. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Rockies' Blackmon plans to exercise $18M player option for 2023". thescore.com. October 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
- ^ "Rockies' Charlie Blackmon: Signs one-year extension". cbssports.com. September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
- ^ "Active Leaders & Records for Triples". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ "Grit and Gratitude Carry Baseball All-Star Charlie Blackmon". September 26, 2017.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies' Charlie Blackmon credits road Bible studies in building team chemistry". May 22, 2018.
- ^ Andersen, Arran (March 15, 2016). "Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon can't say goodbye to his pride and joy". Denver 7. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
- ^ "From home runs to honeymoons: Rockies' Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl are now married men". November 12, 2018.
- ^ "Rockies center fielder nabs $2.8M Belcaro house". July 10, 2018.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets bio
- Charlie Blackmon on X