Whit Merrifield

Whit Merrifield

Merrifield with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals – No. 15
Second baseman / Left fielder
Born: (1989-01-24) January 24, 1989
Advance, North Carolina
Bats: Right Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 18, 2016, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
(through 2016 season)
Batting average .283
Hits 88
Home runs 2
Runs batted in 29
Teams

Whitley David Merrifield (born January 24, 1989) is an American professional baseball second baseman and left fielder for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Career

Merrifield played college baseball at the University of South Carolina from 2008 to 2010. In the second game of the 2010 College World Series, Merrifield hit a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning to give South Carolina the championship.[1][2] In his three years at South Carolina, he played in 195 games and hit .329/.389/.489 with 27 home runs.

Merrifield batting for the Omaha Storm Chasers, triple-A affiliates of the Royals, in 2015

Merrifield was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the ninth round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft.[3] He signed with the Royals and made his professional debut that season with the Burlington Bees.[4][5][6] In 47 games he hit .253/.317/.409 and five home runs. In 2011 Merrifield played for the Wilmington Blue Rocks and started 2012 back with Wilmington. During the season he was promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and also spent 2013 there. Merrifield returned to Northwest Arkansas to start 2014 and was promoted to the Omaha Storm Chasers during the season.[7][8]

Merrifield made his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals on May 18, 2016, instantly batting in the top third of the lineup and soon taking the starting second baseman job from Omar Infante.[9] On June 13, 2016, Whit hit both his first Major League triple and home run against the Cleveland Indians.

In early July 2016, a song and video tribute to Merrifield entitled, "Cool Whit" [10] went viral on YouTube and Facebook, receiving coverage on local Kansas City radio and TV news.[11] "Cool Whit" T-shirts [12] were also circulating amongst Royals fans.

Personal life

Merrifield's father, Bill, played college baseball for Wake Forest University.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Merrifield, former CWS hero, is back in Omaha". Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Four years after delivering a CWS title to South Carolina, Merrifield's a hit with Chasers". Omaha.com. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Whit Merrifield Selected By Kansas City Royals In Ninth Round Of 2010 MLB Draft University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site". gamecocksonline.com. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  4. ↑ Brad Senkiw. "Merrifield ready to start new chapter". AIM. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Merrifield signs with Kansas City". heraldonline. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  6. ↑ "USC's Merrifield to sign with Kansas City on Monday". GoUpstate.com. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Merrifield's focus keeps him 'locked in'". Omaha.com. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Whit Merrifield is lighting up Class AAA pitching". kansascity. Retrieved September 8, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Royals call up Whit Merrifield and send Christian Colon to Omaha". kansascity.com. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Cool Whit (KC Royals Whit Merrifield)". youtube.com. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Fan Creates Ode to Royals Rookie Cool Whit Merrifield". kctv.com. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Cool Whit Merrifield". teepublic.com. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  13. ↑
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