Battle of Perryville

Lane Weston Adams (born November 13, 1989) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves.

Early life

Adams is a Red Oak, Oklahoma native.[1] He is part Native American and a member of Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.[2]

Adams attended Red Oak High School in Red Oak.[1] Playing guard for the school's basketball team, he scored 3,251 points, making him the fifth-highest scorer in Oklahoma high school basketball history.[3][2] His 93.7% free throw percentage as a junior led all of Oklahoma.[4] He committed to attend Missouri State University on a basketball scholarship.[5]

Career

Kansas City Royals

The Royals selected Adams in the 13th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, and he signed with the Royals for a $225,000 signing bonus rather than attend college.[6][7]

Adams was a 2012 Midwest League Mid-Season All Star.[8] He played for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Class AA Texas League in 2013.[9] He was a 2013 MiLB Royals Organization All Star, and was named Royals’ 2013 co-Minor League Player of the Year with pitcher Yordano Ventura.[8][10] After the 2013 season, the Royals added Adams to their 40-man roster.[11]

In 2014, playing for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals he batted .269/.352/.427 with 65 runs (tied for 6th in the league), 25 doubles (tied for 5th), 38 stolen bases (3rd) while being caught 6 times, and 9 hit by pitch (tied for 6th) in 524 at bats.[12] Adams was a Mid-Season Texas League All Star and Post-Season All Star.[8] On September 1, 2014, the Royals promoted Adams to the major leagues.[13] He made his Major League debut that night, replacing Raúl Ibañez as a pinch runner in the eighth inning of the Royals' game against the Texas Rangers.[14][15]

In 2015, again playing for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, Adams batted .298/.360/.466 with 29 stolen bases (tied for 4th in the league) while being caught 6 times in 373 at bats.[12] He was released in November 2015.[16]

New York Yankees

After the 2015 season, the New York Yankees claimed Adams off of waivers.[17] In 2016 for the Trenton Thunder he batted .253/.343/.363 with 31 stolen bases in 36 attempts in 289 at bats.[12] On July 28, 2016, he was released by the Yankees.[18] He contemplated retiring at 26 years of age.[19]

Chicago Cubs

On August 3, 2016, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.[20][21] Playing for the Tennessee Smokies, he batted .325/.378/.506 with 9 stolen bases without being caught, in 83 at bats.[12] He became a free agent on November 7.[18]

Atlanta Braves

Adams signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves organization on December 13, 2016.[22] Braves manager Brian Snitker said: “I didn’t know who he was. I’d never heard of him.”[19] With the Gwinnett Stripers in 2017, he batted .264/.320/.461 with 15 stolen bases in 18 attempts, in 178 at bats.[12]

The Braves promoted him to the Major Leagues on April 25, 2017.[23] Adams recorded his first major league hit in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers four days later.[24] Adams hit his first major league home run, a three-run shot, against the San Francisco Giants on June 22.[25] On September 10, Adams hit a 2-run, walk off home run against the Miami Marlins in the 11th inning.[26] The home run clinched the NL East for the Washington Nationals. For the 2017 season with the Braves, he batted .275/.339/.468, and was successful in all 10 of his stolen base attempts, in 109 at bats.[12]

On April 19, 2018, Adams was designated for assignment by the Braves.[27] He refused an assignment to the Gwinnett Stripers and elected free agency on April 27.[28]

Second stint with Cubs

On May 5, 2018, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.[29] On June 30 he was released by the Cubs.[18]

Second stint with Braves

On July 16, 2018, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. He was called up to the major leagues on September 1. With the Braves in 2018, he batted .240/.345/.520 with one steal in 25 at bats.[12] The Braves outrighted him to the minors on October 31.[30] He elected free agency on November 2.[18]

Through 2018, in his major league career Adams had batted .263/.333/.467 with 11 stolen bases without being caught, in 137 at bats. In his minor league career he had batted .264/.338/.403 with 235 stolen bases while being caught 44 times, in 3,718 at bats.[12]

Philadelphia Phillies

On January 14, 2019, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies.[31] He played for the AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs, batting .255/.340/.465 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs in 271 at bats, as he stole eight bases in ten attempts.[32] He was released on July 1, 2019.

Third stint with Braves

On July 31, 2019, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves. He played 18 games for the Class AA Mississippi Braves.[32] He became a free agent at the end of the season.

Minnesota Twins

On February 17, 2020, Adams signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins. Adams did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[33] He became a free agent on November 2.

Acereros de Monclova

On May 20, 2021, Adams signed with the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.[34] Adams hit .263/.324/.326 with 11 RBIs in 26 games, but was released on June 21.[8]

Tigres de Quintana Roo

On June 24, 2021, Adams signed with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League.[35] In 9 games for Quintana Roo, he went 2–for–25 (.080) with no home runs and one RBI.

Adams retired from professional baseball following the season and later became a private hitting instructor.[36]

References

  1. ^ a b "MLB Rookie Profile: Lane Adams, OF, Atlanta Braves" - Minor League Ball
  2. ^ a b O'Brien, David (September 16, 2017). "5 things you might not know about Braves rookie Lane Adams". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved February 24, 2018.
  3. ^ Eskew, Alan (December 25, 2013). "Royals Add Upside To 40-Man Roster". Baseball America. Retrieved December 26, 2013.
  4. ^ "Arizona Fall League profiles: Lane Adams and Malcom Culver"
  5. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  6. ^ Eskew, Alan (May 24, 2013). "Royals' Lane Adams Coming Around". Baseball America. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  7. ^ LEGENDS: Lane Adams - Red Oak grad working back toward majors | Sports | mcalesternews.com
  8. ^ a b c d Lane Adams Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB.com Stats | The Official Site of Minor League Baseball
  9. ^ Grathoff, Pete (August 14, 2013). "Lane Adams has three homers, seven RBIs for Naturals". KansasCity.com. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  10. ^ "Naturals' Adams Made Right Choice"
  11. ^ "Royals add four to 40-man roster, drop three". MLB.com. November 20, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h 2014 "Texas League Batting Leaders" | Baseball-Reference.com
  13. ^ "Royals to add three as September callups". MLB.com. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  14. ^ O'Hanlon III, Adrian (July 6, 2015). "Lane Adams - Red Oak grad working back toward majors". McAlester News-Capital. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 20, 2015. Retrieved January 19, 2016 – via Washington Times.
  15. ^ Grathoff, Pete (September 2, 2014). "Lane Adams on his major-league debut: 'No words to describe the feeling'". Kansas City Star. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  16. ^ "Tuesday's Sports Transactions". San Diego Union-Tribune. Associated Press. November 3, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  17. ^ Unruh, Jacob (January 15, 2016). "Former Red Oak star Lane Adams claimed on waivers by Yankees". The Oklahoman. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  18. ^ a b c d "Lane Adams Stats" | Baseball-Reference.com
  19. ^ a b Burns, Gabriel. "A year after almost retiring, Lane Adams finds new life with Braves". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  20. ^ Rocke, Justin (August 29, 2018). "Lane Adams Named SL Player of the Week". MILB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  21. ^ Greene, Adam (August 28, 2016). "Tennessee Smokies outfielder Lane Adams received career advice from Cuonzo Martin". Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  22. ^ Todd, Jeff (December 14, 2016). "Minor MLB Transactions: 12/14/16". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
  23. ^ O'Brien, David (April 26, 2017). "Braves bring Adams up from Triple-A, DFA d'Arnaud". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  24. ^ Lewis, Barry (April 29, 2017). "Pro baseball: Red Oak's Lane Adams keys Braves' win with 1st MLB hit". Tulsa World. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  25. ^ Bowman, Mark (June 23, 2017). "L. Adams on first MLB HR: 'A great feeling'". MLB.com. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  26. ^ Bowman, Mark (September 10, 2017). "L. Adams goes from no invite to walk-off hero". MLB.com. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  27. ^ Bowman, Mark (April 19, 2018). "Freeman in fine form night after HBP scare". MLB.com. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  28. ^ O'Brien, David (April 27, 2018). "Lane Adams opts for free agency; Acuna call-up clogs outfield". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  29. ^ Muskat, Carrie (May 5, 2018). "Cubs strike deal with outfielder Adams". MLB.com. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  30. ^ "Braves Outright Lindgren, Ramirez, Adams, Tucker" - MLB Trade Rumors
  31. ^ Adams, Steve (January 14, 2019). "Phillies Sign Lane Adams To Minor League Deal". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  32. ^ a b "Lane Adams Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  33. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled". mlb.com. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
  34. ^ Polishuk, Mark (May 21, 2021). "Minor MLB Transactions: 5/21/21". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  35. ^ "Mexican League Transactions – August 2021". MiLB.com. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  36. ^ "Lane Adams Joins 'From Phenom To The Farm': Episode 93". baseballamerica.com. Retrieved December 30, 2023.

External links

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lane_Adams