Casey Kotchman #35

Full name CASEY JOHN KOTCHMAN... Single...Selected by the Angels in the first round (13th overall) of the 2001 Draft out of Seminole HS in St. Pete, FL...In 2001 was named Baseball America's top high school prospect as well as Gatorade National HS Player of the Year...Is the son of longtime Angels scout and minor league manager Tom Kotchman...Rated as the Angels top prospect by Baseball America in 2002, '04 & '05...Played for the USA Junior National Team in 1998 .

2011

Spent season at Tampa Bay for the AL Wildcard champs after signing a minor league contract with the Rays on January 28...Posted a career-best .306 (153-500) average, the 8th-highest figure in the American League (.378 OBP/.422 SLG/.800 OPS)...Recorded his fifth consecutive season with at least 20 doubles and paced the Rays with 18 infield hits...Set career-highs in games played, hits (153) and OBP (.378, 10th in the AL...The left-handed hitter carried a .313 (110-351) clip against right-handers, while batting .289 (43-149) vs. lefties...Made 135 starts at first base...Kotchman finished the season with a .998 (2 E/1201 TC) fielding pct., leading all major league first baseman in that category for a fourth consecutive campaign (2008-11)...His career .998 (11 E/6076 TC) fielding pct. is the highest in major league history among first basemen with at least 700 games at the position...Started 73 consecutive games from June 4-Aug 26, the longest in club history at first base and the longest streak of his career...Appeared in all but one game (104 total) from June 4 through season's end (103GS)...Opened the year with Triple-A Durham and after one game was selected by the Rays on April 8 when Manny Ramirez retired...His batting avg. was over .300 every day after April 27 and raised his avg. by 89 points from 2010 (.217)...In the last 50 years, only 3 other players started the season on a minor league roster and wound up hitting higher than Kotchman with enough qualitfying plate apps: CLE Miguel Dilone hit .341 in 1980, FLA Chris Coughlin batted .321 in 2009 and OAK/CIN Jose Guillen batted .311 in 2003...Average reached a high point of .341 on Aug 8...After that batted .231 (37-for-160) in his last 47 games...Was hit by a pitch 12 times, T-5th most in the AL.

2010

Acquired by Seattle from Boston exchange for INF Bill Hall on Jan 7 and spent the entire season with the Mariners, appearing in 125 games...set a pair of major league fielding records as a first baseman for consecutive errorless games (274) and total chances (2,379)...both streaks were snapped on Aug 21 at NYY...hit .318 (21-for-66) in July with 4 HR and 10 RBI...batted .198 (69-for-348) the rest of the season...hit 20 doubles, his fourth consecutive season of 20-plus doubles.

2009

Combined to bat .268 (103x385) with 7 homers and 48 RBI in a season split between the Braves and Red Sox...Traded to Boston on July 31 for Adam LaRoche (1B) and cash considerations...Became just the 3rd qualifying player in Major League history to record a 1.000 FLD% in a season (min. 108 G at 1B)...joins Kevin Youkilis (BOS, 2007, 1080 TC) and Steve Garvey (SD, 1984, 1319 TC)...Has current streak of 185 consecutive errorless games at first base (168 starts), a span of 1,584 total chances...last error came June 20, 2008 vs. Philadelphia (with ATL)...Recorded 20+ doubles (23) for the 3rd consecutive season...Recorded career-high 14-game hitting streak July 2-22 (.362/17x47, 2 HR, 7 RBI).

2008

Set career highs in games (143), at-bats (525), runs (65), hits (143), home runs (14) and RBI (74). ...After hitting just .157 in his first 20 games with the Braves (dating to 8/31), he hit .305 in Sept. (25-for-82) with 15 RBI and 11 walks. He had seven multi-hit game in his final 22 contests. ...Hit first homer as a Brave on 9/18 vs. PHI. It was his first HR since 7/28 at BOS. ...Fanned just 39 times in 569 total plate appearances, the third-best rate in the majors at 14.69 PA/K. ...Since joining the Braves on 7/29, he batted .236 (35-for-148) with seven extra-base hits, 20 RBI and a .333 on-base percentage in 42 games. ...His .303 Avg. vs. LHP was fifth in majors among all LH hitters (min. 135 ABs). He hit .261 off RHP. ...Made first start 9/4 since being re-instated from the restricted list on 9/1. Missed 11 games after originally going on the bereavement list on 8/20. ...Acquired 7/29 along with RHP Stephen Marek from LAA in exchange for 1B Mark Teixeira. At the time of the trade, Casey led the Angels with 107 hits and was tied for the team lead with 54 RBI. ...His .349 avg. vs. LHP was sixth in the AL and his strikeout ratio of 1/17.3 PA was the best in the AL at the time of the trade. ...Made two errors on 6/20 at PHI to snap a 77-game errorless streak. Owns a .997 career fielding pct. at first base, with just eight errors in 357 games. ...Had a career-high five hits (5-for-5) on 7/23 vs. CLE. ...In April, he hit .344 (33-for-96) with 6 HR and 19 RBI. The 6 HR matched his career high in a month (August 2005). ...Had a career-best eight-game hitting streak 4/9-17 (13-for-31, .419).

2007

One of seven Angels regulars to hit over .290 (most in Majors)...Established career highs in several offensive categories including avg. (.296), home runs (11) and RBI (68)...Hit .320 at Angel Stadium and .274 on road...Had 7-game hit streak (7/31-8/7), his 4th seven-game streak of season (each matching a career-high)...Returned to starting lineup June 25 after missing seven games...Left June 16 game at LAD in 7th after being hit on helmet by pickoff throw at second base by LAD catcher Russell Martin...Diagnosed with mild concussion and received three stitches behind right ear...Logged three triples - entered season with none in career...Connected for second career grand slam in first inning May 14 at Texas...997 fielding pct. this season ranked fourth among AL first basemen (3 E/1049 TC)...Hit solo HR Opening Night vs. Texas in his first at-bat of season, his first HR since May 4, 2006 at Detroit...Connected for gamewinning RBI single in 9th inning July 13 vs. Texas...Collected career-best four hits in Game 1, Aug. 17 at Boston...Hit .363 (29/80) in May.

2006

Kotchman missed 128 games in 2006, as he was kept away from the field with complications stemming from mononucleosis. After a spring in which the Opening Day starting first baseman batted better than .400, he hit just .152 with one home run and six RBIs in 29 games with the Angels. Kotchman tried to return to the field, but his rehab assignment was cut short when he experienced dizzy spells in July while playing for Triple-A Salt Lake. He spent much of the rest of the season at home in Florida, performing cardio exercises.

2005

Hit .302 (35/116, 7 HR, 22 RBI) in 40 games (28 starts) after Aug. 4 recall...One of Angels' top hitters in Sept./Oct (.339, 19/56, 12 RBI)...Did not commit an error in 20 games at first base...PH, 2-run single in 8th inning proved to be game-winner, Sept. 23 vs. Tampa Bay (was 0-for-7 as PH)...Tallied 7 HR last 40 games (0 HR first 46 ML games)...Connected for two HRs, Aug. 7 vs. TB, including first career grand slam...Batted .289 (105/363) with 62 runs scored, 23 doubles, one triple, 10 HR and 58 RBI in 94 triple-A games...After slow start in April (.192, 15/78), hit .316 (90/285) up to his recall...Initially recalled from Salt Lake, May 30, then optioned, June 14 (0-for-10 in 7 games with Angels)...Played in 38 games with Angels in 2004, posting .224 average (26/116) with seven runs scored, six doubles and 15 RBI.

2004

Named Angels' Minor League Defensive Player of the Year after committing just three errors at first base in 77 games between Arkansas and Salt Lake...Recalled from triple-A Salt Lake, Sept. 1...10 of 26 hits with Angels came with RISP... Batted .372 (74/199) with 22 doubles, five home runs and 38 RBI in 49 games with Stingers...Optioned to triple-A Salt Lake, June 12...Victim of Pedro Martinez's 2,500th strikeout, June 2 vs. Boston (after a 15-pitch at-bat that included 11 consecutive foul balls)...Opened major league career with streak of 48 consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout, longest to open a ML career in club history (previously Gus Polidor, 27 PA from 1985-87)...Streak is longest in ML since Bob Bailor opened his career with 51 PAs without fanning from 1975-77 with Baltimore and Toronto...Collected first ML hit, May 11 at New York (single off Mariano Rivera after 9-pitch at-bat)...Tallied career-best three RBI on bases-loaded double, May 12th at Yankee Stadium...Had contract selected, May 9, from double-A Arkansas (Darin Erstad DL)...Made ML debut same day vs. Tampa Bay...Hit .368 (42/114) with 11 doubles, three home runs and 18 RBI in 28 games with Arkansas Travelers...2004 Post-Season...Appeared in Games 2 & 3 of ALDS vs. Boston...Made post-season debut as pinch-hitter (line-out) in Game 2 and was announced as PH in Game 3 but did not bat.

2003

Started third professional season at Class A Rancho Cucamonga, batting .350 (72/206) with 12 doubles, eight home runs, 42 runs scored and 28 RBI in 57 games for Quakes...In seven rehab games with rookie-level Angels (Mesa), hit .333 (9/27) with one double, two home runs and six RBI...Struck out only 19 times in 233 at-bats, while drawing 32 walks...Missed significant time due to torn right hamstring.

2002

Limited to 81 games at Class A Cedar Rapids due to a back injury...Hit .281 (81/288) with five home runs and 50 RBI...Walked 48 times while striking out just 37 times.

2001

Played under his father at Provo after signing July 21...In fifth professional game in 2001, posted 5-for-5 game with four RBI, Aug. 8 at Casper...Opened professional career batting .541 (20/37) through first 11 games...Missed time during 2001 season with a right wrist injury.