Kevin Hooper #19

Resides in Wichita, KS during the off-season...As a freshman at Wichita State University in 1996, he batted .321 (61x190) with 47 runs scored, six doubles, two triples, a home run, 30 RBI and 13 stolen bases...Hit .348 (81x233) with 67 runs scored, 11 doubles, three triples, 35 RBI and 18 RBI during his sophomore season at Wichita State University in 1997...Led the Jayhawk League with a .375 batting average (42x112) for Liberal during the summer of 1997...During his junior season at Wichita State University in 1998, he batted .358 (82x229) with 101 runs scored, 22 doubles, five triples, four home runs, 47 RBI and 21 stolen bases to garner All-Missouri Valley Conference honors...Played with El Dorado in the Jayhawk League during the summer of 1998...hit .357 (41x115) with 27 runs scored, three doubles, a triple, 17 RBI and nine stolen bases...Did not sign after being selected in the 49th round of the June 1998 draft by the Cleveland Indians...Hit .402 (86x214) with 72 runs scored, 15 doubles, seven triples, four home runs, 36 RBI and 26 stolen bases as a senior at Wichita State University in 1999 to earn All-Missouri Valley Conference honors...tied for the conference lead with seven triples and 26 stolen bases...Named Albuquerque's most community-minded player in 2003.

2006

Spent the majority of the season with Triple A Toledo before joining the Tigers on September 3...Led the International League with 15 sacrifice hits...Batted .321 (27x84) with nine runs scored in 21 games during April...Collected a season-high four hits on June 29 versus Charlotte -- matched the high with four hits on August 5 versus Louisville...Posted a 12-game hitting streak July 7-21, batting .377 (20x53) with nine runs scored...Fared better against lefthanded pitchers with Toledo, hitting .344 (55x160)...batted .244 (84x344) with righties on the mound...Had his contract purchased by the Tigers on September 3.

2005

Played the majority of his first season in the Tigers organization at Triple A Toledo...saw his first major league action with Detroit during July...Posted a 10-game hitting streak June 17-July 3, batting .310 (13x42) with six runs scored and three doubles...Had his contract purchased by the Tigers from Toledo on July 5...Made his major league debut July 9 at Tampa Bay, entering the game in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement in left field...Singled off Minnesota's Terry Mulholland in the ninth inning on July 21 for his first major league hit...Optioned to Toledo following the day game of a day-night doubleheader on July 23 versus Minnesota...Played all nine positions in the Mud Hens final game of the season September 5 versus Indianapolis -- worked a perfect ninth inning to record the save...Hit .233 (7x30) in eight games during the International League playoffs.

2004

Saw action with three different clubs and organizations during the 200 4season: Triple A Albuquerque in the Florida Marlins organization, Triple A Columbus in the New York Yankees organization and Triple A Omaha in the Kansas City Royals organization...Opened the season with Albuquerque...hit safely in 10 of his 11 games April 25-May 6, batting .304 (14x46) with six RBI...Claimed off waivers by the Yankees on May 26 -- assigned to Columbus by New York...Struggled in 29 games with Columbus, batting .195 (17x87) before being released by the Yankees organization on August 6...Assigned to Omaha after signing a minor league contract with Kansas City on August 11...Batted .324 (11x34) over a 10-game stretch August 15-24 before concluding the season with four hits in 45 at-bats (.089) in his final 14 games August 25-September 6.

2003

Finished with a career-high 54 RBI for Albuquerque during the 2003 season...Topped Albuquerque with 130 games played and 493 at-bats...Hit safely in 21 of his 24 games April 18-May 16, batting .354 (35x99) with 19 runs scored, a home run and 11 RBI...Drove in a season-high four runs May 13 versus Iowa, hitting an inside-the-park home run -- matched the high with four RBI May 27 against Colorado Springs...Batted .400 (20x50) over a 14-game stretch July 12-30...In 23 games during July, he hit .337 (28x83) with 19 runs scored, a double, triple and six RBI...Collected a season-best four hits April 5 versus Memphis...Hit .294 (5x17) in four games during the Pacific Coast League playoffs.

2002

Selected as the "Mr. Hustle" award winner at Triple A Calgary in 2002...Connected for an inside-the-park home run in the second game of a doubleheader at Tucson on April 9...Tallied a season-best four hits May 19 versus Oklahoma...Established a Calgary record with a 31-game hitting streak July 3-August 19 -- batted .350 (48x137) over the course of the streak, scoring 22 runs and collecting eight doubles, two triples, a home run and 16 RBI...was longest hitting streak in the Pacific Coast League since Tacoma's Brent Gates hit safely in 35 straight games in 1992...Sidelined July 14-22 with a right wrist strain...Posted a .360 batting average (27x75) in 17 games during July, finishing with 16 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, home run and 10 RBI...Named the 15th-best prospect in the Marlins organization following the season by Baseball America.