Charles Everett Tilson (born December 2, 1992) is an American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
center fielder for the
Chicago Dogs
The Chicago Dogs are an independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2018 and p ...
of the
American Association of Professional Baseball
The American Association of Professional Baseball is an independent professional baseball league founded in 2005. It operates in the central United States and Canada, mostly in cities not served by Major League Baseball teams or their minor lea ...
. He has played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
. Coming up in the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
organization, Tilson was rated as the Best Defensive Outfielder in 2012 and Fastest Baserunner in 2013 of the organization by ''
Baseball America'', while also ranking as high as ninth best prospect in the organization, in 2014.
Playing career
Tilson attended
New Trier High School in
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka () is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States, located north of downtown Chicago. The population was 12,316 as of 2019. The village is one of the wealthiest places in the nation in terms of household income. It was the second- ...
. He played both baseball and
football. As a senior, he was the Illinois
Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year
The Gatorade Player of the Year awards are given annually to up and coming high school student-athletes in the United States. They are given for boys' baseball, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' and girls' cross country, boys' football, boys' ...
.
St. Louis Cardinals
The
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
selected Tilson in the second round of the
2011 Major League Baseball draft
The 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held from June 6 through June 8, 2011, from Studio 42 of the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Gerrit Cole out of the University of California, Los Angeles, with the firs ...
. He signed with the Cardinals rather than play
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional p ...
at the
University of Illinois
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the Univer ...
. Tilson made his professional debut that season with the Gulf Coast Cardinals and also played for the
Johnson City Cardinals
The Johnson City Cardinals were a Minor League Baseball team based in Johnson City, Tennessee. The team was affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals organization from 1975 through 2020 and played in the Rookie-level Appalachian League. The team wo ...
. Tilson was supposed to play for the
Batavia Muckdogs
The Batavia Muckdogs are a collegiate summer baseball team in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL). They are located in Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. Their home field is Dwyer Stadium in the city of ...
in 2012, using the time before the season began to develop his power behind the plate while at extended spring training. However, on May 11, Tilson suffered a separated right shoulder while attempting a diving catch, an injury which required season-ending surgery.
Tilson spent most of 2013 with Single-A
Peoria, playing in 100 games before receiving a late season promotion to High-A
Palm Beach. With the Chiefs, Tilson hit .303/.349/.388 with 4 HR, 30 RBI, 15 SB and 49 runs. Tilson returned to Palm Beach in 2014, where he made the mid-season
Florida State League All-Start team after hitting .298 with 17 RBI in the first half. In July, Tilson was promoted to Double-A
Springfield, where he finished out the season. Tilson was also slated to appear in the
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season sports league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during the autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are fille ...
after the season, but missed out with a stress fracture in his foot. In 120 games between the two teams, Tilson hit .289/.333/.389 with 7 HR, 53 RBI, and 73 runs. He stole 12 bases, but was caught stealing 10 times as well.
Tilson started the
2015 season with the
Springfield Cardinals
The Springfield Cardinals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springfield, Missouri. They compete as a member of the Texas League's North Division. The Cardinals began play in 2005.
The team is owned by the 11-time Major League Baseball ...
of the
Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
. He was a mid-season All-Star selection with a .288 average, seven doubles, four triples with 11 RBI and 36 run scored. In 134 games with Springfield, Tilson hit .295/.351/.388 with 4 HR, 32 RBI, and 85 runs, but vastly improved his stolen base numbers, stealing a Texas League high 46 bases while being caught 19 times. After the season, Tilson got a chance to play in the Arizona Fall League with
Surprise, while also being added to the Cardinals 40-man roster, thereby protecting him from the
Rule V Draft. Tilson began 2016 with Triple-A
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, where in 100 games, he hit .282/.345/.407 with 4 HR, 34 RBI, 53 runs, and 15 stolen bases to just 3 times being caught. Tilson made 55 starts in center field, as well as 72 starts in the leadoff position.
Chicago White Sox
On July 31, 2016, the Cardinals traded Tilson to the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
, the team he grew up rooting for, for
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weat ...
Zach Duke
Zachary Thomas Duke (born April 19, 1983) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, St. ...
. Tilson was recalled to the major league roster, taking the place of incumbent center fielder
J. B. Shuck, and was expected to immediately contribute as a regular outfielder. He made his debut against the
Detroit Tigers on August 2, and got his first major league hit, a single, in his first at bat, against
Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Alejandro Sánchez Jr. (; born February 27, 1984) is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2006 with the Florida Marlins and has also played for the Detroit Tig ...
. Unfortunately, Tilson strained his left
hamstring
In human anatomy, a hamstring () is any one of the three posterior thigh muscles in between the hip and the knee (from medial to lateral: semimembranosus, semitendinosus and biceps femoris). The hamstrings are susceptible to injury.
In quadrupe ...
during the game attempting to make a diving catch, and was placed on the
disabled list, curiously becoming the fourth White Sox member in 2016 to become injured on or before their debut. On August 4, Tilson underwent season-ending surgery.
Following the offseason trade of
Adam Eaton, Tilson was among the favorites to land the center field job out of spring training in 2017, receiving the endorsement of general manager
Rick Hahn
Rick Hahn (born March 20, 1971) is an American baseball executive who serves as the Senior Vice President/General Manager of the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball. Following the 2020 season, in which the White Sox made their first post-s ...
. However, Tilson suffered a stress reaction in the same foot he previously had a stress fracture and missed all of the 2017 season.
Fully healthy, Tilson began 2018 with the
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. They are located in Charlotte, North Carolina, and play their home games at Truist Field, which opened in 20 ...
. He was recalled by the White Sox on May 24. In 2018 with Chicago, Tilson batted .264/.331/.292 with 11 RBI. The White Sox
designated Tilson for assignment after the 2018 season. Tilson was outrighted on January 17, 2019. On May 6, 2019, Tilson was selected to the active roster. On May 22, Tilson hit a grand slam for his first major league home run off of
Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
reliever
Josh James. On October 3, 2019, Tilson was outrighted to AAA and elected free agency.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On January 31, 2020, Tilson signed a minor league deal with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. Tilson was released by the Pirates organization on June 9, 2020.
Acereros de Monclova
On May 20, 2021, Tilson signed with the
Acereros de Monclova
The Acereros de Monclova (English: Monclova Steelers) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican League based in Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Their home ballpark is Estadio de Béisbol Monclova, which has a capacity of 11,000 people. The Ace ...
of the
Mexican Baseball League
The Mexican League (, ) is a professional baseball league based in Mexico and the oldest running professional league in the country.
The league has 18 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games each season. Five t ...
. He hit .100 in 7 games before being released on May 29.
Long Island Ducks
On June 8, 2021, Tilson signed with the
Long Island Ducks of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. In 8 games with Long Island, Tilson slashed .296/.355/.370 with 7 RBI.
Philadelphia Phillies
On June 19, 2021, Tilson's contract was purchased by the
Philadelphia Phillies organization. He elected free agency following the season.
Chicago Dogs
On February 14, 2022, Tilson signed with the
Chicago Dogs
The Chicago Dogs are an independent professional baseball team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball. They began play in 2018 and p ...
of the
American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
.
Coaching career
Tilson was hired as a volunteer assistant at Northwestern University's baseball program in late 2020.
See also
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tilson, Charlie
1992 births
Living people
People from Wilmette, Illinois
New Trier High School alumni
Baseball players from Illinois
Major League Baseball outfielders
Acereros de Monclova players
American expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Chicago White Sox players
Gulf Coast Cardinals players
Johnson City Cardinals players
Peoria Chiefs players
Palm Beach Cardinals players
Springfield Cardinals players
Surprise Saguaros players
Memphis Redbirds players
Glendale Desert Dogs players
Charlotte Knights players
Northwestern Wildcats baseball coaches