Jason Renyt Tyner (born April 23, 1977) is a former

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), ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...

. His MLB career spanned nine seasons from 2000 through 2008 for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major league ...

(2000), Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2000-2003),

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central Division. The team is named after the Twin Cities area w ...

(2005-2007), and

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...

(2008). He bats and throws left-handed and played all three outfield spots, with the majority of his playing time coming in left field.

College and high school

Tyner attended West Brook Senior High School in Beaumont, where he was named Beaumont Student Athlete of the Year and was a member of the National Honor Society as a junior and senior. Following high school, he attended

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

, graduating in 1998. At A&M, he was named All-Big 12 (along with

Jason Jennings Jason Ryan Jennings (born July 17, 1978) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball with the Colorado Rockies (2001-2006), Houston Astros (2007) and Texas Rangers (2008-2009). High school/college ...

) and second team All-American in . He finished his collegiate career first on A&M's all-time list for

hits Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block * ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998 * ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...

and

stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...

s, was second in batting average, and third in

at-bat In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a bat ...

s. Making the feat even more remarkable was that he set the records in only three seasons. He also made the United States National Team in .

New York Mets

After three years at Texas A&M, Tyner was the

' first round draft pick, and twenty-first overall pick in the

1998 Major League Baseball Draft The 1998 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1998. A total of 1445 players were drafted over the course of 50 rounds. First round selections ...

. The outfielder rose quickly through the Mets'

minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...

system, making his major league debut on June 5, .

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

On July 28, 2000 Tyner's stint in New York ended quickly though, as he was dealt to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays along with

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

Paul Wilson for pitcher Rick White and outfielder

Bubba Trammell Thomas Bubba Trammell (born November 6, 1971) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played for the Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and the New York Yankees. During his seven ...

. In , he established himself as a good baserunner, collecting a then club record and personal career best 31

s. His bat, however, was not nearly as quick as his feet. He hit .280 with 111 hits, only 13 of which went for extra bases. These numbers along with 105 games, 396 at-bats, and 21 RBI are all career highs. In a crowded Tampa Bay outfield, his lack of power and plate discipline cost him playing time in and cost him a job in the majors for . He was the final out of

Derek Lowe Derek Christopher Lowe (born June 1, 1973) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. During his career, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland I ...

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...

in April 2002. Tyner was noted for a failed promotional giveaway by the Devil Rays. The ballclub had arranged to honor him by presenting his

bobblehead A bobblehead, also known by common silly nicknames such as nodder, wobbler, or wacky wobbler, is a type of small collectible action figure. Its head is often oversized compared to its body. Instead of a solid connection, its head is connected to ...

to the first 10,000 fans attending a game versus the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

Tropicana Field Tropicana Field (commonly known as the Trop) is a Multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose domed stadium located in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States. The stadium has been the home of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB) since the ...

on June 2, 2002. The bobbleheads were never distributed because he had been demoted to the

Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...

five days prior on May 28. After sitting in storage for a while, they were given to the Pinellas County Education Foundation, who distributed them students in their business and commerce program.

Texas Rangers

On December 8, 2003, he was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers. The Rangers released him in April .

Atlanta Braves

Tyner signed with the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

as a

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

. The Braves released him in July 2004.

Cleveland Indians

Tyner again found a home, this time with the

. Tyner failed to make the majors with either Texas, Atlanta, or Cleveland.

Minnesota Twins

He resurfaced with the

in late 2004. After a solid season with the Twins' Triple-A affiliate, the

Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...

, Tyner made it back to the big leagues as a September call-up collecting 18 hits in 56 at-bats. He signed another minor league deal with Minnesota on October 14. Tyner returned to the Twins during the summer of , as a replacement for injured All-Star

center fielder A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the c ...

Torii Hunter Torii Kedar Hunter (; born July 18, 1975) is an American former professional baseball center fielder and right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Detroit Tigers from 1997 ...

. His scrappy play, swift speed, and small ball mentality fit well with much of the Twins' mantra. Nicknamed "The Piranhas" by

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 p ...

manager Ozzie Guillén, the Twins came to embrace the term as affirmation of their selfless, aggressive play. None of the original "piranhas" are still with the Twins. Formerly, Luis Castillo, who was traded to the New York Mets on July 30, , Jason Bartlett, who was traded to the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

in late November 2007, and

Nick Punto Nicholas Paul Punto (born November 8, 1977) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers ...

who left for the St. Louis Cardinals via free agency in 2011, were also known by that nickname.

Cleveland Indians Again

On February 21, , Tyner signed a minor league deal with the

. On May 11, Tyner's contract was bought from the Triple-A

Buffalo Bisons The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...

by the Indians. Five days later, on May 16, Cleveland designated Tyner for assignment. The Indians released him on July 25.

Chicago White Sox

Tyner signed with the

. He became a free agent at the end of the 2008 season

Houston Astros

Tyner signed a minor league contract with the

Houston 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 ...

in January . He was released during spring training.

Milwaukee Brewers

Tyner signed a minor league contract with the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...

in March 2009.

Detroit Tigers

On April 22, 2009 Tyner was traded to the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

. The Tigers released Tyner on June 17, 2009.

The home run drought

Prior to 2004, Tyner had a severe

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

drought until he hit one in a minor league game in

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

in 2004. Tyner finally hit his first (and only) major league home run against the Cleveland Indians on July 28, 2007, against

Jake Westbrook Jacob Cauthen Westbrook (born September 29, 1977) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball. He was known as a sinker ball pitcher and hit a grand slam as a batter.Harris, J. GeralJake Westbrook: sinkerball pitc ...

. This home run came after 1,220 major league at bats in 390 career games and traveled 352 feet. At the time, Tyner had the longest home run drought in the major leagues. When he hit the home run, ex-teammate Luis Castillo took over the major league lead for a home run drought, not having hit one in 612 at-bats. Of MLB players who made their debut in 2000 or later, Tyner has the most at bats with exactly 1 career home run.

Personal life

Tyner is married to his high school sweetheart, Annie. The couple have three daughters; Payton, Presley and Parker. They also have a son, Reid."Jason Tyner: Biography and Career Highlights."
Major League Baseball. Retrieved on 3 April 2009. He awards $1,500 scholarships to southeast

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

scholar-athletes under the Juliet Tyner Memorial Scholarship Foundation. The foundation was created in honor of his mother, who died from

breast cancer Breast cancer is cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a re ...

in 1998. Along with former

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...

minor leaguer Morgan Walker, Tyner operates the Southeast Texas Baseball Academy, which runs baseball programs for 8–12-year-olds.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyner, Jason 1977 births Living people Baseball players from Texas Major League Baseball outfielders New York Mets players Tampa Bay Devil Rays players Minnesota Twins players Cleveland Indians players Sportspeople from Beaumont, Texas Texas A&M Aggies baseball players St. Lucie Mets players Binghamton Mets players Norfolk Tides players Durham Bulls players Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Richmond Braves players Rochester Red Wings players Charlotte Knights players Toledo Mud Hens players Nashville Sounds players