Matthew Hanks LeCroy (born December 13, 1975) is an American former
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 baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
,
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
, and
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
and current manager for 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 ...
. During his time 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), LeCroy had the distinction of being the active player with the most plate appearances without a
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 ...
in his career.
Career
LeCroy is a 1994 graduate of Belton-Honea Path High School in Honea Path, South Carolina and attended
Clemson University
Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university in Clemson, South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson is the second-largest university in the student population in South Carolina. For the fall 2019 semester, the university enro ...
to pursue a degree in elementary education. While at Clemson, he was named to the
1996 U.S. Olympic Baseball Team and helped the team to a
bronze medal
A bronze medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of bronze awarded to the third-place finisher of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The outright winner receive ...
after losing to both Cuba (gold medal) and Japan (silver medal) before defeating Nicaragua in the bronze medal game. In 1997, he was drafted as a catcher in the first round (50th overall) of the
Major League Baseball Draft
The first-year player draft is the primary mechanism of Major League Baseball (MLB) for assigning amateur baseball players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur baseball clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on a lo ...
by the
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 ...
. Although challenged defensively behind the plate, averaging double-digit passed balls while throwing out less than 30 percent of potential base stealers, LeCroy put up superior power numbers in the minor leagues, hitting 101 home runs over five years in the Twins' system.
In 1999, LeCroy again competed at the international level when he played for the United States at the
1999 Pan American Games
The 1999 Pan American Games, officially the XIII Pan American Games or the 13th Pan American Games, was a major international multi-sport event that was held from July 23 to August 8, 1999, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and surrounding towns and ...
in
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,6 ...
. The United States took second place behind Cuba in games made notable by the first time professional baseball players were allowed to compete in international games.
LeCroy got his first taste of the majors in 2000 when he made the major league club out of spring training. From 2000 to 2002, LeCroy would split time between the Twins and their
AAA
AAA, Triple A, or Triple-A is a three-letter initialism or abbreviation which may refer to:
Airports
* Anaa Airport in French Polynesia (IATA airport code AAA)
* Logan County Airport (Illinois) (FAA airport code AAA)
Arts, entertainment, and me ...
teams, playing for the
Salt Lake Buzz
Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quantitie ...
and later for the
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in Edmonton, Alberta. They were a part of the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Their home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton.
The ...
after the Twins changed their minor league affiliate in 2001.
Due to his struggles behind the plate, LeCroy also spent time at first base and designated hitter; totaling more games in the major leagues at the latter position than he did at first base and catcher combined.
His peak years in the majors were 2003 (.287, 17 HR, 64 RBI in 107 games) and 2005 (.260, 17 HR, 50 RBI in 101 games). Despite his productive 2005 season, Minnesota chose not to resign LeCroy and he signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals.
![LeCroy returns from the mound (143554431) (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/LeCroy_returns_from_the_mound_%28143554431%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Though battling bone spurs in his throwing knee, LeCroy was asked to fill in during a May 25, 2006, game against 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 ...
at a time when Washington's starting catcher,
Brian Schneider
Brian Duncan Schneider (born November 26, 1976), nicknamed "Hoops", is an American former professional baseball catcher and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals, New York Mets, and Philade ...
and backup
Wiki Gonzalez
A wiki ( ) is an online hypertext publication collaboratively edited and managed by its own audience, using a web browser. A typical wiki contains multiple pages for the subjects or scope of the project, and could be either open to the pub ...
, were out with injuries. He was replaced by utilityman
Robert Fick
Robert Charles Fick (born March 15, 1974) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. In 2002, he was named to the American League All-Star Team.
Career
The left-handed batter, who throws right-handed, attended Ventura College and later tr ...
in the middle of the seventh inning after the Astros stole seven bases and LeCroy committed two catching errors. After the game, manager
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019) was an American professional baseball outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams, from to . The only player to be named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of bot ...
shed tears during the press conference regarding his removal of Matt in the middle of the seventh inning, which is usually considered embarrassing. LeCroy was designated for assignment July 18, which he accepted, and spent the rest of the year playing for the
New Orleans Zephyrs
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
, then Washington's AAA affiliate team.
LeCroy was signed to a minor league deal by the Twins in after turning down an offer from the Washington Nationals to manage one of their minor-league teams. LeCroy started the 2007 season as
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
playing for 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 ...
in the
International League
The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
. He had his contract purchased by the major league club on September 9, 2007, when their fourth catcher
José Morales went down with an injury, and finished the season with the Twins.
LeCroy was outrighted to the minor leagues by the Twins on October 11, 2007, but he refused the assignment and became a free agent. On February 15, , LeCroy signed a minor league contract with an invitation to
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
with 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 ...
. On March 16, 2008, LeCroy was reassigned to minor league camp and asked the Athletics to grant his release, which they did. LeCroy then signed with the
Lancaster Barnstormers
The Lancaster Barnstormers (colloquially known as the Stormers) are an American professional baseball team based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, a "partner league ...
of the independent
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball
The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league based in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States. The Atlantic League's ...
in April 2008. LeCroy would play 94 games with Lancaster (hitting .326 with 22 HR and 83 RBI) before retiring at the end of the season.
As a member of the Twins, LeCroy became one of the few major leaguers to pinch hit a walk-off grand slam in a win over the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
. He was always a threat to hit a home run, and hit 60 in his career of limited
at bats
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 batt ...
in 472 games over his eight-year major league career.
Coaching career
In November 2008, LeCroy was hired by the Nationals to manage the team's Class A affiliate, the
Hagerstown Suns
The Hagerstown Suns were a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland. They were a member of the South Atlantic League and, from 2007 through 2020, were the Class A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They played their home g ...
. In 2011, LeCroy was moved up to the High Single-A
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since 1945. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 unti ...
when he was named as the manager of the
Potomac Nationals
The Potomac Nationals were a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League. They were located in Woodbridge, Virginia, and played their home games at Northwest Federal Field at Pfitzner Stadium. After the 2019 season, the team relocated to Fr ...
. In 2012, he was named the Double A
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League, and the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who play their home games at FNB Field on City Island, which opened in 1987 a ...
manager. In November 2013, he was named the bullpen coach on new Nationals manager
Matt Williams' coaching staff, replacing
Jim Lett
James Curtis Lett (born January 3, 1951) is an American retired baseball player, and a former coach for several teams. He was born in Charleston, West Virginia.
Biography
Lett is a 1969 graduate of Winfield High School in Winfield, West Virginia ...
. He was fired with Williams and the entire coaching staff after the 2015 season, but was brought back for his second stint as manager of the Harrisburg Senators for the 2016 season.
The Nationals announced December 15, 2020, that LeCroy was being promoted to manager of the Class-AAA
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 ...
.
Personal life
LeCroy and his wife Holly have five children, daughter Isabella (b. 2004), daughter Maggie (b. 2006), son Noah (b. 2008), and fraternal twins Max and Mabree (b. 2012).
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lecroy, Matthew
1975 births
Living people
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Baseball coaches from South Carolina
Baseball players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Baseball players at the 1999 Pan American Games
Baseball players from South Carolina
Clemson Tigers baseball players
Edmonton Trappers players
Fort Myers Miracle players
Fort Wayne Wizards players
Lancaster Barnstormers players
Major League Baseball bullpen coaches
Major League Baseball catchers
Major League Baseball first basemen
Medalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Minnesota Twins players
Minor league baseball managers
New Britain Rock Cats players
New Orleans Zephyrs players
Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in baseball
Pan American Games medalists in baseball
Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States
People from Belton, South Carolina
Rochester Red Wings managers
Rochester Red Wings players
Salt Lake Buzz players
Washington Nationals coaches
Washington Nationals players
Medalists at the 1999 Pan American Games