Michael Toglia
Michael Toglia | |
---|---|
Colorado Rockies – No. 4 | |
First baseman / Outfielder | |
Born: Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | August 16, 1998|
Bats: Switch Throws: Left | |
MLB debut | |
August 30, 2022, for the Colorado Rockies | |
MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |
Batting average | .206 |
Home runs | 31 |
Runs batted in | 76 |
Teams | |
|
Michael Anthony Toglia (born August 16, 1998) is an American professional baseball first baseman and outfielder for the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball (MLB). Toglia played three years of college baseball at UCLA. He was selected by the Rockies in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft. He played in their minor league system for three years before making his MLB debut in 2022.
Amateur career
[edit]Toglia attended Gig Harbor High School in Gig Harbor, Washington. As a senior in 2016, he hit .316 with four home runs and 21 RBIs along with pitching to a 1.00 ERA in 42 innings.[1]
After his senior year, he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 35th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[2] However, he did not sign and instead chose to fulfill his commitment to attend the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to play college baseball for the UCLA Bruins.
During the summer, he played in the West Coast League (WCL) for the Wenatchee AppleSox and was named the league's most valuable player as well as to the All-WCL team after he batted .306 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs.[3][4]
In 2017, as a freshman at UCLA, Toglia hit .261 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs in 56 games. He received All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention and was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball.[5][6] After the 2017 season, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Cotuit Kettleers, where he batted .248 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 37 games.[7][8][9][10]
As a sophomore in 2018, Toglia started all 59 of UCLA's games, slashing .336/.449/.588 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs,[11] and was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team.[12] Following that year, he returned to the Cape Cod League with the Kettleers, batting .220 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 38 games.[13][14] Prior to the 2019 season, Toglia was named a preseason All-American by Collegiate Baseball.[15]
He finished his junior year batting .314 with 17 home runs and 65 RBIs in 63 games.[16] He was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team for the second consecutive year.[17]
Professional career
[edit]Toglia was considered one of the top prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[18] He was re-selected by the Colorado Rockies with the 23rd overall pick, and signed for $2.7 million.[19][20] After signing, he was assigned to the Boise Hawks of the Class A Short Season Northwest League with whom he spent all of his first professional season.[21] Over 41 games, he slashed .248/.369/.483 (.852 OPS) with nine home runs and 26 RBIs.[22]
Toglia did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[23]
To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Spokane Indians of the High-A West.[24] In June, Toglia was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game at Coors Field.[25] After slashing .234/.333/.465 with 17 home runs, 66 RBI, and seven stolen bases over 74 games in Spokane, he was promoted to the Hartford Yard Goats of the Double-A Northeast on August 2.[26] Over 41 games with Hartford, he slashed .217/.331/.406 with five home runs and 18 RBIs.[27] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters after the season where he was named to the Fall Stars game.[28][29]
He returned to Hartford to begin the 2022 season.[30] Over 97 games with the Yard Goats, he slashed .234/.339/.466 with 23 homers.[31] In early August, he was promoted to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.[32]
The Rockies selected Toglia's contract and promoted him to the major leagues on August 30, 2022.[33] He made his MLB debut that night as the team’s starting first baseman against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Toglia went hitless over four at-bats in a 3-2 Rockies win.[34] He collected his first MLB hit, a single off Kyle Wright of the Atlanta Braves, the next night[35] before hitting his first MLB home run off Braves closer Kenley Jansen.[36] Toglia appeared in 31 games for the Rockies before the 2022 season ended, slashing .216/.275/.378 (.653 OPS) with two home runs.
Toglia was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to begin the 2023 season.[37] He played 78 games with the Isotopes, slashing .256/.368/.474 (.082 OPS) with 16 home runs. That season, Toglia also appeared in 45 games for the Rockies where he slashed .163/.224/.284 with four home runs and one stolen base.[38]
In 2024, Toglia made the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career.[39] However, after slumping,[40] he was sent down to play 30 games for the Albuquerque Isotopes, where he slashed .277/.363/.571 (.934 OPS) with nine home runs.[41]
He spent the majority of the 2024 season with the Rockies, appearing in 116 games and slashing .218/.311/.456 (.767 OPS) with 25 home runs.[42] On July 14, Togila became the first Rockies switch hitter to homer 3 times in a game; he did so in an 8–5 win over the New York Mets.[43]
References
[edit]- ^ Manley, Jon (March 16, 2016). "Pac-12 signees Toglia, Burghardt lead talented Tides squad". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Gig Harbor's Toglia drafted by Colorado Rockies in 35th round". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Yakima Valley Pippins left-hander Zach Draper named WCL Pitcher of the Year". Yakima Herald. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "5 Black Bears named to All-WCL team". TDN.com. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Pac-12 announces baseball All-Conference honors". Pac-12. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "After slow start, Gig Harbor grad Toglia finds groove in freshman season at UCLA". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "#17 Michael Toglia". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
- ^ "Success carries over for Cotuit's heavy-hitting Toglia". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Five College Prospects Who Tore Up Summer Vacation". The Turf. August 24, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Cape Cod League top prospects". Perfect Game. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Gig Harbor locals thriving in college baseball". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Four Bruins Earn All-Pac-12 Honors". UCLA. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "#20 Michael Toglia". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ "Toglia, Jenista lead Kettleers past Y-D". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ "Collegiate Baseball 2019 All-Americans". Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
- ^ ARNOLD, PATTI. "Grand Junction Rockies recap, June 18, 2019". The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.
- ^ "Baseball boasts bounty of Pac-12 awards as regular season comes to a close". Daily Bruin. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
- ^ "MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
- ^ "Rockies' Mike Toglia: Selected 23rd by Rockies". CBSSports.com.
- ^ "Rockies sign 23rd overall Draft pick Toglia". MLB.com.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies top pick Michael Toglia returns to Pacific Northwest for pro debut with Boise Hawks | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com.
- ^ "Michael Toglia Amateur, College, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled".
- ^ "Spokane Indians 2021: Organization welcomes, players, fans, workers back to the ballpark". sports.yahoo.com.
- ^ "Futures Game rosters are STACKED". MLB.com.
- ^ "Rockies' Michael Toglia: Rises to Double-A". CBSSports.com.
- ^ "Michael Toglia Amateur, College, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "Here are the Arizona Fall League rosters". MLB.com.
- ^ "Pebble Report: Three Rockies suit up for the AFL Fall Stars Game". November 15, 2021.
- ^ "Hartford Yard Goats Announce 2022 Opening Day Roster".
- ^ "Michael Toglia Amateur, College, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "Gig Harbor grad Michael Toglia promoted to Triple-A". August 10, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies transactions". MLB.com.
- ^ "Rockies beat Atlanta in first base prospect Michael Toglia's MLB debut". August 30, 2022.
- ^ "Colorado Rockies morning after: A night of firsts for Michael Toglia". September 2022.
- ^ "Toglia's first MLB home run 'pretty special'". MLB.com.
- ^ "Rockies' Michael Toglia: Optioned out to Triple-A". CBSSports.com. March 28, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ "Michael Toglia Amateur, College, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ Harding, Thomas (March 26, 2024). "After spring tear, Toglia gets Opening Day call that leaves family in tears". MLB.com. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
- ^ "Rockies' Michael Toglia, in deep slump, demoted to Triple-A". The Denver Post. April 24, 2024. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "Michael Toglia Amateur, College, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "Michael Toglia Amateur, College, Minor, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2025.
- ^ "Toglia hits three homers, Tovar adds two and the Rockies beat the Mets 8-5". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 14, 2024. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- UCLA Bruins bio
- 1998 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from Phoenix, Arizona
- Baseball players from Washington (state)
- Major League Baseball first basemen
- Colorado Rockies players
- UCLA Bruins baseball players
- Cotuit Kettleers players
- Boise Hawks players
- Spokane Indians players
- Hartford Yard Goats players
- Salt River Rafters players
- Albuquerque Isotopes players
- 21st-century American sportsmen
- People of Sicilian descent
- Sportspeople of Italian descent
- American people of Italian descent