JJ Bleday

Jeffrey Joseph Bleday (born November 10, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was selected by the Miami Marlins with the fourth overall pick of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. He made his MLB debut in 2022 with the Miami Marlins.

JJ Bleday
Bleday with Vanderbilt in 2019
Oakland Athletics – No. 33
Outfielder
Born: (1997-11-10) November 10, 1997
Danville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
July 23, 2022, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.183
Home runs15
Runs batted in43
Teams

Amateur career

Bleday grew up in Titusville, Pennsylvania, and attended Titusville Area High School as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to A. Crawford Mosley High School in Lynn Haven, Florida for his junior and senior years.[1] As a junior, he batted .373 while pitching to a 4–1 record and 2.43 earned run average.[2] After his senior year, Bleday was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 39th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[3] However, he did not sign and instead chose to attend Vanderbilt University to play college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores.

In 2017, as a freshman at Vanderbilt, Bleday appeared in 51 games in which he hit .256 with two home runs and 22 runs batted in (RBIs).[4] That summer, he played for the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League where he batted .232 with two home runs over 69 at-bats.[5] As a sophomore in 2018, Bleday missed 22 games due to an oblique injury but still appeared in 39 games for the Commodores, batting .368 with four home runs and 15 RBIs.[6][7] Following the collegiate season, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star and the top professional prospect after hitting .311 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in during 36 games for the Orleans Firebirds.[8][9] In 2019, Bleday's junior year, he was named the Southeastern Conference Baseball Player of the Year.[10][11] He finished the season slashing .347/.465/.701 with 27 home runs and 72 RBIs during 71 games, helping Vanderbilt win the 2019 NCAA Division I baseball tournament.[12]

Professional career

Miami Marlins

Bleday was considered one of the top prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[13][14] He was selected by the Miami Marlins with the fourth overall pick and signed for $6.7 million.[15][16] He made his professional debut on July 20, 2019, with the Class A-Advanced Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League and spent the whole season there.[17] Over 38 games, Bleday slashed .257/.311/.379 with three home runs and 19 RBIs.[18]

Bleday did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[19] For the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Pensacola Blue Wahoos of the Double-A South.[20] Over 110 games, he slashed .212/.323/.373 with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs, 22 doubles, and 101 strikeouts.[21][22] He walked 64 times during the season which was second in the league.[23] He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) for the Mesa Solar Sox after the season where he was named to the Fall Stars Game and was named the game's MVP.[24][25][26] Bleday ended the AFL with a .316/.435/.600 slash line over 25 games and was named the league's Hitter of the Year alongside Juan Yepez.[27] Prior to the 2022 season, Bleday gained 20 pounds (9.1 kg) of muscle.[28] He was assigned to the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Triple-A International League to begin the year.[29]

On July 23, 2022, the Marlins selected Bleday's contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[30] He made his major league debut as a pinch-hitter that night at PNC Park versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance of the night.[31] He recorded his first major league hit the next night with an infield single off of Mitch Keller.[32] On July 27, Bleday hit his first career home run, a solo shot off of Cincinnati Reds starter Luis Castillo.[33]

Oakland Athletics

On February 11, 2023, the Marlins traded Bleday to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for A. J. Puk.[34][35] Bleday was optioned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2023 season.[36] The Athletics promoted him to the major leagues on May 3.[37] On August 15, Bleday was placed on the injured list; following an MRI, he was diagnosed with an ACL sprain.[38]

References
  1. "On Campus: Mercyhurst finishes 32nd in Learfield standings". goerie.com. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  2. "Bleday prepping for big summer showcases". Panama City News Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  3. "Titusville native picked up in MLB draft". The Titusville Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  4. "2019 CBD Top 100 Countdown: 25. J.J. Bleday (Vanderbilt)". College Baseball Daily. January 25, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  5. "Stars will align, but not just yet". newportri.com. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  6. "Vanderbilt injured slugger J.J. Bleday could return vs. Auburn ace Friday". Tennessean. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  7. "SEC baseball season preview: Who are the top pitchers and position players?". The Advocate. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  8. "#41 JJ Bleday". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 20, 2021.
  9. "Bleday named Cape Cod League's top prospect". Nashville Post. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  10. "Vanderbilt, J.J. Bleday dominate SEC baseball awards". Knox News. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  11. "Vanderbilt's JJ Bleday selected as SEC player of the year". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  12. Dusenbury, Wells (June 28, 2019). "Fresh off Vandy national title, first-round pick JJ Bleday can begin Marlins negotiations". sun-sentinel.com.
  13. "MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on June 15, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  14. "Vandy's Bleday standing out in MLB4 tourney". MLB.com. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
  15. "Miami Marlins pick JJ Bleday at No. 4 in 2019 MLB Draft". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on June 5, 2019.
  16. Sparks, Adam. "J.J. Bleday signs with Marlins for $6.7 million bonus; 12 Vanderbilt players turn pro". The Tennessean.
  17. "Miami Marlins' JJ Bleday debuts, Will Stewart solid in Jupiter". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on July 21, 2019.
  18. Kent, Dustin. "Bleday tries to stay sharp, optimistic during hiatus". Panama City News Herald.
  19. "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com.
  20. "Miami Marlins' JJ Bleday, Max Meyer starting in Double A". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on May 3, 2021.
  21. "How 2021 Miami Marlins top prospects fared in minor leagues". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on September 28, 2021.
  22. "Bleday continues to rake in Arizona Fall League". MLB.com.
  23. Jackson, Barry (November 4, 2021). "Marlins official assesses where Bleday, Mesa, Burdick and all top outfield prospects stand". Miami Herald.
  24. "Here are the Arizona Fall League rosters". MLB.com.
  25. "Check out the Fall Stars Game rosters". MLB.com.
  26. "JJ Bleday named Fall Stars MVP". MLB.com.
  27. "Arizona Fall League award winners 2021". MLB.com.
  28. McPherson, Jordan (February 6, 2022). "After up-and-down 2021, bulked up JJ Bleday looks to learn from struggles". Miami Herald.
  29. "Jumbo Shrimp release 2022 Opening Day roster". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 9, 2022.
  30. "Miami Marlins rookie Max Meyer leaves game; Jorge Soler goes on IL". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 23, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
  31. McPherson, Jordan (July 24, 2022). "'Lo and behold, I'm here': Miami Marlins call up 2019 first-round pick JJ Bleday". Miami Herald. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
  32. Perrotto, John (July 25, 2022). "Bleday makes MLB debut at PNC Park". Meadville Tribune. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  33. De Nicola, Christina (July 27, 2022). "Bulked-up 'pro' Bleday cranks 1st MLB homer". MLB.com. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  34. "Athletics acquire OF JJ Bleday from Marlins for LHP A.J. Puk". ESPN.com. February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  35. "A's Acquire OF JJ Bleday from Miami for LHP A.J. Puk". MLB.com. February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  36. "A's announce 10 roster moves". MLB.com. March 12, 2023. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  37. Miedema, Laurence (May 3, 2023). "Oakland A's call up former No. 4 overall draft pick looking to spark slumping offense". Mercury News. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  38. "Athletics' JJ Bleday: Diagnosed with ACL sprain". cbssports.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
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