Jon Singleton (baseball)

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Singleton in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB Draft. He had been projected for selection as high as the second round of the draft, but his senior year statistics caused him to fall.[2] Singleton reported to the Gulf Coast League Phillies, where he played 31 minor league games that year. He spent 2010 with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, where he hit for a .290 batting average, 14 home runs and 77 runs batted in (RBIs).[3]

Prior to the 2011 season, Singleton was considered the Phillies' second best prospect by Baseball America.[4]

On July 29, 2011, the Phillies traded Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Josh Zeid, and Domingo Santana to the Houston Astros in exchange for Hunter Pence.[5][6] Baseball America designated Singleton as Houston's top prospect following the 2011 season.[7] He was named to appear in the 2012 All-Star Futures Game.[8]

Singleton tested positive for marijuana in June 2012.[9] He competed in the Arizona Fall League that offseason,[10] and had a second positive test for marijuana in December.[9] On January 9, 2013, Singleton was suspended for 50 games due to his second failed drug test.[11] Singleton said that he had grown up around friends who used the drug and that he had been using it "on and off" since he was 14 years old. He spent a month in a rehabilitation center after the second failed test.[9]

Singleton batting for the Oklahoma City RedHawks in 2013

Following the 2013 season, the Astros added Singleton to their 40 man roster.[12] On June 2, 2014, the Astros signed Singleton to a 5-year contract that guaranteed him $10 million, and could have been worth as much as $35 million.[13][14] The extension was the first to be signed by a drafted player with no major league experience.[15] Singleton was promoted from the Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) to make his major league debut on June 3.[16]

Singleton made his major league debut for the Astros on June 3, 2014 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.[17] In his first game, he went 1–3 with a home run, two RBIs, a walk, and two strikeouts. His first home run, a solo home run, was off of Matt Shoemaker. On June 8, Singleton lined his first career grand slam off of Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins at Target Field to help the Astros to a 14–5 win. Teammates Dexter Fowler, Chris Carter, and George Springer also homered. (Carter's was also a grand-slam).

On August 2, 2014, Singleton hit an inside-the-park home run against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was initially ruled an out by the home plate umpire, but was later reversed following a challenge by Astros manager Bo Porter.[18]

The Astros optioned Singleton to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies of the PCL to start the 2015 season.[19] On May 13, 2015, Singleton recorded 10 RBIs, including a grand slam and two-run home run against the Albuquerque Isotopes. His 10-RBI game set a Fresno club record, and was one short of the modern-day PCL record, established by Mike Moustakas in 2010. Including the previous two games, Singleton amassed four home runs—two of which were grand slams—and 18 RBI over three games.[20] Over a five-day span, Singleton collected 22 RBIs, including the 18 in Fresno's four game series in Albuquerque from May 12–15.

On November 19, 2016, Singleton was placed on outright waivers by the Astros. He cleared waivers on November 22 and was assigned to Fresno.[21] He played the 2017 season with the Corpus Christi Hooks of the Class AA Texas League, and led all minor leaguers with 500 or more plate appearances with a walk percentage of 26.4%.[22][23]

In January 2018, MLB announced that Singleton had failed a third test for a drug of abuse and would be suspended for 100 games. In a statement to the Associated Press, Singleton admitted that he had a substance abuse problem: "At this point, it's pretty evident to me that I'm a drug addict. I don't openly tell everyone that, but it's pretty apparent to myself. I know that I enjoy smoking weed, I enjoy being high and I can't block that out of my mind that I enjoy that. So I have to work against that."[24] On May 21, 2018, Singleton was released by the organization, while serving his suspension, during the final year of his contract.[25]

On April 2, 2020, Singleton signed with the Diablos Rojos del México of the Mexican League. He did not play that year due to the cancellation of the Mexican League because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[26] On November 4, 2020, he was traded to the Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican League. On May 24, 2021, Singleton was traded back to the Diablos Rojos without appearing in a game for the Guerreros. He appeared in 46 games for México in 2021, batting .321/.503/.693 with 15 home runs, 36 RBIs, and four stolen bases.

On December 9, 2021, Singleton signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.[27] He spent the 2022 season with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, batting .219/.375/.434 in 456 at-bats, including 24 home runs and 87 RBIs. He led all of minor league baseball that year with 117 walks.[28]

On November 15, 2022, the Brewers selected Singleton to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[29] On January 23, 2023, Singleton was designated for assignment after the signing of Brian Anderson was made official.[30] He was released by the Brewers on January 26.[31] On February 10, Singleton re-signed with the Brewers on a minor league contract.[32] In 49 games for Nashville, Singleton hit .258/.384/.483 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI.[33]

On June 3, 2023, the Brewers promoted Singleton to the major leagues following an injury to Darin Ruf.[34][35] In 11 games for Milwaukee, he went 3–for–29 (.103) with 2 RBI. On June 17, Singleton was designated for assignment by the Brewers.[36] After clearing waivers, Singleton elected for free agency on June 21.[37]

On June 24, 2023, Singleton signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros organization and was subsequently assigned to Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys.[38] Singleton was called up to the majors on August 8, after a .333/.446/.692 performance over 33 games at Sugar Land, including 12 home runs, 28 RBI, 26 walks and 34 strikeouts.[39] Singleton made his 2023 Astros debut the same day versus the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. He pinch hit in the ninth inning against closer Félix Bautista, drew a walk, and scored on a go-ahead grand slam by Kyle Tucker that led to a 7–6 Astros win.[40]

Making his return to Minute Maid Park for the first time since 2015, Singleton homered twice for his first career multi-home run game in the major leagues while driving in a career-high five runs to lead an 11–3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on August 11, 2023.[lower-alpha 1][41]