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Michael Conforto

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Michael Conforto
Conforto with the San Francisco Giants in 2023
Free agent
Outfielder
Born: (1993-03-01) March 1, 1993 (age 31)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 24, 2015, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Batting average.251
Home runs167
Runs batted in520
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Michael Thomas Conforto (born March 1, 1993), nicknamed "Scooter",[1][2][3][4] is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants.

After Conforto played college baseball for the Oregon State Beavers, the Mets selected him in the first round of the 2014 MLB draft with the 10th overall pick. He made his MLB debut in 2015. He was an All-Star in 2017, and an All-MLB Second Team outfielder in 2020. He became a free agent after the 2021 season, but missed the 2022 season due to a shoulder injury.

Early life

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Conforto represented the Northwest Region in the Little League World Series in 2004.[5] He attended Redmond High School in Redmond, Washington, where he was an honor roll student.[6] He played shortstop on the baseball team, and quarterback and safety on the football team. In football, he was named second-team All-State.[7] As a football player, Conforto was recruited by Ivy League schools.[8] In baseball, he batted .310 as a sophomore, .361 as a junior (when he was All-State), and .400 as a senior (when he was named All-State and All-League).[7] Meanwhile, Conforto received offers to play baseball at Oregon, Arizona, Arizona State, Washington, Washington State, Stanford, and Oregon State.[9]

College career

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As a freshman at Oregon State University in 2012, Conforto hit .349 (8th in the Pac-12)/.437 (7th)/.601 (1st) with 13 home runs (tied for 1st), 12 hit-by-pitch (7th), and led the Pac-12 with 76 runs batted in (RBIs) in 218 at bats over 58 games.[10] His 76 RBIs were an Oregon State single-season record.[11] He was named Freshman Hitter of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year.[12][13] During the summer he played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team.[14] As a sophomore in 2013, Conforto hit .328/.447 (2nd)/.526 (8th) with 48 runs (7th), 14 doubles (8th), 11 home runs (tied for 1st), 47 RBIs (7th), 41 walks (1st), and 14 hit-by-pitch (5th) in 247 at bats over 65 games.[15] He helped lead the team to the College World Series, where he went 7-for-16 and was named to the All-Tournament Team.[16] He was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year, and was named a first-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).[17][18] He again played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team during the summer in 2013.[19]

Prior to the 2014 season, he was named the preseason Sporting News College Baseball Player of the Year.[20] Conforto finished the season hitting .345 (4th)/.504 (1st).547 (2nd) with 52 runs (1st), 16 doubles (3rd), seven home runs (3rd), 56 RBIs (2nd), and 55 walks (1st), and 12 hit-by-pitch (9th) in 203 at bats over 59 games.[21] He again was named the Pac-12 Baseball Player of the Year.[22] He was also a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and the Dick Howser Trophy.[23][24]

Professional career

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Draft and minor leagues

[edit]
Conforto with the Binghamton Mets in 2015

The New York Mets selected Conforto in the first round, with the 10th overall selection, of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft.[25] Conforto signed with the Mets on July 11, 2014, receiving a $2,970,800 signing bonus.[26] He played for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the Class A-Short Season New York–Penn League after he signed.[27] He batted .331 (5th in the league)/.403 (5th)/.448 with 3 home runs, 19 RBIs, and 5 hit-by-pitch (8th) in 163 at bats,[28] and was named a Baseball America Short-Season All Star.[29]

Conforto started the 2015 season with the St. Lucie Mets of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, for whom he batted .283/.350/.462 (4th in the league) with 7 home runs and 28 RBIs in 206 at bats, and led the league with six intentional walks.[30] He was promoted to the Binghamton Mets of the Class AA Eastern League on June 26, 2015, for whom he batted .312/.396 (8th in the league)/.503 with 5 home runs and 26 RBIs in 197 at bats.[30] On July 12, 2015, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, he started in left field for the United States team at the All-Star Futures Game and collected two hits and one assist.[31] He was named an FSL Mid-Season All Star, and to the 2015 Topps Rookie All-Star team.[29][32]

In 2016 with AAA Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League, Conforto batted .422 (leading the PCL)/.483 (first)/.727 (2nd) with 30 runs, 9 home runs, and 28 RBIs with a 1.209 OPS in 128 at bats.[30][33]

New York Mets (2015–2021)

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Conforto with the New York Mets in 2019.

On July 24, 2015, the Mets promoted Conforto to the major leagues.[34] He made his debut later that day, picking up his first major league RBI on a groundout, but going 0-for-3 while becoming the 1,000th player to appear in a game for the Mets.[35] The next day, he collected his first major league hit - an RBI infield hit - as part of a four-hit game.[36] He hit his first major-league home run on August 3 off Marlins' starter Tom Koehler.[37] He finished the season batting .270/.335/.506 with 30 runs, 9 home runs, and 26 RBIs in 174 at bats over 56 games played, and was in the top 3% in the major leagues with a maximum exit velocity of 115.0 mph.[38][39] On defense, he exclusively played left field.[40] The Mets won the 2015 National League pennant, making Conforto the third player in history to have played in the Little League World Series, College World Series, and Major League World Series, along with pitcher Ed Vosberg and catcher Jason Varitek.[41] Conforto hit two home runs in Game 4 of the 2015 World Series, becoming the first rookie to homer twice in a world series game since Andruw Jones accomplished the feat in Game One of the 1996 World Series.[42]

Entering 2016, Conforto became the Mets everyday left fielder. After a torrid start in April, Conforto began to slump once May came. From May 1 to June 25, 2016, Conforto's batting average dipped to .130. On June 25, the Mets demoted Conforto to the Las Vegas 51s of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League and called up Brandon Nimmo.[39] Conforto was recalled to the majors on July 18.[43] After his return to the Mets, Conforto began playing both corner outfield positions. He made his major league debut in center field on July 23, 2016, as a defensive replacement. For the season, he batted .220/.310/.414 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs in 304 at bats for the Mets, and was again in the top 3% in the major leagues with a maximum exit velocity of 115.0 mph.[38][44]

Conforto started the 2017 season as the Mets fourth outfielder but worked his way to a starting job. He was selected to the 2017 MLB All-Star Game in Miami after hitting .285/.405/.548 through the first half.[45] On August 24, during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Conforto suffered a season-ending injury during a swing, as he dislocated his left shoulder and tore his posterior capsule.[46] He elected to have surgery on September 2.[47] For the 2017 season, Conforto batted .279/.384/.555 and hit 27 home runs with 72 runs and 68 RBIs in 373 at bats.[40]

In 2018, Conforto hit .243/.350/.448 and led the Mets with 28 home runs, 82 RBIs, and 78 runs scored, as his 84 walks were 8th in the NL and his 159 strikeouts were 7th in the league, in 543 at bats.[44] He had the 11th-longest home run in baseball for the season, at 472 feet.[38]

Sample of Conforto's homerun swing against St.Louis, 2019. Click to expand.

On May 28, 2019, Conforto hit his first major league grand slam, against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.[48] He finished the season batting .257/.363/.494, with a .856 OPS, and career highs in home runs (33) and RBIs (92), as he had 84 walks (9th in the NL), in 549 at bats.[40]

In 2020 for the Mets, Conforto played in 54 games, batting .322 (7th in the National League)/.412 (6th)/.515 with 40 runs, 9 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 7 hit by pitch (6th) in 202 at bats.[44] He was in the top 5% in the major leagues with a maximum exit velocity of 114.4 mph.[38] He led NL outfielders in assists, with six, playing right field exclusively.[40]

Prior to the 2021 season, the Mets offered Conforto a $100 million contract extension. He declined.[49]

On April 8, 2021, Conforto was the batter during a rare walk-off hit by pitch to win a game against the Miami Marlins. The HBP call was controversial, with umpire Ron Kulpa saying after watching a post-game replay that he felt his call was in error, and that Conforto instead should have been charged with a strike.[50] On September 30, Conforto was entering a game against the Miami Marlins in what could have been his final game as a Met at Citi Field. Conforto went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a double. He made his mark defensively as well: In the top of the ninth inning, up 12-3, Conforto recorded the second out of the inning with an impressive diving catch. Following the play, Conforto received a standing ovation from the fans, despite a disappointing 2021 season. Conforto appeared to be in tears, and later described his emotions during the game as "something I've never really felt before". He also acknowledged first base coach Tony Tarasco, who held Conforto's hand up in the air before Conforto entered the dugout.[51] Conforto finished the 2021 season batting .232/.344/.384 with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs in 406 at bats, with a career-worst slugging percentage, as well as a batting average and OPS worse than any season of his aside from 2016, which was the first year he began the season in the majors.[40] On defense, he exclusively played right field.[40]

Free agency (2022)

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Following the 2021 season the Mets offered him a qualifying offer (one-year for $18.4 million), which Conforto also declined, instead choosing free agency.[52] The 2021–22 Major League Baseball lockout delayed free agency talks that offseason. Conforto started the 2022 season as a free agent. His agent, Scott Boras, later released a statement saying that an offseason shoulder injury suffered in January 2022 during a workout resulted in Conforto not starting the season with a contract.[53][54][55] In April, Boras said that Conforto underwent right shoulder surgery and would not play at all in 2022.[56][57] Because he didn't sign with a team before the 2022 MLB draft, the Mets did not receive a compensation draft pick for Conforto rejecting their qualifying offer.

Conforto in St. Louis, 2023.

On August 31, 2022, prior to the deadline to be eligible for postseason play, Conforto was offered a two-year contract worth $30 million by the Houston Astros. He would have had to sign before midnight on the 31st to be eligible for postseason play, but he chose to turn down the deal.[58]

San Francisco Giants (2023–2024)

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On January 6, 2023, Conforto signed a two-year contract worth $36 million with the San Francisco Giants, containing an opt-out clause after the first season.[59] After the 2023 season, Conforto opted in for the 2024 season at $18 million.[60] In his two seasons with the Giants, Conforto compiled 35 home runs, a .238 avg, .740 OPS, and 108 OPS+ in 255 games played.[61]

Personal life

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Conforto's mother, Tracie Conforto (née Ruiz), is a three-time Olympic medalist in synchronized swimming,[62] and his father, Mike, an Italian American,[63] played inside linebacker at Penn State.[64] His sister, Jacqueline, played soccer at Azusa Pacific University.[9]

Conforto got engaged to longtime girlfriend Cabernet Burns in January 2021.[65] The couple married in December the same year.[66] Their first child, a son named Camden, was born in December 2023.[60]

Conforto resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, during the offseason.[67][68] He is represented by Scott Boras.[69]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "MLB Players Weekend: Nicknames of National League players". USA TODAY. August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  2. ^ "Michael Conforto has no idea why his teammates call him "Scooter"". SNY. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  3. ^ Beaton, Andrew (June 2, 2016). "All the Mets Call Michael Conforto 'Scooter,' but No One Knows Why". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.
  4. ^ "Mets' Michael Conforto to wear Scooter jersey". New York Mets. Archived from the original on September 4, 2017. Retrieved September 3, 2017.
  5. ^ J.R. Rardon (August 20, 2004). "Kids born to compete: son to play in Little League World Series". Community.seattletimes.nwsource.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  6. ^ "Conforto: Strong roots fuel talented leader | Male Athlete of the Year". Redmond-reporter.com. June 9, 2011. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Michael Conforto - Baseball". Oregon State University Athletics.
  8. ^ Rubin, Adam (July 12, 2015). "At Futures Game, Mets' Michael Conforto understands future can wait". ESPN. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Conforto's 'it' factor: Talent, smarts, genes". Portland Tribune. June 6, 2014. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  10. ^ "2012 Pac-12 Conference Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. ^ "Oregon State 7, Washington State 5: Michael Conforto breaks Beavers' single-season RBI record". Oregonlive.com. May 21, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  12. ^ Ethan Erickson/OSU (June 12, 2012). "Oregon State's Michael Conforto named baseball writers' national freshman hitter of the year". Oregonlive.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  13. ^ AARON YOST, Corvallis Gazette-Times (May 31, 2012). "OSU baseball: Pac-12 hands its top freshman award to Conforto". Gazettetimes.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  14. ^ "Oregon State's Michael Conforto will play for USA collegiate national team". Oregonlive.com. Associated Press. May 15, 2012. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  15. ^ "2013 Pac-12 Conference Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. ^ "Quick: If Michael Conforto uses World Series loss as motivation, he could lead Oregon State back to Omaha". Oregonlive.com. June 21, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  17. ^ FIle (May 29, 2013). "OSU, UO baseball: Michael Conforto wins player of the year; Andrew Moore, Pat Casey also honored". Oregonlive.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  18. ^ "Moore, Conforto Named ABCA All-Americans". Osubeavers.com. June 24, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  19. ^ Ethan Erickson/Oregon State University (March 28, 2013). "OSU baseball: Michael Conforto joins Team USA again". Oregonlive.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  20. ^ "Michael Conforto is SN's 2014 preseason college baseball Player of the Year". Sportingnews.com. February 11, 2014. Archived from the original on June 9, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  21. ^ "2014 Pac-12 Conference Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  22. ^ "Oregon State Beavers' Michael Conforto, Jace Fry earn top Pac-12 honors". Oregonlive.com. May 28, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  23. ^ "Michael Conforto named Golden Spikes Award finalist; outfielder is first Oregon State Beaver so honored". Oregonlive.com. June 3, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  24. ^ "Oregon State Beavers' Michael Conforto, Ben Wetzler among 5 finalists for Dick Howser Trophy". Oregonlive.com. June 5, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  25. ^ "Mets fill organizational need with outfielder Conforto". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  26. ^ "Former Oregon State Beavers star Michael Conforto in New York to sign with Mets". OregonLive.com. July 12, 2014. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  27. ^ Puma, Mike (July 12, 2014). "Mets top pick Michael Conforto to start career in Brooklyn". New York Post. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  28. ^ "2014 New York-Pennsylvania League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  29. ^ a b "Michael Conforto Stats, Fantasy & News". MiLB.com.
  30. ^ a b c "Michael Conforto College & Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com.
  31. ^ Margolin, Ben (July 13, 2015). "A Mets recap of the 2015 All-Star Futures Game. He has now been brought up to the major league squad on july 24, 2015. Happy Conforto Day!!!". Amazin' Avenue. SB Nation. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  32. ^ "Michael Conforto Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com.
  33. ^ "2016 Pacific Coast League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com.
  34. ^ "Mets summon Michael Conforto to save their lineup". New York Post. July 24, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  35. ^ "July 24, 2015: Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  36. ^ "July 25, 2015: Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets Box Score and Play by Play". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 29, 2015.
  37. ^ "Michael Conforto Career Home Runs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
  38. ^ a b c d "Michael Conforto Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | MLB.com". baseballsavant.com.
  39. ^ a b Rubin, Adam (June 25, 2016). "Mets demote slumping Michael Conforto, promote Brandon Nimmo". ESPN. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
  40. ^ a b c d e f "Michael Conforto Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com.
  41. ^ "Mets rookie Conforto reaches 3rd World Series and this time Conforto makes history by becoming the second New York Met to have hit 2 home runs in one game. Conforto's pair came in Game 4 of the series on the Mets home playing field Citi Park". Newsday. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
  42. ^ "Mets Michael Conforto homers twice in Game 4". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on November 4, 2015. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  43. ^ Mets.com
  44. ^ a b c "Michael Conforto Stats". Baseball-Reference.com.
  45. ^ Almodovar, Ryan (July 3, 2017). "Mets outfielder Michael Conforto selected as National League All-Star". Amazin Avenue. SB Nation. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  46. ^ "Surgery an option for Conforto after tear found". August 24, 2017.
  47. ^ "Mets' Conforto to have surgery, out months". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
  48. ^ Kernan, Kevin (May 29, 2019). "Steven Matz is saving Mets rotation without 'one ounce of emotion'". New York Post. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  49. ^ Smith, Alex (March 17, 2022). "Mets offered Michael Conforto $100 million contract last spring". SportsNet New York. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  50. ^ "Mets walk off vs. Marlins with controversial HBP". ESPN.com. April 8, 2021.
  51. ^ "Teary Conforto lifts Mets in possible Citi Field finale". AP NEWS. October 1, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  52. ^ Kelly, Matt (November 8, 2021). "Source: Conforto to decline qualifying offer". MLB.com. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  53. ^ "Free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto expected to miss remainder of MLB season after shoulder surgery". CBSSports.com. April 24, 2022.
  54. ^ Ragazzo, Pat (April 12, 2022). "Ex-Met Michael Conforto Not Close To Signing With A Team". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  55. ^ Sherman, Joel (March 30, 2022). "Ex-Met Michael Conforto's shoulder injury slowing down contract talks". New York Post. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  56. ^ "Agent says free-agent outfielder Michael Conforto had surgery on shoulder, will be ready for 2023". ESPN. April 24, 2022. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  57. ^ Scott, Jelani (April 24, 2022). "Free-Agent OF Michael Conforto Has Shoulder Surgery, Won't Play Until 2023". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
  58. ^ "Michael Conforto declines Astros' 2-year, $30 million offer". September 2, 2022.
  59. ^ "Eyeing comeback, Conforto inks 2-year deal with Giants". MLB.com.
  60. ^ a b Baggarly, Andrew (April 5, 2024). "Brandon Belt doesn't have a job, and his former Giants teammates aren't happy about it". The New York Times. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  61. ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/confomi01.shtml
  62. ^ "Olympic Sports: Tracie Ruiz-Conforto". Sports Reference. sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2017. She won solo and duet gold medals in 1984, and a solo silver in 1988.
  63. ^ Fensom, Michael J. (July 12, 2014). "Mets introduce first-round pick Michael Conforto at Citi Field by treating him like a pro". NJ.com. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  64. ^ Kaplan, Jake (October 7, 2015). "Mets rookie Michael Conforto is son of former PSU linebacker". Inquirer.com. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  65. ^ Hendricks, Jaclyn (January 14, 2021). "Mets star Michael Conforto engaged to girlfriend Cabernet Burns". New York Post. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
  66. ^ "x.com". X (formerly Twitter).
  67. ^ DiComo, Anthony (February 21, 2020). "Conforto: 'This year feels like a special one'" – via MLB.com.
  68. ^ Kernan, Kevin (February 18, 2020). "Michael Conforto: Mets have too much integrity to cheat like Astros" – via NYPost.com.
  69. ^ DiComo, Anthony (February 3, 2021). "Latest on Conforto, Mets extension talks". Retrieved September 10, 2021 – via MLB.com.
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