CC Sabathia, a would-be Hall of Famer who was still on the pitcher’s mound in 2018, was hit by Manny Machado’s home run to left field at home. A fan wearing a Yankees jersey caught it and then threw the ball directly. Back in the stadium, the fan was none other than the protagonist of this article, Logan O’Hoppe, who was only 17 years old at the time.
It is quite common for home fans to throw away home runs hit by away players, but O’Hoppe’s throw caused heated discussion because the ball was thrown close to the infield, showing his amazing arm strength, and O’Hoppe’s identity It was also revealed that he had just graduated from high school and was about to enter the MLB draft.
Officially entered the professional baseball system in 2018
O’Hoppe was born in New York and has been a loyal Yankees fan since he was a child. His idol is the legendary Yankees Hall of Fame star Derek Jeter. In high school, O’Hoppe attended a Catholic school and joined the baseball team. He originally planned to go to school after graduation. East Carolina University, but O’Hoppe was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 23rd round of the 2018 draft. After discussing with his family, he decided to enter the professional baseball system early.
That year, O’Hoppe was assigned to the Rookie League by the Phillies. He played in 34 games and posted 2 home runs, 21 RBIs, a batting average of 0.367, and a wRC+ of 161. The following year, he was promoted to the low-level 1A by the team. O’Hoppe was promoted to the low-level 1A. The increase in strikeout rate affects the overall hitting power, and wRC+ drops to 100.
However, O’Hoppe’s potential is still promising. Starting from the high-level 1A in 2021, he played 85 games and posted 13 home runs, 48 RBIs, a batting average of 0.270, and a wRC+ of 111. As the season came to an end, O’Hoppe was replaced by the team. Rise to higher levels of 2A and 3A to test the water temperature.
In 2022, I will go to the West Coast and start a new career chapter.
O’Hoppe started the season in 2A in 2022 and played 75 games with 15 home runs, 45 RBIs, and a wRC+ of 144. Before the trade deadline, the Phillies and the Angels reached a consensus that the two parties would exchange potential rookies, and the former received Brandon Marsh, who has been promoted to the major leagues, has revitalized the competitiveness of the outfield defensive area. The latter was caught by O’Hoppe, who was awarded the top 100 rookies, and was directly parachuted into the Angels Farm’s number one rookie.
This transaction can be said to have what everyone needs. The Phillies have star catcher JT Realmuto. If O’Hoppe is promoted to the major leagues early, the development space will be limited. This is one of the reasons why the Phillies are willing to give up. And O’Hoppe comes The Angels have solved the problem of a lack of high-potential catching prospects in the long-term farm system. In addition, O’Hoppe is already a rookie who is close to reaching the major league level. The Angels made the right move in this step.
After O’Hoppe transferred to the Angels, he hit 11 home runs in 29 games in 2A and had a wRC+ of 194. The Angels decided to promote him to the major leagues in advance. On September 28, US time, O’Hoppe became the starter. He made his major league debut as a catcher and had his first hit in his career. His family members were even more delighted when they saw O’Hoppe’s hit in the audience. There is also a heartwarming story behind this.
O’Hoppe was still struggling in the Phillies’ minor leagues. His father, Michael O’Hoppe, needed chemotherapy due to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. O’Hoppe once took a midnight flight back to his hometown after a game and got off the plane. Then he immediately drove to the hospital to accompany his father for chemotherapy.
O’Hoppe recalled the situation at that time. He believed that his father had to provide companionship and support during treatment. Even if he was exhausted after the game and had to risk driving without sleeping, O’Hoppe did not want to miss any time. He knew in his heart that his father needed him. .
2024-02-19 02:08:43
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