Michael Toglia

Michael Toglia
Toglia with UCLA in 2019
Colorado Rockies – No. 4
First baseman / Outfielder
Born: (1998-08-16) August 16, 1998 (age 25)
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Bats: Switch
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 30, 2022, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
(through April 15, 2024)
Batting average.181
Home runs10
Runs batted in28
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 four 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 the 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 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 hit .248 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 RBIs, and seven stolen bases over 74 games, he was promoted to the Hartford Yard Goats of the Double-A Northeast on August 2.[26] Over 41 games with Hartford, he batted .217 with five home runs and 18 RBIs. 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.[27][28] He returned to Hartford to begin the 2022 season.[29] In early August, he was promoted to the Albuquerque Isotopes of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.[30]

The Rockies selected Toglia's contract and promoted him to the major leagues on August 30, 2022.[31] He made his MLB debut that night as the teams starting first baseman versus the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park, going hitless over four at-bats in a 3-2 Rockies win.[32] He collected his first MLB hit, a single off of Kyle Wright of the Atlanta Braves, the next night.[33] He hit his first MLB home run, a two-run home run off of Braves closer Kenley Jansen, the same night.[34]

Toglia was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to begin the 2023 season.[35]

In 2024, Toglia made the Opening Day roster for the first time in his career.[36]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Pac-12 signees Toglia, Burghardt lead talented Tides squad". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  2. ^ "Gig Harbor's Toglia drafted by Colorado Rockies in 35th round". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  3. ^ "Yakima Valley Pippins left-hander Zach Draper named WCL Pitcher of the Year". Yakima Herald. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  4. ^ "5 Black Bears named to All-WCL team". TDN.com. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  5. ^ "Pac-12 announces baseball All-Conference honors". Pac-12. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  6. ^ "After slow start, Gig Harbor grad Toglia finds groove in freshman season at UCLA". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  7. ^ "#17 Michael Toglia". pointstreak.com. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  8. ^ "Success carries over for Cotuit's heavy-hitting Toglia". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  9. ^ "Five College Prospects Who Tore Up Summer Vacation". The Turf. 24 August 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  10. ^ "Cape Cod League top prospects". Perfect Game. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  11. ^ "Gig Harbor locals thriving in college baseball". The News Tribune. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  12. ^ "Four Bruins Earn All-Pac-12 Honors". UCLA. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  13. ^ "#20 Michael Toglia". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  14. ^ "Toglia, Jenista lead Kettleers past Y-D". Cape Cod Times. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  15. ^ "Collegiate Baseball 2019 All-Americans". Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Retrieved May 12, 2019.
  16. ^ ARNOLD, PATTI. "Grand Junction Rockies recap, June 18, 2019". The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.
  17. ^ "Baseball boasts bounty of Pac-12 awards as regular season comes to a close". Daily Bruin. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "MLB.com 2019 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  19. ^ "Rockies' Mike Toglia: Selected 23rd by Rockies". CBSSports.com.
  20. ^ "Rockies sign 23rd overall Draft pick Toglia". MLB.com.
  21. ^ "Colorado Rockies top pick Michael Toglia returns to Pacific Northwest for pro debut with Boise Hawks | The Spokesman-Review". www.spokesman.com.
  22. ^ "Rockies podcast: First-round pick Michael Toglia discusses his debut season in the minors and more". September 15, 2019.
  23. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball Season Canceled".
  24. ^ "Spokane Indians 2021: Organization welcomes, players, fans, workers back to the ballpark". sports.yahoo.com.
  25. ^ "Futures Game rosters are STACKED". MLB.com.
  26. ^ "Rockies' Michael Toglia: Rises to Double-A". CBSSports.com.
  27. ^ "Here are the Arizona Fall League rosters". MLB.com.
  28. ^ "Pebble Report: Three Rockies suit up for the AFL Fall Stars Game". 15 November 2021.
  29. ^ "Hartford Yard Goats Announce 2022 Opening Day Roster".
  30. ^ "Gig Harbor grad Michael Toglia promoted to Triple-A". 10 August 2022.
  31. ^ "Colorado Rockies transactions". MLB.com.
  32. ^ "Rockies beat Atlanta in first base prospect Michael Toglia's MLB debut". 30 August 2022.
  33. ^ "Colorado Rockies morning after: A night of firsts for Michael Toglia". September 2022.
  34. ^ "Toglia's first MLB home run 'pretty special'". MLB.com.
  35. ^ "Rockies' Michael Toglia: Optioned out to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  36. ^ Harding, Thomas (March 26, 2024). "After spring tear, Toglia gets Opening Day call that leaves family in tears". MLB.com. Retrieved March 27, 2024.

External links[edit]

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