Dalton Pompey

Dalton Pompey
Toronto Blue Jays – No. 45
Center fielder
Born: December 11, 1992
Mississauga, Ontario
Bats: Switch Throws: Right
MLB debut
September 2, 2014 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Career statistics
(through April 30, 2015)
Batting average .212
Hits 25
Home runs 3
Runs batted in 10
Stolen bases 3
Teams

Dalton Kenrick Pompey (born December 11, 1992) is a Canadian professional baseball center fielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). After 5 seasons in the minor leagues, Pompey made his MLB debut on September 2, 2014, becoming only the sixth player born in Ontario to appear for the Blue Jays.[1] In 2015 MLB named him the number 2 prospect in the Blue Jays' organization,[2] the 7th best outfield prospect in baseball,[3] and the 43rd overall prospect on their top 100 list.[4]

Minor league career

Pompey was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 16th round of the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft out of John Fraser Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario.[5] He made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays that season, hitting .191 with 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in (RBI) in 11 games.[6] Pompey spent 2011 with the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and Bluefield Blue Jays. Overall he played in 60 games and hit .239 with 5 home runs, 17 RBI, and 23 stolen bases.[6]

Pompey played in only 20 games in 2012 due to a broken left hand.[7] Splitting time with Bluefield, the Vancouver Canadians, and the Lansing Lugnuts, he hit .286 with 8 RBI and 5 stolen bases.[6] He returned to Lansing in 2013 to play in 115 games, and finished the year batting .261 with 6 home runs, 40 RBI, and 38 stolen bases.[6] After the season he was awarded a minor league Gold Glove Award, playing the full season without recording an error.[8][6]

Pompey started the 2014 season with the Dunedin Blue Jays, and was named to the 2014 All-Star Futures Game on June 24, 2014.[9] Up to his selection to the team, he had posted a .313/.392/.460 triple-slash line in 67 games, along with 6 home runs and 27 stolen bases.[10] Pompey was promoted to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats on June 27, 2014,[11] and to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on August 20.[12] On August 26, the Blue Jays organization announced that Pompey would play for the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League at the completion of the 2014 season.[13] He finished the 2014 minor league season with a .313 batting average, 9 home runs, 52 RBI, and 43 stolen bases in 112 games played.[6] On September 3, Pompey was named to Baseball America's Second Team All-Stars for 2014.[14]

Major league career

On September 1, 2014, Pompey was announced as one of the Blue Jays' September call-ups.[15] He made his MLB debut against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 2 as a pinch-runner for Edwin Encarnación.[1] After 3 additional appearances as a pinch-runner, Pompey had his first at-bat on September 10 against the Chicago Cubs and earned an RBI on a groundout to first base. On September 19, Pompey recorded his first Major League hit, a single to right-field against New York Yankees starting pitcher Hiroki Kuroda.[16] Three days later he earned his first MLB multi-hit game and run in a 14–4 win over the Seattle Mariners.[17] Pompey would hit his first career home run, a solo shot to right field, off Mariners ace Félix Hernández the following day.[18] Playing against the Baltimore Orioles on September 26, Pompey had the best game of his young career, posting 2 runs scored and 2 RBI by hitting his first double and 2 triples, finishing the night 3–4. He became the third Blue Jays rookie to record two triples in one game, and first since Alex Ríos in 2005.[19]

Personal life

Pompey's parents are Ken and Valerie Pompey, who taught him to switch-hit at age 3.[20] His brother, Tristan, took part in the 2014 "Tournament 12" and is considered one of the top Canadian amateur talents.[21]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Kennedy, Brendan (September 2, 2014). "Blue Jays; Mississauga's Dalton Pompey joins team amid breakout year". thestar.com. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
  2. ↑ "MLB 2015 Prospect Watch". MLB.com. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  3. ↑ Cahill, Teddy (January 29, 2015). "2015 Prospect Watch: Top 10 outfielders". MLB.com. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
  4. ↑ Chisholm, Gregor (January 30, 2015). "Norris leads Blue Jays' Top 100 Prospects quartet". MLB.com. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
  5. ↑ Lott, John (March 17, 2012). "Jays' prospect Dalton Pompey thankful for father's persistence". sports.nationalpost.com. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Dalton Pompey Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ Raymundo, Vinia (March 4, 2013). "Blue Jays’ prospect Dalton Pompey healthy, excited for upcoming season". torontoobserver.ca. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ Smoker, Jeremy (October 1, 2013). "Lugnuts' Pompey wins Gold Glove Award". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (June 24, 2014). "Big league power highlights Futures Game rosters". MLB.com. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  10. ↑ Lott, John (June 24, 2014). "Toronto Blue Jays prospects Daniel Norris, Dalton Pompey picked for Futures Game". sports.nationalpost.com. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  11. ↑ Davidi, Shi (June 27, 2014). "Jays promote highly-touted Pompey to double-A". Sportsnet. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Bisons add Pompey, Hague to roster". Buffalo Bisons. August 20, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Dalton Pompey and others headed to the Arizona Fall League". jaysjournal.com. August 26, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  14. ↑ Eddy, Matt (September 3, 2014). "Minor League All-Star Team 2014". Baseball America. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  15. ↑ Davidi, Shi (September 1, 2014). "Pompey, Norris among 9 called up by Blue Jays". Sportsnet. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
  16. ↑ Collier, Jamal (September 19, 2014). "Pompey gets first hit, receives congratulations from Jeter". MLB.com. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  17. ↑ Israel, Fehr (September 22, 2014). "Jose Bautista and Dalton Pompey put on defensive show in Blue Jays outfield (VIDEO)". yahoo.com. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
  18. ↑ Ross, Jamie (September 23, 2014). "Blue Jays' playoff hopes end despite rout of Mariners". MLB.com. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
  19. ↑ Ross, Jamie (September 26, 2014). "Pompey stars with incredible all-around performance". MLB.com. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  20. ↑ Lott, John (March 17, 2012). "Jays’ prospect Dalton Pompey thankful for father’s persistence". sports.nationalpost.com. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
  21. ↑ Toman, Chris (September 19, 2014). "Pompey, one of Canada's best, follows in brother's footsteps". MLB.com. Retrieved September 24, 2014.

External links