Christian Encarnacion-Strand
Encarnacion-Strand with the Louisville Bats in 2023
Cincinnati Reds – No. 33
First baseman / Third baseman
Born: (1999-12-01) December 1, 1999
Walnut Creek, California, U.S.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 17, 2023, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
(through 2023 season)
Batting average.270
Home runs13
Runs batted in37
Teams

Christian Lee Encarnacion-Strand (born December 1, 1999) is an American professional baseball first baseman and third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

He has the longest last name in Major League Baseball history with 17 letters moving him above the previous leader, Simeon Woods Richardson.

Early life and amateur career

Encarnacion-Strand grew up in Pleasant Hill, California, and attended College Park High School.[1] As a senior, he was named the Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division most valuable player after batting .455 with 40 hits and 27 RBIs.[2]

Encarnacion-Strand began his college baseball career at Yavapai College. As a freshman, he was named the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year after he batted .402 and led the conference with 22 home runs and 70 RBIs.[3] Encarnacion-Strand was selected in the 34th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft by the Seattle Mariners, but did not sign with the team. He was hitting .430 with 11 home runs and 33 RBIs in 25 games as a sophomore before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.[4] Encarnacion-Strand transferred to Oklahoma State University for his remaining collegiate eligibility.[5] In his only season with the Oklahoma State Cowboys, he batted .361 with 15 home runs and 66 RBIs and was named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Year.[6]

Professional career

Minnesota Twins

Encarnacion-Strand was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins.[7] He was assigned to the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels of Low-A Southeast after signing with the team.[8] Encarnacion-Strand began the 2022 season with the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the High-A Midwest League.[9] He slashed .296/.370/.599 with 20 home runs and 68 RBIs in 74 games with Cedar Rapids before being promoted to the Double-A Wichita Wind Surge.[10]

Cincinnati Reds

On August 2, 2022, the Twins traded Encarnacion-Strand, Spencer Steer, and Steve Hajjar, to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Tyler Mahle.[11] The Reds assigned him to the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts.[12] In 2022 in the minor leagues he batted .304/.368/.587 in 484 at bats, and was tied for second-most in the minor leagues in RBIs with 114, behind Matt Mervis.[13]

Encarnacion-Strand was assigned to the Triple–A Louisville Bats to begin the 2023 season, where he played in 67 games and hit .331/.405/.637 with 20 home runs and 62 RBI. On July 17, 2023, he was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "MLB draft: Which Bay Area prospects will hear their names called?". Vallejo Times Herald. July 11, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  2. ↑ "All-Bay Area News Group baseball: Meet the team". East Bay Times. June 22, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Roughrider Encarnacion-Strand named ACCAC Player of the Year". The Daily Courier. April 29, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  4. ↑ Hutchens, Ben (April 8, 2021). "Yavapai guy: Encarnacion-Strand making a name for himself as a Cowboy". The O'Colly. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  5. ↑ "'He's a fit here': How Oklahoma State's Christian Encarnacion-Strand rose to feared hitter". The Oklahoman. April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  6. ↑ "MLB Draft: A look at where players with Oklahoma connections are headed". The Oklahoman. July 21, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  7. ↑ "OSU's Encarnacion-Strand drafted by Twins in fourth round". Tulsa World. August 19, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  8. ↑ Dierberger, Tom (September 2, 2021). "Twins 4th-round pick Encarnacion-Strand starts pro career with a bang". Bally Sports North. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Christian Encarnacion-Strand's 9-RBI game has Cedar Rapids Kernels fans chanting 'MVP! MVP! MVP!'". The Gazette. April 8, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Twins' Christian Encarnacion-Strand: Promoted to Double-A". CBS Sports. RotoWire. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ Harrigan, Thomas. "Twins add Mahle to rotation in deal with Reds". MLB.com.
  12. ↑ "Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Elly De La Cruz star in Chattanooga win". Cincinnati Enquirer. August 6, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  13. ↑ "2022 Register Batting Leaders".
  14. ↑ "Reds call up their No. 5 prospect Encarnacion-Strand". mlb.com. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
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