After two seasons of college baseball,the Detroit Tigers selected Raburn in the 5th round of the 2001 Major League Baseball draft. Raburn signed and began playing in the minor leagues at third base,his natural position. He originally was a member of the Gulf Coast League Tigers,but was brought up to play on the Oneonta Tigers in July 2001. In 2001,Raburn was a part of Baseball America's short-season all-star team. At one point,he was the New York–Penn League's player of the week and his eight triples were the most in that league during the season. However,Raburn also committed 23 errors,which tied for the league most by third basemen. After the 2001 season was over,Baseball America named Raburn as Detroit's 18th-best prospect.[2]
Raburn began 2002 unable to play because of a right hip strain. In July,he got back into action with a rehab stint in the Gulf Coast League. On July 17,he joined the West Michigan Whitecaps. He immediately started an eight-game hitting streak that lasted until July 25. During that stretch,Raburn posted a .355 batting average and drove in eight runs.[2] During the 2002 season,Raburn appeared in 40 games with West Michigan. He batted .220,hit six home runs and totaled 28 runs batted in.[2][3] After the season,Baseball America ranked Raburn as the Tigers' 25th-best prospect.[2]
Raburn started off the 2003 season with West Michigan,but he appeared in only 16 games for the Whitecaps before moving on to the Lakeland Tigers in late April. In his 95 games with Lakeland,he batted .222,with 12 homers and 56 RBI.[2][3]
In 2004,the Tigers,lacking depth in the middle infield,moved Raburn to second base. Raburn was a September call-up during the 2004 season for the Tigers. He made his big league debut on September 12 and struck out in his first at bat. On September 16,Raburn got his first hit,an RBI double on a pitch from Cleveland Indians pitcher CC Sabathia.[2]
Raburn spent the entire 2005 season with Toledo,posting a .253 batting average and hitting 19 home runs in 130 games.[3] He committed the most errors (21) by any second baseman in the International League. During the postseason,he batted .348 and drove in 3 runs. He was rated by Baseball America as the 18th-best minor league prospect for the Tigers at season's end.[2]
Following the 2006 season,the Tigers chose to not add Raburn to the 40-man roster. This left him unprotected in the Rule 5 draft,allowing any team to add him for a cost of $50,000,provided he spent the entire season on a major league roster. Raburn was not selected and returned to the Tigers and their Triple-A affiliate Toledo Mud Hens.
2007 season
Raburn returned to the major leagues for the first time since 2004 when Tigers utility infielder Neifi Pérez was suspended 25 games after testing positive for amphetamine usage. Raburn had a two-out RBI single in his first at bat of that season.[4] On July 25 against the Chicago White Sox,Raburn went 4–5 with two home runs,a double and a single and had a total of seven RBIs.[5]
Raburn earned the 2007 Tigers Rookie of the Year award from the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association.
For the first time in his career,Raburn started the season on Detroit's opening day roster. After getting into one game as a pinch runner,Raburn was sent down to Toledo on April 5. He made five appearances with the Mud Hens before rejoining the Tigers on April 13.[2]
During the 2008 season,Raburn made sporadic starts at third base,second base,and all three outfield positions. Manager Jim Leyland often employed Raburn as a late-innings defensive replacement in the outfield or as a pinch runner.
Raburn matched a career-best with a four-hit game during a Tigers–White Sox contest on August 5.[2]
2009 season
During spring training,Raburn spent time learning the catcher position,as well as first base,in an effort to provide more versatility to his resume. He did not make the Tigers 25-man roster and began the 2009 season playing for the Toledo Mud Hens.[2] He was called up to Detroit on April 22,three days after Marcus Thames was placed on the disabled list.[7]
On June 8,2009,Raburn made his first career start at first base. It was the sixth different position he had started at in the major leagues.
On June 23,2009,Raburn hit his first career walk-off home run to lift the Tigers over the Chicago Cubs 5–4. According to Raburn,it was the first walk-off home run he had ever hit,including the minors leagues,college,high school,and Little League.[8]
2010 season
Raburn entered the 2010 season as a key bench player expecting to see time at every defensive position except catcher and shortstop. As of mid-June,he was regularly filling in for injured right fielder Magglio Ordóñez,but was hitting poorly. During the second half of the season,when he became an everyday starter primarily playing in the outfield,his bat heated up. By the end of 2010,he had played in 113 games,and sported a .280 batting average with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs.
Raburn signed a two-year contract extension after the 2010 season,and was a regular starter in left field at the beginning of the 2011 season. Near the end of May,Raburn took over at second base after Scott Sizemore was traded to the Oakland Athletics. In addition,another Tiger second baseman,Carlos Guillén,was on the disabled list through the entire first half. Raburn's batting average slumped in the first half (.213 at the All-Star break),but he showed flashes of power with eight home runs. Andy Dirks and new acquisition Delmon Young played Raburn's left field position for much of the second half while he saw more time at second base. After another strong second half,Raburn finished the 2011 regular season at .256 with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs in 387 at-bats.
2012 season
Although his six Spring training homers shared the team lead,[9] Raburn began the regular season mired in a significant slump,at one point batting .091 (4 for 44).[10] He was eventually optioned to Toledo on May 30,2012,with a batting average of .146.[11] He was recalled on June 14.[12] He finished the season with a .171 average,1 home run,and 12 runs batted in;Raburn later revealed that his struggles during the 2012 season caused him to contemplate retirement.[13]
On November 20,Raburn was released by the Tigers.[14]
Cleveland Indians
On January 19,2013,Raburn signed a minor league deal with the Cleveland Indians with an invitation to spring training.[15] Raburn,after a solid spring,made the Indians' 2013 opening day roster.
Raburn won American League Player of the Week for the week of April 29–May 5,2013 after batting .591 (13–22) with 5 runs,4 HR,9 RBI and a 1.773 OPS.
On August 7,2013,it was announced that Raburn and the Indians had agreed on a two-year,$4.85 million extension with a $3 million club option for 2016.[16] At the time of the deal,Raburn was hitting .277/.370/.565 with 13 HR and 38 RBI. The next day,after a 14 inning loss the night before,Cleveland called on Raburn,a utility player,to pitch the ninth inning of a 10-3 loss to the Detroit Tigers. He pitched a perfect 1-2-3 inning and struck out Matt Tuiasosopo.
Used mostly as a right fielder when Drew Stubbs wasn't playing,Raburn hit .272/.357/.543 with 16 HR and 55 RBI. Raburn,with Mike Avilés,Jason Giambi and Yan Gomes,was a member of the Indians bench dubbed the 'Goon Squad'.[17] They combined to hit .256 with 45 HR and 170 RBI in 370 games.
Colorado Rockies
On March 4,2016,Raburn signed a minor league deal with the Colorado Rockies. He was ejected for the first time as a Major League player on April 25,2016.[18] Raburn saw action in 113 games with the Rockies,recording a .220 batting average,9 home runs,and 30 runs batted in.[1]
Cincinnati Reds
On February 17,2017,Raburn signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds.[19] He was released by Cincinnati on March 27,2017.[20]
Chicago White Sox
On April 8,2017,Raburn signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox.[21]
Washington Nationals
The White Sox traded Raburn to the Washington Nationals on May 26,2017,for cash considerations or a player to be named later.[22] He was promoted to the major leagues on June 5 after Jayson Werth was put on the disabled list.[23] On July 3,Raburn's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth gave the Nationals a 3-2 win over the Mets. He signed a new minor league contract with the Nationals on November 14,2017.[24] On March 24,2018,Raburn was released.[25]
International League Player of the Month,June,2007
American League Player of the Week,April 29-May 5,2013
Personal life
Raburn is married to his wife Suzanne and they live in Balm,Florida.[2] Raburn is the brother of former minor league utility player Johnny Raburn,who last played with a Milwaukee Brewers minor league affiliate in 2010.[26]
Related Research Articles
Joshua Aaron Wilson is an American former professional baseball infielder. Wilson is a Mt. Lebanon,Pennsylvania native. He was part of the 1998 Pennsylvania state championship baseball team and Pennsylvania Player of the Year. Wilson played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Florida Marlins,Washington Nationals,Tampa Bay Devil Rays,Arizona Diamondbacks,San Diego Padres,Seattle Mariners,Milwaukee Brewers,Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers.
Austin Jarriel Jackson is an American former professional baseball center fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers,Seattle Mariners,Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Cleveland Indians,San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. Prior to playing professionally,he attended Billy Ryan High School.
Alexander Crawford Presley is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Minnesota Twins,Houston Astros,Milwaukee Brewers,and Detroit Tigers from 2010 to 2017.
Avisaíl Antonio García Yaguarin is a Venezuelan professional baseball right fielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers,Chicago White Sox,Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. He signed with the Tigers as a non-drafted free agent in 2007. He made his major league debut in 2012.
Ryan Michael LaMarre is an American professional baseball outfielder who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds,Boston Red Sox,Oakland Athletics,Minnesota Twins,Chicago White Sox,and New York Yankees.
Robert Edward Grossman is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros,Minnesota Twins,Oakland Athletics,Detroit Tigers,Atlanta Braves,and Texas Rangers. After attending high school in Texas,Grossman was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth round in 2008. He made his MLB debut with the Astros in 2013. He won the 2023 World Series with the Rangers.
The 2013 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 113th season. They finished 93–69,first place in the American League (AL) Central Division. During the season,the Tigers finished one game ahead of the second place Cleveland Indians. They became the first Tigers team to win three consecutive titles since the 1907,1908 and 1909 clubs won three consecutive American League pennants. The Tigers defeated the Oakland Athletics in five games in the American League Division Series and advanced to the ALCS for the third straight season,the first time a Major League team has done so since the New York Yankees advanced to four straight from 1998 to 2001. They lost the American League Championship Series to the Boston Red Sox,four games to two. Manager Jim Leyland announced his retirement following the American League Championship Series.
Miguel Antonio González is a Venezuelan former professional baseball catcher who currently serves as a bullpen catcher for the Chicago White Sox. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB),also for the White Sox.
Juan Carlos Centeno is a Puerto Rican professional baseball catcher for the Saraperos de Saltillo of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets,Milwaukee Brewers,Minnesota Twins,Houston Astros,Texas Rangers,and Boston Red Sox.
Nomar Shamir Mazara Jiminián is a Dominican professional baseball right fielder for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers,Chicago White Sox,Detroit Tigers,and San Diego Padres.
Tyler Joseph Nevin is an American professional baseball infielder for the Oakland Athletics of Major League baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers.
Christin Gaylin Harris Stewart is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toros de Tijuana of the Mexican League. He played college baseball for the University of Tennessee,and has previously played for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. The Tigers drafted him in the 34th overall in the first round of the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft. Baseball America wrote that he has a "physical frame and produces above-average bat speed (that) combined with the natural leverage in his swing,translates into plus raw power".
Dustin Thomas Garneau is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies,Oakland Athletics,Chicago White Sox,Los Angeles Angels,Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers.
Brandon Allen Dixon is an American former professional baseball infielder and outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers,Cincinnati Reds,and San Diego Padres,and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
Ronny Rodríguez Martinez is a Dominican professional baseball infielder for the Piratas de Campeche of the Mexican League. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers,in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters,and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Wei Chuan Dragons. Rodríguez has also played for the Dominican Republic national baseball team.
Willi Rafael Castro Capellan is a Puerto Rican professional baseball second baseman,shortstop,and outfielder for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2019.
Víctor JoséReyes is a Venezuelan professional baseball outfielder for the Lotte Giants of the KBO League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. He made his MLB debut in 2018.
Steele Simons Walker is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He played college baseball at the University of Oklahoma. He was selected in the second round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers.
Zachary Ryan Short is an American professional baseball shortstop for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Detroit Tigers.
Kerry William Carpenter is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
