Brett Lawrie
Encyclopedia
Brett R. Lawrie is a Canadian professional baseball
third baseman
with the Toronto Blue Jays
of Major League Baseball
. He was traded to the Blue Jays from the Milwaukee Brewers
on December 5, 2010 in a deal for starting pitcher Shaun Marcum
. He is the brother of University of Washington
softball pitcher Danielle Lawrie
.
of the B.C. Premier Baseball League
, Lawrie was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft
by the Brewers. The selection of Lawrie was the fourth highest a Canadian player has ever been drafted, behind only Jeff Francis
, Adam Loewen
, and Phillippe Aumont
and the highest a Canadian position player has ever been drafted (Loewen was drafted as a pitcher, but now is a position player in the Blue Jays organization).
Lawrie was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team at the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship
where he led the tournament with a .469 batting average
, 3 home runs and 16 RBIs. He was also selected to play for Canada
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
.
Lawrie represented Canada once again during the 2009 World Baseball Classic
at the Rogers Centre
in Toronto, Ontario
. His only appearance during Canada's brief run in the tournament came during a 6–5 loss to the United States
where he pinch ran for Joey Votto
in the 9th inning.
Although he was used primarily as a catcher for the Blaze, Lawrie transitioned to second base when he was assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
of the Midwest League
to begin the season. He was selected to play for the World Team at the 2009 MLB All-Star Futures Game
at Busch Stadium
in St. Louis. He was promoted to the Double-A Huntsville Stars in mid-August. On June 23 Lawrie was selected to the 2010 Futures Games, his second selection.
Lawrie finished the 2010 season with a .285 batting average, 8 homeruns, 63 RBIs, 90 runs, 16 triples and 30 stolen bases in 135 games with Huntsville. For his efforts he was named to the Southern League Post-Season All-Star team on September 1, 2010. Considered by many to be one of Milwaukee's top prospects, he was traded on December 6, 2010 to the Toronto Blue Jays
for starting pitcher Shaun Marcum
. Despite already having switched positions from catcher to second base after the Brewers drafted him, the Blue Jays moved Lawrie to third base
.
On May 31, Lawrie was hit in the hand by a pitch and left the game with what was initially believed to be a broken hand. X-rays were negative and he was considered day-to-day, until it was later revealed by CAT scan that there is a non-displaced fracture, and he was expected to miss 2–3 weeks.
After a brief stint in Single-A Dunedin
ending with a game where he was hit by a pitch twice, Lawrie was promoted back to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 18, 2011.
He was named the third baseman on Baseball Americas 2011 Minor League All Star team.
was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Lawrie. He made his debut on August 5 against the Baltimore Orioles
. In his first career at-bat, he recorded his first career hit and RBI. He finished 2–4 with 1 RBI and a fielding error. Two games later, he hit his first career home run, a solo shot off of starter Alfredo Simón
. In his second game at home on August 10, Lawrie recorded his first career grand slam
off of Oakland
reliever Craig Breslow
. The grand slam was also his first hit at the Rogers Centre
. In the following series against the Los Angeles Angels, Lawrie recorded his first career triple
and stolen base. On September 5, Lawrie hit his first career walkoff home run, a solo shot in the 11th inning off reliever Dan Wheeler
to defeat the Boston Red Sox
1–0.
Lawrie's first season ended prematurely when, on September 21, he fractured the middle finger on his right hand while fielding during batting practice. He finished his first season with a batting average of .293, 9 home runs, 26 runs scored, 7 stolen bases and 25 RBI in 161 plate appearances.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
with the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He was traded to the Blue Jays from the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on December 5, 2010 in a deal for starting pitcher Shaun Marcum
Shaun Marcum
Shaun Michael Marcum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
. He is the brother of University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
softball pitcher Danielle Lawrie
Danielle Lawrie
Danielle Elaine Lawrie is a Canadian 5'7" former right-handed pitcher and right-batting cleanup hitter for the University of Washington softball team. She was also a member of the Canada women's national softball team during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was named the 2009 U.S.A...
.
Minor League career
While playing high school baseball for the Langley BlazeLangley Blaze
The Langley Blaze are a youth baseball team located in the city of Langley, British Columbia.Doug Mathieson is the founder and manager of the Blaze. The team was founded in 1993, and joined the B.C. Premier Baseball League in 1999. The team plays their home games at Mcleod Athletic Park, although...
of the B.C. Premier Baseball League
B.C. Premier Baseball League
The British Columbia Premier Baseball League, commonly referred to as the BCPBL or the PBL, is a competitive youth baseball league consisting of 13 teams located throughout British Columbia, Canada...
, Lawrie was selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft
2008 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008.-First round selections:* Did not sign...
by the Brewers. The selection of Lawrie was the fourth highest a Canadian player has ever been drafted, behind only Jeff Francis
Jeff Francis
Jeffrey William Francis is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:...
, Adam Loewen
Adam Loewen
Adam Alexander Loewen is a Canadian professional baseball outfielder and infielder for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed...
, and Phillippe Aumont
Phillippe Aumont
Phillippe Aumont is a minor league professional baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners 11th overall in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft...
and the highest a Canadian position player has ever been drafted (Loewen was drafted as a pitcher, but now is a position player in the Blue Jays organization).
Lawrie was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team at the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship
2008 World Junior Baseball Championship
The 2008 World Junior AAA Championship was held in Edmonton, Canada from July 25 through August 3, 2008.-Knockout stage:-Fifth through eighth place:-Final standings:-External links:**...
where he led the tournament with a .469 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 3 home runs and 16 RBIs. He was also selected to play for Canada
Canada at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Canada, which is represented by the Canadian Olympic Committee , competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 to 24, 2008. Canadian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since 1900, except the 1980 Summer Olympics which they boycotted...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
.
Lawrie represented Canada once again during the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
at the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
in Toronto, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. His only appearance during Canada's brief run in the tournament came during a 6–5 loss to the United States
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
where he pinch ran for Joey Votto
Joey Votto
Joseph Daniel "Joey" Votto, is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. He is the 2010 NL MVP, the recipient of the National League Hank Aaron Award for 2010, and won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's athlete of the year in 2010.-Early life:Votto was born on...
in the 9th inning.
Although he was used primarily as a catcher for the Blaze, Lawrie transitioned to second base when he was assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a minor league baseball team of the Midwest League, and the Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, and are named for timber rattlesnakes. The team plays its home games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium...
of the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
to begin the season. He was selected to play for the World Team at the 2009 MLB All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
at Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium is the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, of MLB...
in St. Louis. He was promoted to the Double-A Huntsville Stars in mid-August. On June 23 Lawrie was selected to the 2010 Futures Games, his second selection.
Lawrie finished the 2010 season with a .285 batting average, 8 homeruns, 63 RBIs, 90 runs, 16 triples and 30 stolen bases in 135 games with Huntsville. For his efforts he was named to the Southern League Post-Season All-Star team on September 1, 2010. Considered by many to be one of Milwaukee's top prospects, he was traded on December 6, 2010 to the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
for starting pitcher Shaun Marcum
Shaun Marcum
Shaun Michael Marcum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
. Despite already having switched positions from catcher to second base after the Brewers drafted him, the Blue Jays moved Lawrie to third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
.
On May 31, Lawrie was hit in the hand by a pitch and left the game with what was initially believed to be a broken hand. X-rays were negative and he was considered day-to-day, until it was later revealed by CAT scan that there is a non-displaced fracture, and he was expected to miss 2–3 weeks.
After a brief stint in Single-A Dunedin
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a minor league baseball team based in Dunedin, Florida. They play in the Florida State League, and are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club...
ending with a game where he was hit by a pitch twice, Lawrie was promoted back to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 18, 2011.
He was named the third baseman on Baseball Americas 2011 Minor League All Star team.
2011
On August 4, 2011, Lawrie was called up to the Blue Jays. Travis SniderTravis Snider
Travis James Snider is a Major League Baseball player for the Toronto Blue Jays organization. He hits and throws left-handed. He played baseball at Henry M. Jackson High School, where he also played running back and linebacker in football...
was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Lawrie. He made his debut on August 5 against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. In his first career at-bat, he recorded his first career hit and RBI. He finished 2–4 with 1 RBI and a fielding error. Two games later, he hit his first career home run, a solo shot off of starter Alfredo Simón
Alfredo Simón
Alfredo Simón Cabrera is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball. From 2001 through part of 2004 he pitched under the name Carlos Cabrera.-Minor leagues:...
. In his second game at home on August 10, Lawrie recorded his first career grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
off of Oakland
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
reliever Craig Breslow
Craig Breslow
Craig Andrew Breslow is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics. He throws left-handed, and is considered a lefty specialist....
. The grand slam was also his first hit at the Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
. In the following series against the Los Angeles Angels, Lawrie recorded his first career triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and stolen base. On September 5, Lawrie hit his first career walkoff home run, a solo shot in the 11th inning off reliever Dan Wheeler
Dan Wheeler
Daniel Michael Wheeler is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:...
to defeat the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
1–0.
Lawrie's first season ended prematurely when, on September 21, he fractured the middle finger on his right hand while fielding during batting practice. He finished his first season with a batting average of .293, 9 home runs, 26 runs scored, 7 stolen bases and 25 RBI in 161 plate appearances.