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Andrew Toles

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Andrew Toles
Toles takingbatting practicein 2016
Los Angeles Dodgers
Outfielder
Born:(1992-05-24)May 24, 1992(age 32)
Decatur, Georgia,U.S.
Batted:Left
Threw:Right
MLB debut
July 8, 2016, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
September 30, 2018, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
Batting average.286
Home runs8
Runs batted in35
Teams

Alvin Andrew Toles(born May 24, 1992) is an American formerprofessional baseballoutfielderin theLos Angeles Dodgersorganization.

Toles played college baseball for theUniversity of TennesseeandChipola College.He was selected by theTampa Bay Raysin the third round of the2012 Major League Baseball draftand played for the organization until 2015. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 2015 season and made his major league debut in 2016, and still remains on the club'srestricted listdespite not playing a game since 2018.

Amateur career

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Toles attendedSandy Creek High SchoolinTyrone, Georgia.After he graduated, theFlorida Marlinsselected him in the fourth round of the2010 Major League Baseball draft.He chose not to sign with the Marlins.[1]

Toles enrolled at theUniversity of Tennesseeto playcollege baseballfor theTennessee Volunteers.He was named to theSECAll-Freshman team in 2011. However, he was dismissed by the Volunteers baseball team later that year.[2][3]Tennessee coachDave Serranodid not specify a reason for Toles' dismissal but noted "a certain standard of accountability to which every member of the team must be held."[2][3]After the 2011 season, he playedcollegiate summer baseballwith theBrewster Whitecapsof theCape Cod Baseball League,and was named a league all-star.[4]

Toles then transferred toChipola Collegein northern Florida.[5]He was suspended from Chipola's baseball team in 2012, for breaking team rules.[6][5]

Professional career

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Tampa Bay Rays organization

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TheTampa Bay Raysselected Toles in the third round of the2012 Major League Baseball draft.He signed, receiving a $369,700signing bonus.After his first professional season, with thePrinceton Raysof theRookie-levelAppalachian Leaguein 2012 in which he batted.281,Baseball Americanamed Toles the Best Athlete and the Fastest Baserunner in the organization.[7][8]In 2013, playing for theBowling Green Hot Rodsof theClass AMidwest League,Toles led the league in batting average and hits and was named a Mid- and Post-Season All-Star, aToppsClass-A All-Star, aMiLBOrganization All-Star, and the Rays' Minor League Player of the Year.[9][10]

In 2014, playing for two months with theCharlotte Stone Crabsof theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League,Toles was criticized by managerJared Sandberg.He was admonished first for not running hard to first, and was then pulled from a game for not hustling.[11]His manager said: "If you don’t play hard, you don’t play.... I watched Andrew play last year, and he came out of the game last year, too. So this isn’t the first time."[11]Toles left the team days later, and was eventually placed on theinactive listfor "personal reasons," missing two months of the season.[7][5][12][2][13]He batted.261/.302/.337 for Charlotte.[14]He played six games in August for theGulf Coast Raysof the Rookie-levelGulf Coast League.

In 2015, Toles attended spring training with the Rays. However, he was released prior to the season for disciplinary reasons and did not play professional baseball that year.[2][15][6]

Los Angeles Dodgers

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Toles signed with theLos Angeles Dodgersafter the 2015 season.[2]He began 2016 with theRancho Cucamonga Quakesof the Class A-AdvancedCalifornia League,and was promoted to theTulsa Drillersof theClass AATexas LeagueandOklahoma City Dodgersof theClass AAAPacific Coast Leagueduring the season.[16][17]

The Dodgers called him up on July 8, 2016. Toles made his MLB debut as the startingcenter fielderthat night against theSan Diego Padresand had one hit in four at bats, a double in his first plate appearance, offAndrew Cashner.[18][19][20]He hit his first home run on August 22 offJosh Smithof theCincinnati Reds.[21]He hit his firstgrand slamon August 31 offAdam Ottavinoof theColorado Rockies.[22]Toles finished the season with a.314 batting average in 48 games, along with three home runs and 16 RBIs.[23]ManagerDave Robertslikened Toles's rookie season to a "dream".[24]In the postseason, he hit.364 in 22 at bats.[25]

Toles returned to the Dodgers in 2017, making theirOpening Daystarting lineup. For the first month of the season, he was the Dodgers' primary leadoff hitter and starting left fielder against right-handed pitching. However, on May 9 hetore his anterior cruciate ligamentin his right knee as he pulled up on the warning track atDodger Stadium,was placed on thedisabled list,and had season-ending surgery.[26][27]In 31 games he batted.271 with five home runs and 15 RBIs.[25]

In 2018 with the Dodgers, he batted.233/.281/.300 in 17 games.[25]He spent most of the season with Oklahoma City, where he hit.306 in 71 games.[28]

Toles did not report to spring training in 2019, and the Dodgers announced that he was dealing with a personal matter and was out indefinitely.[29]He was placed on therestricted listat the start of the season.[30]He did eventually report to camp on April 30 for extended spring training[31]but he left the club a month later to return to his family. He did not return to the team during the 2019 season and did not appear in any games.[32]

Mental health issues

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Toles has battledmental healthissues including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.[33]While signed to the Rays and playing in the minor leagues, he hadanxietyand struggled to sleep. As a result, he showed up late at the ballpark and made mental mistakes on the field, leading to criticisms from manager Jared Sandberg.[34]Toles eventually asked for a release from the Rays and spent time in a mental health treatment center in 2015.[35]Between the 2015 and 2016Major League Baseballseasons, Toles spent two weeks working in the frozen-foods section of a GeorgiaKrogergrocery store.[36][13][37][35]In 2018, Toles was diagnosed withbipolar disorderandschizophreniaafter spending two weeks in a mental health hospital.[38]

Toles was arrested and jailed on amisdemeanorcharge oftrespassingon June 22, 2020, after police found him sleeping behindKey West Airportand refusing to leave the area. His address was listed as "the streets of Key West".[35][39]While the charges were dropped, Toles continued to drift through hospitals and homeless shelters until his father gained guardianship of him.[40]

As of 2024,the Dodgers have signed Toles to contracts every season since 2018 so that he may have access to the team'shealth insurance.The contracts are non-salary and Toles is placed on the restricted list for the entire season.[33][41][42]

Personal life

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Toles was born inDecatur, Georgia.He is the son ofAlvin Toles,who played college football at the University of Tennessee and then played in theNational Football League.[43]

References

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  1. ^Rodriguez, Juan C. (August 17, 2010)."Marlins, first-rounder Yelich agree just before deadline: Left-handed hitting OF will receive a $1.7 million signing bonus".Sun Sentinel.Archived fromthe originalon August 26, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  2. ^abcdeGrauer, Scott (October 6, 2015)."Dodgers sign former Rays prospect Andrew Toles".RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  3. ^ab"Andrew Toles Dismissed from Baseball Team".Archived fromthe originalon July 11, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  4. ^"#12 Andrew Toles".pointstreak.RetrievedJanuary 9,2020.
  5. ^abcago, David Egbert 7 years (June 29, 2014)."Have the Rays Lost Top Prospect Andrew Toles?".Archived fromthe originalon March 17, 2018.RetrievedMarch 17,2018.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ab"Andrew Toles released by Rays".Montgomery Advertiser.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  7. ^abGrauer, Scott (October 6, 2015).""Dodgers sign former Rays prospect Andrew Toles"".DRaysBay.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  8. ^"2013 Tampa Bay Rays Top 10 Prospects".November 3, 2012.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  9. ^"Rays announce 2013 Minor League award winners".MLB.Archived fromthe originalon May 5, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  10. ^"2014 Tampa Bay Rays Top 10 Prospects".Baseball America. December 11, 2013.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  11. ^abSunCoast Sports Now (May 25, 2014).""Crab Cakes: Andrew Toles removed from game vs. Bradenton" |SunCoast Sports Now".Suncoastsports.wordpress.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  12. ^SunCoast Sports Now (May 25, 2014)."Crab Cakes: Andrew Toles removed from game vs. Bradenton | SunCoast Sports Now".Suncoastsports.wordpress.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  13. ^ab"Talented but troubled Andrew Toles gets a second chance with Dodgers",LA Times.
  14. ^"Andrew Toles Stats, Highlights, Bio | MiLB Stats".Milb.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  15. ^""Projecting Dodgers Left Fielder Andrew Toles" | FanGraphs Baseball ".Fangraphs. October 7, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  16. ^"Andrew Toles breaks out of slump, helps Drillers defeat RoughRiders 6-4".Tulsa World. May 26, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  17. ^"OKC Dodgers journal: Outfielder Andrew Toles nearly hits for cycle in win over Colorado Springs".July 4, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  18. ^Hoornstra, J.P. (July 8, 2016)."Sources: Dodgers calling up Andrew Toles, who was out of baseball last year".LA Daily News.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  19. ^Stephen, Eric (July 8, 2016)."Andrew Toles starts in center field for his major league debut".SB Nation.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
  20. ^"July 8, 216 San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers play-by-play and box score".Baseball Reference.RetrievedJuly 9,2016.
  21. ^Sheldon, Mark and Cody Pace (August 22, 2016)."Seventh wonder: Dodgers trounce Reds".mlb.Archived fromthe originalon August 25, 2016.RetrievedAugust 23,2016.
  22. ^Gurnick, Ken and Ben Weinrib (September 1, 2016)."Toles' slam caps LA's huge rally at Coors".mlb.Archived fromthe originalon September 4, 2016.RetrievedSeptember 1,2016.
  23. ^"2016 Los Angeles Dodgers Batting, Pitching & Fielding Statistics".Baseball Reference.RetrievedNovember 1,2016.
  24. ^Pedro Moura (September 22, 2016).""Andrew Toles could garner a spot in Dodgers' postseason starting lineup"".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  25. ^abc"Andrew Toles Statistics & History".Baseball Reference.
  26. ^Gurnick, Ken (May 10, 2017)."Toles to undergo surgery, out for season".MLB.Archived fromthe originalon May 15, 2017.RetrievedMay 10,2017.
  27. ^Gurnick, Ken (May 24, 2018).""Dodgers' Andrew Toles undergoes knee surgery"".MLB.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  28. ^"Andrew Toles Minor League Statistics & History".Baseball Reference.RetrievedOctober 3,2019.
  29. ^Gurnick, Ken (February 18, 2019)."Toles out indefinitely due to personal matter".mlb.RetrievedOctober 3,2019.
  30. ^Starkand, Daniel (March 11, 2019)."Dodgers News: Andrew Toles Placed On Restricted List".dodgerblue.RetrievedOctober 3,2019.
  31. ^Starkand, Daniel (April 30, 2019)."Dodgers News: Andrew Toles Reports To Extended Spring Training After Dealing With Personal Issue".Dodgerblue.RetrievedOctober 3,2019.
  32. ^Moreno, Matthew (May 26, 2019)."Dodgers News: Andrew Toles Leaves Camelback Ranch, Believed To Join Family".dodgerblue.RetrievedOctober 3,2019.
  33. ^abGaines, Cork (March 28, 2023)."The Dodgers keep giving a retired player with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia $0 contracts so he can keep his health insurance".Yahoo! News.RetrievedMarch 28,2023.
  34. ^Moura, Pedro."Questioned for so long, Andrew Toles finally has answers to explain his disarming honesty".The Athletic.RetrievedJune 29,2020.
  35. ^abcOz, Mike (June 26, 2020)."Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles jailed after being found sleeping behind Florida airport".Yahoo Sports.RetrievedJune 28,2020.
  36. ^Crouse, Karen (October 20, 2016)."Andrew Toles Goes From Frozen Foods to Dodgers' Outfield".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 24,2016.
  37. ^J.P. Hoornstra (July 9, 2016)."Andrew Toles' second chance in baseball culminates in promotion to LA Dodgers".Dailynews.RetrievedSeptember 2,2018.
  38. ^Nightengale, Bob."'He really needs help': Family seeks help for Dodgers outfielder Andrew Toles, who is homeless and hospitalized ".USA TODAY.
  39. ^Filosa, Gwen (June 26, 2020)."Pro baseball player jailed for sleeping behind the Key West airport, police say".Miami Herald.RetrievedJune 26,2020.
  40. ^Nightengale, Bob (June 20, 2021)."'He wants his son back:' Father of Dodgers' Andrew Toles refuses to lose son to schizophrenia ".Yahoo! Sports.RetrievedJune 21,2021.
  41. ^McGee, Noah A. (April 18, 2023)."Los Angeles Dodgers Renew Andrew Toles' Contract To Provide Him With Health Insurance".The Root.RetrievedJuly 2,2023.
  42. ^"Henderson, Rutschman among contract renewals".ESPN.March 13, 2024.RetrievedMarch 13,2024.
  43. ^"Driller to watch: Andrew Toles".Tulsa World.June 9, 2016.RetrievedJuly 8,2016.
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