Greg Golson

Gregory Joseph Golson (born September 17, 1985) is an American former professional baseball outfielder.

A first round selection (21st overall) in the 2004 Major League Baseball draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, Golson played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Phillies (2008), Texas Rangers (2009), and New York Yankees (2010–2011).

Golson attended John B. Connally High School in Austin, Texas.

He committed to the University of Texas.

Baseball America ranked him as the 29th best player (and 11th best high school player) in the 2004 MLB Draft.

Golson was named to USA Today's All-USA High School Baseball Team alongside future MLB stars like Homer Bailey, Justin Upton, Neil Walker, and Trevor Plouffe.

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Golson with the 21st overall pick in the first round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft.

After drafting him, the Phillies assigned Golson to their Gulf Coast League affiliate in rookie ball.

He hit .295 with eight doubles, five triples, and 12 stolen bases in 47 games.

After the season, Baseball America ranked him as the fourth-best prospect in the Phillies system.

Golson's speed became a feature of his game, and went on to steal over 100 bases in five minor-league seasons.

After the 2005 season, Golson was named the third-best prospect in the Phillies' system by Baseball America, the highest spot he would reach in those rankings.

Most of the 2006 season was spent at Lakewood as well, with a late-season promotion to the Clearwater Threshers.

Between the two levels, Golson hit .233 and struck out 160 times.

He hit 13 home runs and batted in 48 runs.

Golson also accumulated 127 hits in 593 plate appearances.

In 2007, his second minor-league season, Golson was promoted to the A-level Lakewood BlueClaws in Lakewood, New Jersey.

He continued to accumulate high strikeout numbers, with 106 in 375 at-bats, but he also posted a .264 average, hit 8 triples (a career-high), and stole 25 bases.

Strikeouts continued to plague Golson as he began the 2007 season.

Between Clearwater and the Reading Phillies, Golson struck out 173 times in 607 plate appearances.

He was a Florida State League All-Star that year and was promoted to Double-A in July.

Golson hit a combined 15 home runs in 2007, with 32 doubles and 5 triples.

His .273 average and .426 slugging percentage were a large improvement over the previous year.

His prospect ranking dropped to seventh.

In a 2008 interview, Golson said, regarding his success as a base-stealer, that " [you've] got to be real observant of what the pitcher is doing, if they fall into patterns, what the catcher is doing, the counts, the game situation—stuff like that ... but speed is the big thing".

Golson remained at Reading for the 2008 season.

He was named an Eastern League All-Star and played in the All-Star Futures Game that year.

After hitting .282 with 13 home runs, 18 doubles, and 23 stolen bases, Golson was called up by the Phillies on September 1.

He made his debut on September 3, pinch-running for Pat Burrell.

He made several appearances as a late-inning defensive replacement, which was fine with Golson.

"You can really impact a game, where people will remember stuff … if you make a great catch that saves the game, people remember that for a long time."

With the Phillies, Golson went 0-for-6 in six games, scoring two runs and stealing a base.

He was not included on the postseason roster that year, instead being assigned to the team's Florida complex.

On November 20, 2008, Golson was traded by the Phillies to the Texas Rangers for John Mayberry, Jr. Phillies general manager Rubén Amaro, Jr. called the trade a speed-for-power' swap". Golson spent most of the season with the Oklahoma City RedHawks in Triple-A. He was called up on May 4, got one plate appearance, and was optioned again on May 9. In 146 plate appearances, Golson hit .289 with five doubles, three triples, six stolen bases, and 40 RBI with Oklahoma City.

After the season, he was rated as the Phillies' 10th best prospect by Baseball America.

On January 26, 2010, Golson was traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for minor league player Mitch Hilligoss and cash, after being designated for assignment by the Texas Rangers a few days earlier.

He was called up for the first time on May 4 and got his first major league hit on May 12 against the Detroit Tigers.

After six appearances, he was sent back to Triple-A on May 18.

He was also ranked as the 14th best prospect in the South Atlantic League.

In 2015, Golson's former high school retired #15, his former uniform number from when he played.