Jack Cust

On January 7,, his 23rd birthday, he was traded by the Diamondbacks with catcher JD Closser to the Colorado Rockies for pitcher Mike Myers.

His father had played for the Seton Hall Pirates baseball team which went to the 1974 College World Series and his brothers, Kevin and Mike, both played minor league baseball.

Cust attended Immaculata High School in Somerville, New Jersey.

John Joseph "Jack" Cust III (born January 7, 1979) is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and outfielder.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics, and Seattle Mariners.

Cust was born to Jack Sr. and Faith Cust.

In 1997, he was first-team High School All-American at first base.

Cust initially committed to play college baseball for the Alabama Crimson Tide.

In 1997, Cust, out of high school, was the first round draft pick (30th overall) of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and had a .447 on-base percentage in 35 games in the Rookie League.

Cust was a Pioneer League All-Star in 1998, where he led the league in walks (86), on-base percentage (.530), and runs scored (75).

In 1999, he led the California League in homers (32), on-base percentage (.450), and slugging percentage (.651), and was Baseball America's 1st team Minor League All-Star DH, California League All-Star, and the Arizona Diamondbacks Minor League Player of the Year.

In 2000, he had a .440 on-base percentage at El Paso in the Texas League while leading the league in walks (117) and strikeouts (150).

In 2001, he was a Pacific Coast League All-Star while leading the league with 102 walks, and in 2002 he was the Triple-A All-Star Game MVP.

Cust spent the majority of the 2002 season with the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate, the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

He played in 35 games with the big league club, going 11–65 (.169 batting average) with 1 home run.

The Rockies sent him to the Baltimore Orioles for Chris Richard and cash on March 11,.

Cust appeared in 28 games (27 in 2003, 1 in 2004) during his two seasons with the ballclub, spending most of the time with the Ottawa Lynx.

He was most noted as an Oriole for an infamous baserunning gaffe that resulted in his making the final out in a 12-inning 5–4 loss to the New York Yankees at Camden Yards on August 16, 2003.

Representing the potential tying run at first base after a two-out pinch-hit walk, he attempted to score on a double to right field by Larry Bigbie, but was caught in a rundown after tumbling to the grass a few steps beyond third base.

Even though he outmaneuvered catcher Jorge Posada and third baseman Aaron Boone and was headed towards an undefended home plate, Cust fell to the grass again and was tagged out from behind by Boone.

Cust was granted free agency following the 2004 season.

On November 15, 2004, he was signed by the Oakland Athletics.

He spent the whole season in Triple-A Sacramento, and was granted free agency after the season.

On December 6, 2005, he signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.

He just had 3 at-bats in the season.

In 2006, he led the PCL with 143 walks (also leading the minor leagues), walking 24.5% of the time, while sporting a .467 on-base percentage with 30 home runs.

In 11 minor league seasons with five different organizations, he hit exactly 200 home runs, had a .286 batting average, and a .429 on-base percentage.

Statistically, he hit a home run once every 19 at-bats, struck out once every 3 at-bats, and earned 1 walk per game.

Cust made his Major League debut with the Diamondbacks on September 26,.

He began the 2007 with the San Diego Padres' Triple-A Portland Beavers.

On May 3, 2007, the Padres traded him to the Oakland Athletics, although he was rumored to be joining Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines.

The Athletics needed another designated hitter due to an injury to veteran Mike Piazza.

Cust quickly endeared himself to A's fans by hitting 6 home runs in his first 7 games.

Cust would hit .346 with 14 RBI during that seven-game stretch.

On May 13, 2007, with two outs and an 0–2 count in the bottom of the ninth, the A's rallied to score 5 runs to beat Joe Borowski and the Cleveland Indians 10–7, ending with Cust hitting a walk-off 3-run home run.

After hitting .348 with 1 double and 5 home runs along with 13 RBI, Cust shared Co-American League Player of the Week honors along with teammate Dan Johnson for the week ending May 13, 2007.

On August 10, Cust hit his first major league grand slam off relief pitcher Macay McBride of the Detroit Tigers after hitting a 3-run double earlier in the game to give him a career-high 7 RBI.

He finished the 2007 season leading the Athletics in home runs with 26, walking 21.0% of the time (tops in the major leagues) but striking out 41.5% of the time (also tops in the majors).

On September 19,, he broke the AL record for most strikeouts in one season with 187.

For the season he struck out 41.0% of the time, the highest percentage in major league baseball, once every 2.4 at-bats.