Gavin Cross
| Gavin Cross | |
|---|---|
| Kansas City Royals | |
| Center fielder | |
| Born: February 13, 2001 Bristol, Tennessee, U.S. | |
Bats: Left Throws: Left | |
| Stats at Baseball ReferenceLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Managerial record at Baseball ReferenceLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
Gavin James Cross (born February 13, 2001) is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Kansas City Royals organization. He played college baseball for the Virginia Tech Hokies.
Amateur career
[edit | edit source]Cross attended Tennessee High School in Bristol, Tennessee.[1] As a junior in 2018, he hit 12 home runs alongside stealing forty bases, a Tennessee state record.[2] After graduating in 2019, he enrolled at Virginia Tech to play college baseball for the Virginia Tech Hokies.
As a freshman in 2020, Cross started 16 games in which he batted .369 before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] He briefly played in the Coastal Plain League with the Peninsula Pilots that summer.[4][5] In 2021, as a redshirt freshman, he hit for the cycle during a game on April 6 versus East Tennessee State University, going 4 for 6 with seven RBIs and a grand slam.[6] Over 51 starts for the season, Cross slashed .345/.415/.621 with 11 home runs and 35 RBIs.[7] He was named to the All-ACC First-Team, making him the first ever Hokie freshman to earn the honor.[8] After the season's end, he was named to the USA Baseball National Collegiate Team.[9] He batted .431 with four home runs and 14 RBIs with Team USA.[10] He also played in seven games for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[11][12] Cross entered the 2022 season as a top prospect for the upcoming draft.[13][14] He appeared in 57 games for the season, slashing .328/.411/.660 with 17 home runs, fifty RBIs, and 12 stolen bases.[15] Following the season's end, he traveled to San Diego where he participated in the Draft Combine.[16]
Professional career
[edit | edit source]The Kansas City Royals selected Cross in the first round with the ninth overall selection of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.[17] He signed with the Royals, receiving a $5,202,900 signing bonus, the full slot value for the ninth pick.[18]
Cross made his professional debut with the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League Royals and was promoted to the Columbia Fireflies of the Single-A Carolina League after three games.[19][20] Over 29 games between both teams, he slashed .312/.437/.633 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs.[21] Cross was assigned to the Quad Cities River Bandits of the High-A Midwest League to open the 2023 season.[22] In early August, he was promoted to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals of the Double-A Texas League.[23] In mid-August, he was placed on the injured list, ending his season.[24] Over 96 games, he batted .203 with 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases.[25] After the season, he was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Surprise Saguaros.[26] Cross was assigned to Northwest Arkansas for the 2024 season.[27] Over 101 games, he batted .261 with 15 home runs, 59 RBIs, and thirty stolen bases and was named the Naturals Player of the Year.[28] Cross returned to Northwest Arkansas for the 2025 season.[29] Over 114 games, he hit .241 with 17 home runs, 64 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases.[30]
Personal life
[edit | edit source]Cross's father, Adam, played three seasons in the minor leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres organizations.[31]
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Arizona Complex League Royals players
- Baseball outfielders
- Baseball players from Tennessee
- Brewster Whitecaps players
- Columbia Fireflies players
- Northwest Arkansas Naturals players
- People from Bristol, Tennessee
- Quad Cities River Bandits players
- Surprise Saguaros players
- United States national baseball team players
- Virginia Tech Hokies baseball players
- 21st-century American sportsmen