| Tristan Gray | |
| Team: | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Position: | Infielder |
| Birth Date: | 22 March 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | September 16 |
| Debutyear: | 2023 |
| Debutteam: | Tampa Bay Rays |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | 2024 season |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat1value: | .152 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 1 |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value: | 1 |
| Teams: | |
Tristan Colby Gray (born March 22, 1996) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, and Oakland Athletics.
Gray graduated from Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas in 2014. As a senior, he batted .456 with 12 doubles and 23 RBIs.[1] He was selected by the New York Mets in the 37th round of the 2014 MLB draft, but did not sign and instead chose to enroll at Rice University where he played college baseball for the Rice Owls.[2]
In 2015, as a freshman at Rice, Gray appeared in 56 games, batting .247 with three home runs and 25 RBIs.[3] As a sophomore in 2016, he missed time at the beginning of the year due to injury, but returned to slash .295/.353/.462 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 42 games.[4] After the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he played collegiate summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Falmouth Commodores, and was named a league all-star in 2016.[5] [6] [7] Gray broke out as a junior in 2017, hitting .313/.399/.540 with eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 47 games.
After his junior year, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 13th round of the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.[8] He signed and made his professional debut for the West Virginia Black Bears of the Low–A New York-Penn League,[9] where he was named an All-Star.[10] He finished the season batting .269 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 53 games.
On February 22, 2018, the Pirates traded Gray, Daniel Hudson and cash to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Corey Dickerson.[11] He spent the 2018 season with the Charlotte Stone Crabs of the High–A Florida State League, compiling a .238 batting average, 13 home runs, and 69 RBI in 118 games.[12] [13] He spent 2019 with the Montgomery Biscuits of the Double–A Southern League, slashing .225/.332/.409 with 17 home runs and 64 RBI over 122 games.[14]
Gray did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[15] For the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Durham Bulls of the Triple-A East, slashing .246/.318/.428 with eight home runs and 33 RBI over 75 games.[16] He returned to Durham for the 2022 season.[17] Over 124 games, he batted .225 with 33 home runs and 89 RBI.[18]
To open the 2023 season, he was assigned to Durham.[19] In 127 games, Gray batted .234/.309/.482 with 28 home runs and a career–high 91 RBI.[20] On September 16, 2023, Gray was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time after Taylor Walls was placed on the paternity list.[21] In two games for the Rays, he went 2–for–5 (.400) with one home run and one RBI. Following the season on November 4, Gray was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to Triple–A Durham.[22] He elected free agency on November 6.[23]
On November 16, 2023, Gray signed a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins.[24] In 34 games for the Triple–A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, he batted .227/.301/.523 with 10 home runs and 23 RBI. On May 12, 2024, the Marlins selected Gray's contract, adding him to their major league roster.[25] He went 0–for–7 in 7 games for Miami and was designated for assignment on August 26.[26]
On August 27, 2024, Gray was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics.[27] In eight games for Oakland, Gray went 3–for–21 (.143) with three walks.
On October 31, 2024, Gray was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[28]