Jacob Quirin Fox (born July 20, 1982) is an American former professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

utility player In sports, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently. Sports in which the term is often used include association football, basketball, American football, baseball, rugby union, rugby league, softball, ice hockey, and water ...

. He played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

and

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

, and in the

KBO League The KBO League () is a professional baseball league in South Korea. The league comprises ten teams. The KBO League was founded with six franchises in 1982 and is the most popular sports league in South Korea. The Kia Tigers are the most success ...

for the

Hanwha Eagles The Hanwha Eagles () are a South Korean professional baseball team based in Daejeon that competes in the KBO League. The Eagles' home ballpark is Daejeon Hanwha Life Ballpark. They have won the Korean Series once, in 1999, and the league penn ...

Early years

Fox is a graduate of Cathedral High School and went on to attend the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

where he earned first-team all-Big Ten conference honors. In 2002, he played

collegiate summer baseball Collegiate summer baseball leagues are amateur baseball leagues in the United States and Canada featuring players who have attended at least one year of college and have at least one year of athletic eligibility remaining. Generally, they operat ...

in the

Cape Cod Baseball League The Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL or Cape League) is a collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league located on Cape Cod in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. One of the nation's premier collegiate summer leagues, the league boasts over 1,000 forme ...

for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox.

Professional career

Chicago Cubs

Fox was drafted as a

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...

by the Chicago Cubs in the third round (73rd overall) of the

2003 Major League Baseball draft The 2003 Major League Baseball draft, was held on June 3 and 4. It was conducted via conference call with representatives from each of the league's 30 teams. ''Source:MLB.com 2003 Draft Tracker' First round selections Supplemental first r ...

. From 2003 to , he spent parts of each season in Single-A ball for the

Lansing Lugnuts The Lansing Lugnuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Midwest League and the High-A affiliate of the Athletics (baseball), Athletics. They are located in Lansing, Michigan, and play their home games at Jackson Field (Lansing), Jackson Fie ...

and the

Daytona Cubs Daytona may refer to: Locations * Daytona Beach, Florida * Daytona Beach Shores, Florida * South Daytona, Florida * The Daytona Beach metropolitan area * Halifax area, also known as Daytona, the region around Daytona Beach Motor racing * Day ...

, before moving on to Double-A in mid-2006. As a member of the Lugnuts, Fox was given the opportunity to catch for then-Cubs pitcher Mark Prior, who was on a rehab assignment. He was ecstatic to catch for Prior, and even invited his family members to attend the game. However, upon arriving at the club house, he found out that Paul Bako was actually slated to catch the game. Fox approached his manager, Julio Garcia, who claimed that Fox was not experienced enough to catch a Major League pitcher like Prior. Garcia then revealed that the team was playing a

practical joke A practical joke or prank is a trick played on people, generally causing the victim to experience embarrassment, perplexity, confusion, or discomfort.Marsh, Moira. 2015. ''Practically Joking''. Logan: Utah State University Press. The perpetrat ...

on Fox, and that he would actually be in the team's lineup. On July 19, 2007, Fox was called up from Double-A

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

to the major leagues after

shortstop Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball positions, baseball or softball fielding position between second base, second and third base, which is considered to be among the Defensive spectrum, most demanding defensive positions. Historically, the ...

César Izturis César David Izturis (; born February 10, 1980) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball shortstop. He played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. L ...

was traded to the

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

. Fox was called up with the intent that he would play

first base A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

outfield The outfield, in cricket, baseball and softball is the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield. In association football, the outfield players are positioned outside the goal area. In bat and ball games ...

, and be the third catcher. He made his major league debut on July 19, 2007, against the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

in a pinch hitting role and grounded into a double play. He had his first career hit on August 15 against

Phil Dumatrait Phillip Anthony Dumatrait (born July 12, 1981) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Minnesota Twins, and in the KBO League for the LG Twins. ...

of the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...

, a double. Fox hit his first career home run on June 25, 2009 against

Armando Galarraga Armando Antonio Galarraga Barreto (born January 15, 1982) is a Venezuelan former professional baseball pitcher. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Texas Rangers (baseball), Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007. He was ...

of the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

. On August 29, 2009, Fox hit his first career grand slam against Bobby Parnell of the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...

. In Triple-A with the Iowa Cubs in 2009, Fox had a breakout year. He was batting .423 and had hit 17 home runs and 50 RBIs by June 1, 2009, and was leading the PCL in both of these categories along with RBI, slugging percentage, and OPS. He was recalled to the Cubs on May 27, 2009. Fox was optioned back to Triple-A Iowa on June 10, 2009, and was recalled to the Chicago Cubs again on June 16. He achieved success as a part-time utility player, capable of filling in at corner outfield and infield positions, as well as catcher.

Oakland Athletics

On December 3, 2009, the

acquired Fox along with Aaron Miles, from the

for Jeff Gray, Matt Spencer and Ronny Morla.

Baltimore Orioles

On June 22, 2010, Fox was traded to the

for Ross Wolf and cash considerations. In Spring Training in 2011, he led the major leagues in home runs, with 10, and extra base hits, with 17. He was designated for assignment on June 1, and elected free agency on November 2.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The

signed Fox to a minor league contract in November 2011, and released him in June 2012.

Somerset Patriots

On July 13, 2012, Fox signed with the

Somerset Patriots The Somerset Patriots are an American professional Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team based in Bridgewater, New Jersey. They are the Double-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. They compete in the Eastern League (EL), known as the Double-A Nort ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

. In 21 games he hit a fantastic .388/.433/.750 with 7 home runs and 20 RBIs.

Philadelphia Phillies

On August 5, 2012, the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

signed Fox to a minor league contract.

Somerset Patriots (second stint)

On March 6, 2013, Fox signed with the

of the

. He hit .310/.387/.572 with 25 home runs in 374 at bats.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On August 11, 2013, the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

signed Fox to a minor league deal.

Vaqueros Laguna

Fox spent the 2013–14

Mexican Pacific League The Mexican Pacific League (, or LMP), also known as the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons, is a professional baseball Winter league baseball, winter league based in Northwestern Mexico. The league comprises 10 teams. It wa ...

season with the Cañeros de Los Mochis, before signing with the

Mexican League The Mexican Baseball League (, or LMB, ) is a professional baseball league in Mexico. It is the oldest running professional sports league in the country. The league has 20 teams organized in two divisions, North and South. Teams play 114 games ...

Vaqueros Laguna The ''vaquero'' (; , ) is a horse-mounted livestock herder of a tradition that has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula and extensively developed in what what is today Mexico (then New Spain) and Spanish Florida from a method brought to the Americ ...

on February 7, 2014. In 57 games he hit .307/.397/.605 with 16 home runs and 46 RBIs.

Philadelphia Phillies (second stint)

On June 12, 2014, Fox was traded to the

Toronto Blue Jays

Fox signed a minor league contract with the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

on December 12, 2014, that included an invitation to spring training.

Hanwha Eagles

He played 29 games for the Double-A

New Hampshire Fisher Cats The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are a Minor League Baseball team based in Manchester, New Hampshire. The team, which plays in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League, is the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Ja ...

before being released in order to sign a 1-year, $120,000 contract with the

of the

Korea Baseball Organization The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO; ) is the Sport governing body, governing body for the professional leagues of baseball in South Korea. The KBO was founded in 1981 and has governed two leagues: the KBO League () and KBO Futures League ( (F ...

Philadelphia Phillies (third stint)

On January 8, 2016, the

signed Fox to a minor league contract. He played in 123 games for the Double–A

Reading Fightin Phils The Reading Fightin Phils (also called the Reading Fightins) are a Minor League Baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Northeast Division of the Eastern League. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium. The R ...

, hitting .264/.329/.494 with 23 home runs and 71 RBI. Fox elected free agency following the season on November 7. On July 29, 2017, Fox signed a minor league deal with the

. He did not appear for the organization and elected free agency following the season on November 6.

Coaching career

Fox was named as the hitting coach of the

Augusta GreenJackets The Augusta GreenJackets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Carolina League and the Single-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at SRP Park in North Augusta, South Carolina. History Augusta was a member of the S ...

for the 2019 season.

Post-baseball

After a career in Minor and Major League Baseball, Fox entered the business world with his own brand The Fox Code, a lifestyle and clothing line inspired by the lessons he learned from the sport.

Awards

Florida State League The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...

Player of the Week (5/7/06) *Florida State League Mid-Season All-Star (2006) *Topps Florida State League Player of the Month (June 2006) *Baseball America High Class A All-Star (2006) * Southern League Player of the Week (5/21/07) *Southern League Mid-Season All-Star (2007) *Southern League Player of the Week (6/23/2008) *Southern League Post-Season All-Star (2008) *

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

Player of the Week (4/20/2009) *Pacific Coast League Player of the Week (5/18/2009) * Atlantic League Player of the Year (2013) *Baseball America's Independent League All-Star Team-1st Team (2013)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fox, Jake 1982 births Living people American expatriate baseball players in Mexico American expatriate baseball players in South Korea Arizona League Cubs players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball coaches from Indiana Baseball players from Indiana Cañeros de Los Mochis players Chicago Cubs players Daytona Cubs players Estrellas Orientales players Hanwha Eagles players Indianapolis Indians players Iowa Cubs players Lansing Lugnuts players Lehigh Valley IronPigs players 21st-century American sportsmen Major League Baseball catchers Major League Baseball first basemen Major League Baseball left fielders Major League Baseball third basemen Mesa Solar Sox players Mexican League baseball first basemen Mexican League baseball left fielders Mexican League baseball third basemen Michigan Wolverines baseball players Norfolk Tides players Oakland Athletics players People from Beech Grove, Indiana Sportspeople from the Indianapolis metropolitan area Reading Fightin Phils players Reading Phillies players Reno Aces players Somerset Patriots players Tennessee Smokies players Tigres del Licey players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Vaqueros Laguna players West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx players Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox players Cathedral High School (Indianapolis) alumni