Kolten Kaha Wong (born October 10, 1990) 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 ...
second baseman
In baseball and softball, second baseman, abbreviated 2B, is a fielding position in the Infielder, infield, between Baseball field#Second base, second and Baseball field#First base, first base. The second baseman often possesses quick hands and f ...
who played 11 seasons 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
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
,
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
,
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
, and
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
. He made his MLB debut in 2013. Wong bats left-handed and throws right-handed.
From
Hilo, Hawaii
Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
, Wong starred in baseball at
Kamehameha Hawaii High School and for the
University of Hawaii at Manoa
A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...
. The St. Louis Cardinals selected Wong in the first round of the
2011 Major League Baseball draft, and promoted him to the major leagues two years later. He was named the
National League Rookie of the Month for May 2014. Wong was the Cardinals' starting second baseman for the majority of his tenure with the team, and won two Gold Gloves and three Fielding Bible Awards with the club. During the 2020 offseason, the Cardinals declined Wong's player option for the 2021 season, making him a free agent for the first time in his career. He then signed with Milwaukee, with whom he played two seasons, before he was traded to the Mariners following the 2022 season.
Early life
Kolten Wong is the son of Kolen "Kaha" Wong, of Asian descent, who played
college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...
at the
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...
(USC), and spent two years in the minor leagues with the
Reno Silver Sox in Class-A
and Keala Wong, a Caucasian American. Despite
batting .280 in 157 games, the elder Wong returned home to
Hilo, Hawaii
Hilo () is the largest settlement in and the county seat of Hawaii County, Hawaiʻi, United States, which encompasses the Island of Hawaiʻi, and is a census-designated place (CDP). The population was 44,186 according to the 2020 census. I ...
, to raise his family.
[ He rose to prominence as a baseball coach in ]Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
.[ Instead of pursuing a steady career, he took whatever jobs would afford him the most time to teach Kolten the game and about working out, which he emphasized on a daily basis. In time, Kolten Wong befriended ]mixed martial artist
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...
and Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts (MMA) promoter (entertainment), promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is owned and operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority owned subsidiary of Endeavor ( ...
star B. J. Penn, whose father, Jay Dee Penn, correspondingly befriended Kaha Wong. The Penn’s ran a gym
A gym, short for gymnasium (: gymnasiums or gymnasia), is an indoor venue for exercise and sports. The word is derived from the ancient Greek term " gymnasion". They are commonly found in athletic and fitness centres, and as activity and learn ...
which allowed Kaha Wong to train children how to swing a bat.[
To train as a baseball player, Wong spent two hours daily cutting trees with an ]axe
An axe (; sometimes spelled ax in American English; American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for thousands of years to shape, split, a ...
to improve his strength, and daily sessions in a batting cage. He participated in the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Maryland where he led his team, Pacific Southwest, to the championship. He also played in the 2007 Senior League Baseball World Series, with his team from Hilo American Little League. His younger brother, Kean, played in the Junior Little League World Series
The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children (primarily boys) aged 10 to 12 years old, held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for th ...
.[
]
High school and college career
Wong was a two-sport star at Kamehameha Schools Hawaii in Keaau, Hawaii, playing baseball and football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
. As a baseball standout, Wong batted .600 during his senior year and was named a co-winner for the 2008 Hawaii Baseball Player of the Year honor. Wong was a top scholar as well.
The Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
drafted him in the 16th round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. A scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
** Scouts BSA, sect ...
from the Twins presented Wong with a $75,000 contract offer, which he refused, stating that "after taxes, it's not even that much".[ Wong chose not to sign, opting to attend the ]University of Hawaii
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
, where he played college baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...
for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.
In a game against Loyola Marymount
Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a private Jesuit and Marymount research university in Los Angeles, California. LMU enrolls over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, making it the largest Catholic university on the west coast of the ...
in his freshman year, he hit three home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
s (HR). The Rainbow Warriors won a Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference (WAC) is an NCAA Division I conference. The WAC covers a broad expanse of the Western United States with member institutions located in Arizona, California, Texas, Utah and Washington (state), Washington.
Due to ...
(WAC) tournament in his sophomore year and a regular season championship. Against Louisiana Tech in the WAC tournament, he hit the game-tying and game-winning home runs. Wong was a three-time first-team All-WAC selection.
As a freshman, he played center field and batted .341 with 11 HR. During his sophomore year, he hit .357 with a .534 slugging percentage
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at-bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at-bats for a given player, an ...
(SLG), .436 on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batting (baseball), batter reaches base (baseball), base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA ...
(OBP), 19 stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base unaided by other actions and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or out ...
s and 40 runs batted in
A run batted in or runs batted in (RBI) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if th ...
(RBIs).[ Playing for the ]Orleans Firebirds
The Orleans Firebirds, formerly the Orleans Cardinals, are a collegiate summer baseball team based in Orleans, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) and plays in the league's East Division. The Firebirds play ...
of 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 ...
(CCBL) in 2010, he was named a CCBL All-Star and the Pat Sorenti Most Valuable Player. His batting average (.341) ranked him third in the CCBL that summer, his slugging (.452) was fourth, OBP (.426) second, and stolen bases (22) second, while making just four errors in 145 chances for a .972 fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...
.[ Wong was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2016.
During his junior year at Hawaii, Wong led the team in batting average at .378 and was fourth in the WAC; he also finished fourth in the WAC in SLG (.560) and third in OBP at .492. Other totals included 48 runs scored, 11 doubles, seven home runs, 23 stolen bases, and 42 ]bases on balls
A base on balls (BB), better known as a walk,
occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches during a plate appearance that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The bas ...
.[ Wong was named a '']Baseball America
''Baseball America'' (BA) is a sports publication company that covers baseball at every level, including Major League Baseball (MLB), with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) college, high school, and inte ...
'' All-America
The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...
n in 2011. He finished his college career with a .358 batting average (245 hits in 684 at-bats), 47 doubles, 25 home runs, 145 RBIs, a .563 SLG and .449 OBP. He stole 53 bases in 71 attempts.
The University of Hawaii baseball program retired Wong's jersey number, 14, in 2017.
Professional career
St. Louis Cardinals
2011−2013
Eligible for the amateur draft after his junior season at Hawaii, the Cardinals selected Wong in the first round, with the 22nd overall selection, of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft. According to MLB.com, he was the #4-ranked prospect in the Cardinals organization. He made his professional debut that season with the Quad Cities River Bandits of the Single–A Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Minor League Baseball league established in 1947 and based in the Midwestern United States. A Class A league for most of its history, the league was promoted to High-A as part of Major League Baseball's 2021 reorganizat ...
. In 47 games, he batted .335 with 15 doubles, five home runs, 25 RBIs, and nine stolen bases.
After earning a promotion to the Springfield Cardinals of the Double–A Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
in 2012, Wong batted .287 with 52 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. He was selected for the 2012 All-Star Futures Game. Wong finished the year playing in the Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...
(AFL), where he batted .324 with 12 RBIs and five stolen bases. He was selected for the AFL "Top Prospect" team for second base after the season concluded.
The Cardinals promoted Wong to the Memphis Redbirds of the Triple–A 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 ...
in , where he spent most of the year. Putting together a 20-game hitting streak
In baseball, a hitting streak is the number of consecutive official games in which a player appears and gets at least one base hit. According to the Official Baseball Rules, such a streak is not necessarily ended when a player has at least 1 pl ...
in May, Wong collected 30 hits in 70 at bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens upon completion of his turn at bat, ...
s (AB). He also had 10 multi-hit games during that streak. His totals at Memphis included a .303 batting average with 10 home runs, 45 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 107 games, before the Cardinals called him up to the Major Leagues on August 16. He participated in his second All-Star Futures Game in July. He appeared in 32 MLB games, collecting nine hits in 59 AB with one double for a .153 batting average. In December, the Cardinals named him their Minor League Player of the Year for 2013.[
]Manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...
Mike Matheny named Wong to the 2013 Cardinals' postseason roster. He played in seven total games between the National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determines which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
(NLDS), National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the winners of the two Natio ...
(NLCS) and World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
. He made his World Series debut in Game 3 against the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...
as a defensive substitution and collected a hit in the bottom of the eighth inning in his only Series plate appearance. Wong also appeared in Game 4 when Matheny inserted him as a pinch runner
In baseball or softball, a pinch runner is a player substituted into a game for the purpose of base running.
Description
A pinch runner may be faster or otherwise more skilled at base running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been s ...
in the ninth inning. However, Boston closer Koji Uehara picked him off first base for the final out of the game, the only occasion in which a World Series game ended on a pickoff play. Boston won the game, 4–2, and went on to win the Series, 4–2.
2014
Wong became the de facto starter out of spring training for 2014
The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...
. The Cardinals had traded third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the Baseball scorekeep ...
David Freese, and second baseman Matt Carpenter had been moved to third base. The Cardinals signed veteran free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
Mark Ellis to provide insurance and guidance for him. Wong struggled early, batting .225 in April, and was demoted to Memphis. He returned to the MLB club in May after hitting .344 with two homers, five steals, and an .867 on-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging (OPS) is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player both to get on base and to hit for power, two important offensive skills, are ...
(OPS) in 15 games, and also developed a modified swing.
Batting .333 with the Cardinals in May, Wong recorded the highest average for rookies with a minimum of 40 plate appearances. He also made no defensive errors. Wong's plus-7 defensive runs saved led NL second basemen despite spending time in the minor leagues. He was therefore named the National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
Rookie of the Month.[ On June 3, he hit his first career MLB home run, a grand slam against the Royals ace James Shields. But when he reaggravated a shoulder injury sustained earlier in the month, the Cardinals placed Wong on the 15-day ]disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 Major League Baseball season, 2019 season, it was known as the disabl ...
(DL) on June 21. After returning from the DL, Wong hit a double to tie the score 2–2 in the second inning of a July 8 contest against 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 ...
. With the score tied 4–4 in the bottom of the ninth of that game, he hit his first walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. For a home run to end the game, it must be hit in the bottom of the final inning and generate enough runs to exceed the opponent's score. Because the opponent will not have an opp ...
off Ernesto Frieri. In a seven-game span beginning with a return from that DL stint and ending with the beginning of the All-Star break, he hit five home runs.
After enduring three games with three strikeouts each in a previous eight-game period, Wong finished a triple short of the cycle in an August 2 game against division rival Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
. His first career multi-home run game came five days later in a 3-for-4 performance with two home runs against the Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ch ...
. Against the 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 ...
on August 10, he notched his second career four-hit game in an 8–3 victory. He batted .254 after being recalled from Memphis, including a .315 average against left-handed pitching.[ Wong started 100 games at second base, finishing with a .249 batting average, 12 home runs, 54 RBI, 42 runs scored and led the club with 20 stolen bases.
The Cardinals won the ]National League Central
The National League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the National League West (the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros) and three teams from the National Le ...
Division. In Game 3 of the NLDS versus the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, his seventh-inning, two-run homer broke a tie and provided the final margin in the Cardinals' 3–1 victory. In Game 2 of the NLCS
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a Playoff format#Best-of-seven playoff, best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Major League Baseball po ...
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 ...
on October 12, Wong hit his second career MLB walk-off home run, a solo shot that secured a 1–1 tie in the series for the Cardinals. This was the fourth postseason walk-off home run in franchise history, following Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl Smith (born December 26, 1954) is an American former professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz", Smith played shortstop for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball, winning the National ...
( 1985 NLCS), Jim Edmonds ( 2004 NLCS), and Freese (2011 World Series
The 2011 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2011 Major League Baseball season, 2011 season. The 107th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American Le ...
). In MLB postseason history, Wong became the third second baseman to accomplish the walk-off feat, after Bill Mazeroski
William Stanley Mazeroski (born September 5, 1936), nicknamed "Maz" and "the Glove", is an American former second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1956 to 1972. A seven-time All- ...
(1960 World Series
The 1960 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1960 Major League Baseball season, 1960 season. The 57th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff that matched the National Leag ...
) and Jeff Kent
Jeffrey Franklin Kent (born March 7, 1968) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1992 to 2008 for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, San Franci ...
(2004 NLCS). For the 2014 postseason, Wong appeared in eight games, hitting three home runs and three doubles. He finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year Award voting.
2015−2020
Wong contributed to the Cardinals' early success in 2015
2015 was designated by the United Nations as:
* International Year of Light
* International Year of Soil __TOC__
Events
January
* January 1 – Lithuania officially adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas, and becomes ...
. On April 22 against the Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. They play their home games at Na ...
, he had three hits – including a home run – and fielded would-be base hits from Yunel Escobar and Wilson Ramos (fifth and sixth inning
In baseball, softball, and similar games, an inning is the basic unit of play, consisting of two halves or frames, the "top" (first half) and the "bottom" (second half). In each half, one team bats until three outs are made, with the other tea ...
s) on the third base side of second, and turned and threw both out. He hit his second career regular-season walk-off home run against Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
on May 3 in the 14th inning for a 3–2 decision. During an eight-game hitting streak through May 10, he batted .517 (15-for-29) with two home runs. For the season, he batted .262 with 28 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs, and 71 runs scored.
On March 2, 2016
2016 was designated as:
* International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly.
* International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
, Wong agreed to a five-year extension with the Cardinals worth $25.5 million, with $12.5 million team option for 2021. He struggled early, batting .222 with a .571 OPS through June 5, and the Cardinals demoted him to Memphis the next day. With Memphis, Wong began to gain experience as a center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ...
. In his debut with Memphis, he hit two home runs, including a grand slam, in an 8−5 win over Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census, a 15.02% increase since 2010. Colorado Springs is the second-most populous c ...
. The Cardinals recalled Wong on June 17. His ninth-inning, RBI double in the July 27 game against 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 ...
drove in the game-winning run for a 5−4 final score, where Jeurys Familia’s consecutive-saves streak had ended one batter earlier to Yadier Molina
Yadier Benjamín Molina (; born July 13, 1982) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball Manager (baseball), manager and former catcher who is the manager of the Águilas Cibaeñas of the Dominican Professional Baseball League. He played his entir ...
at 52, the third-longest in major league history. Wong finished 2016 with a .240 batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
, five home runs, 23 RBIs, and a .682 OPS.
In 2017, Wong bounced back strong despite playing in only 108 games. He hit .285 with four home runs and 42 RBIs along with walking a career high 41 times.
On May 5, 2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
, Wong hit a walk-off home run against 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 ...
reliever Luke Farrell in the bottom of the ninth inning. His 2-run home run helped St. Louis to an 8–6 victory. On June 2, Wong hit a walk-off home run versus Richard Rodríguez of 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 ...
for a 3–2 win. It was Wong's fourth career walk-off home run. Wong finished his 2018 campaign batting .249 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs along with tallying 19 Defensive Runs Saved in 127 games. Wong was nominated for a Gold Glove
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as simply the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball (MLB) players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances. It is awarded at each fieldin ...
, his first ever nomination, but fell short to DJ LeMahieu
David John LeMahieu (; born July 13, 1988) is an American professional baseball infielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Chicago Cubs and Colorado Rockies.
The Cubs selected LeMah ...
.
On March 28, 2019
This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year.
Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
, Wong hit a two-run home run in his first at bat of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
, and hit another later in the game. Wong finished his 2019 regular season slashing .285/.361/.423 with 11 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 24 stolen bases over 148 games. He led the major leagues in bunt hits (11). On defense, he had a 14 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) rating, the best in the major leagues among second basemen. He was nominated for a Gold Glove for the second straight season, and won the award for the first time in his career.
In a shortened 2020 season, Wong batted .265/.350/.326 with one home run and 16 RBIs over 53 games with a .989 fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a baseball positions, defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putout ...
.[ He was awarded his second consecutive Gold Glove after leading major league second basemen in defense runs saved, defensive WAR, double plays turned, and double plays started. The Cardinals declined his team option for 2021, thus making him a free agent for the first time in his career.
]
Milwaukee Brewers (2021–2022)
On February 5, 2021, Wong signed a two-year, $18 million contract with the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...
. The contract included a club option for the 2023 season. He hit .272 with 14 homers and 50 RBI that season in 116 games[ and .251 in 134 games with 15 homers and 47 RBI in 2022.][
On November 8, 2022, the Brewers exercised Wong's $10 million option for the 2023 season.
]
Seattle Mariners (2023)
On December 2, 2022, the Brewers traded Wong to the Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
for Abraham Toro and Jesse Winker. Wong opened the season in a platoon
A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...
at second base, but struggled and began to lose playing time to José Caballero by May. Wong batted .165 with two home runs and 19 RBI in 67 games for the Mariners before he was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...
on August 1. He was released by Seattle on August 3.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2023)
On August 18, 2023, Wong signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
organization. After playing in five games split between the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Dodgers and Triple–A Oklahoma City Dodgers
The Oklahoma City Comets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their ho ...
, he was added to the 40-man roster
A Major League Baseball roster is a list of players who are allowed, by league agreement, to play for a Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Each MLB team maintains two rosters: an active roster of players eligible to participate in an MLB game, an ...
and called up to the majors on September 1. In his debut at bat with the Dodgers, he hit a 3-run home run. He played in 20 games for the Dodgers, batting .300 (nine hits in 30 at-bats) with two homers and eight RBI.[ He became a free agent following the season.
]
Arizona Diamondbacks
On February 28, 2024, Wong signed a minor league contract with the 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 ...
. On March 22, he triggered the opt–out clause in his contract and Baltimore released him two days later.
On April 10, 2024, Wong signed a minor league contract with 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 ...
. In 31 games for the Triple–A Reno Aces, he batted .271/.339/.383 with two home runs and 16 RBI. Wong was released by the Diamondbacks organization on May 27.
Wong announced his retirement from professional baseball on May 16, 2025.
Awards
Personal life
Wong grew up an Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
fan. His brother, Kean, was also an MLB second baseman. They have a sister, Kiani, who is a softball
Softball is a Variations of baseball, variation of baseball, the difference being that it is played with a larger ball, on a smaller field, and with only underhand pitches (where the ball is released while the hand is primarily below the ball) ...
player at Hawaii. On December 19, 2013, Wong's mother, Keala, died from cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
.
Wong is of Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands.
Hawaiʻi was set ...
, Chinese, Filipino, and Portuguese descent. Wong's paternal great-grandparents were Chinese.
In November 2015, Wong married Alissa Noll. They met while both attending the University of Hawaii, where she was a track and field
Track and field (or athletics in British English) is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name used in North America is derived from where the sport takes place, a ru ...
athlete. They reside in Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu ( ; ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, located in the Pacific Ocean. It is the county seat of the Consolidated city-county, consolidated City and County of Honol ...
during the offseason, and also owned a home in Creve Coeur, Missouri
Creve Coeur is a city located in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States, a part of Greater St. Louis. Its population was 18,834 at the 2020 census. Creve Coeur borders and shares a ZIP code (63141) with the neighboring city of Town and Co ...
, but sold it after Wong signed with Milwaukee. In March 2021, Wong announced they were expecting their first child. Their son was born that September.
Wong began fundraising to help families impacted by the 2018 lower Puna eruption in May 2018 by creating a GoFundMe
GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the ...
page that has raised over $58,000.
See also
* List of University of Hawaii alumni
* St. Louis Cardinals award winners and league leaders
Notes
Although the 1926 World Series between the Cardinals and the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...
ended on the base path, it was on a stolen base attempt by Babe Ruth
George Herman "Babe" Ruth (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional Baseball in the United States, baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nickna ...
, not a pickoff.
References
External links
*
*
Facebook Fan Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wong, Kolten
1990 births
Living people
All-American college baseball players
American baseball players of Chinese descent
American baseball players of Filipino descent
American people of Native Hawaiian descent
Arizona Complex League Dodgers players
Baseball players from Hawaii
Gold Glove Award winners
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors baseball players
Hawaii people of Chinese descent
Hawaii people of Portuguese descent
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball second basemen
Major League Baseball shortstops
Memphis Redbirds players
Milwaukee Brewers players
Native Hawaiian sportspeople
Oklahoma City Dodgers players
Orleans Firebirds players
Sportspeople from Hilo, Hawaii
Quad Cities River Bandits players
Reno Aces players
Seattle Mariners players
Springfield Cardinals players
St. Louis Cardinals players
Surprise Saguaros players