PEORIA — San Diego Padres shortstop Mason McCoy reached a milestone Wednesday in his baseball career.
The Washington High School grad delivered his first major league hit, driving a single to right field off Minnesota Twins reliever Cole Sands in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Twins threw the ball into the Padres dugout so McCoy could have it as a keepsake.
More: ‘It really did happen’: How Washington native Mason McCoy put his MLB debut into words
Minnesota went on to an 11-4 win at Petco Park.
What to know about Mason McCoy
The Peoria-born McCoy, 29, played at Washington, Illinois Central College and Iowa. He was a four-time Journal Star all-area player and a two-time all-America selection at ICC. He turned pro after Baltimore grabbed him in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
McCoy has played 767 minor league games in seven pro seasons. He broke through for his MLB debut in 2023 with Toronto, where he played six games but had only one plate appearance.
In November, McCoy signed a free-agent minor league deal with San Diego. He spent Spring Training with the Padres, but was sent to Triple-A El Paso where he hit .260 with five home runs, 50 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 108 games before his MLB call-up.
More: Washington High grad Mason McCoy called up to MLB with Toronto Blue Jays
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Mason McCoy baseball: Washington High School grad has first MLB hit
