Former South Carolina outfielder Carlos Cortes finished up a strong rookie season with the Athletics on Sunday. Cortes last played for the Gamecocks in 2018 and reached Major League Baseball this season after eight years in the minor leagues.
The 28-year-old rookie outfielder debuted on July 23 against the Texas Rangers in Arlington and immediately hit the ground running.
In Cortes’ rookie season, he finished with a .309 batting average, four home runs, 14 runs batted in and an .866 on-base plus slugging percentage in 99 plate appearances. His batting average and slugging percentage both ranked third among all Athletics hitters with at least 50 plate appearances from his debut on.
Prior to Cortes’ debut, the Athletics were 42-61. From his debut on, the team recorded a winning record at 34-25. That’s a 168-point difference in winning percentage. Cortes's impact is evident, and he's expressed that he's just happy to get the opportunity to play on the big league squad.
“I’m just super grateful to be here,” Cortes said. “Any chance I get out there, I want to help the team win.”
A September to remember
In September, Cortes elevated his performance at the plate. In 16 games, he recorded a 1.067 OPS, good for 7th in all of baseball among hitters who recorded at least 30 plate appearances during September.
All four of Cortes’ home runs came during a four-game span from Sept. 6 through Sept. 13. Cortes became just the second hitter since the Athletics moved to Oakland to record four home runs and a 2.500 OPS in a four-game span, joining five-time World Series champion and MLB Hall-of-famer Reggie Jackson.
The highlight of Cortes’ season was his two homer performance on Sept. 12, helping the Athletics beat the Cincinnati Reds in a 3-0 victory.
“Great night for Carlos,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. "This kid comes prepared every day. He doesn’t get a ton of opportunities … but the at bats have always been consistent.”
University of South Carolina career
Cortes played for the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team in 2017 and 2018. During his 2017 freshman season, he hit .286 with 12 home runs, 41 RBIs and a .933 OPS in 50 games. Cortes made the 2017 SEC All-Freshman Team, as well as the 2017 SEC All-Tournament Team. That year, the Gamecocks went 35-25 overall and 13-17 in conference play, missing the NCAA tournament altogether.
Prior to Cortes’ sophomore campaign in 2018, he was named to the 2018 Preseason All-SEC second team. After a slow start to the 2018 season for Cortes, head coach Mark Kingston still spoke highly of him.
"The fact that he was just as excited on the home runs and the big hits, to me that shows what he’s all about. And that’s why he’s a big time player,” Kingston said.
He turned it around as the season went on and finished the 2018 season with a .265 batting average, 15 home runs, 44 RBIs and an .885 OPS in 62 games.
The Gamecocks went 37-26 overall and 17-13 in conference play and played in the Greenville Regional as the No. 2 seed. South Carolina swept the regional in three games, and Cortes made the Greenville Regional All-Tournament team. His career at South Carolina ended after losing to the Arkansas Razorbacks in three games in the Fayetteville Super Regional.
Road to the big leagues
Cortes was drafted by the New York Mets in the 20th round of the 2016 MLB draft, but elected to play at the University of South Carolina instead. After two years in Columbia, he was drafted again by the Mets, this time in the third round of the 2018 MLB draft.
Cortes slowly worked his way through the Mets' minor league system. He also spent time playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League and Australian Baseball League. By 2022, he reached the triple-A Syracuse Mets.
Cortes played in Syracuse for three seasons from 2022-2024 but struggled to stand out, never hitting over .250 in a single season. After the 2024 season, Cortes elected free agency and signed a minor league contract with the Athletics.
He immediately shined for the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. In 71 games, he hit 17 home runs, drove in 77 runs and recorded a 1.017 OPS. His play in Las Vegas earned him the call to the big leagues.
Cortes earned his first start in the big leagues on July 24 in a 5-2 Athletics victory over the Houston Astros. He drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly in the 2nd inning and later recorded his first career hit to help the Athletics get the win.
“It was just a blessing to see my name in the lineup,” Cortes said.
A unique player
On Aug. 10 against the Orioles, Cortes switched from right field to third base in the ninth inning. Not only did he switch positions, but he also switched from a left-handed to a right-handed glove.
The only player in recorded MLB history to throw ambidextrously was relief pitcher Pat Venditte, who pitched for six teams during his five-year career. The most notable current pitcher to do this, however, is Seattle Mariners prospect and 15th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, Jurrangelo Cijntje.
Although Venditte and Cijntje throw with both hands on the mound, Cortes is the first position player in MLB history to pull off this feat.
Cortes’s frame as a 5-foot-7 outfielder is somewhat of an anomaly as well. He is only the eighth player in the 21st century to play at least 90% of games in a season in the outfield at 5-foot-7 or shorter. Among outfielders who meet those qualifications, Cortes is the first to finish with a slugging percentage over .540 since MLB integrated in 1947.
Cortes is one of five current Gamecocks in Major League Baseball, along with Astros first baseman Christian Walker, Yankees right-handed pitcher Clarke Schmidt, Brewers left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery and Pirates right-handed pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski.
From a young 20-year-old at South Carolina to a 28-year-old rookie with the Athletics, Cortes took a long path to the big leagues. After a strong rookie season, he has the opportunity to prove himself further in 2026 on an up-and-coming Athletics club.