Editorials

Meet The Newest Kids on the Block: Andrew Toles and Rob Segedin

August 22, 2016 will be a day to remember for many people on the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team made history in their 18-9 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. They had seven home runs in their win over the Reds, just one shy of tying the Dodger record for most home runs in a game, which is currently set at eight. This was also the first time that the Dodgers have scored 18 runs in a game since 2006 after beating the Rockies 19-11.

But those weren’t the only historical moments during the Dodger’s win on Monday as two rookies, Andrew Toles and Rob Segedin, hit their first career home runs back-to-back. This was the first and only time in Dodger history this has ever happened.



For some people, this may be the first time they have ever heard the names Rob Segedin and Andrew Toles. These two Dodger rookies have made their ways up to the big leagues by two very different paths, yet, August 22, 2016 will be a day that neither of them will ever forget.

“Talented but troubled Andrew Toles” is what the LA Times newspaper referred to him as during their piece on him back in July.

The incredibly speedy, 24-year-old Dodger rookie outfielder, Toles, is a Georgia native, but he has called many different places home during the last five years of his life. Coming out of high school, the highly recruited outfielder was selected in the 4th round of the 2010 MLB draft by the Florida Marlins. But, Toles chose to attend the University of Tennessee instead.

He was dismissed from UT’s baseball program at the beginning of his sophomore year in October of 2011, following his stand-out freshman campaign, after hitting .270 with 25 RBIs, 21 stolen bases, which earned him a spot on the 2010 SEC All- Freshman team. Although we’re unsure of the exact reasons why Toles was kicked off the team at Tennessee, troubled Toles, went on to be kicked off his junior college baseball team the following year in 2012.

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Despite being dismissed from two colleges in the past two years, Toles was selected in the 2012 MLB draft by the Tampa Bay Rays in the third round just a few months later. Following his first couples of seasons in the Ray’s minor league system, Toles was named the organization’s prospect of the year in 2013, after hitting .326 with 62 steals and 57 RBIs.

The following year in 2014, Toles’s stock dropped quickly after hitting .261 with only 24 steals and 15 RBIs while also missing over three months of the season with “personal issues.” Andrew Toles was then kicked off his Single-A team in 2014 after getting into an argument with his manager in May and he was eventually released from the Ray’s organization entirely after spring training in 2015. He went on to spend the remainder of the 2015 baseball season back home in Georgia while he worked at a local grocery store to make some money.

After three weeks, Toles quickly realized that working at the grocery store wasn’t for him, and he was given, yet again, another chance to play baseball. On September 23, 2015, Toles signed a minor-league free agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ever since then, he seems to have tapped into the Andrew Toles that baseball scouts fell in love with originally. Check out this play from back in July when Toles was first called up. Speedy Toles is easily safe at home on a squeeze bunt by Maeda. Speed is something that this Dodger team currently lacks.

Just one year ago, Toles was out of baseball completely and now he finds his name listed on the Los Angeles Dodgers 40-man roster. He has earned his way all the up to the major leagues and looks to continue to help his team win games, no matter which team he is playing for that day.

But August 22, 2016, won’t be a day that Andrew Toles will ever forget. Toles got the start in right field for the Dodgers and hit his first major league home run, a 2-run shot down the right field line, against the Cincinnati Reds.

He ended the day going 2-5 with 4 RBIs as the team won 18-9. He has 17 hits in 48 ABs so far during the 19 games he has played in for the Dodgers.

“He’s dynamic, he can run, he can defend, he can hit,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told J.P. Hoornstra of the Indian Valley Daily Bulletin. “It’ll be fun to throw him out there and see what he can do.”

On Tuesday, Toles continued his success at the plate against the Giants. Although he didn’t get to start the game, Toles took advantage of his opportunity as he was called to pinch-hit in the bottom of the 6th inning. He hit a double in the right center gap to score Utley from first and give his team a 6-4 lead over the Giants.

During Toles next at-bat in the bottom of the 8th, he hit his second major league home run!

Hopefully, talented Toles, can manage to stay out of trouble and fulfill his potential as a dynamic and very important piece to this Dodger team.

The other rookie that hit his first career HR on August 22, 2016 was Rob Segedin. But this isn’t the only reason why Rob will never forget this day. Following his unforgettable day in Cincinnati, Segedin flew back to LA and raced over to the hospital to be with his wife as she was beginning to go into labor.

Although, Segedin wasn’t kicked off any of his baseball teams, he also had to overcome many obstacles in his baseball career in order to earn his spot on the Dodger’s 40-man roster.

The 27-year-old New Jersey native, Rob Segedin, was drafted in the third-round by the Yankees in 2010. But, he spent the six years floating around in their minor league system. Last year, while in the Yankees system, Segedin was demoted from Triple-A to Double-A ball and nearly decided to give up baseball completely. Then, he was acquired by the Dodgers earlier this season and he is incredibly thankful as he told J.P. Hoornstra.

Sometimes when you’re with an organization and you’re not a free agent and you’re stuck, there’s only so many opportunities you can get. I’m just thankful that the Dodgers did the trade in January. – Rob Segedin

He has spent the majority of this 2016 season in OKC and has had a great season, hitting .319 with 21 HRs and 69 RBIs. But after six years, Rob Segedin finally made his major league debut on August 7th. Not only did Rob start at third base and go 2-3 with a double, and 4 RBIs, but he also made Dodger history.

https://twitter.com/redturn2/status/762481952515428352

Now, flash forward just fifteen days later, Segedin finally hit his first major league home run. Then the very next day on Tuesday, he hit his second major league home run and welcomed his son, Robinson Marley, into the world! What a week for Rob Segedin!

Although the two rookies, Andrew Toles and Rob Segedin, may have had completely different paths to the Los Angeles Dodgers and have had to overcome many different obstacles to get to this point of their lives. Both of them will always remember the day they hit their first major league home run, back to back, on August 22, 2016. Oh, and the very next day, when they both hit their second major league home runs against the Giants! Stay hot, rookies!

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Sammy Glantz

Aspiring Sports Reporter// Current Student at UC San Diego LA Born and Raised. Sports and Frozen Yogurt Fanatic! Follow me on Twitter @SammyGlantz

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