ST. GEORGE — Former Utah Tech baseball player Logan Porter received the call that he has waited for all of his life Sunday afternoon. Porter became the fourth Trailblazer in school history to be promoted to Major League Baseball when the Kansas City Royals added him to their 28-man roster.
Porter was in uniform on Monday night, ready to play for the Royals in Chicago against the White Sox. But the game was rained out, prompting a double-header to be scheduled for Tuesday. But according to mlb.com, this might work in Porter’s favor.
On Monday afternoon, the Royals promoted catcher Logan Porter to the big leagues, adding him to the 40-man roster while designating catcher Tyler Cropley for assignment. Porter could likely see his big league debut come in Tuesday’s doubleheader in whichever game catcher Salvador Perez isn’t behind the plate.
Porter, who played two seasons at then-Dixie State in 2017 and 2018, signed with the Royals as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He was elevated to Triple-A Omaha late in the 2022 season and was again assigned to Omaha out of spring training earlier this year.
In 110 games at Triple-A this season at both catcher and first base, Porter batted .235 (88-for-379) with 16 doubles, 13 home runs, 48 RBI and 52 runs scored. In 82 games behind the plate, he posted a .992 fielding percentage and threw out 19-of-99 potential base stealers.
“We are so proud of Logan – this is a sign of his commitment, his resilience, and his work ethic to stick with it and continue to grow into the baseball player he has become,” Utah Tech head coach Chris Pfatenhauer said. “He has been outstanding at the collegiate level and at every level of the minor leagues, and there is no reason why that shouldn’t stay true with this next adventure.”
In his two seasons as a Trailblazer, Porter batted a combined .347 with 33 career doubles, 16 home runs and 112 RBI. In his debut season in 2017, he broke the school’s single-season RBI record with 72. That season Porter hit .376 (70-for-186) and led the team in doubles (18), homers (10), walks (33), slugging percentage (.634) and on-base percentage (.485) on his way to third team all-Pacific West Conference honors.
Porter is still Utah Tech’s career leader in both OB% (.483) and hit-by-pitch (27) and is ranked in the top-10 all-time in program history in batting (5th – .347), SLG% (5th – .580), doubles (8th – 33) and RBI (9th – 112).
Porter is the first position player from the program to be promoted to a Major League roster. Three other pitchers from the university’s junior college era also reached the pinnacle of professional baseball:
- Former longtime major league pitcher Brandon Lyon (1999), who pitched for six different clubs over 13 seasons (2001-13).
- Former St. Louis (2005-09) and Royals (2010) hurler and current Cardinals broadcaster Brad Thompson (2002).
- Former MLB All-Star pitcher Brandon Kintzler (2004), who was named an all-star while with the Minnesota Twins in 2017, and who played for six teams over his 11-year Major League career (2010-21).
On X, formerly Twitter, the news appeared as shown below.
Logan Porter is headed on 🆙 to join the @Royals!@realporterpotty‘s contract has been selected by Kansas City and he’s going to The Show!#ChasingRoyalty pic.twitter.com/gBcJAUUnSg
— Omaha Storm Chasers (@OMAStormChasers) September 11, 2023