Nathan Lukes #38

Nathan Donald Lukes...Pronounced “Lucas”...Attended Center High School in Antelope, Calif....Played at Sacramento State for three years, batting .336 over 183 games with 37 doubles, nine triples, nine home runs, 96 RBI and 27 stolen bases (.858 OPS).

2025

His .318 AVG was the sixth-highest through a player’s first 13 career postseason games in franchise history (min. 45 PA), trailing only Ernie Clement (.429), Roberto Alomar (.396), Pat Borders (.333), Tony Fernandez (.327) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (.320)...Drove in the game-winning run in the series-clinching Game 4 ALDS victory on Oct. 8 at NYY with a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning...Recorded his first career postseason hit on Oct. 4 vs. NYY, a two-run double in the seventh inning to right field...Finished fifth in the AL (min. 400 PA) in contact rate (86.1%), trailing only Steven Kwan (91.3%), Jacob Wilson (90.4%), Chandler Simpson (88.5%) and Chase Meidroth (87%), while ranking 10th in strikeout rate (13.7%)...Had an 87.8% contact rate with two-strikes this season, the third-highest mark in the AL (min. 200 PA), trailing only Steven Kwan (92.1%) and Jacob Wilson (90%)...With RISP this season, batted .333 (34-for-102) with seven extra-base hits, 48 RBI, a .383 OBP and an .814 OPS...Notched nine outfield assists this season, tied for the fourth most in the AL, trailing only Steven Kwan (13), Tyler Soderstrom (11) and Jarren Duran (10), while putting up 10 DRS (7 in RF, 4 in LF, -1 in CF)...Against offspeed pitches this season, hit .292 with a .486 SLG, eight extra-base hits, and 15 RBI...In games played on the road, slashed .256/.329/.433 with seven doubles, a triple, nine home runs, 34 RBI, and a .762 OPS...Recorded his second career go-ahead home run with a two-run shot on Sept. 26 vs. TB, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBI, his 10th career game-winning RBI...Gave the Blue Jays a 9-5 lead with a pinch-hit three-run home run on 7/30 at BAL, his first career homer as a pinch-hitter...Hit a two-run shot on July 24 at DET that came off the bat at 105.0 MPH and travelled 420 ft. to right field, the farthest hit ball of his career...Drove in two runs with a double after a 14-pitch at-bat on July 3 vs. NYY, the 16th PA in franchise history to last 14+ pitches and the third to end in a hit...Recorded his second career RBI as a pinch-hitter with an RBI single on June 30 vs. NYY...On injured list from June 10-19 (concussion)...Picked up his first career walk-off hit on May 22 vs. SD with a single in the 11th inning...On May 9 at SEA, put Toronto in front, 5-0, in the third inning with a two-run homer, his second longball of the year...Reached base safely five times in a single game for the first time on May 11 at SEA...Drove in the game-winning runs on May 2 vs. CLE with a two-out, two RBI single in the eighth inning.

2024

Between the Majors and Triple-A on the year, appeared in a total of 76 contests batting .325 (92-for-283) with 11 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 43 runs, 41 RBI, a 9.9% walk rate, a 14% strikeout rate, a .394 OP, a .373 wOBA and an .857 OPS...Against right-handed pitching at the MLB level, batted .328 (21-for-64) with three doubles, two triples, a homer, 10 RBI, eight walks and an .871 OPS...On the Minor League injured list from June 9-Aug. 15 after undergoing surgery on a torn UCL in his left thumb...Recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Aug. 30...On Aug. 31 at MIN, went 4-for-6 with a double, a triple, and a career-high two RBI...Was his first career four-hit game with his second career double and second career triple...On Sept. 28 vs. MIA, hit his first career home run with a solo shot to right field off RHP Xzavion Curry in the first inning… Became the fourth-oldest player in franchise history to hit his first career home run (30y, 78d), trailing only Munenori Kawaski (32y, 18d), Ken Huckaby (31y, 160d) and Howie Clark (30y, 116d)...Played in 16 games at Spring Training, going 18-for-40 (.450) with four doubles, a triple, six RBI and a 1.100 OPS.

2023

Named to his first career Opening Day roster...Made his MLB Debut on Mach 30 at STL, coming in as a pinch-runner in the seventh inning before coming around to score on a Matt Chapman single...Optioned to Triple-A Buffalo on April 7, July 19, Aug. 18 and Sept. 14...Recalled on April 17, July 8, Aug. 8, and Sept. 12...Made his first career start on April 19 at HOU (0-2, BB)...Singled in the fourth inning off Dean Kremer on May 21 vs. BAL for his first career hit...Drove in the game-winning run with an RBI double in the 10th inning on July 9 at DET...Appeared in 48 contests the Bisons, batting .366 (74-for-202) with 22 extra-base hits and 32 RBI (.953 OPS).

2022

Spent the full season with Triple-A Buffalo, batting .285 (122-for-428) over 111 games... Named the Bisons’ Stan Barron Most Valuable Player...Led the team in total bases (181), runs (59), extra-base hits (37), home runs (11) and RBI (61)...Was also 20-for-23 in stolen base attempts (87%), trailing only Samad Taylor (23) for the most swipes on the team... Made starts in all three outfield positions, committing just two errors in 202 total chances... On June 4 at Frontier Field against Rochester, delivered an inside-the-park home run with the bases loaded...Marked Buffalo’s first inside-the-parker since Ryan Goins on May 29, 2013 at DUR, and is believed to be the only inside-the-park grand slam in the modern era of the franchise... Selected to the 40-man roster in November.

2021

Spent the entire season with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, batting .303 (89-for-294) with 31 doubles, a triple, four homers, and 44 RBI (.909 OPS)... His 31 doubles were tied with teammate Vidal Brujan for the most among Triple-A East batters.

2020

Was not part of the 60-man player pool.

2019

Reached Triple-A for the first time, spending the entire season with Durham…made starts at all three outfield positions (50-CF, 24-RF, 1-LF).

2018

Named to the Southern League midseason All-Star Team…ranked 4th in the Southern League and 6th among Rays minor leaguers with 29 2B… ranked 7th in the SL with a .278 avg. and 121 hits.

2017

Split the season between Class-A Charlotte and Double-A Montgomery…hit .277 (105-for-379) with 3 HR and 38 RBI between the two levels.