Willie Calhoun #24

Willie Shawn Lamont Calhoun… nickname is June…father, Willie Sr., is a corrections officer at San Quentin State Prison in California…graduated from Benicia (Calif.) High School…was selected by Tampa Bay in the 17th round of the 2013 June draft, but did not sign…attended the University of Arizona before transferring to Yavapai (Ariz.) College…played one season for Yavapai College and led the Arizona Community College Athletic conference in hits (98), runs (83), homers (31), RBI (85), total bases (216), and OBP (.520).

2021

Calhoun was limited to 75 G in a second straight injury-riddled campaign, his 5th season in the Majors with Texas… posted .691 OPS, his 2nd-highest mark in any ML season to date…batted leadoff in 32 of 67 starts, 2nd-most on club (86-Kiner-Falefa)…hit both TEX leadoff HR in ’21 (5/13 at HOU and 10/2 vs. CLE), the latter being the only leadoff HR ever at Globe Life Field (any batter, reg. or postseason)…that HR also snapped career-long 45-G (w/ AB) HR drought from 5/18-10/1.

2020

 Limited to 29 games in an injury-shortened campaign, his 4th straight season in the Majors with Texas…posted a .245/.297/.430/.726 slash line, each accounting for the lowest figure in each category in any ML season in his career… his .491 OPS was 2nd-lowest in MLB (min. 100 AB) to only LAA’s Jo Adell (.478)…batted .172 (10-58) in 18 G prior to IL placement…after going hitless in 2 G following his return, posted a .265/.324/.382/.707 (9-34) slash line with one HR and 5 RBI in his final 9 G to finish the season…hit only home run and recorded season-high 3 RBI on 9/24 vs. HOU…batted .368 (719) vs. LHP in small sample, and .148 (12-81) vs. RHP…batted .250 (8-32) with RISP…had 29 games/25 starts at DH (19) and in LF (6), one start in LF (9/20 at LAA) after return from IL…made an Opening Day roster for the 1st time.

2019

Posted career highs in nearly every category including games (83), home runs (21), and RBI (48) during 2 stints with the Rangers: 5/15-7/15 and 7/25-end of season...beginning 7/26 (1st game of 2nd stint), Calhoun led Texas in home runs (16) and runs (36), while ranking 2nd in hits (57), RBI (tied-35) and doubles (tied-9)…the 16 HR during that span were T6thmost in the A.L…on injured list from 5/22-6/16 with a left quad strain, the 1st IL stint of his career…appeared in 83 games and made 76 total starts (69 in LF, 7 as DH)…Texas went 39-37 in his 76 starts…reached base safely in 66 of 76 starts with Texas, including 15 straight to begin the season…batted .290 (60-207) vs. RHP and .225 (23-102) vs. LHP…no SO in 35 straight PA's, 8/11-19, tying Jurickson Profar (35 PA from 6/12-20/18) for longest run by a Ranger in last 2 seasons…named Rangers Player of the Month for August after batting .250/.288/.548/.836 with a team-high 9 HR and 16 RBI in 28 games…his 9 HR that month ranked T4th in the A.L.

2018

Saw action in 35 games/26 starts for Texas in his 2nd straight season with big league time, setting career highs in most categories…had 2 stints with the Rangers: 7/20-8/15 and 9/4-end of season…hit .192 (5-26) in 1st 8 G through 7/27 after he was called up on 7/20 when Nomar Mazara went on the DL…batted .326 (14-43) over final 14 G of 1st stint (optioned on 8/16 when Mazara was activated) to bring season BA to .275…went 3-for-30 in 13 G/8 GS in September…his 26 starts came in LF (25) and as DH (1)…had a .950 (2 E/40 TC) fielding pct. in LF…was 7-for-21 (.333) with RISP and batted .192 (15-78) in all other at-bats…went 3-for-9 as a pinchhitter, posting tie-breaking RBI single on 7/30 at ARI and 2-out RBI single on 9/19 vs. TB.

2017

Was acquired from the Dodgers at the trade deadline and made his major league debut in September...was 9-for-34 (.265) in his 1st major league action, starting 9 of the club's final 19 contests and appearing in 13 games overall…spent the majority of the season at Oklahoma City (AAA) in the Dodgers organization and also logged time at Round Rock following the trade…was named to the Pacific Coast League Postseason All-Star Team, along with spots on the Yahoo! Sports All-Minor League Team and Baseball America's Minor League All-Star Second Team.

TEXAS // Did not join club following the conclusion of Round Rock's season, but had contract purchased on 9/12 while working out at the team facility in Arizona…appeared in team's first 5 games following promotion, including starts in 4 of 5… collected RBI in 1st ML PA on 9/12 vs. SEA off Marco Gonzales and then went 0-for-next-15…started each of the club's final 5 games, going 8-for-18 (.444) with a HR, 3 RBI, and BB…had 13 G/9 GS (8-LF, 1-DH) overall…1st ML HR on 9/27 vs. HOU (off Justin Verlander), also 1st career multi-hit game.

MINORS // Combined to bat .300 (146-486) with 27 2B, 6 3B, 31 HR, and 93 RBI over 128 G with Round Rock and Oklahoma City…entered the season as the 9th-youngest player in the PCL…finished the season ranked among the PCL leaders in total bases (2nd, 278), extra-base hits (3rd, 64), home runs (T4th, 31), and RBI (5th, 93)…was the 9th-toughest batter to strikeout in the PCL, averaging a strikeout every 8.0 at-bats… reached base safely in 107 of 128 games played…batted .298/.357/.574/.931 over 99 games with Oklahoma City prior to the trade…hit .268/.311/.495/.806 in 25 games with Round Rock in August, his only full month with a sub-.285 average… had multiple hits in each of his final 4 games with the Express, going 9-for-16 (.563) with 2 HR and 10 RBI.

2016

Selected as Texas League mid- and post-season AllStar at Tulsa (AA)...led the league in RBI (88) and total bases (236), and ranked among the league leaders in homers (2nd, 27), extra-base hits (T3rd, 53) and hits (9th, 128)...participated in the Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game and was also named an MiLB.com Organizational All-Star…honored as Texas League Player of the Week twice in the periods ending 5/29 and 6/12... batted .255 with a double, a homer and 6 RBI for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League…selected to the league's Rising Stars Game and was honored as the game's MVP after going 3-for-3 with a homer and 3 RBI.

2015

Posted a .316/.390/.519 slash line with 23 doubles, 11 HR and 48 RBI in a combined 73 games with Ogden (S-A), Great Lakes (A), and Rancho Cucamonga (A+) in his first professional season...named a Pioneer League mid-season All-Star with the Ogden Raptors.