Touki Toussaint

Touki Toussaint
Atlanta Braves
Pitcher
Born: (1996-06-20) June 20, 1996
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Bats: Right Throws: Right

Dany Gilbert Kiti "Touki" Toussaint (/ˈtuːki tuˈsɑːnt/; born June 20, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first round of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.

Amateur career

Toussaint was born in Pembroke Pines, Florida, to Dany Toussaint and Kahaso Kiti.[1] The family moved to Haiti when he was three months old.[2] Toussaint and his mother moved back to Florida when he was six.[3] He stopped playing baseball at age 10 due to a strikeout-filled season, and focused on soccer and hockey only to return to baseball two years later.[4] Toussaint attended Coral Springs Charter School for his freshman year[4] before transferring to Coral Springs Christian Academy also in Coral Springs, Florida.[5] As a junior in 2013, Toussaint was a MaxPreps All-American after he was 6–2 with a 0.78 earned run average (ERA) and 83 strikeouts.[6] He also hit .458 with six home runs and 32 runs batted in.[7] He was named Broward County's Class 5A-4A-3A-2A Player of the Year.[8]

Professional career

Minor leagues

Toussaint was considered one of the top prospects for the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft.[9] The Arizona Diamondbacks selected Toussaint in the first round, 16th overall, of the draft.[10] He signed on June 20,[11] his eighteenth birthday, and made his professional debut with the Arizona League Diamondbacks on July 2.[12] A month later, on August 3, he was promoted to the Missoula Osprey.[13] Six days after his promotion, Toussaint made his Class A Advanced debut against the Idaho Falls Chukars.[14] Toussaint finished his first professional season with a 2–4 record and 8.48 ERA over 12 total appearances.[15]

Toussaint began the 2015 season at extended spring training, then joined the Kane County Cougars in May.[16] On June 20, 2015 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves along with Bronson Arroyo for Phil Gosselin.[17] He finished the 2015 season with a 4.83 ERA in 17 total starts, including 5.73 ERA in ten starts as a member of the Rome Braves. The rocky season was attributed to the Diamondbacks' request that Toussaint cut down on the use of his curveball, shortly after his debut for Kane County, as the team felt that becoming excessively reliant on the pitch early in his career would lead to injury.[16] Not throwing his curveball gave Toussaint time to improve his changeup, which became a viable third pitch over the course of the season.[18]

Toussaint was assigned to Rome at the start of 2016.[19] He struggled to begin the season, but improved after making adjustments to his pitching delivery.[20]

References

  1. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (May 19, 2014). "Toussaint impresses with personality, arm". MLB.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Diamondbacks select 17-year-old RHP Toussaint". USA Today. Associated Press. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  3. ↑ Richards, George (June 4, 2014). "Touki Toussaint could be first South Florida player picked in Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 26, 2015 – via Bradenton Herald.
  4. 1 2 Clark, Ryan S. (May 31, 2014). "Toussaint stays grounded as scouts project him as top MLB prospect". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ Clark, Ryan S. (April 11, 2014). "An inside glance at what life is like for Touki Toussaint". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  6. ↑ Cabrera Chirinos, Christy (July 10, 2013). "Coral Springs Christian's Touki Toussaint, Benjamin's Matt Harris named MaxPreps All-Americans". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  7. ↑ Chirinos, Christy Cabrera (June 3, 2013). "Touki Toussaint: Baseball player of the year Class 5A-4A-3A-2A". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ Gorten, Steve (March 29, 2014). "Toussaint having another big season for Crusaders". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  9. ↑ Manuel, John (April 10, 2014). "2014 Draft Update: Change At The Top As Pitchers Dominate". Baseball America. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  10. ↑ Gilbert, Steve (June 6, 2014). "D-backs snag 'top five' pitcher with 16th pick". MLB.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  11. ↑ Gilbert, Steve (June 20, 2014). "D-backs, top Draft pick Toussaint agree to deal". MLB.com. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  12. ↑ Buchanan, Zach (July 3, 2014). "Touki Toussaint debuts for Arizona Diamondbacks rookie league team". Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Missoula Adds First Round Pick Toussaint". MILB.com. August 3, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Osprey Fall In Toussaint's Missoula Debut". MILB.com. August 9, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  15. ↑ Rallo, Curt (June 18, 2015). "MWL notes: Toussaint continues to grow". MILB.com. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  16. 1 2 "Touki aims to get ahead of the curve with Braves". MLB.com. December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 20, 2015.
  17. ↑ Bowman, Mark (June 21, 2015). "Braves acquire Arroyo, prospect Toussaint". MLB.com. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  18. ↑ Mayo, Jonathan (March 22, 2016). "Five questions with Braves prospect Touki Toussaint". MLB.com. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Touki Toussaint turns around struggles". Atlanta Journal Constituiton. May 20, 2016. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  20. ↑ Hill, Jordan D. (July 18, 2016). "Touki Toussaint coming into his own with Rome Braves". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
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