Steven Souza Jr.

Steven Souza Jr. is a former MLB outfielder who spent eight years in the big leagues, including 11 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign with the Chicago Cubs.

Originally drafted in the third round of the 2007 MLB Draft by the Washington Nationals, Souza faced plenty of trials and tribulations on the way to the major leagues. In 2010, he was selected to the South Atlantic League All-Star Game, though he faced a 50-game suspension for taking performance-enhancing substances shortly after. Then, in 2011, he received a suspension from his own Class-A team due to misconduct. He actually considered leaving the organization to play college football, though he stuck with baseball long enough to make his MLB debut on April 13, 2014.

He played sparingly that year — he actually earned International League Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors at Triple-A in 2014 — though he did have his career highlight on the last game of the regular season. Jordan Zimmerman took the start for the Nationals against the Miami Marlins and threw 8 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before the final batter of the game laced a line drive to left center field. Souza ensured that Zimmerman would enter the history books as the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter for the franchise following their move to Washington D.C.

Souza's heroics didn't keep him in town long, as he was dealt to the Tampa Bay Rays that offseason in the ridiculously complicated three-team Trea Turner deal. He had his best seasons in Tampa, including a 3.9 WAR campaign in 2017, and was then traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks prior to the 2018 season. The outfielder ended up playing just 72 games in the desert as he tore multiple ligaments in his knee in spring training in 2019, which would ultimately lead to Souza being non-tendered by the team.

That's where the Cubs come in. Needing more outfield depth in the wake of 2019 sensation Nick Castellanos' departure for the rival Cincinnati Reds, the Cubs signed Souza as a fourth outfielder in January 2020. Due to the pandemic schedule, Souza wouldn't make his debut with the team until July, though he did crack the Opening Day roster.

He played in just 11 games for Chicago, slashing a pitiful .148/.258/.333 (58 OPS+) in 31 plate appearances. He was one of quite a few players who got truncated Cubs tenures because of the Covid-19 pandemic — Jason Kipnis, Cameron Maybin, Josh Phegley, José Martinez, and others are in that club too — though Souza was arguably the most disappointing because he was 1) signed prior to the season on a major league contract in free agency and 2) had an actual track record of MLB success, even if it was prior to his ACL tear. Also, that list of players who only played part of the 2020 season with the Cubs just gave me flashbacks back to that season... I am glad we are not in 2020 anymore, both for the sake of the Cubs and the sake of the world. Ultimately, Souza was designated for assignment in early September, not even making it to the postseason with the team.

After being DFA'd by the Cubs, Souza got stints with the Houston Astros (minor leagues), Los Angeles Dodgers, and Seattle Mariners. Beyond his three seasons in Tampa Bay, Souza played in just 127 major league contests. He retired in the middle of the 2022 season.