Garrett Cooper

[Brandon Glick]

Garrett Cooper is a former MLB first baseman who spent eight years in the major leagues, including a brief 12-game stint with the Chicago Cubs.

Born on Christmas Day in 1990, Cooper was a force at Auburn University, slashing .354/.481/.540 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in 56 games. That was enough to coax the Milwaukee Brewers into drafting him in the sixth round of the 2013 MLB Draft, where Cooper would steadily climb the minor league ranks until 2017, when the New York Yankees traded pitcher Tyler Webb to acquire him.

He played just 13 impressive games for the Yankees (.822 OPS) in 2017, getting traded that offseason the Miami Marlins in a deal that landed Michael King back in New York. Cooper had the best stretch of his career in South Florida, earning 4.5 bWAR in 427 games across parts of six seasons. He was even named an All-Star in 2022 as an injury replacement for Bryce Harper, though that would mark the high point of his tenure with the Marlins. Just a year later, the San Diego Padres acquired Cooper at the trade deadline, and he became a free agent after the 2023 season.

That was when the Cubs inked Cooper to a one-year deal, and he made the Opening Day roster as a right-handed power bat option off the bench. His defensive versatility (he could play first base and both corner outfield spots) made him a strong fit for Craig Counsell's first roster on the North Side, though his time was always going to be limited as the Cubs awaited the return of Patrick Wisdom.

In the end, Cooper only played in Chicago for the first month of the 2024 season, though he did exactly what Counsell asked of him in that time. In 41 plate appearances with the Cubs, Cooper slashed .270/.341/.432 with one home run and six RBIs, good for 0.2 fWAR and a 118 wRC+. Once Wisdom returned from injury, though, Cooper became superfluous as a weak-side platoon threat. The Cubs shipped him off to the Boston Red Sox, where he completely fell apart, posting a .455 OPS and 26 wRC+.

Unfortunately, that would mark the end of his time in professional baseball. Cooper couldn't find his way onto a roster this year, ultimately deciding to retire at the end of the 2025 regular season. He posted a .759 OPS and hit 57 home runs in his eight-year career.

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