Sam Hilliard

Sam Hilliard
Hilliard at Coors Field in 2019
KT Wiz
Outfielder
Born: (1994-02-21) February 21, 1994
Mansfield, Texas, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
August 27, 2019, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
(through 2025 season)
Batting average.218
Home runs44
Runs batted in107
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams

Samuel Beauman Hilliard (born February 21, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the KT Wiz of the KBO League. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves.

Amateur career

Hilliard attended Mansfield High School in Mansfield, Texas, where he played baseball and basketball. A stomach illness limited his strength. He started his college baseball career at Navarro College but played sparingly. He transferred to Crowder College, where he batted .290 and was 5–2 with a 2.14 earned run average as a pitcher. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 31st round of the 2014 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft out of Crowder but did not sign and attended Wichita State University.[1][2] He batted .335 with 8 home runs while going 1–4 as a reliever in one year with the Shockers,[3] after which he was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 15th round of the 2015 MLB draft.[4]

Professional career

Colorado Rockies

Hilliard made his professional debut with the Grand Junction Rockies and spent 2016 with the Asheville Tourists, 2017 with the Lancaster JetHawks and 2018 with the Hartford Yard Goats.[5] He was named a midseason All-Star in 2016, 2017, and 2018.[6] After the 2018 season, he played in the Arizona Fall League.[7] The Rockies added him to their 40-man roster that November.[8]

Hilliard began 2019 with the Albuquerque Isotopes.[9] On August 27, the Rockies promoted Hilliard to the major leagues.[10] He made his debut that night against Boston Red Sox and recorded his first major league hit, a two-run home run off Josh Smith.[11] He batted .273 with 7 home runs in 27 games in his first season in the majors.[3]

In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Hilliard had a .210/.272/.438 slash line with a high 36.8% strikeout percentage before being optioned down to the Rockies' alternate site in September after the club acquired Kevin Pillar.[12]

Hilliard split 2021 between Colorado and Albuquerque, batting .215/.294/.463 in 81 games for the Rockies.[3] He made his third consecutive opening day Rockies roster in 2022, but hit .184 in 70 games.[6]

Atlanta Braves

On November 6, 2022, Hilliard was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Dylan Spain.[13][14] On July 19, 2023, he was placed on the injured list with a right heel contusion.[15] While on rehab assignment with the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers,[16] he re-injured his right heel[17] and was transferred to the 60-day injured list on September 1.[18] He played in 40 games for Atlanta, batting .236 with 6 home runs.[3]

Colorado Rockies (second stint)

On November 1, 2023, Hilliard was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles.[19][20]

The Rockies reacquired Hilliard on a waiver claim on February 28, 2024.[21] However, on March 21, Hilliard was designated for assignment following the acquisition of Greg Jones.[22] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on March 23.[23] In 65 games for Albuquerque, he batted .288/.374/.542 with 14 home runs, 44 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.[24] He set the Isotopes career record for home runs on May 1, his 67th home run with Albuquerque.[6] On June 21, the Rockies selected Hilliard's contract, adding him to their active roster.[24] In 58 games for Colorado, he slashed .239/.305/.507 with 10 home runs, 27 RBI, and five stolen bases.

Hilliard was designated for assignment by the Rockies on March 27, 2025.[25] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A on March 31.[26] In 40 appearances for the Isotopes, he hit .288/.372/.538 with six home runs, 24 RBI, and five stolen bases. On May 30, the Rockies added him to their active roster.[27] In 20 games for Colorado, he batted .196/.328/.412 with two home runs, three RBI, and two stolen bases. Hilliard was designated for assignment by the Rockies on July 1.[28] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Albuquerque on July 4.[29] Hilliard elected free agency on October 3.[30]

KT Wiz

On December 3, 2025, Hilliard signed with the KT Wiz of the KBO League.[31]

Personal life

Hilliard is the youngest of three sons.[32] Their mother, Tamara Hext,[33] was Miss Texas in 1984 and fourth-runner-up in the Miss America pageant that year. His father, Jim Hilliard, played for the Texas Longhorns football team and was an orthopedic surgeon for 35 years.[34] In March 2018, Jim Hilliard was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).[35] Hilliard has supported the ALS Therapy Development Institute and the creation on Lou Gehrig Day in MLB.[6][36]

References

  1. ^ "Toolshed: Hilliard continues Rockies road". MiLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  2. ^ Lutz, Bob (February 12, 2015). "Shockers' two-way threat Sam Hilliard didn't give up on baseball". Kansas.com. The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d "Sam Hilliard Minor, College, Fall & Winter Leagues Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
  4. ^ "Sam Hilliard making waves in Rockies' system". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  5. ^ Amore, Dom. "Dom Amore: Yard Goats' Sam Hilliard Stoically Carries A Burden As He Pursues Big Leagues". courant.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d Colorado Rockies (2025). Colorado Rockies 2025 Media Guide. pp. 113–114.
  7. ^ "Rockies Hilliard rakes in Fall League victory". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  8. ^ Daniel Kramer (November 20, 2018). "Rockies add 4 players to 40-man roster". MLB.com. Retrieved December 14, 2018.
  9. ^ Brock Sisney (April 12, 2019). "Hilliard swinging hot bat for Triple-A Albuquerque". The Neosho Daily News. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  10. ^ Kyle Newman (August 27, 2019). "Rockies call up right-hander Rico Garcia to make major league debut; Sam Hilliard also brought up from Triple-A". The Denver Post. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  11. ^ Kyle Newman (August 27, 2019). "Red Sox rock Rico Garcia, Rockies with 10-6 win in series opener at Coors Field". The Denver Post. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  12. ^ Williams, Justin (October 18, 2020). "Sam Hilliard remains a mystery for the Rockies". Purple Row. SB Nation.
  13. ^ Bowman, Mark (November 6, 2022). "Braves acquire OF Hilliard in trade with Rockies". MLB.com. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  14. ^ Toscano, Justin (November 6, 2022). "Braves acquire outfielder Sam Hilliard for their first trade of the offseason". Atlanta Journal Constitution. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  15. ^ "Braves' Sam Hilliard: Goes on IL with heel bruise". cbssports.com. July 19, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  16. ^ "Braves' Sam Hilliard: Begins rehab assignment". cbssports.com. August 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  17. ^ "Braves' Sam Hilliard: Re-injures right heel". cbssports.com. August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  18. ^ "Braves' Sam Hilliard: Shifted to 60-day IL". cbssports.com. September 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  19. ^ "Braves lose Sam Hilliard on waiver claim, outright Ben Heller and Andrew Velazquez". batterypower.com. November 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  20. ^ "Orioles claim outfielder Sam Hilliard off waivers from Braves; Krehbiel designated for assignment". baltimorebaseball.com. November 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
  21. ^ Adams, Steve (February 28, 2024). "Rockies Claim Sam Hilliard Off Waivers From Orioles". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  22. ^ Harding, Thomas (March 21, 2024). "Rockies acquire prospect Greg Jones in trade with Rays". MLB.com. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
  23. ^ Deeds, Nick (March 23, 2024). "Rockies Outright Sam Hilliard". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  24. ^ a b Franco, Anthony (June 21, 2024). "Rockies Select Sam Hilliard". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  25. ^ "Rockies To Designate Sam Hilliard For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  26. ^ "Rockies Outright Sam Hilliard". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved March 31, 2025.
  27. ^ Adams, Steve (May 30, 2025). "Rockies Designate Nick Martini For Assignment". MLB Trade Rumors.
  28. ^ McDonald, Darragh (July 1, 2025). "Rockies Designate Sam Hilliard For Assignment, Select Austin Nola". MLB Trade Rumors.
  29. ^ Morgenstern, Leo (July 4, 2025). "Rockies Reinstate Ryan Feltner From 60-Day IL, Outright Sam Hilliard". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
  30. ^ McDonald, Darragh (October 3, 2025). "14 Players Elect Free Agency". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  31. ^ Franco, Anthony (December 3, 2025). "Sam Hilliard Signs With KBO's KT Wiz". MLB Trade Rumors. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  32. ^ "Rockies OF Sam Hilliard's father, diagnosed with ALS, attends Rangers game". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 22, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  33. ^ Amore, Dom (July 9, 2018). "Yard Goats' Sam Hilliard stoically carries a burden as he pursues big leagues". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  34. ^ Newman, Kyle (August 9, 2019). "As Rockies' prospect Sam Hilliard chases 30/30 – and a potential call-up – he carries his dad's battle with him". Denver Post. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  35. ^ Grammer, Geoff (June 15, 2019). "An Isotopes family grows closer as father fights ALS". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  36. ^ Harding, Thomas (June 3, 2022). "Hilliard and family turn tragedy into action to fight ALS". MLB.com. Retrieved February 3, 2026.
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