Former Intimidators Outfielder Coats Promoted to MLB

Published on June 4, 2016 under South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers News Release

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. - Former Kannapolis Intimidator outfielder Jason Coats has had his contract purchased by the Chicago White Sox, becoming the 88th player to go from Kannapolis to the Major Leagues since professional baseball came to the Piedmont in 1995. Coats, who was leading the Triple-A International League with a .335 batting average for Charlotte, played for the Intimidators in 2013 and was one of two Intimidators that season named to the South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star Game. Since the Intimidators became the Class A Affiliate of the Chicago White Sox in 2001, Coats is the 70th former player to reach the big leagues.

Coats, 26, made his professional debut with the Intimidators in 2013 after the White Sox selected him in the 29th round of the June 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of TCU. The former Horned Frog playing 133 games for Kannapolis in 2013, the second most games in the SAL. He also ranked second in the league in doubles (38), at-bats (516), tied for second in RBI (84), tied for fourth in hits (140), and ranked fifth in extra-base hits (53) and total bases (220). Coats joined Micah Johnson as the two Intimidators to represent Kannapolis at the 2013 South Atlantic League Mid-Season All-Star Game in Lakewood, N.J.

This season, Coats has appeared in 43 games with Charlotte, batting a league-best .335 with seven home runs and 24 RBI. He is the third former Intimidators player to reach the Major Leagues this season, joining J.B. Wendelken (Oakland A's) and Kevan Smith (White Sox).

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