{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1998)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name = Carson McCusker |image = Carson McCusker (54721009967) (cropped).jpg |caption = McCusker with the St. Paul Saints in 2025 |team = Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles |number = 34 |position = Outfielder |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|5|22}} |birth_place = Sparks, Nevada, U.S. |bats = Right |throws = Right |debutleague = MLB |debutdate = May 18 |debutyear = 2025 |debutteam = Minnesota Twins |debut2league = NPB |debut2date = March 27 |debut2year = 2026 |debut2team =Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles |statyear = 2025 season |statleague = MLB |stat1label = Batting average |stat1value = .172 |stat2label = Home runs |stat2value = 0 |stat3label = Runs batted in |stat3value = 1 |stat2year = May 18, 2026 |stat2league = NPB |stat21label = Batting average |stat21value = .143 |stat22label = Home runs |stat22value = 0 |stat23label = Runs batted in |stat23value = 5 |teams = * Minnesota Twins ({{mlby|2025}}) * Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles ({{npby|2026}}–present) }} '''Carson Michael McCusker''' (born May 22, 1998) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins.
==Career== ===Minnesota Twins=== McCusker attended Spanish Springs High School in Sparks, Nevada. He started his college baseball career at Folsom Lake College. After one year at Folsom Lake, he was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shoup |first=Nathan |date=June 14, 2017 |title=Spanish Springs grad drafted by Brewers in 26th round |url=https://sparkstrib.com/2017/06/14/spanish-springs-grad-drafted-by-brewers-in-26th-round/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503230021/https://sparkstrib.com/2017/06/14/spanish-springs-grad-drafted-by-brewers-in-26th-round/ |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |website=Sparks Tribune}}</ref> He did not sign with the Brewers and transferred to play at Oklahoma State University. After four years at Oklahoma State, McCusker went unselected in the 2021 MLB draft and signed with the Tri-City Valley Cats of the Frontier League;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Spiros |first=Dean |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Twins found Carson McCusker after the outfielder found his power |url=https://www.twincities.com/2025/04/25/twins-found-carson-mccusker-after-the-outfielder-found-his-power/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726014739/https://www.twincities.com/2025/04/25/twins-found-carson-mccusker-after-the-outfielder-found-his-power/ |archive-date=July 26, 2025 |website=Pioneer Press}}</ref> he would play in 31 games for the team, hitting .324 with six home runs and 23 RBI. McCusker made 77 appearances for the Valley Cats during the 2022 season, slashing .265/.320/.502 with 13 home runs, 46 RBI, and five stolen bases.
McCusker started 2023 with Tri-City and signed with the Minnesota Twins on June 29, 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rgj.com/story/sports/2025/02/27/spanish-springs-carson-mccusker-on-mlbs-doorstep-its-a-grind-for-sure/80561825007/ | title=Reno Gazette Journal Subscription Offers, Specials, and Discounts }}</ref> He played that season with the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels and Cedar Rapids Kernels. He started 2024 with the Wichita Wind Surge before his promotion to the St. Paul Saints and started 2025 with St. Paul.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leach |first=Matthew |date=April 27, 2025 |title=This unranked Twins prospect's hot bat is turning heads |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/carson-mccusker-drawing-attention-in-twins-triple-a |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250726040656/https://www.mlb.com/news/carson-mccusker-drawing-attention-in-twins-triple-a |archive-date=July 26, 2025 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> In April 2025, he was named the Twins minor league player of the month.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nightengale |first=Bobby |date=May 10, 2025 |title=Twins prospect Carson McCusker drawing big-league attention |url=https://www.startribune.com/carson-mccusker-minnesota-twins-prospect-st-paul-saints/601348457 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250518054210/https://www.startribune.com/carson-mccusker-minnesota-twins-prospect-st-paul-saints/601348457 |archive-date=May 18, 2025 |access-date=August 27, 2025 |website=Star Tribune |language=en}}</ref>
On May 18, 2025, McCusker was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leach |first=Matthew |date=May 18, 2025 |title=Twins lose reliever Coulombe to IL; RHP Matthews, OF McCusker summoned |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/danny-coulombe-on-injured-list-for-twins |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250519102612/https://www.mlb.com/twins/news/danny-coulombe-on-injured-list-for-twins |archive-date=May 19, 2025 |website=MLB.com}}</ref> He returned to the Saints ten days later. McCusker was promoted once again on August 9, to fill Matt Wallner's spot on the Twins roster as Wallner was on paternity leave, and returned to St. Paul on August 11.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/carson-mccusker-676812|title=Carson McCusker|website=MLB.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ragatz |first=Will |date=August 9, 2025 |title=Matt Walker placed on paternity list, Twins recall Carson McCusker |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/twins/minnesota-twins-news/matt-wallner-placed-paternity-list-twins-recall-carson-mccusker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250810030327/https://www.si.com/mlb/twins/minnesota-twins-news/matt-wallner-placed-paternity-list-twins-recall-carson-mccusker |archive-date=August 10, 2025 |website=Sports Illustrated}} </ref> In 16 appearances for the Twins during his rookie campaign, McCusker went 5-for-29 (.172) with one RBI and one walk. On December 10, the Twins released McCusker to allow him to pursue an opportunity in Asia.<ref name="DarraghMcDonald">{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Darragh |date=December 13, 2025 |title=Twins Release Carson McCusker To Pursue Opportunity In Asia |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/twins-release-carson-mccusker-to-pursue-opportunity-in-asia.html |access-date=2025-12-27 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles=== On December 13, 2025, McCusker signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball.<ref name="DarraghMcDonald" />
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|mlb=676812|espn=4326103|br=m/mccusca01|fangraphs=33098|brm=mccusk000car}}
{{Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCusker, Carson}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:American expatriate baseball players in Japan Category:Baseball players from Nevada Category:Cedar Rapids Kernels players Category:Chico Heat players Category:Fort Myers Mighty Mussels players Category:Kenosha Kingfish players Category:Major League Baseball outfielders Category:Minnesota Twins players Category:Nippon Professional Baseball outfielders Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball players Category:Sportspeople from Sparks, Nevada Category:St. Paul Saints players Category:Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles players Category:Tri-City ValleyCats players Category:Wichita Wind Surge players Category:Junior college baseball players in the United States