{{short description|American baseball player (born 1992)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = Joseph Odom | image = | image_size = | team = | number = | position = Catcher | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1992|1|9}} | birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | bats = Right | throws = Right | debutleague = MLB | debutdate = July 28 | debutyear = 2020 | debutteam = Seattle Mariners | finalleague = MLB | finaldate = April 7 | finalyear = 2021 | finalteam = Tampa Bay Rays |statleague = MLB |stat1label = Batting average |stat1value = .122 |stat2label = Home runs |stat2value = 0 |stat3label = Runs batted in |stat3value = 2 | teams = * Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|2020}}) * Tampa Bay Rays ({{mlby|2021}}) | highlights = }} '''Joseph Caleb Odom''' (born January 9, 1992) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays.
==Career== Odom attended Vestavia Hills High School in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. He played for the school's baseball team as a catcher, serving as a defensive replacement. He did not begin to start for Vestavia Hills until he lost weight in his junior year. He graduated from Vestavia Hills in 2010, and enrolled at Huntingdon College, where played college baseball for the Huntingdon Hawks. In 2013, he had a .369 batting average and led all of NCAA Division III with 14 home runs.<ref name=vestavia>{{Cite web|url=https://vestaviavoice.com/api/content/6f4c7af6-da4d-11e5-8b30-22000b078648/|title=Odom has only hard work to thank|first=Kyle|last=Parmley|date=February 23, 2016|work=Vestavia Voice|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref>
===Atlanta Braves=== The Atlanta Braves selected Odom in the 13th round, with the 403rd overall selection, of the 2013 Major League Baseball draft.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al.com/sports/2013/06/huntingdons_joseph_odom_drafte.html|title=Huntingdon's Joseph Odom drafted by Atlanta Braves in 13th round|date=June 9, 2013|website=al}}</ref> After he signed with Atlanta, he made his professional debut at the rookie-level. In 30 games split between the Gulf Coast League Braves and Danville Braves, he batted .216/.310/.257 with 6 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joe Odom News|url=https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player/joe-odom-15307|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=rotowire.com|language=en}}</ref> In 2014, Odom played for the Lynchburg Hillcats of the High–A Carolina League. In 61 games for Lynchburg, he hit .205/.313/.341 with 6 home runs and 20 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Odom Player Card|url=https://www.baseballprospectus.com/player/102701/joseph-odom/|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=baseballprospectus.com|language=en}}</ref>
He spent the 2015 season with the Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League, playing in 65 games and slashing .222/.285/.403 with career–highs in home runs (7) and RBI (40).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Odom - Stats - Batting|url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/joseph-odom/15535/stats?position=C|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=fangraphs.com|language=en}}</ref> Odom was invited by the Braves to spring training as a non-roster player in 2016.<ref name=vestavia/> He split the ensuing season between Carolina and the Double–A Mississippi Braves, batting .278/.327/.431 with a career–high 9 home runs and 38 RBI in 91 total games.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Odom baseball statistics on StatsCrew.com|url=https://www.statscrew.com/baseball/stats/p-odomjo01|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=statscrew.com|language=en}}</ref> Odom returned to Carolina and Mississippi in 2017, but played in only 28 games and hit .266/.329/.359 with one home run and 8 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Odom Stats & Scouting Report|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/9808-joseph-odom/|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=baseballamerica.com|language=en}}</ref>
===Seattle Mariners=== On December 14, 2017, the Seattle Mariners selected Odom from the Braves in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-select-yankees-minor-league-first-base-mike-ford-in-rule-5-draft/ |title=Mariners select Yankees minor league first baseman Mike Ford in Rule 5 draft |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=December 14, 2017 |accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref> In 2018, Odom spent the majority of the season with the Double–A Arkansas Travelers, also playing in 6 games for the Triple–A Tacoma Rainiers. In 76 games for Arkansas, he batted .241/.300/.361 with 5 home runs and 36 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Odom - Baseball Stats|url=https://www.thebaseballcube.com/content/player/180804/|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=thebaseballcube.com|language=en}}</ref> Odom split the 2019 season between Arkansas and Tacoma, playing in 98 games and hitting a combined .235/.302/.339 with 6 home runs and 34 RBI.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mariners call-up catcher Joe Odom from the taxi squad and put him in the starting lineup|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-call-up-catcher-joe-odom-from-the-taxi-squad-and-put-him-in-the-starting-lineup/|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=seattletimes.com|date=July 28, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
Odom was not assigned to an affiliate in 2020 after the minor league season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=mlb.com|language=en}}</ref> On July 28, 2020, Odom was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mariners Select Joe Odom|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/07/mariners-select-joe-odom.html|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=July 28, 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He made his MLB debut that night.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/mariners/mariners-call-up-catcher-joe-odom-from-the-taxi-squad-and-put-him-in-the-starting-lineup/ |title=Mariners call-up catcher Joe Odom from the taxi squad and put him in the starting lineup |publisher=The Seattle Times |date= July 28, 2020|accessdate=July 29, 2020}}</ref> In 18 games, he went 5–for–39 (.128) with 2 RBI and 4 walks. Odom was outrighted off of the 40-man roster on October 19.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/10/mariners-outright-four-players.html|title = Mariners Outright Four Players| date=October 19, 2020 }}</ref> He elected free agency following the year on November 2.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joseph Odom: No longer with Seattle|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/joseph-odom-no-longer-with-seattle/|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=November 2, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
===Tampa Bay Rays=== On December 16, 2020, Odom signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays organization.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/minor-mlb-transactions-121620.html|title = Minor MLB Transactions: 12/16/20| date=December 16, 2020 }}</ref> On April 3, 2021, Odom was selected to the 40-man roster to take the roster spot of Ryan Sherriff, who had been placed on the restricted list.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/rays-place-ryan-sherriff-on-restricted-list-select-joseph-odom.html|title = Rays Place Ryan Sherriff on Restricted List, Select Joseph Odom| date=April 3, 2021 }}</ref> On April 9, Odom was designated for assignment after Hunter Strickland was added to the roster. In his time with Tampa, he registered two hitless at-bats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/rays-select-hunter-strickland-place-pete-fairbanks-on-il.html|title = Rays Select Hunter Strickland, Place Pete Fairbanks on IL| date=April 9, 2021 }}</ref> On April 12, Odom cleared waivers and was outrighted to the alternate training site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/04/minor-mlb-transactions-41221.html|title=Minor MLB Transactions: 4/12/21|date=April 12, 2021 }}</ref> In 29 games for the Triple–A Durham Bulls, he batted .217/.305/.359 with 3 home runs and 15 RBI. On October 16, Odom elected free agency.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Players Recently Electing Free Agency|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/10/players-recently-electing-free-agency-3.html |access-date=October 16, 2021 |website=MLB Trade Rumors|date=October 16, 2021 }}</ref>
===Seattle Mariners (second stint)=== On March 28, 2022, Odom signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners organization.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/player/joseph-odom-641929 | title=Joseph Odom Stats, Fantasy & News | website=MLB.com }}</ref> Odom played in 62 games for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, batting .231/.328/.447 with 10 home runs, 25 RBI, and 2 stolen bases. He was released by Seattle on August 17.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joe Odom: Let go by M's|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/joe-odom-let-go-by-ms/|access-date=September 23, 2023|website=cbssports.com|date=August 24, 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
On March 19, 2023, Odom announced his retirement from professional baseball via Instagram.<ref>{{Cite Instagram |user=joseph_odom923 |last=Odom |first=Joseph |author-link=Joseph Odom |postid=Cp_MmMcADXs |title=I honestly don’t know where to start. |date=March 19, 2023 |access-date=May 15, 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{baseballstats | mlb=641929 | espn=34981 | br=o/odomjo01| fangraphs=15535 | brm=odom--002jos | retro=O/Podomj001}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Odom, Joseph}} Category:1992 births Category:Living people Category:Arkansas Travelers players Category:Baseball players from Birmingham, Alabama Category:Carolina Mudcats players Category:Danville Braves players Category:Durham Bulls players Category:Gulf Coast Braves players Category:Gwinnett Braves players Category:Huntingdon Hawks athletes Category:Lynchburg Hillcats players Category:Major League Baseball catchers Category:Mississippi Braves players Category:Peoria Javelinas players Category:Seattle Mariners players Category:Tacoma Rainiers players Category:Tampa Bay Rays players