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Jake McCarthy

Jacob Joseph McCarthy (born July 30, 1997), better known as Jake McCarthy, is an American professional baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks of (MLB). Standing at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and weighing 215 pounds (98 kg), he bats and throws left-handed and is recognized for his speed on the basepaths, with 83 stolen bases over his MLB career through the 2025 season. McCarthy was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in a family with a strong athletic tradition. His father, Joe Sr., played at the , while his older brother, Joe McCarthy Jr., also pursued a career, debuting in MLB with the Giants in 2020 after playing at the . His sister, , competed in at East Stroudsburg University. At Scranton High School, McCarthy excelled in both and , setting school records for career rushing yards (6,080) and touchdowns (77) as a , though he focused on post-graduation. McCarthy attended the , where he played for the Cavaliers from 2016 to 2018. Injuries limited his freshman year to six games after tearing ligaments in his right foot early in the season. As a in 2017, he appeared in all 59 games, batting .338 with 80 hits, seven triples, and a team-leading 27 stolen bases, earning ACC Player of the Week honors and ranking first in the conference in steals. In 2018, a wrist injury sidelined him for much of the season, but he still hit .329 in 20 games with nine stolen bases before departing for the MLB Draft. His college performance earned him preseason recognition and a spot on the watch list. Selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Competitive Balance Round A (39th overall pick) of the 2018 MLB Draft—his second time being drafted after the chose him in the 23rd round in 2015—McCarthy signed a professional contract worth $2.45 million. He progressed through the minors, reaching Triple-A Reno by 2021, where he posted a .314 in 2025 minor league action before being recalled. McCarthy made his MLB debut on August 27, 2021, against the , recording a single in his first at-bat. In his full rookie season of 2022, McCarthy established himself as a key contributor for the Diamondbacks, batting .283 with eight home runs and 23 stolen bases over 99 games, finishing fourth in Rookie of the Year voting and leading the with an 88.5% stolen base success rate. His 2023 campaign was more challenging, with a .243 average, two home runs, and 26 steals in 99 games, though he was part of the Diamondbacks' surprising run to the , appearing on the initial postseason roster before being replaced. McCarthy rebounded in 2024, hitting .285 with eight home runs, 56 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases in 142 games, solidifying his role in the outfield. Through the 2025 season, as of November, he has appeared in 67 MLB games with a .204 average, four home runs, and six stolen bases, while also spending time in Triple-A. Overall, McCarthy's career MLB statistics include a .260 batting average, 24 home runs, 139 RBIs, and 83 stolen bases in 431 games.

Early life and education

Childhood and family

Jake McCarthy was born on July 30, 1997, in . McCarthy grew up in an athletically oriented family that emphasized sports participation. His parents, Joe and Joanne McCarthy, supported his early interests, with his father having been a three-sport at Scranton Central High School and later playing baseball at the . He has an older brother, Joe McCarthy Jr., who was a standout multi-sport , played at the , and made a brief appearance with the San Francisco Giants in 2020. McCarthy also has a sister, Morgan, who competed in at East Stroudsburg University. The family's shared tradition included wearing the number 31 across generations, a number ultimately retired by Scranton High School in recognition of their collective contributions to local athletics. From a young age, McCarthy was exposed to sports through family encouragement and community involvement in Scranton, a region with a strong tradition of youth athletics. He began playing at age 8, joining his brother's team and developing an initial passion for the game alongside other activities like . This early multi-sport involvement, fostered by his siblings and parents, laid the groundwork for his athletic development. By high school, McCarthy transitioned to more focused baseball training while maintaining interests in other sports.

High school career

Jake McCarthy attended Scranton High School in , where he excelled as a multi-sport . He was a four-year letterwinner in , , and . In , McCarthy played as a and set multiple school records, including 6,080 rushing yards in a career, 2,105 rushing yards in a single season, and 351 rushing yards in a game. He also established school marks for career with 90, along with seasonal and single-game touchdown records. A three-time all-region and all-league selection, McCarthy earned First-Team All-State honors as a in 2014 and was named Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 1,730 yards and 30 in eight games during his senior season. His accomplishments helped lead Scranton to league and district championships in . McCarthy was a key contributor on the varsity baseball team as an outfielder, earning three-time all-league honors and all-region recognition in 2015. During his senior year, he batted .442 with three home runs, 19 hits, and 20 runs scored in 15 games. He also played travel baseball with the Baseball U Tucci Lumber squad. In the 2015 MLB Draft, McCarthy was selected by the in the 23rd round (697th overall) but chose not to sign, instead accepting a to the .

Amateur career

College career at Virginia

Jake McCarthy enrolled at the in 2015, where he played for the Cavaliers baseball team from 2016 to 2018 after being selected in the 23rd round of the 2015 MLB Draft by the but choosing to attend college instead. As an , he appeared in 85 games over three seasons, primarily in left and center field. Over his college career, McCarthy batted .337 with a .423 and .476 , recording 114 hits, 5 s, 50 RBIs, and 36 stolen bases in 338 at-bats. His freshman year in 2016 was limited to 6 games due to a foot , where he hit .368 with no home runs or stolen bases. In , he had a breakout sophomore season, starting all 59 games and batting .338 with 5 home runs and 27 stolen bases, earning ACC Player of the Week honors after a strong performance against Louisville. Following the season, he played for the in the , batting .387 with 1 home run and 2 stolen bases in 9 games, and was selected for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, which won series against , , and . His junior year in 2018 was curtailed by a wrist after 20 games, during which he batted .329 with 9 stolen bases and was named to the watch list preseason. McCarthy primarily started in center field during his time with the Cavaliers, contributing offensively with 25 multi-hit games in 2017 and clutch performances, including a go-ahead in a key ACC matchup. His speed and base-running prowess helped the team reach the NCAA Tournament's Fort Worth Regional in 2017, where he went 4-for-13 at the plate.

Draft history

McCarthy was selected by the in the 23rd round (697th overall) of the out of Scranton High School in . Despite the selection, he declined to sign with the Pirates, opting instead to attend the on a scholarship. Despite a limiting his junior season at Virginia in 2018 to 20 games, where he hit .329 with 9 stolen bases, McCarthy entered the draft as a first-round based on his prior performances, including his 2017 season, League play, and experience. Pre-draft scouting reports highlighted his plus-speed, elite center-field defense with accurate routes and good reads, and potential as a left-handed hitter with a smooth swing capable of above-average power. The Diamondbacks selected him in the Competitive Balance Round A (39th overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft. McCarthy signed with the Diamondbacks on June 12, 2018, receiving a $1.65 million , which was below his slot value of $1.83 million due to the late-season that affected his draft position.

Professional career

Minor league career

McCarthy began his professional career in 2018 with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization after being selected in the MLB Draft. He made his debut with the Rookie-level Arizona League Diamondbacks, appearing in three games and batting .273 with one stolen base. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to the Short Season A-level Hillsboro Hops, where he played 55 games, hitting .288 with three home runs and 20 stolen bases, showcasing his speed and contact skills early on. In 2019, McCarthy advanced to the High A-level Visalia Rawhide of the California League, where he adapted to full-season ball by batting .277 with two home runs and 18 stolen bases over 53 games. His performance highlighted his ability to make consistent contact while continuing to utilize his base-running prowess. The 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, delaying further development. McCarthy returned in 2021, starting at the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles before earning a promotion to the Triple-A Reno Aces midway through the year. Across 85 games between the two levels, he batted .253 with 15 home runs and 29 stolen bases, demonstrating power potential alongside his speed. At Reno, he hit .262 with nine home runs in 50 games, providing a glimpse of his readiness for higher competition. He spent parts of the next three seasons refining his game at Triple-A Reno. In 2022, McCarthy batted .369 with five home runs and 11 stolen bases in 36 games, reflecting strong plate discipline and on-base skills. The following year, 2023, he continued his hot streak at .360 with nine home runs and 15 stolen bases in 45 games, earning Pacific Coast League Player of the Week honors twice in September for his exceptional weekly performances, including multiple extra-base hits and runs scored. In April 2025, McCarthy was optioned to the Reno Aces, where he batted .314 with one home run and 12 stolen bases in 49 games, maintaining his value as a versatile outfielder. Over his minor league career with Arizona affiliates, McCarthy compiled a .298 batting average with 35 home runs and 106 stolen bases in 326 games and 1,287 at-bats, establishing himself as a dynamic, left-handed-hitting with plus speed and gap power.

Major league career

McCarthy made his major league debut with the Diamondbacks on August 27, 2021, against the Philadelphia Phillies at , starting in center field. He went 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and a walk, scoring a run after the walk in the eighth inning. Two days later, on August 29, 2021, still facing the Phillies, he recorded his first major league hit—an RBI double off Ranger Suárez that scored —and finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored. In 24 games that season, he batted .220 with two home runs and three stolen bases. In 2022, McCarthy established himself as a regular, appearing in 99 games for the Diamondbacks while batting .283 with eight home runs, 24 doubles, and 23 stolen bases. His speed was a standout trait, with a sprint speed of 30.1 feet per second, ranking 8th in MLB and the fastest among right fielders that year. He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting. McCarthy's 2023 season saw him play 99 games, hitting .243 with two home runs and 26 stolen bases for . However, a right strain suffered during batting practice before Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Brewers sidelined him for the remainder of Arizona's postseason run after his removal from the roster. During the 2024 season, McCarthy achieved a career-high .285 over 142 games, including eight home runs, 14 triples, and 25 stolen bases, contributing to Arizona's defense. His defensive prowess earned him a spot as a finalist for the in right field, alongside and , though he did not win. In 2025, McCarthy struggled offensively, batting .204 with four home runs and 20 in 67 games before being optioned to Triple-A Reno on amid a slow start that saw him go 3-for-41 (.073) in his first 14 games. He recorded six stolen bases that year. Through the 2025 season, McCarthy's major league career totals with the Diamondbacks stand at a .260 , 24 home runs, 139 , and 83 stolen bases over 431 games.

Personal life

Family relationships

Jake McCarthy maintains a close relationship with his older brother, Joe McCarthy Jr., who also pursued a career after playing at the . The brothers, both outfielders from , share a bond that extends beyond athletics, including shared interests like video games and family activities during downtime. McCarthy's parents, Joe Sr. and Joanne McCarthy, played a pivotal role in fostering his multi-sport development from a young age, supporting his involvement in , , and at Scranton High School. Joe Sr., a former player at the who was drafted three times professionally, instilled a strong athletic foundation in the family, while Joanne actively documented their games with a from the sidelines. The family's deep roots in , remain a significant part of their identity, with ongoing connections to the local community through hometown pride and media coverage of their achievements. All family members, including McCarthy, his brother Joe Jr., and sister —who ran track at East Stroudsburg University—honored their father's legacy by wearing number 31 during their high school careers at Scranton High.

Marriage and personal interests

McCarthy married Sophie Alecce on January 10, 2025, in , . The couple met during their freshman year at the , where McCarthy played . Their wedding was one of several offseason nuptials among Arizona Diamondbacks players that year. As an outfielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks, McCarthy primarily resides in the during the baseball season to accommodate team commitments and training. Off-season, he maintains strong ties to , returning to his home state where his family resides in the Scranton area. This connection underscores the support from his family, which extends into his married life. McCarthy keeps a low public profile regarding his personal life beyond his professional career. He prioritizes family time, particularly with his wife and relatives in during the offseason. McCarthy has been involved in philanthropic efforts through the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation, including launching the "Read Your Way to the Ballpark" reading program at a Phoenix elementary school in August 2024 and hosting a youth camp in Mesa in spring 2025. No public hobbies have been widely reported as of November 2025.

References

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