Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Niko Goodrum was born February 28, 1992, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a third baseman in the MLB.

Goodrum signed a minor league contract with the Detroit Tigers on November 25, 2017. The deal included an invitation to the Tigers' 2018 spring training camp. After a strong spring season, which included hitting four home runs, Goodrum made the Tigers' 25-man opening day roster.

Goodrum hit his first major league home run on April 5, 2018 off Joakim Soria of the Chicago White Sox. On May 14, he hit two home runs while driving in five in a 6–3 Tigers win over the Cleveland Indians.

Goodrum finished the 2018 season with a .245 batting average, 16 home runs, 53 RBI, and 12 stolen bases while playing six positions in the field (all four infield positions, plus left field and right field). He was awarded the 2018 Tigers Rookie of the Year Award in voting by members of Detroit Sports Media.

In a May 31, 2019 game against the Atlanta Braves, Goodrum went 5-for-5 with a double and two home runs. He became the first Tigers player to go 5-for-5 with at least three extra-base hits and two home runs in a game since Dmitri Young in 2003, and the first Tigers shortstop to collect five hits in a game since Alan Trammell in 1987. He also was the first player to have five hits while playing for the first time in his home state since Ohio-born Pete Susko did so for the Washington Senators at Cleveland in 1934.