Jon Singleton

Jonathan Lee Singleton (born September 18, 1991) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB).

He has previously played in MLB for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Singleton grew up in Long Beach, California, and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009.

He committed to play at California State University, Long Beach a few months before the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Singleton in the eighth round of the 2009 MLB Draft.

He had been projected for selection as high as the second round of the draft, but his senior year statistics caused him to fall.

Singleton reported to the Gulf Coast League Phillies, where he played 31 minor league games that year.

He spent 2010 with the Class A Lakewood BlueClaws, where he hit for a .290 batting average, 14 home runs and 77 runs batted in (RBIs).

His 10-RBI game set a Fresno club record, and was one short of the modern-day PCL record, established by Mike Moustakas in 2010.

Including the previous two games, Singleton amassed four home runs—two of which were grand slams—and 18 RBI over three games.

Over a five-day span, Singleton collected 22 RBIs, including the 18 in Fresno's four game series in Albuquerque from May 12–15.

He was one of several prospects traded to the Astros in exchange for Hunter Pence in 2011.

Prior to the 2011 season, Singleton was considered the Phillies' second best prospect by Baseball America.

On July 29, 2011, the Phillies traded Singleton, Jarred Cosart, Josh Zeid, and Domingo Santana to the Houston Astros in exchange for Hunter Pence.

Baseball America designated Singleton as Houston's top prospect following the 2011 season.

He was named to appear in the 2012 All-Star Futures Game.

Singleton tested positive for marijuana in June 2012.

He competed in the Arizona Fall League that offseason, and had a second positive test for marijuana in December.

On January 9, 2013, Singleton was suspended for 50 games due to his second failed drug test.

Singleton said that he had grown up around friends who used the drug and that he had been using it "on and off" since he was 14 years old.

He spent a month in a rehabilitation center after the second failed test.

Following the 2013 season, the Astros added Singleton to their 40 man roster.

He signed a $10 million contract with the Astros before making his major league debut in 2014, but he struggled, last playing for the Astros in 2015 before they relegated him to the minor leagues and released him in 2018.

After playing in the Mexican League, Singleton signed a minor league contract with the Brewers, for whom he returned to the major leagues in 2023.

Singleton played baseball at Millikan High School in Long Beach, California.

On June 2, 2014, the Astros signed Singleton to a 5-year contract that guaranteed him $10 million, and could have been worth as much as $35 million.

The extension was the first to be signed by a drafted player with no major league experience.

Singleton was promoted from the Oklahoma City RedHawks of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League (PCL) to make his major league debut on June 3.

Singleton made his major league debut for the Astros on June 3, 2014 against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

In his first game, he went 1–3 with a home run, two RBIs, a walk, and two strikeouts.

His first home run, a solo home run, was off of Matt Shoemaker.

On June 8, Singleton lined his first career grand slam off of Glen Perkins of the Minnesota Twins at Target Field to help the Astros to a 14–5 win.

Teammates Dexter Fowler, Chris Carter, and George Springer also homered.

(Carter's was also a grand-slam).

On August 2, 2014, Singleton hit an inside-the-park home run against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It was initially ruled an out by the home plate umpire, but was later reversed following a challenge by Astros manager Bo Porter.

The Astros optioned Singleton to the AAA Fresno Grizzlies of the PCL to start the 2015 season.

On May 13, 2015, Singleton recorded 10 RBIs, including a grand slam and two-run home run against the Albuquerque Isotopes.

On November 19, 2016, Singleton was placed on outright waivers by the Astros.

He cleared waivers on November 22 and was assigned to Fresno.