Six years of minor-league baseball and Grant Koch is finally getting his shot.
The former Arkansas catcher is being called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates from Triple-A Indianapolis. He will replace catcher Joey Bart.
Koch had a slash line of .167/.211/.259 for the Indians in 2024, but is coming of a 2023 in which an OPS of .708, a career high. The Fayetteville native and FHS product has been in the Pittsburgh organization since being taken in the fifth round by the franchise in 2018.
Koch is the second Arkansas player taken out of the nine Razorbacks taken in that draft who signed to make it to the Majors. Evan Lee, a two-way player during his time with the Diamond Hogs and also an Arkansas native, pitched in four games for the Nationals in 2022.
Of the nine players – not including Zack Plunkett and Isaiah Campbell, each of who were selected but did not sign – taken that year, only Koch, Lee, Jax Biggers and Jake Reindl are still playing in the MLB/MILB system.
Koch played three years with the Diamongs Hogs (2016-18) during which time he collected an .802 OPS and hit 22 home runs.
His biggest chance of playing time with the Pirates will be on days which Paul Skenes starts. The two were battery mates earlier in the season in Indianapolis.