1. Early Life and Education
Christopher Coghlan's journey to professional baseball began in his early life and continued through his collegiate career, where he honed his skills before being drafted into Major League Baseball.
1.1. High School
Born in Rockville, Maryland, Coghlan attended East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Florida. During his time there, he showed promising baseball talent, leading to his selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 18th round (546th overall) of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft. However, Coghlan chose not to sign with the Diamondbacks, instead opting to pursue a college education and continue his baseball career at the collegiate level.
1.2. College
Coghlan committed to the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where he played college baseball for the Ole Miss Rebels. In 2004, he started 54 games as a third baseman and was recognized for his performance by being named to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) All-Freshman team. His strong play continued into 2005, when he was named to the All-SEC second team. That same year, he participated in collegiate summer baseball for the Chatham A's in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named a league all-star and led the league in batting with a .346 average. By 2006, Coghlan's collegiate career peaked, earning him first-team All-SEC and third-team All-American selections. Following his successful college career, Coghlan was selected by the Florida Marlins in the first round (36th overall) of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft, and this time, he signed his professional contract.
2. Professional Career
Chris Coghlan embarked on a professional baseball career that spanned several organizations, including multiple stints with the Chicago Cubs, and featured a significant Rookie of the Year award as well as a World Series championship.
2.1. Florida/Miami Marlins
After joining the Marlins organization, Coghlan progressed through various minor league levels. He played for the Gulf Coast Marlins (Rookie level), the Jamestown Jammers (Low-A), the Greensboro Grasshoppers (A), the Jupiter Hammerheads (High-A), the Carolina Mudcats (Double-A), and the New Orleans Zephyrs (Triple-A). During his time in the minor leagues, Coghlan transitioned from his college position of third base to second base, and eventually to left field, which became his primary position upon his call-up to the Florida Marlins.
Coghlan made his major league debut on May 8, 2009. He quickly made an impact, setting a Marlins team record on August 9, 2009, with eight consecutive multi-hit games. In August 2009, Coghlan recorded 41 hits, which was the most for a rookie since Todd Helton achieved 45 hits in August 1998, earning Coghlan Rookie of the Month honors. He followed this impressive performance with 50 hits in September/October 2009, becoming the first rookie to have back-to-back months with 40 or more hits, and the first player overall to do so since Ichiro Suzuki in 2004. His .321 batting average ranked 6th in the National League among all players and was the highest among all rookies. After the MLB All-Star break, Coghlan led all major league players in batting average (.372) and hits (113). His exceptional overall performance culminated in him receiving the National League Rookie of the Year Award on November 16, 2009.
In April 2012, Coghlan was optioned to the New Orleans Zephyrs, with Bryan Petersen being recalled to take his place in Miami. At the time, Coghlan was batting .121 with a .299 OPS and 2 RBI for the Marlins. In May 2012, Coghlan and Donovan Solano were recalled by the Marlins after Emillio Bonifacio was placed on the disabled list due to a thumb injury. Coghlan started on the same day against the Cleveland Indians, going 0-for-4 with an RBI. In June 2012, Coghlan was sent down for a second time to the New Orleans Zephyrs to make room for Scott Cousins. After the 2013 season, the Marlins non-tendered Coghlan, making him a free agent.
2.2. Chicago Cubs (first stint)
In January 2014, Coghlan signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs, which included an invitation to spring training. On May 3, the Cubs selected his contract from the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. He played in 125 games with the Cubs, transitioning between left field and center field. In 385 at bats, he hit .283 with 9 home runs and 41 RBI. Coghlan was frequently used as a leadoff hitter and maintained a .352 OBP.
2.3. Oakland Athletics
On February 25, 2016, the Cubs traded Coghlan to the Oakland Athletics in exchange for right-handed pitcher Aaron Brooks. During his brief time with the Athletics, Coghlan batted .146.
2.4. Chicago Cubs (second stint)
On June 9, 2016, the Athletics traded Coghlan back to the Cubs for Arismendy Alcántara. Coghlan played 48 games with the Cubs to conclude the 2016 season, batting .252 with one home run and 16 RBI. Overall in 2016, combining his statistics from both the Athletics and the Cubs, Coghlan played in 99 total games, posting a .188 batting average, six home runs, and 30 RBI. The Cubs finished the season with an impressive 103-58 record, securing the NL Central division title. The team went on to win the 2016 World Series over the Cleveland Indians, famously ending their 108-year championship drought.
2.5. Philadelphia Phillies
On February 2, 2017, Coghlan signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. However, his tenure with the organization was brief, as he was released by the Phillies on March 28.
2.6. Toronto Blue Jays
On April 1, 2017, Coghlan signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays and was assigned to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He was called up to the major league roster by the Blue Jays on April 14. A highlight of his time with the Blue Jays occurred on April 25, 2017, in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Coghlan executed a remarkable dive roll over Cardinals' catcher Yadier Molina to avoid a tag and score a go-ahead run in the top of the seventh inning. This play was widely considered a "play of the year" candidate. Toronto ultimately won the game 6-5 in 11 innings. Coghlan was designated for assignment on August 12 and was subsequently released on August 15.
2.7. Chicago Cubs (third stint and career conclusion)
On March 29, 2018, Coghlan signed another minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs, marking his third stint with the organization. He played in 61 games, splitting his time between the rookie-level Arizona League Cubs and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. During this period, he accumulated a .250/.353/.404 batting line, along with four home runs and 19 RBI. Coghlan elected free agency following the 2018 season on November 2, which ultimately concluded his professional baseball career.
3. Personal Life
Chris Coghlan is married to Corrie Adamson. The couple tied the knot in 2011; Corrie Adamson was a contestant on the 14th season of the reality television series The Bachelor. A significant personal event in Coghlan's life was the death of his father, Tim, who was tragically killed in a traffic accident on June 5, 2001.