Corey Hart (baseball)

Jon Corey Hart (born March 24, 1982) is an American former professional baseball right fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2004 through 2013, the Seattle Mariners in 2014 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2015. Hart was a two-time MLB All-Star, and also participated in the MLB Home Run Derby.

Hart played for the Greenwood High School Gators in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Hart also played basketball for four years for the Gators for coach Jason Couch and was recruited to be college basketball at University of Alabama at Birmingham. He regularly played shortstop on the baseball team. Hart's jersey is retired by Greenwood and hangs from the rafters in the school's gymnasium.^{[citation needed]}

Hart played American Legion Baseball and was named the program's Graduate of the Year for 2011.

The Milwaukee Brewers selected Hart in the 11th round of the 2000 MLB draft. He started his career that summer with the rookie level Ogden Raptors, primarily playing at first base. He moved up to the Single-A High Desert Mavericks and then the Double-A Huntsville Stars by the 2002 season. He was selected for the All-Star Futures Game. He moved up to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians in 2004.

In 2005, Hart batted .308 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs in 113 games for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. While there, Hart played alongside future major league teammates Prince Fielder and J. J. Hardy. He also had 31 stolen bases. Hart continued to play in both the minor and major leagues through 2006, and was regarded as one of Milwaukee's top prospects.

Hart made his MLB debut with the Brewers on May 25, 2004. Hart's next game in the majors was Sunday, August 14, 2005, when he hit his first MLB home run, a three-run blast against the Cincinnati Reds into the upper deck at Miller Park. Hart played 87 games for the major league club in 2006 and was with the Brewers for the entire 2007 season, mainly seeing action in right field. Hart also led off for the Brewers for almost half of the 2007 season when second baseman Rickie Weeks was on the disabled list.

In spring training in 2007, Hart, who stands at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), recorded the fastest 60 yard dash of any player on the Brewers roster.

During the 2007 season, Hart had a 22-game hitting streak which was snapped in a July 7 game against the Washington Nationals, as Hart went 0-for-4 with a walk. In 2007, Hart became the first Brewer since 2003 to steal 20 bases and hit 20 home runs in a season. He and Ryan Braun were the first two Brewers to have two 20–20 seasons.