Trey Lunsford (born James Lewis Lunsford; May 25, 1979) is an American former professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
Early Life and Education
Lunsford was born in Odessa, Texas, and attended Central High School in San Angelo, Texas. He played college baseball at Grayson College and later transferred to Texas Tech University.
Professional Career
Draft and Minor Leagues
Lunsford was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 37th round of the 1998 MLB June Amateur Draft but did not sign. He was later drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 33rd round of the 2000 MLB June Amateur Draft and signed on June 14, 2000. He began his professional career with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Short Season Single-A Northwest League, where he was named a Northwest League All-Star in 2000.
Major League Career
Lunsford made his MLB debut on September 12, 2002, at age 23. In his first major league at-bat, he singled in the 10th inning off San Diego Padres pitcher Trevor Hoffman. Over three games in 2002, he collected two hits in three at-bats, including one double and one RBI.
In 2003, Lunsford appeared in one game as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement, going 0-for-1. A sprained right thumb ended his 2003 season early.
Overall, Lunsford played in four major league games, recording two hits in four at-bats for a .500 batting average with one double and one RBI. He did not hit any home runs. Defensively, he played catcher in 8.0 innings, committing one error in five chances for an .800 fielding percentage.
Later Career and Injury
After recovering from his thumb injury, Lunsford continued playing in the Giants' minor league system through the 2004 and 2005 seasons, reaching the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies and the Double-A Norwich Navigators. In March 2006, he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and has not played professional baseball since.
Post-Baseball Career
According to his LinkedIn profile, Lunsford later worked as a Sales Director at A&B Distributing and resides in Southaven, Mississippi, with his wife and three children.
