Zachary "Zach" Craig Lutz (born June 3, 1986) is an American former professional baseball third baseman and first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and in the KBO League for the Doosan Bears.
Early Life and College Career
Lutz was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and attended Governor Mifflin Senior High School in Shillington, Pennsylvania. He went on to Alvernia University (then Alvernia College), a Division III school, where his father Yogi served as the baseball coach. Playing third base for the Alvernia Crusaders, Lutz was named the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference Baseball Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007 and was named the Division III National Player of the Year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association following his junior season.
Professional Career
Lutz was selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft. He spent several seasons in the Mets' minor league system, playing for the Binghamton Mets (Double-A) and Buffalo Bisons (Triple-A). In 2010, he hit 17 home runs in 61 games for Binghamton with a .967 OPS, despite missing approximately 60 days due to a stress fracture in his left foot. Prior to the 2011 season, the Mets added Lutz to their 40-man roster.
Lutz made his MLB debut on April 24, 2012, against the Miami Marlins. He recorded his first major league hit on April 27, 2012, against the Colorado Rockies in Denver. Over parts of two MLB seasons (2012–2013) with the Mets, he appeared in 31 games, posting a .226 batting average with 0 home runs and 2 runs batted in.
In June 2014, Lutz was released by the Mets to pursue an opportunity in Asia. He signed with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of NPB, where he appeared in 15 games and slashed .314/.379/.667 with 5 home runs and 18 RBI. In January 2015, he signed with the Doosan Bears of the KBO League, playing in 8 games and batting .111 with 1 home run and 3 RBI.
Lutz returned to the Mets organization on a minor league contract in July 2015, playing for the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. He signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins in February 2016 but was released in June after struggling with the Triple-A New Orleans Zephyrs. He signed with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League in 2017 but retired shortly thereafter.
Post-Playing Career
Following his playing career, Lutz has worked as a baseball instructor, player development coach, and director of teams, helping athletes develop their skills.
