Rico Noel

Professional baseball player

What is Rico Noel known for?

Rico Noel, born on January 11, 1989 in Ville Platte, Louisiana, is a notable alumnus of Lawton High School, in Lawton, Iowa, and a known professional baseball player. He is widely recognized for his time with the New York Yankees in the Major League Baseball (MLB) during 2015. Rico holds the statistics of having a batting average of .500 in his MLB career.

During his high school years, Noel was a multi-sport athlete, contributing to the baseball, basketball, and American football teams. He decided to focus on baseball and went on to play college baseball for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Coastal Carolina University. There, he transitioned from a second baseman to a center fielder and even played collegiate summer baseball with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Shortly after his college career, Noel was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres. His professional career included a stint with the Lake Elsinore Storm where he made notable achievements including recording 90 stolen bases. In May 2013, Noel was named All-MiLB.

Noel’s career also includes a significant switch to the New York Yankees in 2015. Here, he made his MLB debut in September and even hit a single during his first plate appearance in October. During his time with the Yankees, he stole five bases. He was part of the Yankees' 25-man roster for the 2015 American League Wild Card Game.

Following his time with the Yankees, Noel signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Noel continued to stay active in his career, playing several games with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, Lancaster Barnstormers, and finally signing a minor league contract with the Houston Astros. He was assigned to the Corpus Christi Hooks and promoted to the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies after 7 games.

Over the course of his career, Rico Noel has maintained a lively and dynamic presence in the world of professional baseball, demonstrating a commitment to the sport from his high school years through to the major leagues.