For over a decade, the Milwaukee Brewers had a revolving door at first base. From 2012-2021, a ten-year span, ten different players started at the position on Opening Day. And that does not include the multiple other players that took turns at first base during that time.
One of these players was Jon Singleton who, though his stint in Milwaukee was short-lived, was one of the best feel-good stories of the year in 2023.
Jon Singleton’s Stint with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023 Ended a 7-Year MLB Absence
Singleton was originally drafted in the eight round of the 2009 amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2010, after a season in which he hit .290/.393/.479 with 14 home runs and 77 RBI, he was named the second-best prospect in the Phillies system.
In 2011, Philadelphia traded Singleton to the Houston Astros in the deal that landed them Hunter Pence. Playing at High-A that year, the exciting prospect hit .298/.393/.441 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI. He was just 19 years old at the time. Following that year, he was named Houston’s number one overall prospect.
But in June of 2012, Singleton tested positive for marijuana. And while one failed test for the recreational drug may be viewed as no big deal, he failed a second drug test in January of 2013.
He spent a month in a rehabilitation center after his second failed test.
Still believing in their top prospect, the Astros added Singleton to their 40-man roster after the 2013 season. In 2014, he became the first player ever to sign a guaranteed contract (five years and $10 million guaranteed) without any Major League experience.
He did not have to wait long to get Major League experience though. On June 2 of 2014, he made his Big League debut and hit a home run with two RBI in his first game. He appeared in 95 games for Houston that year, hitting .168/.285/.336 with 13 home runs and 44 RBI. He appeared in 19 games with the Astros in 2015, but did not sniff the Majors again until Milwaukee called him up in 2023.
In 2018, Singleton failed his third drug test. At the time, he admitted that he was a drug addict and needed help. While he focused on recovery, though, Houston released him. He did not play for any professional leagues from 2018-2020.
In 2021, Singleton played in the Mexican League and hit .321/.503/.693 with 15 home runs and 36 RBI in 46 games. He performed well enough for the Brewers to sign him to a minor league contract.
In 2023, after over a year with the Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee called him up for his first Big League action since 2016. In 11 games with the Brewers, Singleton hit just .103/.188/.138 with two RBI. Milwaukee released him on June 21 of that year, but he signed back up with Houston three days later.
Jon Singleton Has Been Released by the Houston Astros
Singleton played in 119 games last year on the Major League level for the Astros, hitting .234/.321/.386 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI.
This spring, however, he hit just .171/.239/.195 with no home runs and two RBI in 17 games.
As a result, he has been granted his unconditional release from Houston.
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