Isaac Michael Collins Bio
Isaac Michael Collins is an American professional baseball left fielder who currently plays for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). Nicknamed “Cucumber,” Collins was born on July 22, 1997, in Maple Grove, Minnesota. He made his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024 before being traded to Kansas City in December 2025. Collins has established himself as a versatile outfielder with speed and plate discipline, earning recognition including National League Rookie of the Month honors and a spot on MLB Pipeline’s 2025 All-Rookie First Team.
Early Life and Background
Collins grew up in Maple Grove, Minnesota, where he attended Maple Grove Senior High School. He graduated in 2016 and went on to pursue higher education at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. At Creighton, he played college baseball for the Creighton Bluejays, developing his skills as a contact hitter with on-base ability and speed on the bases.
During his college summers, Collins further refined his game by playing in prestigious summer collegiate leagues. In 2017, he played for the Duluth Huskies of the Northwoods League. The following summer, in 2018, he joined the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, widely regarded as one of the top amateur summer leagues in the country. These experiences against top college competition helped prepare him for professional baseball.
Path to Professional Baseball
After his junior season at Creighton University, Collins entered the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. The Colorado Rockies selected him in the ninth round with the 279th overall pick. This selection marked the beginning of his professional career, as he signed with the Rockies organization and prepared to make his debut in their minor league system.
Isaac Michael Collins Career
Colorado Rockies Minor League System (2019–2022)
Collins made his professional debut in 2019 with the Low-A Boise Hawks. Over 37 games, he hit .257 with 17 runs batted in, showing early promise as a contact-oriented hitter. The 2020 season was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of the entire minor league season. Collins did not appear in any professional games that year, forcing him to wait until 2021 to resume his development.
He returned to action in 2021, splitting the season between the Single-A Fresno Grizzlies and the High-A Spokane Indians. Collins posted impressive numbers across 95 games, accumulating a .308 batting average with an on-base percentage of .407 and a slugging percentage of .475. He hit nine home runs, drove in 54 runs, and stole 21 bases, demonstrating his well-rounded skill set. In 2022, he played for the Double-A Hartford Yard Goats, appearing in 111 games while batting .221 with a .337 on-base percentage, five home runs, 32 RBI, and 30 stolen bases.
Milwaukee Brewers (2022–2025)
On December 7, 2022, the Milwaukee Brewers selected Collins in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, acquiring him from the Rockies organization. He spent the 2023 season with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, where he continued to develop his offensive tools. In 93 games for Biloxi, Collins slashed .269/.424/.431 with 10 home runs, 44 RBI, and 29 stolen bases. His strong performance earned him a brief call-up to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds at the end of the season.
Collins began the 2024 season with Nashville, where he posted career-high numbers in home runs and RBI during an outstanding minor league campaign. On September 8, 2024, the Brewers selected Collins to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. He made his MLB debut that same month, appearing in 11 games and recording two hits in 17 at-bats with one stolen base and two walks.
The 2025 season marked Collins’s first full major league campaign and proved to be a breakthrough year. On April 30, 2025, he hit his first career home run, a milestone that came against Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox. His performance in July earned him National League Rookie of the Month honors, as he went 25-for-78 at the plate with four stolen bases and eleven walks. On August 10, 2025, Collins delivered one of the most memorable moments of his career when he hit a walk-off home run off closer Edwin Diaz to defeat the New York Mets 7-6 at American Family Field. The following day, he was named National League Player of the Week for his performance during August 4-10, a span in which he batted .476 with six runs, two home runs, eight RBI, and an OPS of 1.529. Collins made 130 total appearances for Milwaukee in 2025, slashing .263/.368/.411 with nine home runs, 54 RBI, and 16 stolen bases. He was subsequently named to MLB Pipeline’s 2025 All-Rookie First Team.
Kansas City Royals Era (2025–Present)
On December 14, 2025, Collins’s tenure with the Brewers came to an end when he and pitcher Nick Mears were traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for pitcher Ángel Zerpa. The trade represented a significant opportunity for Collins, as he joined a Royals organization in the midst of a competitive window. He wears jersey number 1 for Kansas City and continues to serve as the team’s left fielder.
Playing Style and Strengths
Collins is known as a contact-oriented hitter with excellent plate discipline and above-average speed on the bases. His approach at the plate centers on working deep counts and getting on base at a high rate, as evidenced by his consistently above-average on-base percentages throughout his minor league career. He has shown the ability to drive the ball with extra-base power while maintaining the ability to use his speed to steal bases. Defensively, he patrols left field with solid range and instincts.
Notable Events and Milestones
The defining moment of Collins’s early MLB career came on August 10, 2025, when he hit a walk-off home run against All-Star closer Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets. The dramatic home run, which sealed a 7-6 victory for Milwaukee, capped a remarkable week of offensive production and earned him national recognition. His first career home run on April 30, 2025, against the Chicago White Sox represented another significant milestone in his development as a major league player.
Isaac Michael Collins Career Performance Summary
Through his first two MLB seasons spanning 2024 and 2025, Collins established himself as a valuable role player for the Milwaukee Brewers before joining the Kansas City Royals. His career statistics reflect a player who combines contact ability with on-base skills and basestealing prowess. His 2025 rookie campaign was particularly impressive, featuring multiple honors and a signature walk-off home run that demonstrated his ability to perform in high-pressure situations.
Milwaukee Brewers Highlights
Collins’s time with the Brewers was highlighted by his breakthrough 2025 season. He earned National League Rookie of the Month recognition in July and was later named National League Player of the Week in August. His walk-off home run against the New York Mets on August 10, 2025, became a defining moment of his rookie year. He was also recognized for his overall rookie season performance by being named to MLB Pipeline’s 2025 All-Rookie First Team. Across 141 career games with Milwaukee, Collins demonstrated consistent offensive production with a combination of power, speed, and plate discipline.
Minor League Career Highlights
Before reaching the majors, Collins posted impressive numbers throughout the minor leagues. His 2021 season across Single-A and High-A saw him hit .308 with nine home runs, 54 RBI, and 21 stolen bases, showcasing his well-rounded skill set. His 2023 season with Double-A Biloxi included a standout .424 on-base percentage, further emphasizing his plate discipline and ability to get on base at a high rate.
| Level | Games | Batting Average | Home Runs | RBI | Stolen Bases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB (Career) | 141 | .263 | 9 | 54 | 17 |
| Minor League (2023) | 93 | .269 | 10 | 44 | 29 |
| Minor League (2021) | 95 | .308 | 9 | 54 | 21 |
Isaac Michael Collins Family
Family Background
Details about Collins’s family background are not extensively documented in publicly available sources. He has maintained a relatively private personal life away from the baseball field.
Personal Life
Collins graduated from Maple Grove Senior High School in 2016 and went on to attend Creighton University, where he balanced athletics with academics. He continues to maintain connections to his Minnesota roots. His professional baseball career has taken him through multiple organizations, and he has adapted to the demands of life as a major league player, including the travel and rigors of a 162-game season.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Isaac Michael Collins’s first full year in Major League Baseball and proved to be a breakthrough campaign. After beginning the year in Milwaukee’s outfield rotation, he steadily improved as the season progressed, showcasing the skills that had made him a successful minor league player. His ability to work deep counts and get on base provided value at the top and middle of the Brewers lineup throughout the season.
Collins’s July performance was particularly outstanding, earning him National League Rookie of the Month honors. He went 25-for-78 during the month while demonstrating his basestealing ability and plate discipline with 11 walks. The momentum from that strong month carried into August, where he delivered his signature moment of the season with a walk-off home run against the New York Mets on August 10. His offensive output during that week was exceptional, batting .476 with six runs, two home runs, and eight RBI over a seven-game span.
His contributions throughout the season earned him recognition on MLB Pipeline’s 2025 All-Rookie First Team, validating his status as one of the top rookie performers in the National League. The combination of consistent at-bats, power production, and basestealing ability made Collins a valuable contributor to the Brewers throughout the season. His performance also increased his trade value, leading to his acquisition by the Kansas City Royals in December 2025, where he projects to play a significant role in the team’s outfield for the 2026 season and beyond.